My mom insists on keeping a gun she can't operate.

[Orion8472]

My mom [70 years old] has developed a stubborn streak about a certain pistol she bought. Now, my mom is a wonderful person and I am glad when she is happy, including things she buys. However, there is one pistol she just won't part with.

My brother and I took her out to the range [first time in literally decades] to finally get her to shoot the guns she wanted:

A Taurus 94 .22lr revolver. She really liked it until she was there at the range. She didn't have the finger strength to Double Action the trigger. The hammer pull was almost too strong for her, but she was able to do it, . . . but didn't like it. She is getting rid of it.

However, she has a Walther [Smith & Wesson era] PPK/S that she cannot manipulate the slide to chamber a round. Those of you who have shot one of these may be familiar with how hard it is to pull the slide back. After I chambered the first round for her, she was able to shoot it [not well at all] . . . . . but nearly every time she got it in her hand to shoot, I had to stop her from putting her weak hand thumb over her strong hand.

She DID shoot my dad's Heritage and did just fine with it. We told her that she needs a gun that is right for her, like the Heritage, but she is determined to keep the Walther.

This thread isn't so much a "how would YOU get her to part with it". . . but just a rant over how she just won't listen to reason. Now, she told me that she's going to practice pulling it back, and I commend her for her "stick to it" attitude, but she could sell it and buy something more her speed . . . . and I wouldn't have to be nervous about her having it.

Anyone have a similar story?

 

[Skribs]

Get something that fits her better, complain about it, and get her trade so you get the Walther

I don't have a similar story. My Mom wanted a revolver, but she realized after getting it that while she can shoot it SA just fine, it's a slower process than using a semi-automatic. She now has a Sig P238 in addition to the SP101, and the Sig is her go-to. She wouldn't get something she couldn't manipulate (its why she doesn't like mine).

 

[Wanderling]

Is there any reason she has a special attachment to this particular gun ? May be the answer is to get a different one for SD but keep the Walther as a safe queen.

 

[35Rem]

work on technique of racking the slide. Closer to the body. Push with gun hand and pull with weak had.

There is info out there on that.

 

[35Rem]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbayNc6D9HY

 

[BRE346]

Yep, work on strengthening the hands and arms to jack the action.

I suggest putting the weak hand on top of the slide and, holding the weapon close to the body, shoving the slide back. It's what I must do. Do it until she can't, then put the gun up for a while.

 

[BCRider]

As I recall the Walter has a rather stout recoil spring despite being a lighter caliber. Something to do with the direct blowback operation.

What would be nice to find would be a larger delayed blowback style that chambers .380acp. Then she would have an easier slide pull as well as keeping a lower recoil.

From there adding some grip tape to the slide could make it easier as well.

But along with that comes technique. Like 35Rem says, closer to the body and push with the strong hand while pulling back the slide with the weak hand. On top of this show her the Cornered Cat website. In particular the article there with pictures on how to hold the slide by pinching the slide between all four fingers and the heel of the hand. It makes a HUGE difference.

It sounds like she also has other gun handling issues. When you have to correct her thumb over the back of the other hand regularly it suggests to me that she likely has her trigger finger on the trigger while doing a lot of the gun handling. And if she's doing that then she's ripe for an ND when learning to rack the slide. If she's going to be responsible enough to carry a gun or keep it around for home defense she needs to be responsible enough to handle it correctly.

 

[youngda9]

So what. She likes it, it's hers. No need to be upset about it or come here to "rant over how she just won't listen to reason".

Her reasons don't align with your reason...live and let live.

 

[David E]

Cock the hammer first, then rack it.

Maybe you could swap it for a Walther PK 380, (or P-22) or get one in addition to the PPK

 

[rajb123]

buy her a shotgun instead.

 

[Orion8472]

Her reasons don't make it a safe condition, youngda9! It is ultimately her decision to keep the gun, but I am more interested in her safety.

Yes, BCRider, she also tends to have her finger in the trigger guard as well, . . . another reason why I worry about her safety.

I think I have her convinced to have it for enjoyment [of the way it looks], but only shoot it at the range with me [or my brother] supervising, . . . and after I have charged it for her.

Now, she can try the techniques listed above [thanks, 35Rem]. I'll be sure to show it to her. . . for her to try. . . next time I visit.

 

[oneounceload]

Have her, you and your brother all read: www.thecorneredcat.com - Kathy talks and shows techniques to help women shoot all different types of guns and goes over things to look for, and avoid, when buying a gun for HD/SD

REALLY worth the read

 

[psyopspec]

Where it sounds like you're expressing concerns for her safety is in her wanting to keep the gun for protection given her troubles in operating it. With that, it's fine for her to keep the gun. From there she hopefully will decide on one of two things:
-Learn to manipulate it.
-Shelve the PPK and continue trying other models.

The nice thing about guns is that it's not a marriage; there's no reason to be monogamous to a gun that doesn't serve you well.

I also endorse and recommend corneredcat, but something each of us will learn one day is that our bodies will betray us in the end. Hopefully your mother is blessed with great physical strength and good health for her age, but if she isn't a new technique for racking the slide won't mean anything. Many other aspects of the site still make for great reading though, including selecting the right gun.

 

[Salmoneye]

I assume 'Condition One' is out of the question?

 

[Cluster Bomb]

get her a small .25

anyone can pull the slide back of my colt pocket 25. even my weakling of a mom.

maybe show her an 22 or 38sp LCR?

 

[SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE]

The only gun I can think of that might solve the problem is a Beretta Tomcat in .32 acp it has a tip up barrel and double action , is about the same size as the walther . also the Tomcat in .22 cal . If she has the hand strength to pull the double action trigger . Kevin

 

[rcmodel]

Any locked breech semi-auto will be easier to rack the slide on then a blow-back gun like a PPK/s.

Anyway, have her try this instead of pulling the slide back.

1. Cock the hammer, making it several pounds easier to rack the slide.
2. Hold the slide with all four fingers and thumb of the left hand, then straighten the left arm out in front of her.
3. Use the right hand to "push" or "punch" the gun butt forward.
4. When it reached full slide travel, relax the grip on the slide.

But first, she needs to break the unsafe habit of keeping her trigger finger on the trigger.

If she can't do that, she can't load or handle any gun safely.

rc

 

[drsfmd]

I can't remember who made (makes?) it, but someone made a slide pull assist that replaced the dovetailed rear site.

 

[Certaindeaf]

We see this occasionally. I'd say afford her a fully loaded duty sized 9mm Glock. It should work 100% even limp wristed and should need no manipulations save trigger pullage until it's out of ammo. That's a lot of ammo.

 

[Wanderling]

Cocking a revolver is easier than racking a slide.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I am in a similar boat with my mom. She is 76. Her gun is a Glock 26 that she shoots very well and has carried for about the past 8 years. The problem is that she can't rack the slide. So if she has a malfunction, she's screwed. However, she doesn't like anything with a heavier trigger pull, hates revolvers, and really isn't interested in a smaller caliber.

We did try a Beretta Tomcat. Didn't like it - sight radius too short and trigger pull too long.

At least her chosen gun is a Glock which tends to be reliable regardless of maintenance history. I do steal her gun every so often, field strip it, and clean it, make sure her ammo is in good shape, then give it back to her. That seems to be about the best I can do for her weapons choice situation.

 

[Certaindeaf]

^ Wanderling,

Perhaps. A well operating pistol only needs racked once and that can be done by her beloved son.

 

[Orion8472]

Just to clear up any possible misconceptions. . . . my mom isn't wanting this gun for self defense, nor will she be carrying it or any other gun. She just likes it. Unfortunately, . . . and probably mostly due to the tiny sights on the PPK/S, . . . she has WIDE groupings. I hope to work on that with her soon. My first outing with her was mostly about getting her OUT to shoot. She still needs work with:

Continued correction about keeping finger off trigger.
Proper sight alignment [if she can even see them].
Proper stance [her back was really arched backwards].

I didn't want to give her too much to remember . . . . since she was having problems with just remembering to keep the finger out of the triggerguard and left thumb wrap over. Perhaps in time she'll get better.

 

[Ala Dan]

I'm not here to bash a particular brand of firearm; but OTOH, just recently
I have had customers return their __________ model 94's .22LR; only to trade
up to a Smith & Wesson model 617. Most reported the double-action trigger
pull of the model 94's as being HORRIBLE~! This even coming from the male
sector; so I can only imagine what its like for a 70 year old female.

 

[Bubbles]

This thread isn't so much a "how would YOU get her to part with it". . . but just a rant over how she just won't listen to reason.

1. She is your mother.
2. She is stubborn.
3. She is 70 years old.

Sorry, you're not going to change her mind.