Is arthritis affecting your handgun shooting?

D

Dr Raoul Duke

Moderator
I've made no secret that I am getting older, and I will tell you now that for the last 10 years I have been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. I have enough broken parts to start a medical exhibit: fused L4, L5, S1 with Harrington Clamps, fused T3, t4, untreated compression fracture L3, C5 (scary), left knee has been replaced, right knee needs to be replaced, and advanced degenerative disc disease. Despite all that the worst is that the RA is slowly destroying my hands, ankles and feet. Today I was out with some of my fellow ex-cops at a private ranch where we congregate and shoot, and my hands have been bothering me something terrible over the last 2 months due to the heat during the day and the relative cold at night. We were playing the cop games of our age (mid '70s early '80s), and had one of our old SWAT Commanders present, and he was wanting to see how well we old farts could make the "money shot" (not what you porno watchers think) but is coming from the 45 degree ready stance and making a two hits on a 2 inch target dot on the head of a silhouette from 15 yards in 2 seconds from the sound of the buzzer, using duty ammunition. I don't think I have ever failed to make that shot in the past. It has been a shot I have practiced, and one that I used to pretty much save the life of one of my partners. We were searching for a burglar and came across a guy who was going to shoot my partner with a double barreled shotgun, and I shot the BG four times, twice in the body, and then twice in the head, in quite a bit less than 4 seconds. But, if it had been today, I might have been the one who handed the folded flag to his widow, as I could not make that shot for love nor money. I tried doing it three times with .38 Special +P 125 gn JHPs (Cor-Bon), and either missed with one shot, or missed on time. I was using the same S&W Model 19 I used in the mentioned shooting (two of my friends used my Model 19 and made the grade), but I could not pass muster; and my hands hurt like hell, despite eating some ibuprofen. I even tried going low recoil, getting out my 10 shot .22 LR S&W Model 17, but even with that jewel like revolver I could not fit my efforts into the box. It's not my reflexes or reactions, as on days when my hands are not hurting I can shoot that drill with my 5 1/2" Redhawk and .44 Magnum 240 gn. 1000 fps loads. It's just days like today, when my hands really hurt, when each knuckle in both hands has a big red dot on it from the inflammation, and I can't shoot well in front of my old mates that it really starts to suck RHINO.:mad::barf:

You know, with all of that said, I'm still occasionally hauling the gear out for Cowboy Action Shooting, and now gearing up to shooting prone at the Revolutionary War Veterans Association events.

So, let me know if you have problems like mine, and how you cope with it; hopefully without just not going shooting.:)
 
Sounds like you've got a full plate with all your RA problems. Best wishes and good luck on managing the pain. I have arthritis in my right shoulder and I can't bear to push on anything (like pushing a hacksaw for example) and the recoil from most rifles over about .25 cal really hurts. I have learned to compensate by avoiding those things that aggravate my shoulder and have moved on down to a .243 Win rifle for deer hunting. Now I'm getting arthritis in my trigger finger, which during an arrest thirty years ago a bad guy tried to chew off. I think all my clicking on my computer mouse is bothering it, too, and I'm getting tendonitis in my finger, too. I guess we all get old and start wearing out. We just have to find our comfort levels and learn to compensate. I would hate to give up any shooting activities and I will continue to work around the pain and disability. Good luck to you.
 
Mine has not reach your point yet however on occasion I use a computer type (elastic) glove for shooting and I also find that Adidas baseball batting gloves are a great help to lessen recoil effects of my 45acp and 40cal which I prefer to shoot in time will need to go to the wimpy(:D) 9 but will hold off as long as possible.
 
The good lord blessed me with a lovely bride, 3 children, 7 grandchildren (with #8 due around early December) and a worsening case of arthritis. I can always tell when its going to rain!

As far as shooting, I will probably end up getting one of those magazine loaders for my 9mm since I can no longer push in all 15 rounds. The magazines on my .22's have a button on the side to pull the spring down, so that is much less of a problem. As far as the revolvers, the only ones I have problems loading are the .22's because of their size.

So far (knock wood) it hasn't affected my shooting. Ibuprofen is a wonderful thing!

Scott
 
I guess we all get old and start wearing out. We just have to find our comfort levels and learn to compensate. I would hate to give up any shooting activities and I will continue to work around the pain and disability. Good luck to you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comeback from Alabama. I love that country, especially up in the woods around Coleman. I have a friend who has a cabin up there where he went to recover after an accident. He set the standard for me as far as never giving up, as he could only use his left hand and left eye then; and he practically wore out a NM Blackhawk .357 before he came back down the hill. Compared to him, I'm a stone wimp for even talkin', and I'll be damned when I give in and admit to wearing out!:p

I still shoot full house .30-06 off the "repaired" right shoulder, which I shouldn't do, and save my left shoulder for the .300 Rem Ultra Mag and .338 Win Mag, but it's not far behind the right shoulder. But, I'm truly ambidextrous, and my left eye is the stronger of the two.

Dr. Raoul Duke
Gonzo Forever
 
For those of you having problems loading mags purchase a UPLULA Universal Pistol Magazine Loader, they are great.
 
1988 Double bypass surgery knee's surgery ,carple tunell both hands 2008 and DUNLOP'S DISEASE = MY BELLY DUN LOPS OVER MY BELT :D All kidding aside got rid of my big boomers and mainly shoot 22lr.easy on the hands and pocket book. Kids can enjoy them.:D
 
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And I also had rotator cuff surgery so I sold my 10ga double barrel shotgun. Recovering from that surgery, which was done orthoroscopically, was without a doubt, the most difficult recovery of anything I have been through... ever! It has been almost 2 years and I am glad I did it, but no matter how much the other side hurts, I seriously doubt I will go through that again... ever!!

But anyway, maybe I should have kept the shotgun and just pointed it at the sky during goose season and hope they will just fall to the ground when they see it!

Scott
 
I've had psoriatic arthritis for going on 20 years now, and I haven't even hit 40 yet. It progressively got worse, to the point some days I could barely hobble around and some days couldn't firmly hold a handgun. My "hero" was Enbrel, which so far has stopped the progression and relieved most of the symptoms.

For handguns, I see the writing on the wall, and have begun putting together an "arthritic" battery, consisting so far of a custom Browning Hi Power 9mm, a steel frame S&W 36, and a Seecamp LWS32. I figure the combination of less recoil and more weight than my usual handguns these days might extend my shooting "lifetime".
 
I have had carpal tunnel surgery in both wrists and now it is coming back. I also have nerve damage to my lower right hip, both from police work. Mine is nowhere as severe as yours. Acupunture and a chiroprator helps but finely my DR. has given my mild Morphine pills. Good luck!
 
Arthritis means you have good and bad days - or at least I do.... Right now I'm recovering from elective surgery on my shooting shoulder - torn bicep tendon, torn rotator cuff and some bone spurs / just finishing my 6th week off now - hope to be back shotgunning by end of Sept ( at least with a .410 ) - and progress thru a 28ga, then a 20ga and then a 12ga by end of October......

I'm not going to quit shooting / I just deal with it - wear gloves ( I use winter - dry - golf gloves ) gives me a little better grip when my hands are real bad... and when its real bad I drop down to a 28ga or a semi-auto / or with handguns instead of shooting a .44 mag or a .45 acp ( I shoot a 9mm )...
 
Another with Psoriatic arthritis for 20+ years.
By what you described, the lack of accuracy is probably as a result of diminished hand strength. It happens inevitably, due to both inflammation, and using your hands less due to pain.
Talk to an occupational therapist. Some strengthening exercises will help. I have tried the spring hand exercisers, dry firing, etc.. A variety will help, as too much of one thing will lead to pain.
My favorite was a latex ball that would deform when squeezed, then I would shift it and squeeze again. The lack of push back, and being able to squeeze through what ever range of motion I wanted helped. And the grip was never tha same twice, giving a thorough workout without pain.

Mike
 
Me too! Mine is not that bad yet. However, I've just had my 'smith build me a 1911 in 9mm. The thicker barrel and full length guide rod puts a lot of weight forward and makes the recoil much less than my usual .45's. It is quite comfortable to shoot which was one of my main goals for this firearm. We old coots just have to compromise and find a way.
 
Come on Critter - don't refer to us as old .......there are only so many stallions in the herd /and we didn't get here by being foolish ...

A good 1911 in 9mm - is a gun I shoot a lot these days ....
 
A couple of years ago, I started using Lifeline's Chest Expander and Power Pushup devices to build my shoulders and neck to compensate for a bulging cervical disc. I also bought a set of Captains of Crush Hand Grip Trainers. The difference is amazing in my recoil tolerance and I can fish all day without neck pain or hand and shoulder fatigue. Simple things like running a weed eater and working in the garden are now effortless.
 
Dr Raoul,

You and I could compare notes for quite some time. I too am a retired LEO and have back problems. Everything is herniated or ruptured from S1 to L1 then add in stenosis and deteriorating disc disease. Then there's the numb fingers from carpal tunnel (3 surgeries) and now severe arthritis in both shoulders.

Went shooting this AM with my newest gun, a Glock 21SF. Shot about 130 rounds, mostly at my steel silhouette and pepper popper but I did check my zero at 20 yards. Between loading/unloading the steel from the truck, picking up the brass and just shooting (trying doubles on the popper) my shoulders and back are killing me right now. Take all the drugs the Dr's and Rx allows and it still hurts like hell.

It's a long standing joke that old age isn't for sissies. Trouble is it isn't funny.

Take care and watch your Six,
Dave
 
Don't need another long list of worn out or surgically repaired parts but suffice it to say I put a bottle of aspirin in my shirt pocket if I know I'm going to be going out for a long day of shooting anything bigger than 22's. Even then my back and knees tell me to double up on the celebrex and methocarbamol when I get back to the house.
 
I have also been battling rheumatoid arthritis for the last 7 years. I was diagnosed when I was 40 years old and turned 47 this month. Even though I am on prescription meds I have lost at least 50% of my hand strength. It gets a little worse every year so I find myself shooting so much more than I ever did when I was younger, knowing the day is coming when I will have to put some of the guns away, trying to get my fill of shooting while I can.
I have the most trouble working the slide and loading the magazines on my semi auto pistols. (Except for my wife's MkIII Ruger .22!) I have been shooting my revolvers a lot more that I used to and have added a couple to the family recently.
I plan on shooting till I cant stand it any more and then pass the guns on to my kids and any grandkids I might have by then and have fun watching them shoot.

VL
 
I can sympathize with Y'all. I've already had to give up kicking shoulder guns, and my hands are getting where I can barely use the keyboard on a computer. I'm fortunately in one way because I have lost the feeling in my hands and feet, so I don't have the pain, but I still have lost a lot of the use of them. I have Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy along with Arthritis. Guess we just have to learn to live with what we have and try to make the best of it. It could always be worse.
 
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