Handgun for Elderly woman

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USGuns

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i was gonna say a heavier .32 or a revolver...how does .22 magnum shoot recoilwise? never seen a video of it..that first one might be a good choice.
 
Has your Mom ever shot a gun?

I hate to be the contrarian here but if your Mom has not shot a gun or is not able to learn how to use a gun and prove it by demonstration of safe gun handling, you may be just buying something to be used against her.

I am not trying to rain on your parade and I commend you for thinking about the issue. Perhaps no action is the best action.

Did she bring the issue up or did you?

Have you thought about a good alarm system or perhaps a loud dog?

If your Mom is alone, a dog might be the answer. One large enough to bark loud and bite hard.

Geetarman:D
 
Clifford L. Hughes

Usguns: Most likely, because racking most auto loader slides might take more strength then she has, an auto loader is out. A light pistol in the Smith & Wesson J frame catqagory is about right. Usually I don't reccomend any caliber under 38 Special for self defence. If your mom can handle the recoil by all means get a J Frame 38 special . If not, purchase a J frame .22. I don't have a Smith catalog in front of me but at one time Smith did and maybe still do make a J frame .22.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
 
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Get her a lap dog too. Great companion for them lonely times and a living alarm to help her feel safe. A 22 mag is stout, a 38 isnt so bad on recoil IMHO.

My mom turned 69, she likes a 357
 
You could let her handle a Beretta Tomcat and see how it fits her hand. The Tomcat has the break-open barrel for inserting the first round vs. having to rack it. Otherwise it is probably going to have to be a revolver.

I think the problem with any pistol is the fit meaning being able to insert her trigger finger within the trigger guard and pull the trigger.

This is a situation where it is going to be very important she handle the gun and see what if anything will work for her. Also loading is going to be a question with even a revolver. You may end up having to load it for her and then available for use in a defensive situation.
 
Either of our two options should be a good choice for your Mom. If you went with the .22 Magnum I might load the first two rounds with "rat shot". Sort of a mini shotgun. Unless someone is VERY determined to cause harm the sight of a weapon is usually enough to move them along, if not a good peppering should convince most folks to go away

P s. It sounds like you are a good son, take care of Mom.
 
+ 1 on comments from geetarman and the Gunny ...

we need to know a little more about what her input in all this is ....
 
I appreciate the promlem, now !!!

I have heard simular concerns from elderly people and Y'all have to make your own measure. At first I could not understand what they were saying and when it finally sunk in, it was an eye opener. .... :eek:

Problems;
1) Unable to pull the slide back, any slide !!
2) Un able to cock the hammer.
3) Unable to pull a trigger; double action.
4) Difficulty in grasping rounds and loading into a cylinder.

The Smiths you show, are Excellent choices as, if you can operate them. By my measure, a revolver is a good choice. and again, there may be others. The recoil is something you can get past if it's not too big .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
If she is not going to carry a gun, get her a RIFLE. If she has trouble handling an automatic because of hands that can't pull back the bolt, get her a Marlin M-39

If she is going to carry I believe she will be best off with one of the Beretta tip-up barreled pistols
 
many women have tried to shoot my S&W chiefs special in .38 both SA and DA and found it difficult. my 5 yr old son shoots my walther p22 target model quite easily (yes i am right there, wrapped around him for safety) and all of the ladies like it. the slide may be difficult for her. i like the tomcat suggestion (or the taurus if she's on a budget) as far as .38 revolvers go the trigger on the ruger LCR is very nice for a DA pull. good luck with this project and keep us updated. my great grandmother lived by herself (after greatgrandpaw died) untill she died at 101. she slept with his SA revolver in .45 lc under her pillow and a garden hoe next to the bed. she was half cherokee and only 4'10" but still managed to knock a burgler unconcious with said hoe when he broke in. she told the cops she didnt shoot him because of her strong christian beliefs and that it wasnt a fair fight!! go "Hattie"!!
 
How hard is the slide on the Keltec PMR-30 to pull back? Because that's what I would suggest if she can handle it. 30 rounds of light recoiling 22mag would take care of pretty much anything she could encounter...
 
does it have to be a handgun? what about a taurus/rossi circuit judge (.410/45lc carbine/shotgun)? 5 shots of .410 3inch 000 buck comes to 25 .36 cal pellets in a low recoil short barrel gun with a revolver type action. just a thought.
 
I had a similar situation with my mom. She was 5'2 and under 100#. A full size 38spl double action with external hammer. She had trouble pulling the DA trigger and had to use both thumbs to cock it,but it was something she could manage. Working a slide was both too hard physically and too complex for her.

I filled it with Glaser safety slugs as she was in an apartment and she felt less likely to harm the neighbors with them. Yeah, it's all hype,but it allowed her to mentally be able to use it with less fear of harming an innocent. Still, she wasn't sure if she could shoot a person. I told her to just yell "Go away" as loud as she could and to shoot the floor. Few criminals will continue to stick around after one is cracked off.
 
My wife teaches a "ladies introduction to handguns" course. Most of her clients (over 125 now) are older, and suddenly alone.
They fall into two groups:

The majority like (and later buy) the Charter Arms 2" .38.

The rest are split - Springfield XD 9mm, 1911 .45.

If she is going to get a gun, she needs to choose it. And the threat is the same if she is 5' & 90 lbs or 6' and 150. The threat determines the need, so I strongly oppose the sub-calibers. Other than at the range, how often will she need to rack the slide anyway?
 
USGuns
Handgun for Elderly woman
My 83 year old Mom with minor arthritis has recently started living alone.

Any thoughts on a self-defense pistol for her? Something that is simple to operate, lightweight and with manageable recoil.

I thought these 2 might be good candidates:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y
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The challenge will be to find a revolver with a easy enough DA trigger. Do some research and find out the trigger pull weight for any of the revolvers you're thinking of getting her. You might need to get some work done on it to lighten the trigger. Have you looked into something in 32S&W Long or 32 H&R Mag or even 327 Fed Mag? Although that would be more recoil than a 38.
 
I would recommend a S&W Model 64 or Model 67. .38 caliber, 4 inch barrel, and has a medium frame. It's simple to operate, not too heavy, but heavy enough to make the .38 seem mild to anyone. Given her age and arthritis, this is a good choice.
 
If she is going to get a gun, she needs to choose it.
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Exactly.

And a really good son (or daughter, for that matter) would track down such a training class for women, and make that part of the package -- before or after the actual purchase of the gun. Learning from rellies isn't usually the best way to go, and heck, she might make some new friends. :)

And rumor has it that there are some great women instructors in WA state...

http://www.corneredcat.com/

:D
 
Vanya hit it. Don't buy her a gun. Hook her up with Pax and other women who can let her try different guns.

BTW, the trigger pulls on DA 22 revolvers is pretty stout. I've read that a Bearcat is easy for some with this problem - but I haven't tested it.

Go with Vanya's suggestion and I hope Pax chimes in.
 
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