Handgun for arthritis

[Zerk]

Zerk, thanks for the suggestions. Can't handle Celebrex, haven't tried Voltaren gel. Will look into it.

Have you tried the celebrix stomach meds? One doc prescribed it to me that way. I as was off for a few years, next doc didn't.

I like the gel. It only works when joints are near surface, like hands. It is legal over the counter in Europe, but not here. My stomach isn't bothered by occasional use. But when I take every day for chronic pain, I was getting heartburn at night.

Check out gel it may be just the the thing. It is for people like you.

 

[Pilot]

OP here.

Spent a couple hours at a gun show; turnout of vendors wasn't what I expected for a medium size city, but I checked out 20 or 30 handguns.
Dry firing showed me 2 completely different guns that might work.

First was the S&W 626. Grip was good, hand fit was good, trigger pull and travel were good. And with a 6 inch barrel, that's a heavy gun which should handle .357 recoil. Can't cock it one handed, but haven't found anything I can. Asking prices varied a little, but ran around $750 plus or minus.
Second was the Rock Island 1911 in 9 mm. Fit my hand well, trigger pull and travel were good. Because of the zip tie required by the gun show I couldn't check out safeties and slide catch and they would likely be a problem, but at least it's something to check out at a gun shop. Prices ran about the same as the Smith. As a friend pointed out, 9 mm ammo is cheap.

For others with problems finding a gun to consider, I suggest the best selection can be found at a gun show--lots of dealers and a lot of guns to check out.

 

[TripleR]

We weren't allowed to shoot single action, only double action, so our armorers would install custom springs for many of our Officers and some even used both fingers to pull the trigger. Guns used were J, K, and L frame. When we were transitioned to Glocks, I bought one of my friends 649 with the action job and my wife snagged it, very easy to use.

 

[oosik]

Man - you guys are not encouraging me. I don't have any trouble cocking/operating any of my pistols - yet. But as the years roll by I've noticed my hand are getting stiffer, my fingers don't close as tight when I make a fist and the 'ol hands just plain ache a lot of the time.

I've come to rely on my rifles and shotgun a lot more. At least there I don't have to rely, so much, on these old hands for cocking and doing the more intricate procedures that my pistols may require.

Besides - if I'm going out on the property for serious reasons - I will alway carry the rifle or shotgun. Blowing holes in the ether, with my pistols, just never seems to get the job done.

 

[k0ua]

OP here.

Spent a couple hours at a gun show; turnout of vendors wasn't what I expected for a medium size city, but I checked out 20 or 30 handguns.
Dry firing showed me 2 completely different guns that might work.

First was the S&W 626. Grip was good, hand fit was good, trigger pull and travel were good. And with a 6 inch barrel, that's a heavy gun which should handle .357 recoil. Can't cock it one handed, but haven't found anything I can. Asking prices varied a little, but ran around $750 plus or minus.
Second was the Rock Island 1911 in 9 mm. Fit my hand well, trigger pull and travel were good. Because of the zip tie required by the gun show I couldn't check out safeties and slide catch and they would likely be a problem, but at least it's something to check out at a gun shop. Prices ran about the same as the Smith. As a friend pointed out, 9 mm ammo is cheap.

For others with problems finding a gun to consider, I suggest the best selection can be found at a gun show--lots of dealers and a lot of guns to check out.

I don't know how recoil sensitive your hands are, but that 9mm in a full size 1911 will feel like a pussycat. .357's even in a larger frame still have some "snap"

 

[altoonapillarrock]

My shootin hand, the right hand has arthritis pretty bad in some fingers. Trigger finger can't pull the trigger on several semi autos I have tried. The pull is too heavy and the travel is too long. Making it worse, I have long fingers and too many guns seem to be sized for smaller hands. I can rack the slide, but my thumb can't release it--can't move close enough to the tang to get a good push on it.

Got out my old Ruger .357 Blackhawk when there was a cougar on the property and that's when I found out I have problems. Excellent trigger pull, short travel and light pull. Best trigger of all the ones I have tried. But I can't cock the thing one handed--it's that thumb again.

Sun shop sales people say they are seeing a lot of people with arthritis as the boomers age.

So what's a good handgun for folks like me?

What about moving on to stamp collecting?

 

[Zerk]

I don't know how recoil sensitive your hands are, but that 9mm in a full size 1911 will feel like a pussycat. .357's even in a larger frame still have some "snap"

Onviously could use 38s, and just carry 357s for when he needs it. I am thinking them make 357 in cowboy louds, with are lower recoil. IMO 357 is what I would want, if I could only have one handgun. End of world my 586 with 6" is what I would grab. Doomsday, ammo would be scarcer for that.


My K frame 38 has little more snap then I thought it would. Smooth though.


Or the real fun part is he could start reloading.

 

[Gary Fowler]

What does this have to do with him not being able to pull a trigger or cock a hammer?
Some of the LEO choices may be a result of PC. They need something that makes women feel as strong as men.

At my age, I have seen lots of women that can and do have more strength than me (my 37 year old daughter for one) If you ever get your azz kicked by a 120 pound woman who has been trained in self defense, you may not feel as cocky about insulting "the weaker sex" then.

Some how the thread got off to the amount of recoil and lots of suggestions were for large caliber pistols. A 9mm or .380 is plenty of weapon for most self defense situations and with striker fired pistols (Glock and others now) there is very little trigger pull required and the smaller calibers don't have as strong a main spring as the larger ones especially in the Glock pistols. I had a Keltec 9mm (sold it) that had about the stiffest main spring I have ever seen. I could barely pull it back without my hand slipping on the receiver.

 

[Zerk]

At my age, I have seen lots of women that can and do have more strength than me (my 37 year old daughter for one) If you ever get your azz kicked by a 120 pound woman who has been trained in self defense, you may not feel as cocky about insulting "the weaker sex" then.

er.

I believe in earlier post, I said it should be based on what the person can handle and not the sex, and that some men can't either.

But lets not be new wave about this, gentics have given men an advantage for strength. Not all men use it.

Letting a woman carry two 75 # down the ladder, rather then 1 150, that a man has to do, does a service to no one.

I believe they should be able to choose from the same model, but different calibers, men or women, maybe many do. But the FBI did back away from 10m because some people couldn't handle the recoil.


I would not let male LEO qualify or carry with a gun of lower recoil, such as 380.

 

[Zerk]

A A 9mm or .380 is plenty of weapon for most self defense situations and with striker fired pistols (Glock and others now) there is very little trigger pull required and the smaller calibers don't have as strong a main spring as the larger ones especially in the Glock pistols. I had a Keltec 9mm (sold it) that had about the stiffest main spring I have ever seen. I could barely pull it back without my hand slipping on the receiver.

My LC380 had a very strong trigger pull. I think it varies by maker. Without a safety there will be more pull most likely.

IMO he should stay away from semi autos, because of having to rack them. Though you can get devices that make them easier to grab.