One armed shooter

[pjmonty]

I have a shooting buddy that only has one arm. Does anyone know if there are spacial rules for his condition or a place I could look up training methods for him. We shot the classifier for IDPA yesterday together. I could see areas that he needs to improve to be able to be safe and competitive. Any help would be appreciated.

[Dolomite]

How does he perform his reloads? The only safe way I can think of to do it one handed in a match would be to use an open top kydex holster that would hold the frame securely regardless of whether the slide is open or in battery. Just curious.

[pjmonty]

He holds the weapon by the slide in his prostetic hand to insert the magazine. To rack the slide, he has to change his grip in his off hand and use his shooting hand to rack it. I need to work with him to see if he can grab a mag with his prostetic hand and insert it. He carries his spares in front of his holster. During all the switching, I'm afraid he might drop his expensive 1911. Hope someone has some ideas.

[Chaffdb]

I saw a guy with one arm shoot an IPSC match and he was really good. He had a slide racker on his gun and could catch it on his holster to rack the slide, all the time keeping the muzzle downrange. He had custom mag holders that held the mags facing up. He dumped the old mag and jammed the gun down on top of a new mag, then slid it forward off the holder I believe. He never took the gun out of his good hand. Unfortunately, I don't know his name or where he is from, but maybe that can give you some ideas. I'm not sure how well it would translate to IDPA though with the different requirements.

[WalterMitty]

Chaffdb,

I RO'd the shooter you're talking about through stage 10 at the Area 4 championship 2 years ago. I sincerely doubt that the IDPA rules would be flexible enough to allow him to compete at the same level.

His name escapes me right now, but he was a marvelous case study in adaptation. He did not win, but I assure you, he did not finish last.

The stage incorporated two firing ports and a door at the end that had to be opened to activate a swinger and two clamshells.

What a Man.

pjmonty,

I would encourage your friend to find safe solutions to the shooting scenarios and screw the rules. A racking handle on that 1911 would be a good start. From there he should use his imagination.

Good Luck.

[Rusty Phillips]

idea one

shoot for no score

and shoot it whatever way possible given your limitations.

if he's not shooting for score, why should he be limited to 7 or 10 rds?

how about loaning him a G17 with full cap mags and a +2 (19 rounds plus one up the spout)

and screw the reloads

if i had only one (good) arm, thats what id do in real life ..... (id get as many bullets in the gun as i possibly could get, and in a lighter caliber to maximize one handed shootability)

(but he still needs to know how to charge and clear his gun)

idea two

if i was an amputee - this is what i think i would do

i would drop the mag out of the gun (screw the reloads with retention rule)

if there's a malfunction i would then rack the slide using my belt and the rear sight (get a rather squarish rear sight) and learn to push the slide stop up to hold the slide open then check the chamber to ensure any misfed rounds are cleared (out the side of the ejection port or out the bottom of the magwell)

and then i would reholster the magless gun (either slide locked back chamber empty, or slide down loaded chamber)

once in the holster i would grab a mag carried on a strong side holder (probably worn behind the gun holster at 4- 5:00 with the bullets pointing nose back)

and push it into the empty magwell of the gun

and then re-draw, (drop the slide if necessary) & re-engage

i would be very concerned about holding a firearm in a prosthetic hand and switching the gun back & forth.

good luck, have fun, stay safe, get help from a professional trainer (i'm definitely not one)