84 year old Dad wants me to get him a gun

Buzzcock #15 and twobit #20 said what I had composed.

But that was before I read your post that specified the home defense was the primary objective.

But first, I was going to ask what (action type, caliber) he used to shoot, what prompted him to shoot (work? self-protection, hobby?) and what prompted him to give it up. That information would influence my answers.

(Before concealed carry was ruled out)
Ruger has a 22 rimfire version of the LCR now. 22 Rimfire is not a particularly good self-defense round, but is cheap to practice with and, let's face it, self-defense shootings most of the time do not require all that much power. Bad guys, if they get challenged by an armed and resistive victim usually disengage after the first shot. I have been thinking about getting one of each caliber. 22 for practice and 38 (or 357) for carry. The LCR .357 is just so much lighter than my SP101s.

You are a good son. If you will be instructing your Father, getting him something with which you are unfamiliar might not be a good idea.

Short-barreld shotgun. If 12 gauge is too heavy, 16 or 20 gauge. A long gun and a cell phone are great for a stationary home defense plan. A 4" to 6" barreled 44 Special or 45 ACP or 45 Colt revolver can hardly be beat as a "nightstand handgun" Large, slow bullets do well on flesh and tend not to go through too many neighbors' walls. 5.5" Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum loaded with 44 Specials is nice. Smith & Wesson 6" Model 29 loaded with 44 Specials or a Model 25. If he favors semi-autos, the Taurus PT145 I own has proved reliable, accurate and easy to use. Springfield's XD, Smith's M&P and the Glocks have good reputations, but I have only ever shot the Springfield that belongs to my friend. And, of course, the venerable 1911 design available from Colt, Springfield, Smith, Dan Wesson, Kimber, et al.

Lost Sheep
 
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I also thought a .22 revolver would be good for the situation you describe. I got my grandmother a Taurus .22 snub she loves it, practices with with standard velocity, loads it with stingers for defense. Sounds like a cannon with the stingers in it.
 
I suggest you consider the Walther PPS 9mm. It's very easy to shoot and a truly great gun. It has very soft recoil and the best trigger on any striker-fired gun.
 
I think any good revolver in a 38spl is a good choice My pops is the same age I think a revolver keeps it simple for a senior. He lives alone in farm country and keeps a revolver as a night stand gun and a Win 1894 30-30 as a backup.
 
My father died last November. He was not a big firearm fan like me but he had to qualify with them for over 30 years while working for the Federal Prison System and we always had a pistol or two in the house for home defense.

I use him as an example because he was an older man and did not routinely practice shooting like most of us. He liked simplicity and ease of use. Over the years, the main gun in the house was a Smith & Wesson .38spcl service revolver. Later on, it was replaced with a Kahr MK9. The Kahr seemed to be a better choice because of the lack of recoil (semiauto and all steel) and the trigger was smooth and lighter but still plenty long, so an accidental discharge is not anymore likely than with the revolver.

That said, 84 years old is up there in age. I think you need to be sure he is physically and mentally capable of safely handling a firearm. (Also, you should look at his driving ability.) MOST people that age are lacking EITHER the physical or mental sharpness to drive a vehicle. If he does "limited driving" then his firearm use should be limited too. (e.g. Supervised by you or someone else.)
 
Many of us will make it to 84, and will need a handgun during our daily rounds and for home defense, a handgun to be carried at all times because at 84 one can become a vulnerable target.

At this age a reliable, easy to operate, small handgun is paramount, which unfortunately rules out semi-autos (ie must rack the slide, jams a problem, etc.) and larger-bore handguns such as 44 spl and 45 ACP.

My choice would be a small no-snag J-frame 38 spl S&W 438 with cowboy load ammo, i.e. Black Hills 158gr RNL, an old time effective, yet recoil friendly cartridge.

Good luck.
 
Dad wants me to get him a gun

Take your DAD shooting. A local indoor range or just outdoors.
See how well he can handle a gun. If he has the necessary dexterity my
recommendation is a RUGER SP-101. The caliber should be worked out
between you and your dad.
 
Beretta makes a line of small-caliber pistols with tip-up barrels that make them very easy to load. Available calibers are .22, .25, and .32.
 
my dad carried an old model 10 for a long time but has retired it to the sock drawer and for the last some odd years carried a bond derringer in 38.He doesn't do much except feed his horses and tends garden(he is 89)

He has killed a few critters like snakes and stuff, it works great and isn't bad to shoot.The only problem I have is him not cleaning it like he should.He turns me down everytime i offer to clean it.I have taken my gun cleaning kit out there several times and it's still no.
 
I would look for a S&W snubby for him in .38. The older model 60's and 640's are .38 special versions and have better triggers than the current, and the all steel frames will make recoil more manageable. If you go with the airweight revolvers he can always stick to standard .38's if the recoil of the +p's is too much. Also depending on his hand strength a good trigger job and a 14lb rebound spring will help alot with the trigger pull. I do not recommend changing out the mainspring since it could effect reliability and cause light primer strikes.

Now if this is strictly a home defense gun I would go with a model 10 as others suggested. The trigger pull is buttery smooth and even an old timer should have no problem with it. I would rule out semi-autos because I do not know many 80+ year olds who can manipulate a slide very well.

Here is my 640 I picked up for $300 used. Put a 14lb rebound spring from the factory 18lb, and stoned the trigger and polished the internals. I have yet to feel a better trigger on a J frame.

90aplv.jpg
 
You might want to consider a Ruger LCR in .22 cal. You have an 8 shot, soft shooting (low recoil), reliable revolver. A .38 snub nose can be a handful for someone of diminished strength...
 
Solution, thanks for your input

We've had a few discussions, and decided on getting him a 2 way voice pendant. (Competitor to the "I've fallen and I can't...", but with no monthly fee.)

18 months ago he was able to handle several guns, including some of the guns discussed in this thread (especially some of the J Frames). How do we deal with it in 2 - X years? I'm not sure that's an easy answer, and am concerned with a 16 year old burglar, much less a pro, taking it from him.

I sincerely appreciate all of your input.

Regards,
TXAZ
 
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I have a similar thread as this one currently active in the Revolver Forum. What I'm finding interesting is the well thought-out but very diverse recommendations being sincerely offered. I'm starting to understand the stark reality that there is no really good one answer and that I was naive to ever have expected one. :o
 
My Dad decided he wanted a gun for home defense when he was 81. He chose an S&W revolver in .38 Special. No slide to rack, no levers to remember.

He's comfortable with it, and that's worth more than magazine capacity or ballistics.
 
If this is strictly for SD, I would recommend a jframe revolver with standard pressure .38spl loads as well. Certainly more effective than a .22lr, very little manual dexterity required, recoil should be manageable, and very reliable. The bigger bore size may provide additional intimidation benefits for those up close and personal moments.
 
I agree with the revolver suggestion, but NOT a snubby. A four inch barrel, medium framed revolver that can handle .38Spl +P is fine.
 
I agree with the revolver suggestion, but NOT a snubby. A four inch barrel, medium framed revolver that can handle .38Spl +P is fine.
Click to expand...

I agree, a model 10 with a 4" barrel, loaded with 147g wadcutters for quick fallow up shot's (low recoil), and good penetration. Or, some std pressure 158g SJHP's. I use both in my M37 Airweight, first shot a 147.
 
The last thing he probably wants is a complex piece that requires lots of attention.

A simple Ruger or S&W .38 SPL 4" would suffice. If he can't shoot a mild .38 SPL, he probably shouldn't be shooting.
 
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