one-armed shooter

[1armedbandit]

I'm new to CAS and, as the title implies, I shoot with one arm/hand. I was hoping to get feedback on some of my ideas for making my life easier as well as maybe a few ideas I had not yet considered. Having said that...

Main Match Pistols
They will be .45 Colt and I will shoot duelist, of course. My questions here concern loading. Do shooters ever need to load revolvers on the clock? Do they always have a table/bench/other support on which to rest the pistols while loading? Basically, this boils down to a choice between Rugers (my preference) and a pair of Schofield replicas. IMO, the Rugers are more durable and a bit less expensive, but I can dump and reload the Schofields a lot faster.

Main Match Rifle
I have a Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt that works very well for me, but I'm looking for ways to improve my levering technique. In order to maintain muzzle control, I drop the stock under my arm to cycle the lever. I've discovered that a 2"-3" strip of leather wrapped around the stock just rear of its midpoint greatly improves speed and control. SASS rules do state that "a piece of leather...may be attached to the...butt stock," but the rest of the rules concerning grips seem (and perhaps rightly so) decidedly against any form of grip enhancement. Can anyone clarify whether I can use the wrap, or if "attached" means something else?

Main Match Shotgun
I was convinced that a lever action shotgun was the way to go until I read a description somewhere of a match in which one of the shotgun targets triggered the launch of a clay pigeon. My concern over a double barrel is that they tend to be nose heavy, which makes them a little more difficult for me to handle. On the other hand, I can get the two shots off a bit faster with a DB than a lever. (Consider the description of my levering technique above.) Any advice? How often do stage designers do that sort of thing?

Precision Rifle
Are shooting sticks ever used/allowed for the long range competitions?

[Tensleep]

You might check the SASS Wire for a man named Shadow Carson, he is one of the finest shooters I know and he also just has one arm. Shadow shoots a double barrelled shotgun and Rugers, I forget what kind of rifle he shoots.

Shadow lives in Pa I think.

[Camille Eonich]

Pistols reloads don't happen enough to base your choice of guns on them.  No there is not always a table but given the situation I'm sure that no one would protest if you wanted to pull one over to help you out with your reloads.  If they do then they don't have any business playing the game.  I have never seen a pistol reload at anything other than a monthly match.

A piece of leather on the butt stock of the rifle is fine.  Many people have their entire stocks covered in leather or suede now.

You see birds a bit more often that you do pistol reloads but still not enough to base your choice of guns around.  Heck buy the lever action if that's what you like and borrow somebodys double when you have a popper.   


Good shootin'!

[hellgate]

Mr Bandit,
The 1887s are not a smooth gun to operate without a lot of tuning. I'd recommend a double since they are pretty straight forward and you don't need to rack it between shots. As for using a strap or some other means of support in order for you to shoot, only a "hard a$$" would make it an issue. Anyone who I hang out with would be glad for you just to get out and start blamming away. My argument for you would be the SAFETY aspects of any modification. Maintaining control of the gun is paramount. The point where rules are less flexible is at the state, Regional & national shoots where someone might take issue with your modifications if they gave you a competitive advantage over them.  The only fellow I've seen shoot with one arm had an upper arm on the missing side that he used as a prop for the SXS & rifle. There is an occasional reload on the clock (I have designed stages with them) but many are "shoot 5 and load a 6th" rather than a full reload. But if the Scofield is easier for you then have at it. They're an approved gun. A simple approach is to go to the Match Director and get his/her approval for you to use some modified weaponry. There are folks in wheelchairs that have the holsters mounted on the arm rests. Hells bells, get out there and have fun. As long as you are SAFE everyone will cut you tons of slack.

[1armedbandit]

Thanks for the input. It sounds like I was making it harder than necessary. 
Of course, like I said, I'm new to the sport and wasn't sure how much flexibility I might be afforded. I'm not really worried about winning, but I would like to have a fighting chance.

[BlaiseNSaddles]

The top-breaks on the clock are a bit faster to relaod but I don't think that matters as much.

As for main match guns, might want to consider a pump gun like the Beretta Gold Rush or the Pedersoli Lightening.  I got a chance to try out a Gold Rush and it went through rounds just fine.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I haven't seen him for sometime, but when I started there was a shooter from around these parts who was missing his hand and about half of his forearm on his left side. Of course, the nature of your situtuation will determine what is best for you. This shooter had enough forearm that he could rest the barrels of his long guns on his forearm when he shot. He usually did quite well.

Somewhere buried in one of the CAS handbooks there used to be a statement to the effect that if a shooter was physically incapable of a specific action called out in a scnenario, alternatives would be found. This was usually used when some of us fat old guys weren't too capable of hopping up onto Old Paint, if the scenarion called for it, so shooting standing next to Old Paint would usually be allowed. The point is, that CAS has a history of making the sport accessable to everybody, and ways can usually be found.

[Arcey]

The man wants ta shoot with us, we'll find a way.

That'd be the Pungo Posse, Wakefield, Virginia.  We're in the SASS rag.

[1armedbandit]

Driftwood and Arcey, thanks for the encouragement. As I've gotten to know some folks locally, I'm becoming more confident that I can do this. You cowboy shooters are a great bunch!

The top-breaks on the clock are a bit faster to relaod but I don't think that matters as much.

I've not had a chance to work with a single action revolver, so I'm not sure what my unload/reload process would be with a fixed cylinder. My left arm is entirely useless, so reloading is a completely one-handed operation. The revolvers I currently own are modern DA/SA types with swing out cylinders. The way I dump and reload (in the absence of a bench) is to swing the cylinder out, push the ejector rod against my holster, and tip the muzzle up to dump. Then I holster the gun butt forward with the cylinder out. The ejector rod hooks on the holster and the gun stays put while I reload. Then I pull it out, close the cylinder, and either resume firing or re-holster it correctly. The top-break seemed an attractive option because I could push the release, break it across my leg, and holster the opened gun to reload. On the other hand, if it is usually a matter of fire five and add one, I think I might learn to do that rather quickly with a fixed cylinder.

As for main match guns, might want to consider a pump gun like the Beretta Gold Rush or the Pedersoli Lightening.  I got a chance to try out a Gold Rush and it went through rounds just fine.

I'm curious as to why you would recommend a slide action. I've never tried one and really never considered one because I couldn't see how it could be done one-handed. I'm not sure I could be convinced to trade in my lever gun, though. I know my process probably sounded tedious when I described it, but I can work it pretty well. My only real concern with it is the stock slipping from under my arm when I cycle the action, but a leather wrap on the stock cures that. I think I'm ok on long guns, except maybe for the long range competition. I'm hoping that I can get permission to use sticks.

[Camille Eonich]

Many long range competitions will allow you to use sticks.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

In addition to Shadow, there also another pard in the same area called Shadow's Shadow. He's a one armer as well and Shadow is his inspiration. Come on out and play, as long as you can handle your arms safely there's always a way................Buck

[hellgate]

My Bandit,
Make sure you practice loading & unloading without breaking the 170 degree arc. If you tip the Scofield back toward the firing line or yourself and break that imaginary line with the muzzle direction you will get DQ'd (disqualified) for a breach of safety. I don't think anyone will hassle you for taking your jolly time ('cause they know but for the grace of God they have TWO arms) but they will draw the line at an unsafe situation. The rule is: be safe, have fun, and look good doing it!

[1armedbandit]

Well, I shot my first match and I set a new record score - the worst in three years!

I used my Marlin and borrowed the rest. The pistols I borrowed were Rugers, and I can see why they are so popular. The only difficulty I had with them was in unloading, but the guy working the unloading area was happy to help. I shot most of the match with a side-by-side shotgun with internal hammers. My bad arm was no help in getting it opened, so I had to lower it quickly and let gravity do the rest. I had to close it by jerking it upwards quickly. As I finished my fourth stage, I heard a fellow over at the loading table say, "So, who wants to arm-wrestle that guy?"  On the fifth stage, another shooter took pity on me and offered the use of a shotgun with external hammers. It was easier to open, but still required a heavy jerk to close. I did get to try an 1887 replica with dummy rounds and found that I could load and fire two at least as fast as with a double. Of course, the lever shotgun didn't require me to jerk it around to open and close it, so it's less tiring. It's probably safer, too.

I went into a gun shop yesterday and asked the fellow how long it would take to order one and get it in. He said he could get one in about 8 days, but I could take the one on the rack right away.  I've been in that store dozens of times and they've never stocked those things, so I guess it was meant to be. 

Anyway, I had a blast and will be shooting another match in a couple weeks. I appreciate the encouragement and advice.

[Camille Eonich]

That's GREAT!  I'm so glad that you had a good time and that you are now over your "stage firght" and ready to go back and try again.

Sounds as though you learned a LOT. 

[Pinto Being]

OAB, you wrote:

My bad arm was no help in getting it opened, so I had to lower it quickly and let gravity do the rest. I had to close it by jerking it upwards quickl

Welcome to the sport, amigo!  Glad your 1st match went well.

Is your "bad arm" a prosthesis?  Or, is it an arm that just doesn't work?

The reason I ask is 'cause my pard "Rocky Mountain Outlaw" has a prosthesis that starts from his left shoulder and ends with a pincer-type apparatus.  He shoots duelist, of course, but uses a 2X shotgun and a lever action rifle.  Both of his long guns have leather thongs with beads hangin' from the forestock.  He grips the thongs with the pincer and uses his good arm and hand to do the rest.

Is that your situation?

If not, and you are truly shootin' with only one arm and hand, most CAS clubs will allow you to use whatever compensatory strategies you may want to use in order to compete.  The lovely Miz Camille has already stated that and I'm here to attest to it.  Like in the Ol' West, it's all about "whatever it takes!"

Good shootin' amigo and keep your powder dry.

[1armedbandit]

Is your "bad arm" a prosthesis?  Or, is it an arm that just doesn't work?

My left arm is almost completely paralyzed from a neck/shoulder injury. I can open and close my hand (no fine control or rotation). I have no elbow control, and I can only shrug my shoulder. I shoot entirely one-handed, but I'm looking at a few possible strategies for incorporating my left hand. One thing that I've found I can do with a long gun is grip the gun from the top with my left hand just forward of the action so that it just hangs. (I wear a glove on my left hand for this.) I place the stock (wrapped with leather for grip) under my right arm and then operate the gun with my right hand. I'm shooting from the hip this way, but with a lever shotgun, I can do everything without moving the gun - I turn my body to aim and the gun just hangs by my left arm for loading. Maybe I'll get good enough to do that with my rifle as well.

The problem with the side by side is that I can't control my left hand well enough to push the barrels open or closed, and even though the guns with exposed hammers just drop open, I still have to jerk the gun up to close it. I think, though, that I'm on the right track with the lever shotgun. I've been practicing the last couple of weeks and I'm getting fairly fast.

In other news, my wife just got me an SASS membership for my birthday! 

[Two Rivers Marshal]

i'm real glad to hear about you shootin.  Headed to my first shoot this weekend.  My grandfather lost one of his hands / arms long before I was born. ( He was on his horse and it got spooked, gun went off and he lost his hand, medicine not being what it is today, he ended up loosing his arm up to his elbow.  That was a man that could do anything he desired ( most things probably better than I could with two arms )  From what I have seen just going to shoots to watch, the folks here are about the friendliest one could ask to meet.  I'm sure what ever you may need to compete, if there is a way to help,  they will do it.

Two Rivers