Home Defense for Mommy

What does Gunforge think of this.

My Mom has always had a handgun for home defense. The problem is, her fine motor skills are getting bad because of a combination of lack of upper body strength and arthritis. She's gotten to where she's unable to pull a double action trigger, and she's barely able to rack the slide of an auto-loader.

Also, back and shoulder problems would rule out a shotgun.

She's got a S&W model 41 that she can manipulate fine, but that's just a .22.

So here's what I was thinking. The woman's Calamity fricking Jane with a rifle. Back in the day, she ranked NRA Master, and was even offered a slot on the 1960 Olympic marksman team. Handguns though....not so much. So how about a pistol caliber carbine for home defense? I got her to handle a Beretta CX-4 Storm a while back, and if you move the charging handle to the left side, she could manipulate it just fine. The sights are kinda crap compared to the precision Lymans that she's used to, but I think practice will take care of that. I've even got a nice little Millet Multi-dot gathering dust in my closet that I could mount on it assuming it will co-witness with said crappy sights. Slap a Surefire on it, and I think it would be a great home defense gun suited especially for her.

So what do you guys think?

Oh shit! Wrong room.

Could somebody whoosh it to Campforge?

There are others eminently more qualified than me to offer advice on this, so I'll leave it to the real gun experts.

I would make sure to find some way to keep momma armed, though!

How about a lever-action in .357? I don't think anybody could have a problem racking a lever, no matter how weak or arthritic one gets. It can be kept without a round in the chamber and be loaded in an instant. Recoil in a light rifle won't be bad - hell, load .38s.

Whoosh.

I've got some down time now, but I'm gonna be busy for the rest of the day and night. Let me get back to you tomorrow.

I know you already said a shotgun is ruled out... but what about a .410? It's often overlooked for home defense, recoil is light, and a double barreled shotgun has huge intimidation factor to go along with it.

How many times has she actually used one of her guns for protection? Does she really still need it?

Never has "needed" one. She came close one time though.

Dan's half right. I don't want her to have this because she "needs" it. I want her to have it in case she ever does need it.

That's mighty generious towards all mentioned parties, and loving towards your mother.

As this is not the red room, I'd like to politely suggest that anyone not here to offer knowledge and advice to toward the original question, and rather to forward their leftist agenda or make themselves seem superior for disdaining firearms, kindly not bother posting.

Is that a threat?

I don't think he was talking to you.

I so wanted it to be a threat.

You didn't read the thread, eh?

I'm not seeing how that would hurt the back and shoulder more than a pistol....?

Really, really freaking intense recoil.

Dynamite.

Or a cocked n' locked 1911. All she has to do is manipulate the safety.

Yeah, but with a ganstagrip and a pistol grip, I don't see how that would be a problem.

Friend, having worked around a lot of old people in my time at the nursing home, I can tell you that even the healthy, mentally alert, fully mobile folks can't stand that kind of recoil. You have to be realistic - that's why I proposed a double barrel, fully size 410.

Very early on, in history back, my Grandfather's Grandfather instilled into my family an intense, irrational sense of distain for any gun that is not meant to be aimed, and Tennessee Walking Horses.

Alpaca!

The last time I visited Mom & Dad at their NY State property, Dad said to bring my shotgun and we'd do some skeet shooting. Something we hadn't done in, literally, at least a decade. Dad was probably 78 at the time. All his life he'd been a strong, stocky, powerful man, and no stranger to firearms.

I whipped a skeet off the old hand-launcher, and Dad shouldered his old 12 ga double and fired. He made a painful grunt, laughed, shook his head, put the gun down and said "You shoot, I'll throw." He had a huge bruise and his shoulder hurt for quite a while.

He never did get used to being old.

I think if anybody over 70 tried to shoot that hand cannon up there they'd break their wrist bones.

She doesn't like keeping a gun with a live round in the chamber.

I think a 410 double barrel might be your best option in all ways then.

Maybe. I like Forbin's pistol caliber lever gun idea too...but I'm not seeing yet, how either one of those would be functionally better than the CX-4, and the CX-4 has the added advantage of being endorsed by the crewmembers of Battlestar Galactica.

It's ment to be aimed, just not sighted.




And what the hell could he have against Tennessee Walkers? Beats the shit out of any ridin horse out there. Just like Percherons are the best draft horses.





I know this b/c my Pawpaw told me so.

Pointing is not aiming.

They used to be great horses, until they were turned into artificial, inbred, gut bags that look like a dog trying to rub poo off it's butt on rug when they rack.

If you want a gated horse, get a Paso-Fino IMHO.