Handicapped Shooters

[Minute_Of_Torso]

My wife is handicapped and has very limited use of her right hand. I've had her shoot several different types of pistols from .38 revolvers up to a Government .45. She has done best with my Ruger 22/45 "Great Eight" but I have to prepare the pistol for her to shoot it (load mag, rack slide, drop safety, etc.). When I'm not home I want her to be able to defend herself and my daughter if, God forbid, the need ever arise.

I want to get her a handgun that she can operate but there are some difficulties that need to be overcome:

1. Racking a slide is out of the question.
2. Loading a magazine into an autoloader is VERY difficult and slow.
3. Reloading a revolver, as strange as it may seem, is almost impossible.
4. Any handgun with any external safeties would also be hard for her to control.
5. Her hands are very small and any full or medium size handgun (revolver or pistol) is out of the question.
6. The firearm needs to be a pistol (a shotgun is too much for her and a small caliber rifle would be very difficult for her, too).


Given these problems, what recommendations would anyone make?

 

[WESHOOT2]

SERIOUS

Beretta 380 'tip-ups', Taurus PT22 'tip-up', or multiple loaded "comfortable" guns in strategic locations, including about the body.

No easy answer.................hopefully someone will offer better advice.

 

[dfariswheel]

If you can prepare the gun first so she doesn't have to operate the slide, and she needs a small gun with no manual safety, I'd recommend a Kahr K9.

It's small, powerful, accurate, reliable, has no manual safety but is as safe as a DA revolver, holds a full 8 rounds, and is easy to shoot.
Since it's trigger is similar to a revolver, it's safe to store fully loaded. All she has to do is pull the trigger.
Since it has a steel frame and rubber grips, recoil is low.

Since she can't rack the slide or load a revolver, try a auto "Cheater" block. This is a block of wood mounted somewhere near the where the gun is stored and located so it's handy to use.
This is made so the gun's slide can be operated by pushing the muzzle down into the block. Usually it's shaped to clear the front of the frame, and has a hole to clear the barrel. These are easy to custom make to fit whatever gun you have.

If the gun is prepared before hand, it's unlikely she would need this, but it's a good idea to cover all bases.

Other than some small, very safe auto like the Kahr, I can't off hand think of any other gun that would meet your criteria.
Of the Mini guns, the Kahr has the best, and safest trigger, and the lowest recoil.

 

[Blackhawk]

I presume she's right handed, but has full use of her left hand?

 

[sm]

All Very Good Ideas

I still go back to the Revolver.

Couple of the instructors are from the "old days". Revolver guys, carried model 19's and model 10's for BUG's, off duty...

I have seen them take the time with a situation as yours, and instill -with safety a priority-the ability for a weak handed shooter.

Best lesson was the gentleman whom has lost his strong arm (right arm) in an accident. Instructor taught him to load, shoot, reload with a speedloader. Yes he passed his renewal for CCW, had a CCW before accident. Carries a model 10--everyday.

I'd check into some good instructors, LEO's whom trained with revo's.

my .02

 

[Soap]

Not to pry, but more details are needed. Provided her left arm is strong enough (and with some training) one can rack a slide and change a magazine one-handed.

 

[Jim March]

Couple points here:

The Ruger 22LR semi-autos have a very tiny "slide mechanism", abnormally small. That means they have to run a monster of a spring to control the small slide.

Don't judge all 22 semi-autos by that Ruger!

The Browning Buckmark is more conventional, and the slide springs are an order of magnatude lighter than on a Ruger. And the slide is much more "grippable" versus the two "small studs" you have to grab on a Ruger. They can also be had in an aluminum frame if I recall right, so even though they're about as big as a Ruger, they're lighter. With a 10rd mag loaded with the hottest 22LRs available plus one up the spout, these are probably the easiest "handicap operable" firearms available, period, bar none. The tip-up barrel pieces are OK too, but they're DA on the first shot and they have very small switches and buttons to operate.

Try a Buckmark.

Now, if she can deal with a DA trigger, another possible option is a Taurus J-class in 22Magnum with 8 shots on tap . Don't even worry about reloads...

 

[Jim Watson]

Minute of T,

I am with Dfariswheel, the Kahr K9 is very manageable with slim, comfortable gripframe and smooth DAO trigger, and enough weight to soak up recoil. Mrs Torso's answer to reloads and malfunction clearance in a home defense weapon is TWO Kahrs, loaded and conveniently located; preferably with one of them on her person. If she wants to shoot for fun, training, or practice without you to handle the prep work, it was once not uncommon to see 1911s with studs welded to the slides so that they could be racked by pushing against a range bench edge or shoeheel. For the convenience of disabled veterans, no doubt. Or make up the cheater block described by Dfaris. A good instructor can teach one-handed reloads from slide lock or under a still-loaded chamber, a la Cooper, once the gun is up and running the first time.

Second choice would be an all-steel J-frame .38 revolver; the M60 is available with three-inch barrel and good sights. Again, a second gun would be her reload. Maybe a third.

If she can't handle the recoil of a 9mm or .38, look at the .22s.

Unfortunately Jim M. must be looking at different Buckmarks from what I have seen. Their recoil springs are light but their mainsprings are heavy and they take a hard pull to cock. I know one lady shooter who chose a Ruger because she couldn't rack the Buckmark. Another developed procedures to avoid it; she grits her teeth, hangs on tight and racks the slide once. Then she never lets the hammer get down until she is done for the day; she is either shooting, or the gun is cocked and locked, or the slide is open on the slide stop. So she only has to wrestle with it once a day. I note that recent Buckmarks have "ears" on the slide, similar in function to the lugs on the Ruger's bolt to give more of a handle.

But, with Mr T to set it up, I agree; ten .22 LRHV are not to be ignored. And it could be reloaded from slide lock once she learned the technique; or get two, that would be less than the cost of a SigSauer.

DA trigger pull on the Taurus .22 magnum I looked at was pretty tough.

 

[Waitone]

I'll second the tip up barrels of Taurus and Beretta. My wife has the same problems. No hand and chest strength. Boy can she shoot a PT-22. DAO with a tip up barrel. Get an extra mag or two and you're good to go. Works best with Tetra grease and high velocity rounds.

 

[Crimper-D]

H&K P7

Way expensive, but a truly ambidexterous handgun. the "squeeze cocker" is a feature that lends itself to one handed use and the magazine ejects with one handed ease.
Check one out... might be worth it if your wife can manage it.

 

[22luvr]

First off......

You should be very proud of your wife for agreeing to shoot anything and special praise considering her limited capabilities. My wife refuses to have much to do with handguns at all.

Since loading and racking the slide on an autoloader is out of the question, I'd suggest a Kahr K9 or MK9 in 9mm. The gun, although a bit on the heavy side, dimensionally is rather small and the 9mm will have less recoil than some other service rounds. There are no external safeties or other levers to worry about and the double action trigger has a light, easy pull. This means wherever the gun is kept, keep one in the chamber so she can simply aim and pull the trigger.

Someone with limited physical capabilities has to become "creative" in adjusting. The wife of one of the guys at our range was born with no right hand at all. She racks the slide on her autoloader by sticking it between her knees backwards and pushing down on the grip. A little awkward but effective.

I wish you both well and am confident you will arrive at a workable solution.

 

[Marko Kloos]

My wife has partial paralysis of the left side due to a head injury a decade ago. She has very little use of her left arm and hand as a result.

She loves her Beretta Tomcat, because it's small and easy to carry and can be loaded and unloaded with one hand thanks to the tip-up barrel. She also likes her new Taurus 731UL in .32 H&R Magnum, especially the extra round and the lower recoil over a .38 snubbie.

She can actually deal with recoil very well, since her right arm is plenty strong from exclusive use. I've let her shoot a bunch of guns before she settled on the Tomcat, and she didn't have a problem with anything I handed her. She just prefers the Tomcat because of its size and grip shape. I let her handle a Beretta Cheetah with the tip-up barrel, but she dislikes the extra size over the Tomcat.