Looking for defensive hand gun ideas for 70 year old male with both wrist and shoulder problems. (EDIT: To clarify, I am middle aged male and I am helping out a 70 y/o with shoulder and wrist problems.) Any suggestions?

They've shot my:

S&W 617 and love it. Not much of a self-defense gun being .22 LR.

Kahr MK9 and the recoil bugs their wrist and shoulder. To be fair, I'd rather shoot 300 rounds out of my P229 ST in .40 S&W than 100 rounds out of my MK9.

P229 ST when I put my Barsto 9 mm conversion barrel in it and they didn't like it. The weight bugged their shoulder and really didn't like the size in their hand. It's really hard to get any sweeter than this gun as it has the GGI competition action and trigger job and Bruce Gray personally fit the Barsto barrel while I watched.

I don't own any calibers in between .22 LR and 9mm. (EDIT: I own many pistols larger than 9mm, but didn't list as they are inappropriate for a 70 y/o with shoulder and wrist problems.)

Since they loved my revolver, I was thinking a 3" SP 101 in .327 Federal would be good, but good luck finding a range with one of those as a rental. (EDIT: As I'm just helping someone out, I am not purchasing a new gun for them to try. The focus now is on guns available to rent at ranges.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

Subcompacts and all-steel pistols are poor choices. Subcompacts have more felt recoil, are harder to shoot well, are more prone to shooter-induced malfunctions from stuff like limp-wristing, and have slides that are tougher to rack. All-steel guns are heavy, and are tough for someone with limited strength or physical limitations to hold at arms length for extended periods.

Instead, I'd recommend a mid-sized, polymer-framed pistol in a light-recoiling caliber. I'd probably start with letting them try something like a Glock 19 or SP2022 9mm.

And if even those turn out to be too much recoil, look at something like a P250 Compact .380 or the new M&P EZ .380. These polymer, mid-sized, tilting barrel .380s are designed to be ideal "old man/old lady/new shooter" guns: Light weight. Light recoil. Light recoil spring for easier slide racking. Decent capacity. Easy to shoot. The new M&P EZ takes it even a few steps further with some other convenient features, like easy-load magazines.

I just wouldn't limit them to .380 unless it was absolutely necessary. See if they can handle a 9mm first.

If they're dead-set on a revolver, then an aluminum-framed .38 Special, like a 3" Ruger LCRx, 4" S&W Model 12, or 2.5" S&W 315 or 386 Night Guard, would seem to fit the bill.

I'm thinking the CZ P-07 Duty 9mm would be a potential contender.

Get something you like ported, Todd. I sent a Ruger SP-101 to Gemini Customs. I can’t get over how sweet it shoots—even loaded with .357 in this short-barreled revolver.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
Get something you like ported, Todd. I sent a Ruger SP-101 to Gemini Customs. I can’t get over how sweet it shoots—even loaded with .357 in this short-barreled revolver.

Thanks, but I'm middle aged and just trying to help someone out. Also, I'm saving my spare cash for a gun wildly inappropriate for a 70 y/o with wrist and shoulder problems (P220 Legion in 10mm).

FN 5.7. Negligible recoil, lightweight, easy to work slide, and effective w. the right ammo

The S&W 380EZ looks like a possible winner for those with injured/weak upper body strength, ( no offense on the being weak part,I hope to make it their one day myself). It seems like a good platform,provided it works as stated.

Yep, I heartily agree with the .327 Federal suggestion. That same firearm worked for my mom & dad...they are in their late 70's and both are recoil-sensitive. We actually go to the range quarterly and they look forward to the trips.

A Ruger Security Six or S+W K frame with .38 specials in it.

S&W model 10

quote:

S&W model 10

Exactly! You won't find a more perfect weapon for the needs you stated.

For those who've shot both, how does .327 Federal compare with .38 Special? My thought was maybe you could find a range with a SP101 in .357 Magnum and try it with .38 Special target wadcutters. Maybe that combo would work for him, or maybe it might give you an idea if .327 Federal would work.

A 617 is a K-frame, so something like a similarly-sized 64 in .38 Special, loaded with 148gr target wadcutters, may be do-able. Might be worth giving it a try. It might be easier to find a rental range with a K-frame .38.

On the semi-auto side, I'd be most concerned about his ability to operate the slide. If that's not an issue, maybe a bigger Kahr, like a P9 or K9? Loaded with some standard pressure 9mm ammo that might be do-able. If racking a slide is an issue, then a tip-up barrel Beretta may work, even though they're only available in smaller calibers.

Finally, I wouldn't completely discount a .22. He liked the .22 revolver, so if it's something that he enjoys shooting it's also something he'll practice with. While .22 wouldn't be my first choice, it might be worth considering if your other options don't work out.

quote:

Originally posted by patw:
The S&W 380EZ looks like a possible winner for those with injured/weak upper body strength, ( no offense on the being weak part,I hope to make it their one day myself). It seems like a good platform,provided it works as stated.

Yep. I tried one of these at LGS factory shoot over the weekend. Very soft shooter and ridiculously easy to rack slide and load magazine nice trigger too. Smith and Wesson specifically designed it for the physically challenged shooter.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
FN 5.7. Negligible recoil, lightweight, easy to work slide, and effective w. the right ammo

I am 75 years old and I carry one,no recoil and lite for all time carry.
expect to pay north of a grand and be prepared for the pucker factor when you feed it.
Ambidextrous is a great plus also

quote:

Originally posted by elde:
Yep, I heartily agree with the .327 Federal suggestion. That same firearm worked for my mom & dad...they are in their late 70's and both are recoil-sensitive. We actually go to the range quarterly and they look forward to the trips.

+1 I have the 4.2 “ and believe the 3” would be even better, balancing a bit nicer, though I’ve not handled one.

quote:

Originally posted by henryarnaud:
For those who've shot both, how does .327 Federal compare with .38 Special? My thought was maybe you could find a range with a SP101 in .357 Magnum and try it with .38 Special target wadcutters. Maybe that combo would work for him, or maybe it might give you an idea if .327 Federal would work.

A 617 is a K-frame, so something like a similarly-sized 64 in .38 Special, loaded with 148gr target wadcutters, may be do-able. Might be worth giving it a try. It might be easier to find a rental range with a K-frame .38.

On the semi-auto side, I'd be most concerned about his ability to operate the slide. If that's not an issue, maybe a bigger Kahr, like a P9 or K9? Loaded with some standard pressure 9mm ammo that might be do-able. If racking a slide is an issue, then a tip-up barrel Beretta may work, even though they're only available in smaller calibers.

Finally, I wouldn't completely discount a .22. He liked the .22 revolver, so if it's something that he enjoys shooting it's also something he'll practice with. While .22 wouldn't be my first choice, it might be worth considering if your other options don't work out.

I think recoil might be about the same. I’ve not shot both side by side. Don’t overlook the ability to run 32 S&W or 32 H&R. You can get a 100g pill to run at 750, 950, or 1400 fps no need to hand load either for that versatility.

Something with a easy to use trigger and light recoil but in a respectable round how about a ruger lcr in 38 special or if you want to be radical a Chiappa rhino in 38 special

quote:

Originally posted by lewk:
Something with a easy to use trigger and light recoil but in a respectable round how about a ruger lcr in 38 special

My wife carries a Ruger LCR, the .357 Magnum version, loaded with .38 SPL. The reason for this choice is that the .357 Magnum version is about 1/4 pound heavier than the .38 SPL version of this revolver, so it's not quite as "snappy" to shoot with the same .38 ammunition.

I also replaced the front sight on this, with a nice bright fiber-optic sight. Much easier for her to see the sight with her progressive lenses.

With modern ammo, .380 is s decent SD caliber. A SIG P238 is light in weight, soft recoil, and has an easy to rack slide. Also easy to load mags, especially with a Baby UpLULA.

Or maybe you can find a used SIG P250 Compact In .380.

PX4 full size. With the rotating barrel and longer slide (compared to the compact or subcompact) it recoils very mild.