wnycollector
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cdnn has used S&W model 65's for $269. Practice with .38 SWC's and then load it up with the FBI load (158gr SWCHP) and sleep easy at night!
If you HAD to, What pistol?
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madcratebuilder
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A used M10 or M15 Smith is cost effective, you can practice with light loads and carry with P+.
woad_yurt
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S&W .38, a big one, like a Model 67. There's also those DA H&R .22 magnum revolvers. Minimal kick to both of them, less so for the .22WMR.
YammyMonkey
Member
As a somewhat opposing point of view, I'd vote for a S&W M&P9 either the standard or long slide & slap a tac light on it. The standard size gun even without the light is the softest recoiling service caliber gun I've ever shot. I got the impression that she's not going to be fiddling with it so manipulating the slide won't be much concern.
Slap on the small grip insert (easier to hang on to smaller diameter objects), a set of Big Dot sights, Tac light & have her have at it. A laser might help her if she's shooting from an odd position (laying in bed or knocked to the ground) but you're starting to run the price up.
Another option (now going with the previous flow) would be a good .38spl loaded up with wadcutters- low recoil, they'll cut a larger hole than ball & they'll still penetrate.
My issues with the revolvers are the trigger pull weight & the fact that you only have 6 on tap before a reload. All fighting-caliber handguns suck at taking the fight out of someone so you might as well load up with more rounds.
Slap on the small grip insert (easier to hang on to smaller diameter objects), a set of Big Dot sights, Tac light & have her have at it. A laser might help her if she's shooting from an odd position (laying in bed or knocked to the ground) but you're starting to run the price up.
Another option (now going with the previous flow) would be a good .38spl loaded up with wadcutters- low recoil, they'll cut a larger hole than ball & they'll still penetrate.
My issues with the revolvers are the trigger pull weight & the fact that you only have 6 on tap before a reload. All fighting-caliber handguns suck at taking the fight out of someone so you might as well load up with more rounds.
mainmech48
Member
This may seem a little out of step with most of the posters so far, but why not a double gun in a smaller gauge?
20 ga. or .410 bore would be much easier on the body (and allow for more regular practice) than any 12 ga.
Both have buckshot and "bird"shot loadings in at least a couple of relative powers.
Double guns minimize potential operational/handling issues, especially for people with physical limitations affecting their mobility.
IMO, it's much easier and faster for most folks to be trained to an acceptable level of competence with a longarm than with any handgun. It also requires less regular, disciplined practice for them to maintain that minimal standard.
If a good used double is hard to find or too expensive in your area, there are sturdy, inexpensive single shots in both flavors.
Clint Smith has a very good article on this subject in the July issue of "Guns". Worth a hard look before you commit to another option, IMO.
20 ga. or .410 bore would be much easier on the body (and allow for more regular practice) than any 12 ga.
Both have buckshot and "bird"shot loadings in at least a couple of relative powers.
Double guns minimize potential operational/handling issues, especially for people with physical limitations affecting their mobility.
IMO, it's much easier and faster for most folks to be trained to an acceptable level of competence with a longarm than with any handgun. It also requires less regular, disciplined practice for them to maintain that minimal standard.
If a good used double is hard to find or too expensive in your area, there are sturdy, inexpensive single shots in both flavors.
Clint Smith has a very good article on this subject in the July issue of "Guns". Worth a hard look before you commit to another option, IMO.
A couple of warnings about pistols.
I am trying to outfit my wife, in her sixties (but no infirmaties), and we are having problems.
I found she could not fire a Smith & Wesson J Frame .22 double action because the DA trigger pull was more than she could manage. I had lighter springs installed and a complete action smoothing job, and although much improved, still too hard for her to use. We are going down the same path with a .38sp. (Model 67) and I think it too will be a problem after we get it back from the Gunmith.
The K frame S&Ws are good guns, but it would be best to find a well-used one that has a well worn action which is easy to fire DA, or a different make that has a lighter DA. Trouble is, most pistols have a heavy DA.
I also found that she did not have sufficient strength to work the slide on the semi-autos I have, a Glock 26 & Dan Wesson 1911. Nevertheless, a better choice might be a semiauto if she keeps a round in the chamber, because if the chosen gun is very reliable and large capacity, she shouldn't have to reload. Is the recoil of a Glock 17 acceptable, and does it fit her hand?
The all-steel 9mm DA/SA Smith & Wessons available at CDNN are excellent (a great buy), and the DA pull is quite light. There is a large capacity magazine which gives 14 rounds (standard 11). I have owned one of these for years and they are a pleasant-shooting gun. This is what I will try next for my wife.
Good luck with your choice.
C.
I am trying to outfit my wife, in her sixties (but no infirmaties), and we are having problems.
I found she could not fire a Smith & Wesson J Frame .22 double action because the DA trigger pull was more than she could manage. I had lighter springs installed and a complete action smoothing job, and although much improved, still too hard for her to use. We are going down the same path with a .38sp. (Model 67) and I think it too will be a problem after we get it back from the Gunmith.
The K frame S&Ws are good guns, but it would be best to find a well-used one that has a well worn action which is easy to fire DA, or a different make that has a lighter DA. Trouble is, most pistols have a heavy DA.
I also found that she did not have sufficient strength to work the slide on the semi-autos I have, a Glock 26 & Dan Wesson 1911. Nevertheless, a better choice might be a semiauto if she keeps a round in the chamber, because if the chosen gun is very reliable and large capacity, she shouldn't have to reload. Is the recoil of a Glock 17 acceptable, and does it fit her hand?
The all-steel 9mm DA/SA Smith & Wessons available at CDNN are excellent (a great buy), and the DA pull is quite light. There is a large capacity magazine which gives 14 rounds (standard 11). I have owned one of these for years and they are a pleasant-shooting gun. This is what I will try next for my wife.
Good luck with your choice.
C.
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Question, is it that she cannot easily bring up a stock to her shouler, or that the 870 recoils too much for her shoulder?
I.E. could she shoot a .22LR rifle?
If the answer to the above question is yes, I think the solution is a carbine in 9mm, 40SW, 45acp or 38/357.
I think a nice marlin levergun in 357 is giong to be much better than a handgun, especially with recoil.
I.E. could she shoot a .22LR rifle?
If the answer to the above question is yes, I think the solution is a carbine in 9mm, 40SW, 45acp or 38/357.
I think a nice marlin levergun in 357 is giong to be much better than a handgun, especially with recoil.
wnycollector
Member
+1 on the pistol caiber rifle. I have a .40S&W Keltec sub2k that is a pussycat even with DT 165gr+P JHPs. I chronoed them once ~1600fps and ~880lbs of energy...a doubletap to the center of mass should be real easy for anyone with a little bit of practice.
I'm going to step away from the majority who have the excellent suggestion of a .38Spl (recommend the 3 inch barrel though) and suggest a Glock 19.
You would leave her with the pistol cleaned, loaded, and lubed and the trigger is very easy to manipulate unlike some of the newer revolvers. Load it with a good standard pressure load like the Federal 135gr PD and recoil would be negligible.
Let her try one out side by side with a Model 10 and see which one she prefers.
You would leave her with the pistol cleaned, loaded, and lubed and the trigger is very easy to manipulate unlike some of the newer revolvers. Load it with a good standard pressure load like the Federal 135gr PD and recoil would be negligible.
Let her try one out side by side with a Model 10 and see which one she prefers.
coyotehitman
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This is a thread about compromise. The fact is, a hole in the heart/lungs/liver, etc. is still a hole in the heart/lungs/liver. I firmly believe that having any size projectile, or ten of them, rip through your vital organs will cause you to rethink your intentions.
If you were considering a shotgun at some point, I assume that a long gun is not out of the question. If that is the case, what about a Ruger 1022 with a folding stock: easy to shoot, cheap to practice with, large cap magazines available, portable with a folding stock, no recoil, low report.
If it must be a handgun, I would consider anything with a tip up barrel that was not in .25acp. I would also consider any of the larger framed .380acp pistols. But if your mother is frail, would she be prone to limp wristing it and causing a jam, would she be able to manipulate a slide release, rack a slide, clear a jam? In that case, perhaps a .38 with light loads is a better compromise.
MTMilitiaman
Member
Another vote for the .38 revolver.
It is simple to operate and maintain, has decent power available, and doesn't require manipulation of a slide or several different levers. If she has weak hands, working a slide or slide release lever might be difficult for her under stress. With a revolver, there is no such worries. If there is a malfunction, she simply pulls the trigger again. The only button is to release the cylinder, and with a couple speed loaders handy, she should be good to go.
I can't believe someone suggested the FN FiveseveN. I have big enough hands to comfortably handle a Glock 20 and a Desert Eagle, and the 5.7 seems like a handful to me. For a smaller statured shooter with arthritis, I can hardly think of a worse choice...
It is simple to operate and maintain, has decent power available, and doesn't require manipulation of a slide or several different levers. If she has weak hands, working a slide or slide release lever might be difficult for her under stress. With a revolver, there is no such worries. If there is a malfunction, she simply pulls the trigger again. The only button is to release the cylinder, and with a couple speed loaders handy, she should be good to go.
I can't believe someone suggested the FN FiveseveN. I have big enough hands to comfortably handle a Glock 20 and a Desert Eagle, and the 5.7 seems like a handful to me. For a smaller statured shooter with arthritis, I can hardly think of a worse choice...
cluttonfred
Member
Well, we don't really know enough about the shooter's physlical limitations or budget to make a definitive recommendation, but here are a few thoughts:
I would second (third, fourth...?) the recommendation of a steel-frame double-action revolver loaded with mild .38 Specials (whether a .38 or .357).
If the long double action trigger pull is a problem, one solution might be a smallish single-action revolver in the same caliber, which is perfectly adequate for home defense and fun to practice with.
I also agree with the poster who recommended going from .38 down to .22LR and not messing with .32 H&R Magnum or some such.
By the same token a good .22 auto pistol might be a good option -- and an angry Grandma with a Ruger .22 pistol loaded with Yellow Jackets is a pretty big deterrent to the bad guys, IMHO.
Otherwise, another option might be an auto pistol in .380, .32 or .25 ACP. My first thought is to recommend a full-size gun not a tiny pocket pistol, but that depends on what she likes. There are plenty of nice old Colt and Browning single-action autos in .32 and .25 out there. Some other options include the Beretta Tomcat .32 and Bobcat .25 (handy tip-up barrel) The CZ83 in .32 or .380 (or the CZ82 in 9x18 Makarov) is also a good choice The Taurus Millenium series is available in .32 and .380
[*]Walther PPK (or the long PP) in .32 or .380
[/LIST]
I would second (third, fourth...?) the recommendation of a steel-frame double-action revolver loaded with mild .38 Specials (whether a .38 or .357).
If the long double action trigger pull is a problem, one solution might be a smallish single-action revolver in the same caliber, which is perfectly adequate for home defense and fun to practice with.
I also agree with the poster who recommended going from .38 down to .22LR and not messing with .32 H&R Magnum or some such.
By the same token a good .22 auto pistol might be a good option -- and an angry Grandma with a Ruger .22 pistol loaded with Yellow Jackets is a pretty big deterrent to the bad guys, IMHO.
Otherwise, another option might be an auto pistol in .380, .32 or .25 ACP. My first thought is to recommend a full-size gun not a tiny pocket pistol, but that depends on what she likes. There are plenty of nice old Colt and Browning single-action autos in .32 and .25 out there. Some other options include the Beretta Tomcat .32 and Bobcat .25 (handy tip-up barrel) The CZ83 in .32 or .380 (or the CZ82 in 9x18 Makarov) is also a good choice The Taurus Millenium series is available in .32 and .380
[*]Walther PPK (or the long PP) in .32 or .380
[/LIST]
jackdanson
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.357, 4 inch barell, load the first 4 rounds w/ .38's and the last 2 with .357's. If she gets to the point where she has to use them the recoil difference will probably be negligible. Plus the extra weight of the .357 might help with recoil.
woof
Member
You want economy, quality, light weight, low recoil, easy handling. I'm shocked no-one has suggested a Bersa Thunder .380
wuchak
Member
I'd look into a 9mm carbine like the one from Kel-tec. Even the one from Hi-point gets good reviews, although it is UGLY. With the weight of them 9mm recoil will be next to nothing and with her arthritis it will be easier to shoot and more accurate than a handgun.
I like this idea. I keep a double (in 12 ga) hidden in my house for HD. It's easy to shoot, not much to go wrong and requires very little training. Recoil is low (even in 12 ga because its sort of heavy). However, if she has trouble with the weight - it can easily be fired from the hip - no problem. You can find very inexpensive double coach guns - they're not very sexy but they fire every time and offer little problems.
EHCRain10
Member
Id have to vote for a 9mm carbine if she can shoulder it
i have a CX4 in 9mm that is extremely accurate and very low recoil
i have a CX4 in 9mm that is extremely accurate and very low recoil
308sc
Member
I agree on a .38 spl revolver loaded up with some nasty hollow points. The only reason I would stay away from autoloaders is because you mentioned she had very bad arthritis...which could make it harder for her to rack the slide.
lee n. field
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Hmmm. I'm going to guess that cycling the slide of your typical autoloader is going to be difficult.
See if she can handle a light loaded .38 revolver. I'm guessing not, with a double action trigger. Other than that, Ruger Mark II or III ought to be pretty easy on the hands, assuming it fits her. (Whether it would be effective enough is a different question.)
Neener Neener
Member
Another vote for the .410 or 20g. Good choices on ammo and you don't have to be as accurate......Plus, I think staring at an old lady with a shotgun would be more intimidating than a little old lady with a pistol.
It didn't come to mind until I read the suggestion but I like the idea of a five seven pistol.
It meets all the requirements of the OP. It is very low recoil. The only pistols I own that recoils less than the five sevens I've shot are .22LRs. It reoils less than the .380 the 9mm or the .38s. It is also easier to shoot than a double action revolver. Yes you have a safety but honestly if that i too much to manage than so is a gun. It has high capacity 20 rounds with 30 round mags available. It is not my first choice round but given the parameters I like it a lot. It almost shoots like a .22 but has more stopping power. Biggest draw back is that it isn't real cheap.
The thing about a carbine or shotgun is it is difficult to carry around the house and keep at the ready at all times. A pistol is easy to do so with and that means you will probably have it when you need it.
As an experiment of sorts I have carried various arms around the house with me. I found that 12 gauge and others were soon being left on the counter or sofa when I ran to the other room for something. I also constantly needed to set them down to do various tasks. Now if I thought a theat was real serious I would likely do it despite the difficulty and hassel. I also would be unlikely to sta in my house alone if the threat was that serious though.
The weapon that was the easiest to keep on my person and handy at all times besides a handgun was a ps90. I even would walk out to the mail box with it. It is compact easy to hold with one hand and its unconvetional appearnance means most people dont know what the hell I was holding as I walked around my yard.
In short a pistol is easy to keep at the ready all the time. A long gun is superior but harder to have right with you. Which means even if I was had a long arm i would also have a pistol.
It meets all the requirements of the OP. It is very low recoil. The only pistols I own that recoils less than the five sevens I've shot are .22LRs. It reoils less than the .380 the 9mm or the .38s. It is also easier to shoot than a double action revolver. Yes you have a safety but honestly if that i too much to manage than so is a gun. It has high capacity 20 rounds with 30 round mags available. It is not my first choice round but given the parameters I like it a lot. It almost shoots like a .22 but has more stopping power. Biggest draw back is that it isn't real cheap.
The thing about a carbine or shotgun is it is difficult to carry around the house and keep at the ready at all times. A pistol is easy to do so with and that means you will probably have it when you need it.
As an experiment of sorts I have carried various arms around the house with me. I found that 12 gauge and others were soon being left on the counter or sofa when I ran to the other room for something. I also constantly needed to set them down to do various tasks. Now if I thought a theat was real serious I would likely do it despite the difficulty and hassel. I also would be unlikely to sta in my house alone if the threat was that serious though.
The weapon that was the easiest to keep on my person and handy at all times besides a handgun was a ps90. I even would walk out to the mail box with it. It is compact easy to hold with one hand and its unconvetional appearnance means most people dont know what the hell I was holding as I walked around my yard.
In short a pistol is easy to keep at the ready all the time. A long gun is superior but harder to have right with you. Which means even if I was had a long arm i would also have a pistol.
loud-mouth shnook
Member
I hadn't noticed it being said previously and if it's mother hen-like, I apologize. Not my intent.
So just in case it needs to be said: If you've not already done so, it would be prudent to notify your local police dept. about your situation. Then, should a defensive shooting occur, there'll be a record w/ the police that a potentially dangerous situation was present.
On topic, I hate to bring this up because I, personally, am not too fond of them but have you considered a Hi-Point 9mm carbine? With a round chambered, only a squeeze is necessary. Large enough to distribute recoil to the point of being almost non-existent. Inexpensive.
This, of course, is provided that its trigger pull, size, and overall weight are not prohibitive for her.
Good luck with whatever you got goin' on over there!
So just in case it needs to be said: If you've not already done so, it would be prudent to notify your local police dept. about your situation. Then, should a defensive shooting occur, there'll be a record w/ the police that a potentially dangerous situation was present.
On topic, I hate to bring this up because I, personally, am not too fond of them but have you considered a Hi-Point 9mm carbine? With a round chambered, only a squeeze is necessary. Large enough to distribute recoil to the point of being almost non-existent. Inexpensive.
This, of course, is provided that its trigger pull, size, and overall weight are not prohibitive for her.
Good luck with whatever you got goin' on over there!
I'm going to second Treo's idea. A CZ-82 in 9mm Mak or a CZ-83 in 380 or 32. The pistol is steel, so it soaks up the recoil. It can be fired Double Action, so she doesn't have to worry about a safety.If she can't handle the trigger pull in DA, she can still shoot single action. You get either 12+1 in 9mmMak or 13+1 in 380. I'm not a fan of spray and pray, but I think for your mother this may be the way to go.
I'm in the same situation with my wife. She is 66 and has Rheumatoid Arthritis. She can easily shoot the CZ-82 I bought her. She can't handle anything much more powerful, and she can't pull a double action trigger.
I'm in the same situation with my wife. She is 66 and has Rheumatoid Arthritis. She can easily shoot the CZ-82 I bought her. She can't handle anything much more powerful, and she can't pull a double action trigger.
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