Do you buy handguns in anticipation of old age?

Honestly, the day I can't shoot a handgun cartridge with as mild recoil as .38 Special is the day I quit shooting altogether. So I guess I'd have to answer no.

A 357/38 will meet all of your needs for as long as you can see to shoot it or pick it up.

I'd worry about eyesight failing more than anything else. My father was not much older than I am now when his eyesight started to change. Has was a bullseye pistol shooter for years, not to mention combat and silloulette. He got to the point where he couldn't see the sights and the target clearly at the same time.
It seemed odd to see him shooting scoped rifles more than anything else.

I buy guns with the idea they will accompany me to my grave. Then behind that serve in my stead to guard my kids.

I figure that I should be all set for the rest of my life. Eventually thin out the collection when I get too old and feeble. Maybe the 4" 357 / 38 would be the last to go like Iggy said in post #3.

I haven't done anything yet, but I do think about it. Right now I'm more concerned with strength and dexterity issues with my fingers rather than recoil issues, though of course that could change.

My right index finger (my trigger finger) is probably showing more issues than anything else, but my primary shooter is a 1911, so the short, light trigger helps a lot. I don't manipulate DA triggers as easily as I used to, so I do look out for those. I'm keeping track of my thumb dexterity to make sure I can still work the thumb safety, but that hasn't been an issue at all, yet.

Bill Wilson has been thinking and acting on it...

I think just with my revolvers I will be good forever the autos should go a long way too. Even in my most rattaly crapped out busted years I am sure I will be able to wield a 32 s&w long and a 25 auto. But either way I have a pile of 38s and a 44. I plan on aging all gnarly like Elmer kieth and shooting big boomers forever. Life goals!

The last time I went shooting with my father, he was 90, IIRC. He had only shot 22 pistols, by choice, for many years. In fact, now that I think of it, I am not sure if he ever owned a centerfire pistol.

If it ever gets to the point where I can't handle the weight or the recoil of some of my 1911 handguns in .45 ACP, then I would probably switch over to mainly shooting my rimfire pistols. That and maybe going with something like my Browning Hi-Power or Colt Commander in .38 Super on occasional range trips.

I don't buy any gun in anticipation of old age but I buy both handguns and rifles I like in anticipation that some iteration down the road will have components made of plastic or because of other cost saving measures which make it otherwise undesirable (eg. S&W key lock).

I'm hanging onto my Super Blackhawks and other single Actions. Still nothing compares to the .44 Magnum Rugers in my book. Maybe ten or twelve years down the road I'll tone down a mite.



Bob Wright

No...but I HAVE used that as an excuse

I have not done anything in anticipation of old age, although some of the things I have done could apply to issues related to old age.

My wife had reconstructive surgery on her shooting hand, with substantial loss of cartilage and severe loss of grip strength. She had to give up her beloved N-frame S&Ws stoked with hot .357s; the guns were too heavy for sustained shooting and the recoil was too painful. After much testing, we determined that her trigger finger strength topped out in the 8-9 pound range, which eliminated many or most revolvers in DA mode. As a matter of inadequate gripping strength rather than technique, she was unable to rack the slides of most semi-autos, although she could rack some full-size 9mm pistols and locked-breech .380s were easy. She made the decision that she wanted to buy guns that she could operate fully without any mechanical accessories like slider rackers.

To keep my wife active in shooting, we now have three locked-breech .380 pistols (in pocket, subcompact, and compact sizes) that are ridiculously easy to rack, are light, and have very mild recoil, as well as a couple of polymer-framed, full-size 9mm pistols that seem to soak up recoil better than average and their slides are easier to rack than the norm.

I bought two 327 LCRs so if recoil ever becomes problematic I can shoot 32 H&R or even 32 Long. Tendonitis in my right arm got me thinking along these lines. I don't know how long Ruger will keep making them in 327 and decided to get them now while they are current production.

Im pushing 70 and still blasting 45 1911's

gc70 said:

To keep my wife active in shooting, we now have three locked-breech .380 pistols (in pocket, subcompact, and compact sizes) that are ridiculously easy to rack, are light, and have very mild recoil, as well as a couple of polymer-framed, full-size 9mm pistols that seem to soak up recoil better than average and their slides are easier to rack than the norm.

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Do you mind listing the 380s you found work well for her?

BobWright said:

I'm hanging onto my Super Blackhawks and other single Actions. Still nothing compares to the .44 Magnum Rugers in my book. Maybe ten or twelve years down the road I'll tone down a mite.

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Bob Wright

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That's a beautiful collection of revolvers.

I dumped my last magnum before I hit 50.

.380,.45 acp and .45C seem tame enough for me but maybe before it’s all done I’ll be reduced to a SA .22lr

I’ve got a Charter Arms Undercoverette 32 H&R mag that I should be able to use well into old age. I like shooting it now too though.

460Shooter said:

I've been thinking about the guns I own and several of them are fairly heavy recoiling, and fairly heavy in weight. Being relatively young, in good health, and reasonably good shape...

However, I am hoping to live to a ripe old age. I have no doubt my strength and dexterity will diminish in the future as it does for most everyone.

I've been considering buying some lighter weight revolvers for my old age years, and perhaps chambered in cartridges that have less recoil.

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Since you are relatively young what makes you think that the handguns that are legal now will still be legal when you reach retirement age?

California is well down the road to banning almost all handguns and will be closely regulating the sell of ammunition and components. By 2030 they will have more handguns banned and strict laws in place for storage and use of what few guns that remain legal.

In my family Alzheimer's takes the mind before age takes the body. I'm most definitely good for another 30 years, hopefully more. I do however find myself less inclined to haul a rifle deep into the woods where I expect a shot where yards are measured in double digits, so I have acquired highly accurate handguns with suitable sights to take game out to about 150 yds. For a fat guy with bad knees and back pain from teenage stunts, I really notice the extra weight on a pack, so a 7 pound rifle vs a 3 pound handgun...

My mom died at age 66-congestive heart failure. My dad died at age 69-congestive heart failure. His dad died at age 67-congestive heart failure. I'm currently 44. I'm not making any plans past age 50. Anything I ever wanted to do or to own I'm trying to do now.

I don't have the money to invest in anything but the occasional stock.

Besides, as I've said before: I drink, I enjoy my cigars and bacon, my hobbies include heavy machinery, and I'm licensed to carry a weapon while riding a motorcycle in Florida. I don't expect to live that long.

Crap I didn't know I wasn't supposed to enjoy shooting light recoiling and or lightweight guns now.