Best home defense gun for my 82 year old father?

[4651feeder]

For those recommending revolvers for old people, how well do old folks shoot a revolver with a 9# double action trigger?

Understood that reloading is easier, but are older folks that cannot rack a slide able to pull the heavy double action revolver trigger to make accurate shots?

If that were an issue, wouldn't cocking the revolver's hammer offer the solution?

 

[Ggreen]

If that were an issue, wouldn't cocking the revolver's hammer offer the solution?

If it's an sa/da. And if you can cock it.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try to go up to Ft. Wayne Thursday and take him to fondle some guns and hopefully shoot a couple and figure out what direction he wants to go.

 

[firefighterjohn]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try to go up to Ft. Wayne Thursday and take him to fondle some guns and hopefully shoot a couple and figure out what direction he wants to go.

Good plan! Best of luck and hope he can find something he is comfortable with won't hesitate to use if needed.

 

[Arlo1]

What about the sw 380ez?

 

[STEEL CORE]

I vote for Mister Twelve Gage.

 

[4651feeder]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try to go up to Ft. Wayne Thursday and take him to fondle some guns and hopefully shoot a couple and figure out what direction he wants to go.

Good deal, let us know the outcome.

 

[LP1]

Glock with a pull ring on the back of the slide?

AR pistol sounds like a lot of gun to handle, and there's the risk of over-penetration.

Recommend training about when it's legal to shoot; i.e someone messing with an unoccupied car in the driveway isn't a valid reason, etc.

 

[WebSnyper]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try to go up to Ft. Wayne Thursday and take him to fondle some guns and hopefully shoot a couple and figure out what direction he wants to go.

Interested to hear how this goes and what gets selected.

Also to get my signature line into a thread you started

 

[Ggreen]

Glock with a pull ring on the back of the slide?

AR pistol sounds like a lot of gun to handle, and there's the risk of over-penetration.

Recommend training about when it's legal to shoot; i.e someone messing with an unoccupied car in the driveway isn't a valid reason, etc.

A pull ring is still difficult to pull.

Proper ar ammo has less penetration than traditional pistol defense ammunition.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

We picked up a M&P Shield .380 EZ a few weeks ago for my youngest son only to then find out that my twin brother who has had a stroke can't work the slide or load his M&P Shield 2.0 9mm either..
The 380 EZ is a joy to load the magazines & to rack the slide = Very Easy!!

 

[HDCPHUNTER]

Great idea

 

[seldon14]

If you go with a revolver, The Ruger GP100, as well as the SP101, come in .327 magnum, and you get an extra round in either format. In .327, you can get an 85 grain low-recoil round, or can run 32 H&R for even less recoil. An SP101, in particular, might make a manageable solution with 6 rounds of low-recoil .327, or the 32 H&R ammo, in a lighter weight package than the GP100. With the Hogue rubber grips, it's a dandy little revolver, without the blast and recoil of the 357. Look for the 4.2" barrel version to get the most out of whatever round you choose.

One other note. I like the Ruger PC carbine, but it's a heavy little sucker, for what it is. If the weight is not an issue, it would serve well also.

.

327 is awesomely versatile. If hand strength is of primary concern, I'd maybe even recommend the lcrx in 327, loaded with 32s&w. On most lcrs I've found the trigger lighter than the gp, or sp101. With 32s&w recoil will still be mild even in the light weight lcr.

 

[migunner]

I went through this with my 80+ year old father a few years back. He thought he could still rack a slide and when I said show me, his body just couldnt do what his mind thought it could still do. He was not happy but I got him to roll over to an old S&W 38 and he could open, reload, close and fire it...
Just remember hes 82 and most are not Jack Lolane at that age, try not to embarrass him and put him in a firearm that he can easily work if the time comes to need one.
I kept reminding my dad that having a automatic as protection he could not protect mom with it. His last few years a revolver was in his night stand...
Good luck with your dad....

A 38 snubbie shoild work well. Just went thru thos with 90 year old father in law.
Also any auto with a double action first round. No need to rack the slide, fire the first round Double action and the remainder will cycle and fire in single action.

 

[bwframe]

[video=youtube;5CjRJbsTzcY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CjRJbsTzcY[/video]

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Update - Took my mom and dad to Hillside Shooting Sports in Roanoke on 07/03. He shot my G19, my Taurus .357 j-frame (loaded with .38 ammo), and we rented a Shield 9mm. The shop had a .380 EZ available for rent but we procrastinated and weren't able to shoot it. My dad wasn't a fan of my G19 or the Taurus, but he liked the Shield. The only issue he had with the Shield was racking the slide. He called Hillside today to see if they still had the gun to rent but they sold it. He found a .380 EZ in stock at Wrigley's in Ft Wayne and ended up buying it after handling it. He doesn't plan on carrying it out in public, but I'm still going to recommend to him to take a class or get private lessons from one of the ranges in his area.

 

[WebSnyper]

Update - Took my mom and dad to Hillside Shooting Sports in Roanoke on 07/03. He shot my G19, my Taurus .357 j-frame (loaded with .38 ammo), and we rented a Shield 9mm. The shop had a .380 EZ available for rent but we procrastinated and weren't able to shoot it. My dad wasn't a fan of my G19 or the Taurus, but he liked the Shield. The only issue he had with the Shield was racking the slide. He called Hillside today to see if they still had the gun to rent but they sold it. He found a .380 EZ in stock at Wrigley's in Ft Wayne and ended up buying it after handling it. He doesn't plan on carrying it out in public, but I'm still going to recommend to him to take a class or get private lessons from one of the ranges in his area.

Great update. Too bad he couldn't shoot the EZ first, but glad he found something he liked.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Great update. Too bad he couldn't shoot the EZ first, but glad he found something he liked.

Yeah, he made up his mind before we got there that he wanted to shoot my guns first and by the time he figured out he didn't like them it wasn't available to rent. But it all worked out in the end.

Thanks to all for the suggestions of where to go and what guns to try.

 

[drillsgt]

Glad it worked out plus you got to spend some time with the parents, sounds like a good day.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Glad it worked out plus you got to spend some time with the parents, sounds like a good day.

It was a great day.