New defensive handgun for grandma
- Thread starter kealil
- Start date
irish52084
New member
How about a S&W 386? That way she can have a full size revolver like the security six with less weight. I'm not very familiar with them, but they are significantly lighter than the 686 model on which they are based.
Tell her to quit trying to use her non-gun hand to rack the slide and push it back.
Instead, hold the slide with the non-gun hand.... that's it , just hold it.
then push forward on the gun with the gun hand (finger away from trigger) ..... it will cycle much easier and doesn't take that much muscle.
A Beretta Tomcat in .32 cal has a tip up barrel and the slide doesn't have to be cycled.
Lots of revolvers... BUT >... I really stress the BUT.... don't get an airlight, airweight, feather light, or titanium in a revolver... they may be lighter to hold, but have a lot more recoil. I'm an old revolver guy, and there are some I cannot stand to shoot, and I'm very accustomed to shooiting .357's.
Instead, hold the slide with the non-gun hand.... that's it , just hold it.
then push forward on the gun with the gun hand (finger away from trigger) ..... it will cycle much easier and doesn't take that much muscle.
A Beretta Tomcat in .32 cal has a tip up barrel and the slide doesn't have to be cycled.
Lots of revolvers... BUT >... I really stress the BUT.... don't get an airlight, airweight, feather light, or titanium in a revolver... they may be lighter to hold, but have a lot more recoil. I'm an old revolver guy, and there are some I cannot stand to shoot, and I'm very accustomed to shooiting .357's.
Take your Grandmother shopping. Let her try racking the slide of a Beretta 92FS with the hammer cocked. It's one of the easier 9mm's to rack. This may or may not solve her dilemma.
The Ruger Security Six is substantial but it's only a few ounces heavier than some of the similar K-Frame .357's. I do suggest looking for a "pre-owned" and lightly used Model 10 with a 4-inch barrel. These usually have the standard "Magna" grips on them which might fit her hand better. I found a very nice unfired 5-inch specimen for under $360 a few years ago.
S&W Model 10, 5-inch, .38 Special, simplicity²
Other guns of interest might be a Model 15 or Model 67. These were police guns and aren't excessively heavy. You might luck out and find one of the 2-inch variants. The warning is that these snubbies tend to end up shooting high due to the way they want to sit in your hand.
The good news is that S&W has brought the Model 15 back in their "classics" line of revolvers.
Chances are, however, if she thinks the Ruger is too heavy, then the K-Frame Smiths may be perceived that way too.
Many of the newer snubbies are coming out of S&W with 2-1/8" barrels or the 3-inch barrel. I've found that these newer guns are slightly heavier than the earlier models but that contributes to better shooting with them. The 3-inch Model 60 is steel, a small frame and enough barrel to make shooting easier than the typical snubby.
The Ruger Security Six is substantial but it's only a few ounces heavier than some of the similar K-Frame .357's. I do suggest looking for a "pre-owned" and lightly used Model 10 with a 4-inch barrel. These usually have the standard "Magna" grips on them which might fit her hand better. I found a very nice unfired 5-inch specimen for under $360 a few years ago.
S&W Model 10, 5-inch, .38 Special, simplicity²
Other guns of interest might be a Model 15 or Model 67. These were police guns and aren't excessively heavy. You might luck out and find one of the 2-inch variants. The warning is that these snubbies tend to end up shooting high due to the way they want to sit in your hand.
The good news is that S&W has brought the Model 15 back in their "classics" line of revolvers.
Chances are, however, if she thinks the Ruger is too heavy, then the K-Frame Smiths may be perceived that way too.
Many of the newer snubbies are coming out of S&W with 2-1/8" barrels or the 3-inch barrel. I've found that these newer guns are slightly heavier than the earlier models but that contributes to better shooting with them. The 3-inch Model 60 is steel, a small frame and enough barrel to make shooting easier than the typical snubby.
The problem here is that even though the .380 isn't a barn burner, the guns are blowback actions. This means stiffer recoil springs to keep the slide locked during firing and more perceived recoil. A limp wrist will induce FTE's more often on these than a larger caliber gun. The problem is that seniors can have just enough arthritis that causes them to limp-wrist the gun. If not now, that can happen in the future with age. If considering a .380, rent her a Bersa .380 for testing which should be similar in effort of use. Food for thought.
The .22 Magnum is a formidable little cartridge. But I would not feel all that comfortable with it as a defensive round. The other downfall is that rimfire cartridges are notoriously less reliable than centerfire.
You might also run across the .32 H&R Magnum revolvers in the form of some S&W 431 and 432 airweights or the Ruger SP-101. The cartridge itself has a low recoil signature, even in the airweights. Ammo is more expensive and the .32 H&R doesn't have any significant self-defense stats but power is similar to a .38 Special. Tip: If opting for the S&W airweights, invest in grips that cover the backstrap. S&W put a single groove there that pinches!
S&W 432PD, .32 H&R Magnum, J-frame, six-shots.
The .327 Federal Magnum is relatively new. No SD track record, but the ballistics are most impressive. Built for a 3" barrel or longer (Ruger's SP-101 was the original platform) its power puts it on a par with many .357 rounds. But ammo will be much more expensive (new cartridge) and recoil could be an issue, even with a steel gun. Muzzle blast and nighttime flash will certainly be an issue.
The J-frame Model 36/60 with a 3-inch barrel loaded with 148gr wadcutters may be just the right combination, depending on how recoil sensitive Grandma is. The wadcutter, while having low power, is plenty lethal at short range (7 yards or less) and cuts a "clean" hole. Its lower recoil allows a faster follow-up shot too. They're low recoil, low flash and the noise is less obnoxious indoors than +P ammo too.
NightSleeper
New member
Then you have to worry about a heavy DA trigger. I have a Taurus 941 and it's a heavy pull.
Since grandma already likes the smith revolver, I'd go for that. I'd recommend .38spl but not +P ammo. Get her something light, 110 grain Winchester silver-tip hollow points come to mind. Less recoil is probably better for grandma (and me, for that matter
).Another option has already been mentioned. Beretta makes tip up barrel semi-autos in .22LR, .25acp and .32 acp. I'd recommend looking at the Tomcat. The .32acp should be a good defense round for her, without too much recoil (especially since she already handles a .38spl). I think Taurus has a new line of PLY guns which are .22LR and .25acp with the tilt-up barrels too. The tilt up barrels means you don't have to rack the slide to chamber a round.
I would also consider trigger pull/weith on your criteria. I have a S&W J frame and the trigger pull is very heavy. My wife has trouble with it, no way my gradmother could pull it, and I haven't found a gun smith that will preform a trigger job on it b/c of the no external safety. (not to say one isn't out there)
+1 on the Beretta 86, if you can find one, they don't appear to be making it anymore. The S&W 32 h&r magnum with a trigger job is also an option, but they don't make that anymore either. Consider .327 loaded with .32 magnums or longs. Again, will probably need a trigger job. A K frame snubby in .38 special with low recoil loads, and again, a trigger job. The k frame will be more available, and the trigger work probably better. Additional weight is great for recoil, if she can handle it. You'll need to work with her to sort this out. I'm constantly evaluating the situation myself. 25+ years of RA can do that.
Dragline45
New member
Just because the security six is too big and heavy for her dont jump all the way down the ladder and get her he lightest smalles snub revolver possible, you are missing a hell of alot of options inbetween that would better suit her needs. I would go with a 3" J fame or sp101, it will allow her to fire a hotter .38 load then she would be able to manage out of the airweight without being as heavy and cumbersome as the security six.
Some mentioned the trigger pull might be too heavy on a J frame for your grandma, but every once in a while my grandma will ask to see my model 640 J frame when I have it on me and she dry fires it a few times with ease.
Some mentioned the trigger pull might be too heavy on a J frame for your grandma, but every once in a while my grandma will ask to see my model 640 J frame when I have it on me and she dry fires it a few times with ease.
Grandma's CCW gun
Let me tell you what we did.
I'm Grandpaw 71 and she is Grandma 74.
Neither of us could pull the slide back on the XD9.
After some reseach we found the XD9 has a 24 pound recoil spring.
Glock 22 has a 17 pound spring.
Both is us CCW a 2 1/4 inch [357]. We changed the mainspring and put Hogue grips on it. Each of us have 3 of them.
Let me tell you what we did.
I'm Grandpaw 71 and she is Grandma 74.
Neither of us could pull the slide back on the XD9.
After some reseach we found the XD9 has a 24 pound recoil spring.
Glock 22 has a 17 pound spring.
Both is us CCW a 2 1/4 inch [357]. We changed the mainspring and put Hogue grips on it. Each of us have 3 of them.