Anyone have problems shooting with arthritis?

[ChasMack]

I have not been shooting in quite sometime (better part of a year). I went shooting today and was shooting to the left with all the pistols I tried. My hands have gotten more painful and last 2 weeks more so. My question is could arthritis mess up ones shooting that much? My middle finger and thumb are the worst. Now as I was shooting I can't say as I noticed any pain. But perhaps it could be bothering me and I just not notice it. I tried the target that tells you your problems as to where you shoot. I never had this problem before so I am thinking the pain may be messing me up more than I think.
Anyone else have a problem with arthritis and shooting?

 

[Cee Zee]

I do but it comes in the form of not being able to practice as much as I once did. It hasn't shown up so much really because there hasn't been enough .22 ammo to practice all I want anyway and I had to move away from my house with the range in my yard. Still I could shoot about every day if I had the ammo. I have pain in my neck and back and in my hands all of which can affect how I shoot. Really the pain in my neck is the worst because I just can't hold on target shooting off hand. I can do it for a few seconds but then it just hurts too much.

It's just part of the fun of getting older I guess. I'm not that old really. I'm 58. I expect things to get worse as time moves on. I try to change the way I shoot and practice so I can stay fairly accurate but I think my days of shooting for hours off hand are in my past for the most part.

 

[George Dickel]

I have arthritis in both hands and wrists and in a whole lot of other joints. It can be quite painful to shoot handguns that have a very sharp, snappy recoil. I shot a S&W Shield in .40 and after 50 rounds I decided the gun wasn't for me. Even a 9mm can get a bit painful after a while. It affects my accuracy because I can't get in as much practice shooting as I need. Another problem with the arthritis is loading the magazines. It can get really painful and then I start to lose dexterity with my fingers and fumble rounds all over the place. Arthritis sucks!

 

[Normandy]

I've gotten rid of all my 'snappy' handguns. The 9x18 was hurting quite a bit. The .40 S&W was too painful as well. All gone now. Centerfire now consists mainly of 9mm and .45ACP.
And, if I spend too much time at the range, my hands go numb with I eat with a fork, due to the motion involved. Just adapting as I go.

My Garand is reserved for days when I'm at my best!

The young guys here have a lot to look forward to, eh?

 

[SleazyRider]

... Another problem with the arthritis is loading the magazines. It can get really painful and then I start to lose dexterity with my fingers and fumble rounds all over the place. Arthritis sucks!

Have you tried the Upula magazine loader? Once you get accustomed to using it, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.

 

[il.bill]

Have you tried the Upula magazine loader? Once you get accustomed to using it, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.

Absolutely the best shooting 'tool' my stiff old fingers have found. My UpLula Loader makes semi-auto pistol shooting much more enjoyable. Since I bought one, my revolvers actually get a rest now and then.

 

[PapaGrune]

They make some nice air powered guns. I do not want to call them BB guns.
If you are wanting to keep in practice as far as shooting at something these should work good.

http://www.airgundepot.com/

http://www.airgundepot.com/3576w.html

These may be a good choice till .22 ammunition becomes more available.

Just a thought. I am considering one.. I have a lot of .22 stuff that I can not use.

That bad man, Arthur has not visited my hands, but he is here to stay in my back

 

[M1tankerdude]

I had to sell my Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 Rem mag. I loved having a large revolver and shooting was great until arthritis. I bought a Ruger SR40 and I am fine so far. When I took my concealed pistol class I had to shoot 100 rounds. Went out and bought a Sims grip sleeve to lessen the recoil. Helped a ton I'm sure as I never felt any pain. I'm sure I cannot go back and try a .357 mag as I would like because I probably wouldn't be able to shoot unless it was .38 specials out of it. I was a concrete finisher for the last 19 years and finally took it's toll.

 

[tactikel]

My hands are a bit tender these days! I shoot light .38 SPL and .45 loads, and avoid heavy loads as much as I can.
Some things to try; a couple of naproxen before shooting, a shooting glove to soak up recoil, rubber grips, or sleeve on the handgun. After a long day at the range, depending on whether you have Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid, you may ice your hands, take more naproxen, or apply capsaicin cream. Good luck!

 

[bangswitch]

I have arthritic changes in both my neck and lower back. The neck issues prevent me from getting into a prone position and staying in it long enough to shoot a course of fire (accurately). I can take a shot or two, but then have to either move to sitting, or put my head down for a couple of minutes. Otherwise, my support arm starts going numb. This, of course, is with a rifle. Most of my rifle shooting now is from a benchrest, but I still shoot standing, kneeling and sitting for practice.

I've had carpal tunnel surgery in both hands, but still have some lingering tingling in my fingers which is most likely permanent. That doesn't affect my grip or trigger control, but I had problems with grip strength before the surgery. The upside is that cutting loose with a pistol that makes your hand sting after 50-75 rounds doesn't bother me so much.

 

[George Dickel]

Have you tried the Upula magazine loader? Once you get accustomed to using it, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.

No I haven't but you can bet I'll look for one. Thanks

 

[george burns]

The only thing that works on arthritis is exercise, and atiinflammatorys. Perhaps an occasional shot of Cortisone. Pain meds will just mess up your insides, and end up making you worse, unless you have a very strong will power, and can take 1 or 2 when needed. Other than that, we all get it to some degree as we age. If you are stagnant it will affect you more. Having had back surgeries and multiple broken discs, it's just part of life for me. But you have to stay in shape or you will become worse faster.

 

[PapaGrune]

My wife waited too long to have carpal tunnel surgery on one of her hands, she has the same things you do bangswitch. She had surgery on both hands.

I had both hands done. I worked in IT for many moons. I have had some fights with "trigger fingers" which has nothing to do with your trigger finger. It is where your finger locks up and does not want to unlock with out help... Cortisone shots help. I finally had to have "baby carpal tunnel" surgery to fix 2 of them. They do not like to give more than 5 shots to help with each finger. Happens to the thumb too.

 

[mike28w]

Count me as in the "arthritis sucks" group.........

I love my Uplula mag loader.

I have gotten rid all of all my handguns that have snappy recoil. I have become much more fond of full size, heavy 9mm handguns. I can still shoot these comfortably and accurately.

If I'm going to be doing a lot of shooting, I always try to take some Advil (aka...Motrin or ibuprofen) when I get up that morning. I take it before I do a bunch of activity that I'm pretty sure will make my hands, wrist or elbows hurt.

Keep experimenting to find what works for you and keep shooting !! mike

 

[Gun Master]

Arthritis Shooting Problems ?

In the last year my arthritis has gotten so bad in my hands, that I had problems cutting onions (for example) on hamburger night. This made me anxious about my shooting abilities.

I had previously solved the autoloader magazine problem, with the Butler Creek UpLULA and Baby UpLULA magazine loader. Man, does it work? Worth every penny!

It had been awhile since I last went shooting, and I was thinking, "Can I still shoot my .45 (1911)"?

About two weeks ago I shot : a 7 rd. mag of .45ACP, two 6 rd. mags of P-64 (snappy recoil), and several rds. of .22 from 3 different revolvers, "no problem".

Happy shooting !

 

[shooter1niner]

My trigger finger wants to lock up every once in awhile. So far it hasn't happened while shooting but this year it seems to be happening more frequently.

And they call these " the golden years ".

 

[hueytaxi]

Left hand useless for shooting. To many years driving long distances.

 

[Jitterbug]

Gotta watch the heavy .44 Mags...which I believe was the start of my wrist issues.

Now well over a year later my wrist was bothering me slightly last time out even with some light .40's. When ever it acts up, I switch off to 9mm or .22. I had to take about 3 months off any center fire after the .44 issue.

I'm 62 and I have a workout regimen for the hands and wrists which seems to help. Getting old does suck.

 

[BSA1]

Yep especially in my thumbs.

Here is a old remedy that works really well for me. I wear a copper bracelet on my wrist. I don't know any fancy medical terminology but it helps me a lot. Best thing is no pills or crèmes needed.

 

[Paul7]

Here is a remedy that really works for arthritis, google 'prolotherapy'.

I used to have bad wrist problems and wouldn't be shooting today without this treatment.

 

[Gun Master]

Shooting and Arthritis Remedies

Ask your doctor about your using Voltaren. He'll have to write a prescription, if he agrees you are a good candidate for it. It is a topical analgesic that I use on my hands, and other places for arthritis. Please read the instructions. You are not supposed to use it over a large area of your body.

Works for me !

 

[rugerman]

I used to go to the range and go thru a hundred rounds of 44 mag in an day with no problem, now with arthritis my 44 is a thing of the past. I've lost most of the strength in my left hand and my right is following it. I also have back problems and that affects standing and holding a handgun at arms length . I have pain meds but I hate the way they make me feel so I don't take them. I've been on Orencia until it stopped working, now I'm on Remicaid, can't tell if it does a lot of good. Getting old ain't for sissies, and yes arthritis sucks!

 

[george burns]

Gun Master I have a prescription tor the Voltaren tablets, I actually have 3 refills, and just finished a bottle of 60, I was supposed to take 2 per day, but have found if you take those pills on a schedule ,after a while they don't work anymore, so 1 bottle has lasted me for 5 months, I only take them when it is really bad. But that's why they work so well.
They make everything disappear, unless you start taking them daily, then they stop working after a few weeks, "like everything else.

 

[Gun Master]

Gun Master I have a prescription tor the Voltaren tablets, I actually have 3 refills, and just finished a bottle of 60, I was supposed to take 2 per day, but have found if you take those pills on a schedule ,after a while they don't work anymore, so 1 bottle has lasted me for 5 months, I only take them when it is really bad. But that's why they work so well.
They make everything disappear, unless you start taking them daily, then they stop working after a few weeks, "like everything else.

See if your doctor will let you try the Voltaren Gel. Maybe that will work better. Wish you well.

 

[george burns]

Will do, thanks. I have Lidocaine patches also. I called "endo" because the co-pay was $300.00 for a 30 day supply, I got them for free from a place called "prescription one", they can get most people their meds, "the expensive ones" for a $20 dollar per month fee for the paperwork. I eventually stopped after a few years, because it was still 20 dollars I could do without. But for a couple of years they worked well.
They are nice folks, but wanted tax returns Social security #'s and I don't believe in giving strangers my personal information as we have been hacked twice, and I can't help but think it was them or some other doctors office. These clerks get all your bank info drivers license ss#, and suddenly you get your accounts breached, Last year they actually went into a bank posing as mu wife and I, and added a man to out accounts, so I just refuse to give out that sort of info anymore, I had the police and the feds here over it, In just one store they spent 20 thousand dollars.