Two-gun shooters?

[Homesteader]

This one just popped into my head, mostly because I realized how many smokewagons I've got.

Do any of you ever do the alternate "Josie Wales" sort of shooting, or just practice with your weak hand? (I guess a calvary impression would have to, eh?)

I've always kinda thought the two-gun thing is a John Woo affectation, but every now and then I wonder if it might not be a good idea to be proficient with both hands.

So... any thoughts on it? I'm referring to cap & ball revolvers, of course, which I've been shooting since the late 70's. Strangely enough, I can't say I've ever tried it with both hands, or even my "off" hand.

Curious what y'all have to say about it. As always, your input is much valued!

 

[leatherjunkie]

I have been practicing the two hand gun shooting.
pulling both pistols out and cocking each one alternately and fireing alternately.
I have been using my ruger vaqueros single action pistols not my cap and ball pistols.

I have been practicing this style of shooting because in cowboy action shooting it is a catagory called gunfighter. I think it would be fun and faster to shoot this way during a match.
cowboy action shooting also has a catagory for the cap and ball shooters called frontiersman.
friontiersman catagory is where you shoot duelist style. each pistol is drawen and shot with one hand only. you can draw the left pistol and shoot with left hand, draw right pistol and shoot with right hand or can draw both pistols with your strong arm and shoot em that way but only one hand touching pistols when shooting.

 

[Doc Arroyo]

Every time I go to the range, with whatever pistols that I am shooting...1/3 to 1/2 of the practice time is with the left hand. Started as a tactical thing. (What if you need to?) Then it just became habit. And every now and then it is a source of pride and amusement at the range. (Did you see that guy?) :winking:

I am not as good left handed, but I do have fun trying!

 

[rebel727]

I've got two 44-40 Colt clones I shoot with either hand. Plan to shoot duelist in CAS matches if I ever get all my gear together. Maybe move up to gunfighter if I do ok duelist. I do have a cap and ball Remmy I shoot with either hand also.

 

[biliff]

Like leatherjunkie said, gunfighter is a CAS category where you shoot with a pistol in each hand. It can be quite a hoot with a pair of BP loaded 45's, but it does take a little practice with the weak hand.

 

[pondoro]

If you own two pistols and shoot them right and left handed do you sight them in differently? (i.e. is one gun specificly sighted for the right hand and one for the left?)

 

[biliff]

I don't know about anybody else, but I'm right eye dominant so I end up shifting the left pistol in front of my right eye.

 

[4bore]

I havent done cap&ball 2 handed shooting yet but i have shot 2 matching double action 357 redhawk rugers looks awesome and scares the bejesus outta bystanders cant seem to hit the broad side of a barn when i do it. josey wales aka mr.eastwood i bow to you :bow:

 

[leatherjunkie]

While practicing i tend to keep both pistols real close together when shooting them. close enough to together to touch my thumbs to each other.
I tend to shoot the right one first and while cocking that one i shift the left one over to my right eye line of sight to shoot. then its back to the right pistol while cocking left pistol.

a friend of mine shoots with both eyes open and he doesn't shift to one eye when shooting his pistols.

 

[rebel727]

At CAS ranges I keep both eyes open and don't really sight, just kinda look down the barrels. At longer ranges I sight left gun with left eye, right gun with right eye. I'm better with the right hand but not too shabby left handed. Both my guns shoot a tad low to poa and I sight them both the same. I do have a preference with which gun I shoot with which hand tho.

 

[Homesteader]

Looks like I've got some practicing to do. Thanks for the input, fellahs! :hatsoff:

 

[tg]

I found that the '51 .36 Navy Colt in the right hand and a .31 Coly pocket pistol in the left worked pretty well on cardboard badguys at moderate ranges these guns fit and become a part of your hand for instinctive shooting about as well as any.All my pistols have went down the road in favor of flint gun parts.

 

[Ivan]

My father was a survivalist and always incouraged us kids to be efficient with either hand. I shoot with my right eye but can shoot with either hand. The left just takes a little longer. Never could shoot two pistols at once. My grandfather( will be 90 this month) was a hell of a shot back in his day. At local shoots he always won, so they made him shoot left handed. He got a pistol with left handed grips and smoked them again. They finally banned him from the shoot. He also could shoot quarters out of the air 4 out of 5 tries. Wish I could have been around him in his youth. He was an untamed man. He always has stories to tell

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

In centerfire action discplines here in Jersey, we call that the New York reload! But honestly, yes I have to admit that I've always shot with the weak hand and sometimes with both at the same time. Maybe we could try that at the next BP league "novelty" shoot. If you shoot fast enough to fill the air with smoke, it could get Real Fun :shocked2: All the best, Dave

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I've practiced left-handed some with my modern revolvers but never BP as I generally try for accuracy shooting with strong hand.