Handgun suggestions for my 77 year old Mom.

[zulu01]

I am looking for suggestions for a self defense handgun for my Mom. She lives alone and her house was burgled two years ago over Thanksgiving. Thankfully she wasn't home at the time. She showed some interest in getting a gun after the break in so I thought we would go shopping while I'm at home for the holidays. It would be primarily for home defense. I highly doubt she would be interested in carrying, but she lives in Ohio and could easily get a CCW if she wanted. She isn't experienced with firearms so something easy to operate and low recoil would be best.

I am still fairly new to owning hand guns(Only have experience with Glocks) and I am not sure what to suggest for her. I know racking the slide on a semi auto can be problematic for people with weak grip strength so I was thinking a revolver of some sort. However, I know squat about revolvers. What caliber would be good? Barrel length? Any revolver specific characteristics that would be problematic for weak/inexperienced shooters?

I am looking for a local range where she can try some things out hopefully. I am not sure yet if that will be an option though.

[cstone]

Get her a Bond Arms Snake Slayer or Ranger with a .410/.45 barrel. Get a few to put in different parts of her home and she might not need to carry at home.

Take her to the range and see if she prefers revolvers or semi-autos. Let her shoot a few and pick the one she likes.

[.40isthenew.45]

I haven't shot one myself, but I was considering the same question, and came up with a PMR-30 as a leading contender.

[MarkCO]

There are a lot of choices, but still being an able bodied male, I have more choices. I have found for kids, some women, some elderly, some with physical limitations, the absoulte best thing to do is to get them to the range with a .22 auto and a .22 revolver and go from there. It might take a few range sessions (hopefully rentals are avialable) to get it ironed out, but what the specific person feels comfortable with is huge.

PMR30 is gaining some appeal. Also revolvers in .22 Mag, .327 Magnum, 9mm Revolvers, and .38 SPL are all good choices to consider if slide racking is difficult. Even a 9mm Polymer frame pistol with the low-recoil, SD loads and a reduced power recoil spring can be a good option. Just have to try them out.

[SuperiorDG]

What ever you get her, take her to the range and teach her to shoot. I was at the range the other day and the lady beside me was hitting the ground in front of a stand up target at the 9 yard line. Shooten like that helps no one, no matter what she has.

[Great-Kazoo]

SBR'd JRC in choice of caliber. The charging handle is very easy to operate and carbine can be converetd for Left or Right hand shooter. That is IF she can charge it. If not a nice revolver with the action worked on .

Just picked up one of these. I'm filing a F1 probably wed.

https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608044065270795813&pid=15.1&P=0

[dogbreath650]

I would suggest something simple with few moving parts, maybe a DA revolver? As others have said, teaching her to shoot is a must. However, if she won't be able to practice on a regular basis, those skills you teach her will deteriorate. A laser might help keep her on target. Something like this...

http://www.impactguns.com/ruger-lcr-revolver-lasergrips-installed-38-spl-lightweight-compact-revolver-p-5402-736676054022.aspx

[Great-Kazoo]

I would suggest something simple with few moving parts, maybe a DA revolver? As others have said, teaching her to shoot is a must. However, if she won't be able to practice on a regular basis, those skills you teach her will deteriorate. A laser might help keep her on target. Something like this...

http://www.impactguns.com/ruger-lcr-revolver-lasergrips-installed-38-spl-lightweight-compact-revolver-p-5402-736676054022.aspx

Those are a nice choice. Ideally if she went with a revolver finding a Colt DS would be perfect.

[Big E3]

Most older people just can't rack the slide. Get her a 38 revolver with 4" barrel easy to point and the barrel weight reduces recoil. Don't need a snub nose unless you carry it. Also, I know of a few elderly people have had good success with a 32 auto having a tip up barrel, like the Beretta's.

[ChadAmberg]

A nice big decent weight revolver, probably in 38 special. Have her pick up several and figure out what size/grips fit her hands. If a J-Frame size fits her, go steel not light weight alloy. The weight is important to soak up the recoil, so she doesn't hurt/break her wrists. It's not like she'll need to carry it for hours shooting in competitions. Just a bit of practice every couple months.
Then have a set of big dot sights put on: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/676891/xs-express-night-sight-set-s-and-w-revolver-with-integral-tritium-big-dot-front-adjustable-white-stripe-rear-steel-matte
Some light loaded ammo works well: http://www.hornady.com/store/38-Special-90-gr-FTX-Critical-Defense-lite/

[earplug]

For some reason I like the idea of a Rossie coach double shotgun cut down to just over the legal minimum.

[rustycrusty]

If there isn't enough hand strength to rack the slide there is little hope of having any kind of control with a DA revolver. That trigger is MUCH harder to fire with any speed and accuracy than any single/safe action.

Also- you don't need any grip strength at all to rack the slide- I rack open handed during demonstration of malfunction clearing- mostly off of the ridge of my palm in front of rear sight- it's all arm strength and when you do it right (divide force needed between a pushing with draw hand and a pulling with support hand) it is very doable- works well for some very small female students. Has also worked for a petite female student with such severe arthritis that operating slide release was not possible.

If clearing a malfunction is a concern for a 77yo woman who intends to shoot enough only to understand the pistol as a functional tool then I think we have drifted into the land of fantasy. I would say worrying about recovering from a malfunction WHILE being attacked- come now... Not realistic for many of us that shoot often (not all, many)

Lots of concern over racking the slide... Why isn't this gun going to be stored already chambered and in a holster?

I would say heavier and longer is better for her as it will fight some recoil. +1 to MarkCo advice on caliber, load selection, and spring selection.

[sroz]

Agree with take her to the range before purchasing. 22lr is fine if she can function the gun & hit her target. If you go with .38spl revolver, you may want to try out a S&W Model 10. Good weight, simple, great triggers and you can pick one up for about $300. I would also recommend Federal personal defense low recoil.