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14[[quoteright:330:[[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/terminator_one_hand_shotgun.jpg]]]]
15[[caption-width-right:330:Also known as Multi-tasking!]]
16
17When a hero carries a handgun, he or she will tend to wield it and sometimes fire it in one hand. Perfect for still photo opportunities where the shooter's arm is bent above and behind their head and the gun is brought down to aim and fire. [[GangstaStyle Even more cool is firing a gun sideways.]]
18
19And sometimes the hero will [[GunsAkimbo have a gun in each hand]]. Or a [[SwordAndGun sword in the other]].
20
21And then there are cases when someone is using a longarm one-handed. These weapons were never even meant for one-handed use, but it happens for some reason. Submachine guns are popularly shown this way, as they often look good in one hand, but they are still intended for two-handed use. This is the only way rifles and such can be used GunsAkimbo, but doesn't exactly look realistic.
22
23The exception is if they are military or police officers, where they will use two hands. Unless they've gone rogue and/or are desperate.
24
25Often [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in [[TheWestern Westerns]], for any of several reasons -- for example, a character might shoot one-handed because they need their other hand for holding the reins of their horse. Or they might hold the gun with one hand while "fanning" the hammer with the other. Also justified for any media made prior to TheSixties -- in those days, firing a handgun with one hand while presenting a relatively small part of one's body to the enemy was the conventional wisdom among shooting instructors and taught in military manuals. It was thought that aiming one-handed whilst standing sideways-on to your opponent presents a narrower target and thus makes you harder to hit; whether this makes up for your own increased difficulty in hitting anything was (and still is) a matter for opinion. In any case, over time the one-handed stance has given way to more stable two-handed stances such as the Weaver stance and the isosceles stance.
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27For really big melee weapons being used in one hand, see OneHandedZweihander. Compare OneHandedShotgunPump, which is for reloading firearms one-handed rather than firing.
28----
29!!Examples of characters firing handguns one-handed:
30
31[[foldercontrol]]
32
33[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
34* In ''Manga/CityHunter'', many characters fire one-handed. {{Justified|Trope}} for Saeko and Reika, as the former tends to do it only when she has no time to actually grab it with two hands and the latter has a pocket pistol too small for a two-handed grab, with a number of other characters doing the same with low-recoil weapons (with one of them using a two-handed hold the one time he has actually time to take aim). Then you have people like Ryo and Umibozu, who fire ''{{Hand Cannon}}s'' (Ryo uses his signature Colt Python and a Colt King Cobra, both chambered for the .357 Magnum, and has a .41 Magnum revolver for special occasions, while Umibuzu uses the Smith & Wesson Model 29 in .44 Magnum of ''Film/DirtyHarry'' fame)... Then again, Umibozu is so huge he ''has'' to use {{Hand Cannon}}s and [[SuperStrength a punch capable of shattering concrete]], and Ryo himself is shown to be ''really'' strong (not to Umibozu levels, but can still pound {{Mooks}} with large gravestones)... This is actually {{lampshade|Hanging}}d on one occasion when a child wants to learn how to fire a gun to defend his teacher only to floor himself by firing Ryo's Colt Python one-handed. Ryo promptly points out that he's still too light and weak to fire ''any'' gun one-handed (and admits that [[ChildSoldiers when a child himself, he could only shoot two-handed]]), teaches him the correct technique, and has him switch to a less powerful gun.
35* General Cross Marian from ''Manga/DGrayMan'' uses a gun-like Innocence called Judgement. The cool thing about the bullets is that they won't stop moving until they reach their target, so if opponent deflects the bullets the first time, the bullet will come back and hit them again.
36* Subverted in ''Manga/DogsBulletsAndCarnage''. Mihai chastises Ian to "stop trying to look cool" and hold his gun in two hands when he sees him practicing with a one-handed grip.
37* In ''Manga/FromEroicaWithLove'', UsefulNotes/{{NATO}}'s Iron Klaus effortlessly fires a Magnum one-handed. Keep in mind that the recoil on one of those is dangerous even when you're firing it two-handed, and you can see where he gets the nickname.
38* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
39** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'': Hol Horse's Stand, Emperor, is simply a gun. A gun he can summon to his hand instantly, has unlimited ammunition with little-to-no recoil when he fires one-handed.
40** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'': When fighting against Jolyne, Pucci briefly grabs a guard's handgun and quickly fires at her one-handed.
41** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureSteelBallRun Steel Ball Run]]'': Johnny is able to fire bullets from his FingerGun one-handed at various opportunities.
42* ''Anime/{{Madlax}}'' does this with her two [=SIGs=]. She also goes for GunsAkimbo on regular basis -- a vast improvement in [[RuleOfCool coolness]] since Kirika's lone Hong Kong stairway scene.
43* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'', Heero twirls a gun one-handed and later threatens to shoot someone, still going onehanded. He doesn't actually fire the gun, but it's still one-handed use.
44* In ''Anime/{{Noir}}'', Kirika does this frequently, and the directors even say that they specifically chose her weapon (a Beretta M1934) precisely so she could fire it with one hand.
45* In the booklet of ''AudioPlay/StrikersSoundStageX'', all art of Teana with the [[HandCannon Cross Mirage's Blazer Mode]] show her wielding it one-handed. A little weird since she usually uses her gun with two hands when she's not going GunsAkimbo or using her other hand for something else.
46* Darcia from ''Anime/WolfsRain'' wields a pistol in one hand against [[spoiler:Quent]] even when [[spoiler:Toboe]] intervenes and latches onto his gun holding arm. He [[spoiler:shakes him off and shoots Quent anyway.]]
47[[/folder]]
48
49[[folder:Comic Books]]
50* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' foe the Tally Man often wields a pair of machine pistols GunsAkimbo; displaying a [[ImprobableAimingSkills scary accuracy]] with either hand.
51* DependingOnTheWriter or DependingOnTheArtist, ''Comicbook/ThePunisher'' will shoot either one-handed or with both hands. Writers or artists who want to have ShownTheirWork, will likely have Frank shooting with both hands. Otherwise, he will fire guns one-handed, including automatics.
52* Invoked and subverted in ''ComicBook/QueenAndCountry''. Russian gangsters hired to kill Tara Chace fire their guns one-handed; most of their bullets hit nothing, and one unlucky goon catches a [[MurphysBullet stray bullet]] from his ally.
53* In ''Comicbook/SinCity'', it is rare to see anyone firing with both hands unless they are using rifles. Considering the over-the-top nature of the series, this is expected.
54[[/folder]]
55
56[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
57* ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'': During the climax, Rourke fires a Lewis gun one-handed until Vinny shoots it out of his hand.
58[[/folder]]
59
60[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
61* ''Film/TheBourneSupremacy'': Jason Bourne is unexpectedly hit with a gunshot. Cut and camera {{pan}} back to Krillik, standing on a bridge that turns out to overlook the walkway where Bourne was hit an unknown distance away, holding the gun one-handed.
62* None of the many Desert Eagles in ''Film/CharliesAngels2000'' or ''Film/CharliesAngelsFullThrottle'' is ever fired two-handed. And yes, this does require the RuleOfCool to keep those {{Hand Cannon}}s from spraining people's wrists or knocking out their teeth like they would do in RealLife.
63* The protagonist of ''Film/{{Desperado}}'' and ''Film/OnceUponATimeInMexico'' is fond of using a SawedOffShotgun one handed.
64* ''Film/DirtyHarry'' fires his famous .44 Magnum one handed. He must be pretty strong, considering that it's "the most powerful handgun in the world." Though, in the original film, he shoots two handed.
65* ''Film/JamesBond'' frequently fires one-handed, which is justified due to the fact that his preferred weapon for most of the films is a Walther PPK, the .32 ACP version in earlier works and the .380ACP or "9mm Short" model as of ''Film/{{Skyfall}}''.
66* Ah Jong from ''Film/TheKiller1989'' fires his Taurus handgun one-handed for most of the movie ([[GunsAkimbo except when he picks up two guns]]).
67* The hitman in ''Film/{{Machete}}'' fires his assault rifle with one hand, and seems to have better accuracy than the goons who hold their rifles with both.
68* ''Film/MadMax'' is shown to be able to do this with a SawedOffShotgun. He does it most frequently in the tanker chase sequence in ''Film/MadMax2TheRoadWarrior''. Even more impressive is the fact that he's able to score a perfect [[BoomHeadshot headshot]] on the [[SnipingTheCockpit driver of a moving vehicle]] while himself driving a huge truck.
69* All the characters in ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' fire all manner of weapons one-handed, sometimes while performing various acrobatics, including one character who at one point dual-wields a pair of drum-fed automatic shotguns. This is all possible because it's happening in the Matrix, where the characters can bend the laws of physics.
70* ''Film/TheProfessionals'': When facing off with a machete-wielding bandito, Fardan is standing side-on, as per the correct technique of the time. He's shown to have consistently accurate shooting using only his .38 revolver.
71* A military example is seen near the end of ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' [[spoiler:when Captain Miller is mortally wounded during the German siege of the bridge held by Ryan and company. As a Panzer Tiger inches ominously across the bridge, Miller can do nothing but fire his pistol in pure spite. The tank explodes...thanks to the American planes blasting through the sky]].
72* ''Film/TheUntouchables1987'':
73** Stone is introduced at the police shooting gallery where the recruits are using the one-handed side-on technique of the time. Unlike the other recruits, he practices his QuickDraw as well.
74** Less justified with the opening shot of the Union Station gunfight, where Elliot Ness kills the first mobster with a shotgun that he fires at one-handed at arm's length, not braced against the shoulder. That's a great way to break your shoulder or face with the recoil, or at the very least have your shot be wildly inaccurate. In this case it's because Ness is still holding onto the {{baby carriage}} with the other hand -- he has to let the baby carriage go to pump the action and chamber another shell, sending it careening down the stairs.
75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder:Literature]]
78* Fontaine from ''Literature/AllTomorrowsParties'' does target shooting with a small calibre revolver, holding in it one hand.
79* ''Literature/TheDarkTower'': Roland specifically lampshades this; real gunslingers are so awesome they don't need to use the other hand to steady themselves. It's a good thing, too, because he loses several fingers early into the series, allowing him to only use one hand to shoot. [[ImprobableAimingSkills He never misses anyway.]]
80* In ''Literature/FateZero'', Kiritsugu holds his Contender thus, despite the whole "[[HandCannon firing rifle bullets]]" thing. This could easily be justified by usage of Self-Reinforcement magecraft, albeit doing so is risky in its own right.
81* Averted by ''Literature/{{Incompetence}}''. Harry gets his hands on [[spoiler:Klingferm]]'s gun and has to use both hands to steady his aim.
82* Usually averted in the works of Creator/TomClancy, with two exceptions from the ''Literature/JackRyan'' series:
83** ''Literature/RainbowSix'' has the main characters using a two-handed stance, but at one point their pilot hits the pistol range to blow off steam and uses a one handed side-on stance. It's realistically portrayed as being a lot less accurate, but he's older than the other shooters and apparently that's how he was trained back in the day.
84** Discussed in ''Literature/TheTeethOfTheTiger'', in which one of the protagonists expresses a preference for firing one-handed whilst standing side-on to the target, on the grounds that this presents a narrower profile and makes him harder to hit. Whether this makes up for the reduced accuracy (his preferred sidearm is a .45ACP weapon) is a matter for opinion.
85* The situation in the ''Literature/JamesBond'' novels is more varied than the films.
86** In Creator/IanFleming's original Bond stories, 007 starts with a .25 Beretta 418 before moving on to the iconic Walther PPK. He will also carry and use a .45-calibre revolver when he needs something more powerful but still concealable. In ''Literature/ForYourEyesOnly'', he uses a Colt 1911 during a stakeout -- a ''very'' odd choice for a British secret agent.
87** In the later books by other authors, Bond uses a variety of handguns including a genuine HandCannon: a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 Magnum revolver. In ''Literature/{{Icebreaker}}'', Bond fires this revolver one-handed from an extremely awkward position: sitting in the driver's seat of his car and shooting out the window at his target.
88* In ''The Last of The Untouchables'', treasury agent Paul Robsky wins a shooting contest with his partner after noticing he only shoots two-handed, which Robsky attributes to being raised in the country with rifles. As Robsky was taught the one-handed military technique during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, his partner underestimates his prowess.
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
92* Justified most of the time in ''Series/BlakesSeven'' by the fact that they're using directed-energy weapons.
93* In the Green Beret vs Spetsnaz episode of ''Series/DeadliestWarrior'', the Spetsnaz representative is shown using the Makarov pistol one-handed while navigating a nighttime target course with night vision goggles on.
94* This is tested in ''Series/MythBusters'', and found to be reasonably accurate in comparison to the classic two-handed "Weaver" technique, and ''far'' more accurate than shooting from the hip or using GangstaStyle.
95* ''Franchise/StarTrek'''s phasers are usually held one handed, apart from the rifles. It helps that they are energy weapons with no recoil. Given that the weapons in ''Star Trek'' are generally not shown to have any sort of sights, it's plausible that they also have some sort of smart aiming ability as well.
96* In ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', Captain Jack Harkness teaches WPC Gwen Cooper to shoot this way rather than the modern two-handed technique, though it may just have been an excuse to [[CovertPervert feel her behind]].
97* In ''Series/TheWalkingDead2010'', Rick tends to fire his {{revolver|sAreJustBetter}} this way.
98[[/folder]]
99
100[[folder:Roleplays]]
101* Arguably common in ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest''; while it's rarely, if ever, outright said how a character with a handgun is actually holding it, handlers tend to assume the character is doing this instead of the proper two handed grip unless the post says otherwise or if it's a handgun such as a Wildey pistol or Desert Eagle that would be completely ''absurd'' to fire off one handed. This is, however, justified with guns like revolvers or the aforementioned Beretta M1934, which were designed to be able to be used one handed.
102[[/folder]]
103
104[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
105* Most tabletop role-playing games featuring them consider pistols, revolvers, and possible futuristic equivalents thereof one-handed weapons as a matter of course. Two hands are for rifles, shotguns, and most automatic weapons.
106----
107* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' assumes that characters fire all small arms one handed by default; using a second hand braces the gun, giving a small bonus to hit.
108* ''Franchise/TheWorldOfDarkness'' games assume that characters are firing pistols two-handed and has a higher Strength requirement for one-handed use.
109[[/folder]]
110
111[[folder:Video Games]]
112* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': Ann can utilize her secondary weapon, a standard handgun, by simply firing one-handed at her opponents with easy aim and without any repercussions from recoil.
113* Juste Volerti of ''VideoGame/AviaryAttorney'' ''has'' to fire one-handed, he only has one hand. Leonie Beaumort doesn't have this restriction but also does this, though she only ever fires at point blank range, to execute someone.
114* ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' has Booker [=DeWitt=], who will fire one handed while zipping about on skylines. This is acceptable for the pistol and HandCannon, but is a little more unbelievable on bigger weapons like the SniperRifle, the rocket launcher, and the two-handed ''Gatling gun'' which starts cranking itself.
115* In ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'', both Django and Aaron fire their smaller Solar Guns one-handed during normal gameplay. During the cutscene where Aaron fires his first shot, he uses both hands; the resulting shot is [[GameplayAndStorySegregation so powerful that it]] ''[[GameplayAndStorySegregation goes through]]'' [[GameplayAndStorySegregation the skeleton he was firing at]]... wait, change that. The shot was big enough to annihilate the skeleton and ''keep on going''!
116* The first-person models for some pistols and smaller submachine guns in some of the later ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' games suggest that the player character holds and fires them in this manner, though this is not the case in third-person. The Platform/{{Wii}} versions tend to use this as an excuse to let the player fire them GangstaStyle as well.
117* All units with SwordAndGun fire this way in ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar''. The Commissar is notable for his Execute ability doing the "hand in air and brought down to fire" on whichever poor sod [[YouHaveFailedMe wasn't showing sufficient resolve in the face of the Emperor's enemies that day]].
118* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
119** Nero in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'' and ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' fires a double-barrel revolver in which the caliber is almost that of a Smith & Wesson Model 500 revolver with ''one hand''. Revolvers of that size are normally shot with both hands to brace for recoil. Can be justified by him being a quarter-demon with [[SuperStrength superhuman strength]], much like Dante. Then again, a look at the modifications shows that both barrels are ported, which would greatly counteract the muzzle-flip and recoil of the gun.
120** Dante, likewise, always holds and fires his SawedOffShotgun one-handed. In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'', he doesn't even bother putting Ebony (the left-hand gun of his normal GunsAkimbo pistols) away while using said shotgun, apparently to facilitate the "Twosome Time" ability introduced in the game that lets the player shoot two targets at once.
121* ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'':
122** ''VideoGame/Fallout1'' and ''VideoGame/Fallout2'' both had a trait that allowed you to use one-handed weapons better with an accuracy penalty to two-handed ones.
123** ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' and ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' play with this trope. By default, handguns are held one-handed and fired from the hip but using careful aiming (right mouse button in the PC version) makes the wielder hold the gun with both hands at eye-level as well as zooming in slightly. Also, the Gunslinger perk increases one-handed weapon accuracy.
124* [[spoiler:Glas]] in the original ''VideoGame/FearEffect'', after he loses his left arm, is forced into firing his remaining weapons one handed, making this part the hardest in the game.
125* In ''VideoGame/GranadoEspada'', this is a possible shooting stance for pistols, which is between two-hand gripped firing and GunsAkimbo in accuracy and attack speed.
126* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'':
127** In ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'', Gordon Freeman holds his trusty low-powered, low-recoil Glock 17/Beretta M9 two-handed, but somehow fires the high-power, high recoil Colt Python revolver with one hand.
128** In ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', it's reversed, with the USP Match held one-handed (with [[ATeamFiring resultant significant drop in accuracy]]) and the ever-accurate Python held two-handed. ''VideoGame/BlackMesa'' has him using both sidearms with two hands, and as in the original game both are quite accurate.
129* Ashelin from ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' usually wields her handgun single-handedly, as does Veger.
130* Ellis in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' holds single pistols one-handed, including the [[HandCannon Magnum]]. It doesn't affect gameplay in any way.
131* In ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'', the main character holds the pistol, the fusion pistol, and the shotgun in one hand. To better [[GunsAkimbo pick up and use a second one]], you see.
132* Shepard in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' uses two hands in combat, but only one when s/he wants to look cool (like at a photo op) or is threatening someone.
133* In ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'', Neo can fire a pistol one-handed if he only has one at the time.
134* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', John Marston fires all of his pistols and revolvers one handed, as well as the sawed-off shotgun. He also fans the hammer of his revolver in "Dead-Eye" mode. It should also be noted that he fans the hammer of his semi-auto pistols and sawed-off shotgun in "Dead-Eye", even though 3 out of the 4 pistols don't have external hammers and neither does the sawed-off. Most likely the developers failed to notice this, or they couldn't be bothered fixing it. Maybe both.
135* Jill in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'' fires a magnum revolver with both hands. However, if you chose to finish off Nemesis at the end of the game, Jill will grab a magnum revolver from the floor and fire at the downed monster with one hand while giving a BondOneLiner.
136* John Joe from the ''VideoGame/{{Richman}}'' series is a sharpshooter cowboy who does this in ''Richman 4'''s credits, along with his "selected" animation and starting pose in ''Richman 11''.
137* Rhi'a from ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'' wields her GunsAkimbo, but sometimes only fires one at a time, such as in the opening movie.
138* Saika Magoichi from ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' fires her flintlock pistols one-handed at all times and has impeccable aim. Thankfully all her other guns she holds with two.
139* ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune's'' Desert Eagle-lookalike HandCannon is fired one-handed.
140* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''
141** The Spy's fires his Revolver and other primary weapons in one hand so he can hold up the other to look at his {{Invisibility|Cloak}} [[ShoePhone watch]] or use the Dead Ringer.
142** The Engineer holds his pistol one-handed), but the Scout (who wields an identical pistol, albeit with less ammo in reserve) uses two.
143* ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'' averts this with the [[HandCannon Desert Eagle]], which is heavy enough that Lara has to wield it with both hands, unlike her GunsAkimbo normal pistols.
144[[/folder]]
145
146[[folder:Real Life]]
147* Many handgun shooting events require the shooter to use only one hand.
148* A common misconception is that the only "proper" method of firing a handgun is using two hands. However, professional use of one-handed firing is not unheard of, moreso in the past than now. In fact, it used to be how many militaries trained their men to shoot since it developed from the shooting styles used for the earliest military pistols, which were designed to be fired one-handed.
149** There is quite a bit of history to this, but hopefully it can be summarized reasonably well thusly: The "Weaver" two-handed shooting style was popularized by Jeff Cooper, a man who trained almost every day of his adult life. It works extremely well in target competition, and is also effective in combat when used by someone who trains every day. Cooper-system trained people who do not practice every day tend to do badly in real shootouts because the Weaver posture requires fairly precise control, which tends to break down under combat stress. The one-handed style was popularized by Rex Applegate, who developed it so people who could not practice often could still be reasonably proficient fighters, though their maximum accuracy is not as good. Statistics of police shootouts show Applegate-system users shoot up to three times better than Cooper-system users in real fights. Modern gunfighting styles teach the strongest elements of both.
150** A professional is also trained to hold a handgun in one hand when his other hand is holding something else, such as a flashlight. One of the more famous holds on mainstream media is the [[https://web.archive.org/web/20171127060619/http://www.iwillnotbeavictim.com/flashlight_hold-page.html Harries Hold]].
151** [[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eLRymR5A_a8/T2bO7Dhow9I/AAAAAAAAA3g/Vbwmz9RVD9A/s1600/one-handed-pistol.jpg The old one-handed handgun firing stance]] was developed from pistol dueling, with the stance using the rationale of presenting as little of a target to the opposition as possible. It's largely died out from findings that being shot through the side (as the stance makes likely to have happen if hit at all) is ''very'' lethal compared to being hit from the front (modern body armor providing much more protection to the front of the torso compared to the sides probably also contributes).
152* Almost all single-actions revolvers are made to be fired with one hand and become very awkward when using the modern two handed setup. It also doesn't help that if that second hand isn't placed properly, you can burn or even [[{{Fingore}} lose fingers]] from exhaust through the gap between the cylinder and the barrel.
153* A much more common trope back in the early days of firearms, with a [[SwordAndGun saber in one hand and a pistol in the other]] being the favored strategy of most cavalrymen. This was largely due to early revolvers being slow and somewhat cumbersome (and until the advent of cartridge-firing top-break revolvers, it was unlikely that a cavalryman would have time to reload in the middle of a battle), as well as cavalry often taking down routed forces, a situation in which a saber is highly effective.
154* If someone was badly injured, silly or desperate, some muskets could be fired one handed, mainly because the accuracy of a musket was so poor anyway that there was effectively no benefit to firing it "properly".
155* Generally, almost any handgun (up to and including hand cannons like the Desert Eagle) can be accurately fired one handed with proper training and practice. The hard part is holding the gun steady with your arm extended, and not so much the recoil. That's why you see people in westerns using their off arm to support their shooting arm.
156* Most advanced pistol training requires the student to practice (both live and dry-fire) not only one-handed, but with their weak hand. The thinking is that you may at some point have an unusable (due to injury, awkward cover, etc) strong hand, so you'll need to instantly switch to your least-bad option.
157[[/folder]]
158----
159
160!!Examples of characters firing other guns one-handed:
161
162[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
163* A United Earth Kataphrakt in episode 4 of ''Anime/AldnoahZero'' fires its 75mm assault rifle one-handed. Particularly notable since this is the only time in the series it happens; even HumongousMecha normally need to use two arms for their rifles.
164* Umibozu from ''Manga/CityHunter'' has fired a machine gun and even a ''bazooka'' one handed, in at least one occasion ''both at the same time''. Then again, he's so huge the machine gun looks like a submachine gun in his hands.
165* Rain Spider from ''Manga/DesertPunk'' usually holds his M2 carbine one-handed.
166* In ''Anime/ElCazadorDeLaBruja'', from essentially the same creative minds as ''Anime/{{Noir}}'' and ''Anime/{{Madlax}}'', L.A. wields an ''M249 machine gun'' one-handed towards the end of the series. The lead girl-with-gun Nadie, on the other hand, usually prefers to hold her M1911 with two hands, as she doesn't possess the [[TheGunslinger mad gunslinging skillz]] of her spiritual predecessors.
167* In one of the later episodes of the first season of ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'', Motoko fires Saito's ''anti-tank rifle'' single handed. Admittedly, she's a fully body cyborg (effectively a human brain in a robot body) and she only does it single handed because her other arm had been torn off, but still. Keep in mind that the first time we see this rifle is when it's being bolted down before firing to keep Saito from being blown away by the recoil. However, she's not actually holding the gun in place; she uses the recoil to launch up to a position [[RuleOfCool where she can brace it against her leg]], [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome allowing her to chamber another round before grabbing it by the grip to fire the next shot]]. It also helps that she doesn't have to actually aim, since she's shooting from point blank range -- repeatedly. It tells something of that armoured suit that the bullets never penetrate it, even though they deform its frame into uselessness, so she crushes its pilot to the point that he passes out from suffocation. She knows the bullets won't penetrate -- [[UnstoppableRage she wants him to suffer]].
168* In ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'', the titular butler shows that he is perfectly capable of this by showing up to rescue Nagi early in the series from an enormous robot with a wrapped bundle on his back. He reveals this to be an [=HK-MG3=], which is normally a ''turret-mounted machine gun'' and simply tears through the robot's armor. Hayate is also apparently strong enough to ''easily'' wield it with one hand. Mysteriously, he also claims to have already been very familiar with the weapon somehow and seemed to have access to it before/without Sanzen'in resources.
169* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'': Rip Van Winkle occasionally wields her long-barreled flintlock musket with only one hand. This is {{justified|Trope}} since it shoots {{Homing Projectile}}s so it doesn't really matter if she aims or not.
170* In ''Manga/PsychicSquad'', Black Phantom agent 'Beretta' wields a sniper-rifle one-handed during his first appearance. He justifies it by having [[PsychicPowers Telekinesis]], allowing him to absorb the recoil ''and'' mentally control the bullets. And even then, he probably only did it since he was caught up in close combat -- in a later appearance, when he's assassinating a target from a distance of several city blocks, he dutifully uses both hands and a tripod...
171* In the eleventh episode of ''Anime/PsychoPass'', [[BadassAdorable Akane]] is given a shotgun by Makishima, he dares her to shoot him, she picks it up in one hand (she had the Dominator in the other), but she misses '''twice''', and consequently, Makishima [[spoiler:kills her friend, Yuki right in front of her]].
172* Mami from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' has, amongst other things, wielded muskets one-handed and [[GunsAkimbo dual-wielded rifles]]! {{Justified|Trope}} [[AWizardDidIt because she's magical and created the guns with her magic]], plus the firearms she usually conjures are [[ThrowawayGuns single-bullet rifles]], so firing one-handed while pulling out rifles after rifles is more efficient.
173[[/folder]]
174
175[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
176* Averted and probably played straight at the same time in ''Fanfic/AeonEntelechyEvangelion''. Averted with Shinji -- even when one of your Eva's arms is busted, firing a giant hypervelocity rifle one-handed is not a good idea. Implied to be played straight with Asuka, since she mentions that you need to reinforce your arm with the AT-field for one-handed firing.
177* ''Fanfic/TheRoboutianHeresy'': During "The Cadian Apocalypse", after [[spoiler:his best friend Jurgen dies in his arms]], Ciaphas Cain (HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!) begins tearing through Traitor Astartes wielding his chainsword in one hand, and a meltagun (think a very large flamethrower) in the other. It's [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] that a gun that big should ''not'' be able to be wielded one-handed, and Cain doesn't even have the training to do it properly, but [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge he's too pissed off to let that stop him]].
178* ''Fanfic/WithThisRing'': Paul helps to develop the "Cobra", an improved version of the AK-47, which uses magnetic acceleration instead of an explosive. The local shooting instructor notes that the reduced recoil means it's possible to fire it accurately one-handed.
179[[/folder]]
180
181[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
182* John Matrix in ''Film/{{Commando}}'', for the same reason as Rambo below. The guns he and Rambo use weigh between 23 and 27 pounds, to give you an idea of how strong someone needs to be to pull this off.
183* In ''Film/TheCrucible'', one piece of evidence used to say Giles Corey is a witch was an ability to do this.
184* Ash from the ''Franchise/EvilDead'' trilogy famously uses a sawed-off shotgun one-handed, and in ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'' uses a lever-action rifle one-handed as well. Of course, [[AnArmAndALeg he doesn't have much choice in the matter]].
185* ''Film/TheLastOfTheMohicans'' features the most inexplicably skilled Hawkeye yet: two flintlock longarms, two shots, two kills (and with a friendly between his two targets to boot).
186* ''Film/MenInBlack'': Kay fires his BFG one handed, ''without looking'', at the alien. Because he's just that cool.
187* ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'': Infamously used multiple times by John Rambo, even in the comparably understated [[Film/FirstBlood first installment]]. As badass as it looks, it's not entirely due to RuleOfCool; the M60 series he's fond of using are [[{{BFG}} full-blown general-purpose machine guns]] and not assault rifles, so [[JustifiedTrope he needs one free hand to feed the loose ammunition belt into the gun or else it would jam]].
188* In ''Film/TheRundown'', the Rock uses what appears to be a very large sniper rifle one handed, as well as dual-wielded shotguns.
189%%* ''Film/TaxiDriver''
190* ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'':
191** In ''Film/TheTerminator'', the T-800 uses [[GunsAkimbo both]] a shotgun and an assault rifle one handed.
192** Near the end of ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', Sarah does this with a shotgun. Then again, her other arm didn't seem to be in any shape to help. The T-800 also uses several weapons one-handed, most famously the lever-action Winchester 1887 in the canal chase sequence[[note]]If you look carefully, you can see that the Winchester 1887/1901 shotgun has a much larger lever-loop to allow for flip-cocking. If you tried for the stock lever, you'd break your fingers, like Arnie nearly did when he once grabbed one of the standard firing props rather than the lightened one with an enlarged lever loop.[[/note]] and a grenade launcher at Cyberdyne Systems to disable multiple police cars. The undisguised T-800s in the future also fire their weapons one-handed, which makes sense since, being robots, they don't need to manually aim or steady their weapons.
193** In ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', the T-850 fires a [[MoreDakka Browning M1919]] one handed with no additional support other than a strap. [[RealityIsUnrealistic This is not camera trickery,]] [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Arnold actually fired the gun this way.]]
194* At one point in ''Film/{{Tombstone}}'', Wyatt Earp blows away a fleeing enemy with a double-barreled shotgun, one-handed, while riding on a horse at full gallop.
195* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': Megatron fires his new fusion cannon/shotgun with one hand most of the time. [[spoiler:This habit turns against him in the climax, after disabling Sentinel Prime with the gun it isn't cocked when Optimus decides he has had enough of Megatron. The gun backfires and Megatron is left defenseless.]]
196[[/folder]]
197
198[[folder:Literature]]
199* One of the most hilarious examples in all literature is the hero of "Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine", who picks up and fires a gun with pinpoint accuracy at an assailant within seconds of the attack starting. During an ambush. At night. With a ''rifle''.
200* In the ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' novel ''The Traitors Hand'', a couple of soldiers are doing this while moving a wounded comrade from the frontline. Though this is actually subverted since Cain notes that it hindered their accuracy. Cain himself is an excellent shot with a laspistol, and almost always uses one hand since his chainsword is in the other.
201* In ''Literature/HaloFirstStrike'', the SPARTAN Linda achieves this with a sniper rifle, one hand, hanging upside down in the middle of a vertical descent, her other hand clutching the rope used for said descent. With perfect accuracy. Not even SPARTAN-ness can justify that level of crazy.
202[[/folder]]
203
204[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
205* Possible in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'', with very high (but far from unattainable) strength. GURPS: Gun Fu adds a new character advantage that increases effective strength specifically for the purpose of one-handing a two-handed firearm in order to replicate this move in cinematic games.
206* ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'' has the Sharpshooter skill, which is only available to a select few classes (such as the Gunslinger). One of the trick shots available is the ability to fire a two-handed rifle in one hand.
207* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' has optional rules for wielding rifle sized guns like shotguns and assault rifles in one hand with a penalty to accuracy; trolls, due to their size, have significantly reduced penalties for doing so.
208* ''TabletopGame/{{Spycraft}}'' actually has a character option that lets you do this, albeit at a penalty to hit.
209* In ''TabletopGame/StarWarsSagaEdition'', one can wield a weapon with a stock with one hand, for a sizable penalty, regardless of how big the weapon really is in relation to you. Thus, a pistol with a stock (equivalent to say, a Beretta 93R) would be just as cumbersome as a full-sized rifle (equivalent to an [=M16A2=]) no matter what logic may say about size and weight.
210* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'''s Bolters/Boltguns are fully automatic weapons that fire rocket-propelled, armor-penetrating, explosive rounds. They have a pistol grip, however, so sufficiently badass characters have been known to shoot them one-handed; this was a special rule from older editions called "True Grit." Only two examples come to mind: the Literature/{{Space Wol|f}}ves, who are heroic [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Vikings in space]], and Plague Marines of Nurgle, who are so bloated with disease that their bulk allows them to absorb the considerable recoil. [[{{Retcon}} These days]], bolters aren't seen being used one-handed terribly often, though it's conceivable that they can: their construction and intended use isn't too different from an SMG (including a pistol grip), and recoil is mitigated by firing a two-stage propelled round, along by being most commonly used by a power-armoured super soldier.
211** The table-top RPG series starting with ''TabletopGame/DarkHeresy'' gave us the Recoil Glove, an in-universe {{justifi|edTrope}}cation for people one-handing a normally two-handed gun. You could still fire it that way without such a tool, though with a "Difficult (-20)" modifier to your roll target. The vaunted Space marines have this integrated into their armor, meaning someone trained in [[GunsAkimbo Two Weapon Wielder]] could theoretically fire two Storm Bolters at once: that is, in a single turn, putting [[MoreDakka sixteen self-propelled self-stabilizing gyroscopic rocket-bullets]] (possibly that also [[AbnormalAmmo explode into flechettes or spray virulent acid everywhere]]) down range, without penalty.
212** No one uses both hands to fire a pistol weapon (including [[HandCannon bolt pistols]], a favorite of commissars) as this would prevent them from holding a chainsword/energy blade/six-foot-axe/demonic weapon in the other. Averted with lasguns and other rifle weapons, which are fired two-handed.
213** Of course, being [=40K=], this trope has to go [[ExaggeratedTrope to 11]] somewhere. Enter Terminator Armor, which is a rare form of power armor that is nothing less than a hulking mass of thick armor plates and artificial muscle fibers that weighs about as much as a large car, wrapped around an [[SuperSoldier Astartes]]. The most commonly issued ranged weapon is a Marine-scaled Combi- and Storm Bolters, one handed, and both of which are essentially two strapped-together small-scale heavy weapons when in the hands of a normal human. ''And then,'' anybody in Terminator Armor can switch those out to wield a heavy weapon that usually gets put into a vehicular hardpoint or a firing team, like {{Plasma Cannon}}s, [[GatlingGood Assault Cannons]], [[KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter Autocannons]], [[AbnormalAmmo Psycannons]] (noticing a pattern?). And they also have a melee weapon in the other hand, unless they've been equipped and a dedicated melee unit. It's also worth mentioning that they can also "no-hand" if given a Cyclone Missile Launcher, but that's [[ShoulderCannon another trope]].
214[[/folder]]
215
216[[folder:Toys]]
217* The first few years of the ''Franchise/GIJoe'' action figures from the 80s had to be posed like this, since before the additional joint was added to the figures' arms to allow horizontal rotation, they lacked the flexibility to be easily posed supporting their weapon with both hands. Of course, even after that change was made, it was common for their box art to depict them wielding an accessory in each hand and thus playing this trope straight.
218[[/folder]]
219
220[[folder:Video Games]]
221* Averted in most {{Light Gun Game}}s and controllers, most notably anything that uses Namco's Guncon or the Platform/{{Wii}} Zapper, where the guns are large and bulky enough (and the console version has controller on the front grip to be used by left hand) that the only effective way to held it is by both hands.
222* Almost all VR games necessitates this as the controls are a pair of gun-like analog controllers, one on each hand. ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'' is a prominent example -- all of the weapons Alyx used are handguns or one-handed weapons. In almost every VR exception (where the in-game controllers map to hands which can attach to multiple points on a two-handed weapon, allowing it to be aimed and steadied with both hands at once), nothing is actually enforcing that a two-handed weapon be used two-handed and the lack of realistic kickback makes it perfectly possible to fire sniper rifles and the like one-handed (and [[NoScope scopeless]])... although it really does impede accuracy.
223----
224* Subject Delta from ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' fires his weapons with one hand, and his plasmids with the other.
225* ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}'':
226** ''VideoGame/Blood1997'''s "GunsAkimbo" powerup allows for this, granting you a second copy of several weapons, mostly ones that would otherwise be used with both hands such as the shotgun, Tommy gun, Napalm Launcher, and with one of the expansions, the Tesla gun.
227** ''VideoGame/BloodIITheChosen'' dials things back a little -- the only gun you can use two of that would raise some eyebrows is the returning sawed-off shotgun -- in return for making akimbo an inherent ability that simply requires you to pick up a second copy of a gun you already have, rather than a limited powerup.
228* Salvador of ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' can [[GunsAkimbo Gunzerk]] with any two weapons, whether they're pistols, rifles, or ''rocket launchers''.
229* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'':
230** At one point in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2'''s "No Russian" mission, Makarov fires an M4 [[BottomlessMagazines far longer than he should be able to]] one-handed, which somehow manages to make an entire room full of security personnel [[StuffBlowingUp explode]]. Some DummiedOut content suggests that the [[GunsAkimbo Akimbo attachment]] would have been compatible with some assault rifles and the Thumper grenade launcher in multiplayer, along with the pistols and [=SMGs=] it can be attached to in the released game, although given that they were unfinished, it's not so much firing one-handed like it should be as it is your character [[GoodBadBugs growing a second set of arms to hold the left-side gun with]].
231** ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII'' allows the player to use any two-handed weapon with one hand while on horseback in the "Old Wounds" campaign mission, up to and including a .50 BMG {{Gatling g|ood}}un.
232* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar 2'': General Castor can fire a sniper rifle one-handed (justified with ArtificialLimbs).
233* Dante from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' fires a ''SawedOffShotgun'' one-handed. Some of the more demonic firearms (Nightmare-Beta and Artemis) justify this by literally wrapping to his hand. The shotgun can also be justified by Dante having [[SuperStrength superhuman strength]].
234* ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce'': As Gekko Wolf fights from the back of a motorcycle, he typically attacks by firing his gun one-handed.
235* ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'':
236** Various pistols and [=SMGs=] are fired using only one hand, which affects game mechanics for characters who took the one-handed weapon trait.
237** Prior to ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', super mutants always carry and fire heavy weapons one-handed. ''Always''. Not surprising given their immense size and strength. While regular super mutant variations in ''Fallout 3'' use long weapons like any human would, the ''Broken Steel'' add-on introduced a new tier named [[BossInMookClothing Super Mutant Overlord]] that fires any ballistic weapon including heavy assault rifles one-handed. Strangely, their default weapons -- Tri-Beam laser rifles -- are significantly smaller, lighter, and don't have any recoil, but are fired two-handed for some reason.
238* ''VideoGame/FarCry4'' allows for this as a side-effect of dedicating one of the weapon slots to "sidearms" and allowing for weapons of that category to be fired with one hand from vehicles, on ziplines, or while carrying a body with the relevant skill. Most sidearms are indeed pistols and the like, including the two smallest [=SMGs=], but the class also includes a GrenadeLauncher, an automatic crossbow built out of a two-handed SMG, and two different varieties of SawedOffShotgun.
239* Balthier and Basch from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' fire Ivalice's rifle- and shotgun-sized guns and crossbows one-handed with no ill effects. That's despite the fact that they otherwise hold them in a two-handed grip.
240* ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'':
241** One bonus mission has Jaws coming at you with dual [[AKA47 AR-33s]], which you can use if you take him down. With the all weapons cheat, this extends to everything from submachineguns to ''rocket launchers''.
242** Xenia Onatopp comes at you with a grenade launcher in her left hand and an RCP-90 in the other. You get to do this as well once she gets [[BondOneLiner tied up]].
243** There's also a glitch that can be done with the all weapons cheat that allows you to mix up weapons, resulting in such combinations as having an RCP-90 in one hand with a shotgun in the other, or somehow managing to use the Moonraker Laser in tandem with the Watch Laser (which altogether, would require ''three'' hands to operate).
244* ''VideoGame/GranadoEspada'''s Lionel von Hanen has a unique GunsAkimbo stance that features not two pistols, but a pistol ''and a rifle''. He shows no signs of straining from carrying and firing that rifle using only one arm (though he does use the other arm as support for certain skills), despite having no supernatural powers whatsoever.
245* Carl "CJ" Johnson, protagonist of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'', can ''[[RuleOfCool dual-wield Sawed Off Shotguns]]''.
246* An unintentional example in ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'': judging by the gun's first person viewmodel, Gordon Freeman fires the OSIPR [=AR2=] pulse rifle one-handed. This is strange for a number of reasons: one, he holds the much smaller and lighter SMG with both hands; two, the [=AR2=], unlike most other guns, actually suffers from pretty severe recoil. It was stated to be a design oversight.
247* In ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', Flood combat forms have their non-dominant hand disfigured into a massive claw for mêlée combat, and thus wield whatever weapon they carry with just one hand -- even sniper rifles and rocket launchers -- with no apparent disadvantage.
248* In ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance'', characters with the "big" character model like Grizzly and a very high strength stat can fire longarms one handed, including shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and light machineguns, and suffer no accuracy penalty for it.
249* Fire the scatter gun enough times in ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'' and Jak will eventually hold it with one hand ''and'' GangstaStyle.
250* In ''VideoGame/JurassicParkTrespasser'', main character Anne uses all weapons one handed, due to her other arm being broken (read: not being programmed into the game). This includes rifles and an ''extremely heavy metal mace''.
251* In the cutscene that plays when launching ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'', Francis does this with a shotgun while aiming out of the corner of his eye.
252* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
253** Shepard fires his/her gun one-handed when the target is standing very close by.
254** Many characters fire ''assault rifles'' one-handed, particularly in cutscenes, but are rarely shown hitting anything this way. Krogan, meanwhile, sometimes use shotguns singlehandedly (such as in "Eve"'s EstablishingCharacterMoment, where she goes from an ill girl in a containment pod to {{One Hit Kill}}ing two Cerberus {{Mooks}} with Wrex's shotgun in a couple of seconds).
255** [[spoiler:The Shadow Broker]] wields one of the heaviest and most deadly assault rifles in one hand and an energy shield in the other. And he is very accurate with it, too. [[spoiler:Of course, given how huge he is, it still looks more like a pistol in his hand.]]
256** In general, characters use firearms of all sizes with two hands during actual gameplay, but some cutscenes have them switch to one-handed shooting.
257* In ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'', if Neo only has one shotgun, he can fire it one-handed. He also does this with a grenade launcher, though you only get one of those one at a time.
258* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
259** The Boss's gun in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', the Patriot, is a modified [=XM16E1=] with a shortened barrel and the stock removed, effectively making it a sawed-off version of an automatic rifle. Sigint notes that due to its modification, the gun generates a massive amount of recoil, but the Boss being able to fire it accurately just one-handed shows just how strong she is.
260** Pre-release images for ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' typically showed Snake wielding an M4 carbine one-handed, his other preoccupied with using a knife for CQC; it's the same manner as Big Boss held his M1911 in [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater the previous game]], just [[ExaggeratedTrope taken to ridiculous extremes]]. In the released game, this only happens in one or two cutscenes wherein Snake is clearly intending to use the knife rather than his rifle if he encounters trouble, and in regular gameplay, while he ''does'' hold the foregrip of the M4 or any other longarm with a knife in hand that he could quickly swap to if needed, he still holds the rifle with both hands and instead uses [[PistolWhipping the stock of the rifle]] for CQC.
261* Reaper from ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' is able to dual-wield shotguns.
262* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', John Marston will fire any weapon one-handed if turned far enough to the side while on horseback. This includes a rifle intended to bring down ''full-grown buffalo''.
263* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'', both Chris and Wesker fire the ''triple-barreled'' "Hydra" shotgun one-handed. With their arm fully extended. Enjoy that carpal tunnel.
264* Saika Magoichi of ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'' wields his musket one-handed sometimes (specifically during his musou attack, when it inexplicably fires like a ''shotgun''). Occasionally, he'll also fire one-handed, but with the gun braced against his body (mostly during his SMG-like spraying shots). Yeah, [[SwissArmyGun it's one of those]].
265* Oda Nobunaga of ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' wields a SawnOffShotgun one-handed, [[SwordAndGun with a sword in the other]].
266* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/SeveredSteel'' fires everything from pistols, [=SMGs=], shotguns, assault rifles and ''grenade launchers'', one-handed with not much pentalty in accuracy, which is proves to be handy as said character [[AnArmAndALeg is missing an arm]], only getting a replacement ArmCannon she is able to use alongside the weapons. The single arm thing [[ThrowAwayGuns does prevent her from reloading weapons]] however, so she constantly scavenges firearms off the enemies.
267* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', a [[http://dulfy.net/2013/06/28/swtor-bounty-broker-association-reputation-rewards/#5 post-release pistol-class weapon]] uses the same model as one of the smallest rifles, essentially carrying it one-handed.
268* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'':
269** The Heavy doesn't use his shotgun with one hand to fire, but he does [[SuperStrength twirl it around like a pistol in a taunt]]. Thanks to a popular glitch, he's also able to spin his ''minigun'' in the same manner.
270** The Demoman fires his Stickybomb Launcher one-handed in first-person view.
271** The Engineer and Spy both use their handguns one handed. This is considerably more impressive on the Spy's part when he uses the Ambassador, a HandCannon of a SniperPistol which looks like it should weigh at ''least'' two kilos.
272** The Pyro will fire his Scorch Shot FlareGun one-handed when he taunts with it. It's also a OneHitKill at close range.
273* The first boss in ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis 4'' uses a Barrett M82 one-handed. This is a gun so big that most people would probably be knocked over from firing it with ''both'' hands if they don't have the bipod deployed.
274* ''VideoGame/Trepang2'' allows Subject 106 to use any weapon one-handed while using an enemy as a HumanShield, from pistols to submachine guns to assault rifles and even rotary grenade launchers or a triple-barreled minigun, with only a slight decrease in accuracy. Halfway through the game 106 acquires a serum that lets him take this to its logical conclusion and [[GunsAkimbo use a second gun in his other hand]]; the closest the game comes to being realistic about this is that you can't dual-wield the Bolt Launcher or Minigun. [[spoiler:Partway through the final level, 106 [[AnArmAndALeg loses his left arm]] and is forced to use guns one-handed for the rest of the level, restricting any abilities that rely on having two hands like tossing grenades or taking enemies hostage -- naturally, reloading guns does not count.]]
275* Plenty of people use sawed-off shotguns in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', but Kyrie is the only one to wield it one-handed, which makes quite a sharp contrast among them. You can really tell that under her CoolBigSis personality, she's not to be trifled with.
276* In ''VideoGame/XCom'', weapons that do not automatically take up both hand slots can be fired one-handed, but you get an accuracy bonus if you leave your other hand empty. The character models, however, will always show your characters firing them one-handed because of graphical limitations.
277[[/folder]]
278
279[[folder:Web Comics]]
280* In ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'', Dr. [=McNinja=] doesn't usually use guns, but he apparently makes exceptions for a ZombieApocalypse, where he wields a ''shotgun'' [[http://drmcninja.com/page.php?pageNum=27&issue=8 in one hand]] and his sword in the other.
281* In ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFOXHOUND'', Sniper Wolf occasionally uses her rifle with just one hand. That's a CharlesAtlasSuperpower for you...
282[[/folder]]
283
284[[folder:Web Animation]]
285* In ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', the Freelancers are occasionally shown firing such things as shotguns and sniper rifles one-handed. The show seems to justify this with CharlesAtlasSuperpower, as most of the Freelancers are simply highly trained yet ordinary human beings.
286[[/folder]]
287
288[[folder:Real Life]]
289* In RealLife, one of Eliot Ness' Untouchables, an American Indian ex-football player, used a shotgun one handed. The Untouchables: the Franchise/GIJoe of their time.
290** [[http://www.imfdb.org/index.php/Untouchables%2C_The_%281987%29#Winchester_Model_1912 In the film, it was Ness himself.]]
291* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy Audie Murphy]] once, when surprised by an enemy, whirled around and fired his M1 Carbine one handed to lethal effect. Mind you, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_carbine M1 Carbine]] (no relation to the M1 Garand) was initially designed as an intermediate weapon for issue to tank crewmembers, artillerymen and other troops who needed an EmergencyWeapon; its ammunition produces comparable recoil to .44 Magnum, and in fact a number of handguns chambering it have been made.
292* Certain bullpup weapons ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f76wGxg3fzw such as]] the P90) are easier to use one-handed than conventional firearms, due to the ammunition and chamber (and therefore much of the weight) being behind the point where one grips it. While that doesn't mean they can be accurately fired one-handed, it's still more reasonable compared to using normal firearms one-handed.
293** Possible {{justifi|edTrope}}cation for [[Series/StargateSG1 Teal'c]] using a P90 in [[GunsAkimbo each hand]] in later seasons. Well that, and his SuperStrength.
294* Many ordinary assault rifles, such as the venerable M16, can be fired one-handed given sufficient training. This requires a bit more arm strength than the average human being can muster, but not by much; most trained soldiers would be able to accomplish such a feat, especially given that the recoil levers the barrel up and thus counteracts the front-heavy balance of the weapon. The real problem, of course, is that the lack of accuracy for no readily apparent gain makes one-handed rifle shooting CoolButInefficient. Also, if you try that at the shooting range, [[ArtisticLicenseGunSafety you're likely to find yourself on guard duty for the rest of your military career]].
295* Originally designed for persons with disabilities in mind, the firearms industry in the US has developed a [[http://preparedgunowners.com/2017/04/27/atf-reverses-opinion-on-ar-15-short-barrels-with-braces-again/ stabilizer brace]] that allows an AR-pattern pistol to be fired with one hand, which is placed on the buffer tube in lieu of a stock. Since it is not legally a buttstock, and is on a gun with a barrel shorter than 16", the firearm is legally still a pistol and sidesteps the ATF's regulation on short-barreled rifles.
296* The inevitable culmination of this trope has to be shooting two 15-pound, belt fed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4nfZu8VqgQ squad automatic weapons]], one in each hand.
297* The SPAS-12 convertible (capable of firing semi-auto or pump-action) shotgun often came with a folding stock with a hook attached to the buttpad that allowed for one-handed shooting while using a riot shield. In practice the gun was too damn heavy for it to really be practical.
298* And of course, any weapon designed for two-handed use can be used one-handed if you rest it on a stationary object, such as a built-in bipod or a sandbag. In fact, these weapons are most accurate when used this way, because unlike your arm, the sandbag will never get tired and never moves.
299* As shown by Creator/FPSRussia [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOoUVeyaY_8 here,]], the AA-12's design absorbs 90% of its recoil, making it surprisingly easy to fire single-handed. Or two at once. Accuracy is a moot point when you have two automatic shotguns dispensing buckshot everywhere infront of you.
300* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_FBI_Miami_shootout In the 1986 FBI Miami shootout]], Edmundo Mireles was forced to fire both his shotgun (a Remington 870 with 00 buckshot) and his service revolver (a Smith & Wesson Model 686 .357) one handed, after taking a .223 round to his left forearm, that Mireles himself on the ''FBI Files'' described as looking like road kill. Amazingly, he was the one who ended the shootout.
301* Firing live shells through a pump-action shotgun with only one hand is not only hard to do safely for smaller shooters, but it will also fling the action open from the recoil, which can cause the next shell to fall out of the receiver if you aren't careful; quite the opposite of looking cool. Movie shotguns don't have these problems because blanks don't produce nearly enough muzzle energy to push back the bolt.
302* Despite the ability to fire the AA-12 one-handed as mentioned above, most semi-auto shotguns don't have it much better. Without a tight grip on the forend to control the recoil, the kickback is severe enough that you'll frequently catch the ejected shell halfway and cause a stovepipe jam.
303* The lever-action 1887 shotgun featured in the page image from ''Terminator 2'' doesn't have the same problem as pump or semi-auto guns do, but it comes with its own drawback to one-handed firing: It ''hurts like hell'', because it's nearly impossible to get a tight enough grip on the weapon thanks to the angle and thickness of the combined pistol grip and handguard. With live shells and no hand on the forend to help brace it, the recoil drives said handguard straight back into the shooter's fingers.
304[[/folder]]

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