Shooters Forum banner

Semis for seniors

3K views 26 replies 17 participants last post by  Pudfark 
#1 ·
My sister-in-law recently purchased a Kahr 9mm online. She's never owned a handgun and never handled a Kahr but decided on it based on reading online reviews and reports. When she recieved the gun from the dealer we were both shocked at the difficulty of retracting the side. Sis is not a strong woman and I'm pushing 80 years and that Kahr is too much for both of us even though the seller told her it had a light recoil spring installed. Any suggestions for a semi auto handgun for senior citizens would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
One of the "tip-up" guns (Beretta?). Doubt you'll find on in 9mm. .25 ACP or possibly .32 ACP?

The lighter the slide is on any gun, the heavier the recoil spring is going to be. The lightweight semi-autos make the problem worse.

Honestly..... revolver.
 
#3 ·
Tell her to not ever buy anything other than a foot stool, without trying it. 😉

Small pistols have less area to get ahold of, and let's be honest with each other; strength and dexterity aren't friends of our elders...

She'll have to just go try a bunch of things out, or as Mike suggested, try a revolver.

Cheers
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoyoteJoe
#4 ·
Helped a lady who's husband had passed. And had bought her a semi auto in 380 as I recall. They had a range in the backyard. So another friend and I went to help with instructions on using this gun. Can't remember the make but the slide was really hard even for myself. She couldn't rack it without great difficulty and would be dangerous the way it was being handled. We both recommended she sell it and buy a revolver in 38 spec. My wife even has trouble with a couple of my autos. So she has a Taurus 85 in 38 spec.
 
#5 ·
Old guy, so I’ve been thought it with parents now passed.

Old folks with past shooting experience, they tend to stick with what they are use to (often revolvers).


Setting up a senior who never did shoot is probably the most difficult. We do get weaker with age, arthritis, and some questions about fine motor skills.

(yep...or an age where I do some self-checks about the same things.)

So rather than what’s “best”, would be more like what is the handgun they handle/operate safely.

You might think about buying that Kahr (might think about asking the dealer...never know in this handgun climate what they may want in stock) and finding out what she can handle safely….even if it’s not a 9mm.
 
#6 ·
Any suggestions for a semi auto handgun for senior citizens would be appreciated.
You might want to take a look at the S&W EZ series. They were designed to make it easier for people with limited hand strength. They even came with a pink trim model. They are also a bit heavier than many .380 designs, which helps with beginners as it softens the recoil a bit. 9mm autos are likely to be a challenge. Small enough to be portable and reliable, they need a lot of spring weight.

I like and have owned Kahr autos. One of the "strong" features for me was racking a round from the magazine was impossible for my wife and young daughters. Some adult men struggled with 'em.

A smaller revolver in .38/.357 as 7MMRLC suggests, might be OK, but my daughters have a struggle with the DA trigger pull on my SP101's and M60's. Single action is fine.
 
#8 ·
Thinking back (they have both passed) they probably liked the attention/time together figuring out what they could still manipulate and shoot safely.

A little at home manipulation, range time, and a bit of lunch after. Stuff I should have done more of without the handgun training excuse.

Really NOT what is “best”….but the best they could handle while their minds were still straight.

Am a generation ahead….so my mother/father were more like 1930’s-1940’s adults.

Pop was more like a revolver person, but trained and carried a Colt .45 1911A-1. He never really liked semi-autos as much as revolvers. Over the years, he down sized and appreciated (arthritis) mild shooting revolvers. He ended up with that 3” mod. 36 at the bottom. Had to take it away at the last.

DSCN2993 by Robert Dean, on Flickr

Step mom of the same age, never lost her thinking skills, but .38’s were a bit more than she could handle. She ended up with the 3” .32 SWL Taurus at the top.

WHY the “banana” grips, I’m not sure.

Thinking about it,,,.,,they do make that natural pivot of revolvers less of a hand “slip” than a “jam” fit to your hand. for an even tighter grip after a shot or two

WHATEVER...they did better with the “banana” style grips..

Does a .32SWL, even with flat nosed bullets, make for the “best”...or a .38 special with WC’s...nope.

Does it make for the best they could handle and shoot well....yep.


------
Biologic mom was a hillbilly….no one would ever talk here out of grand-dad’s 32-20 Colt Police Positive. All I did was make sure it was functionally right./in time/ clean.

Kind of a wild-woman from birth, likely any stray old holes in bill boards, signs from Norton to Clintwood (and all points in between) were her impromptu practice sessions.

Had no reason to try and ween her off that old Colt….just keep it running right.
 
#9 ·
I fear it may be tough to convince her to trade off her Kahr but if she can't operate it what good is it? All through the year long selection process I was advocating for an all steel snubby 38 or 357 like I got for my wife. She now handloads her own ammo and while she'd never win any bullseye match I think she could do well enough for close range defense. Sister-in-law has fired the wife's .357 snubby with .38 wadcutters and she liked if but she is an independent thinker and was sold on the Kahr.
 
#11 ·
I suppose, if she could operate the gun safely after it was loaded for her.... it wouldn't be the worst thing to just rack a round into the chamber, put it on safe, and hand it over.

After all, we generally don't have more than a magazine full of creeps to shoot at in a given day. Should that limit get exceeded... time to move. Now!

Eliminates basic drills like "tap-rack-bang" on a misfire, but most new shooters would have a LOT of trouble doing that, under stress. I remember the first time I had to do that in a bowling pin shoot. Even under mild pressure of a casual competition, it got harder!
 
#12 ·
Revolvers for old folks who maintain their cognitive abilities. Simple, reliable is more useful if need be. I'm 66 yoa. When the day comes, I can't rack back the 24lb slide spring on my 1911, I will retire to a revolver. That's just the way it is. I can remember ten years ago, when I disappeared my dads S&W .41 mag...from his bedstead drawer. Dementia, middle 80's. A sad day. Complexity, old age, dexterity and a physical ability mandate simplicity. Just my thoughts.
 
#14 ·
Revolver will do the job . Forget "The Experts" and their "only 9mm semi-auto-s will protect you" mantra!
A nice double action 38 special , 32 long/magnum or even 22 Magnum will do just fine ...
All you need do is practice with it and you will be good to go .
Gary
No need to sell me on revolvers, I've always favored the wheelgun with just brief fleurtations with autos, except in .22 rimfire, there I've always found autos to be more accurate. But this isn't about my preference.
 
#15 ·
Unless the senior in question has shot a lot of autos and likes them, I'd stick with DA revolvers. Point and pull is as simple as it gets. A fresh round is a trigger pull away.
I'm of an age right now where a new Kimber 1911 hurts to operate and it's likely to draw blood in the process.
 
#20 ·
She sold the Kahr and got an S&W 642 lw with laser grip. The trigger is much heavier than the wife's Taurus 856 and recoil is nasty with standard .38 special 158 grain loads. Tore up my old hand after just 10 rounds. My Charter Bulldog .44 doesn't hurt with walnut grips but does bring blood with a rubber grip.
Human body Jaw Vein Gesture Finger
 
#23 ·
I hear what you're relating. Forty years ago I had a Super Blackhawk .44 with wood grips and it wasn't uncommon to shoot it 500 rounds in an afternoon and my hands would be a little sore. So I threw a set of Pachmayr grips on it and with in 50 rounds, I threw'm off it and never again.
 
#25 ·
Yep, racking the slide can get pretty hard when yer old. I recently noticed that a few of my semi-autos have gotten harder to rack, (dunno know how, they have been in the safe and were much easier to work when I bought them!). But I have noticed, at age 75, all my guns have gotten heavier and harder to operate (I forgot how heavy my Dan Wession 44 H is, and how much stronger my P90 slide springs are now). I now wear a shooting (mechanic's) glove when I'm shooting my semi-autos, makes it seem easier and much less painful. I also have drifted back to revolvers and even the big guys are easy, but some of the DA hammer/trigger springs have grown in strength (Climate cange? Shifting poles?)...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top