Help with ‘disabling’ two guns

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ExAgoradzo

ExAgoradzo

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My dad is at the beginning stages of dimensia.
1. I could just remove the pistols and be done with it. That will cause frustration and will carry through probably for the rest of his life.
2. Last night I removed the ammo from the guns but kept the ammo where he keeps it so he wouldn’t be suspicious. This seems reasonable because he never touches them my mom says.
3. How hard would it be to disable a Ruger Mark 1 (the first gun I ever shot and am very much wanting some day which is why I am considering asking for it and taking it home with me but am afraid that he will get combative if I do and I’ll be drawing his attention to it and he’ll want to go look at it and notice I took the ammo out...).
4. How hard would it be to remove the pin from a Raven 25acp (which gun I don’t want to throw away, but is worth considerably less to me and less in value as well.
5. My mom would just as soon me take everything and get them the h3ll out of their house...

Argh!!!
Tell me you understand my dilemma even if you too don’t know what is best!?
Greg
 
Sorry for your situation, hope he stays happy and calm. Removing the firing pins is probably the best and least intrusive way to disable a firearm in most cases. Of course taking them completely could possibly keep him safer if he were ever in a situation where police were pointing NON disabled guns at him for whatever reason.
 
Raven is taken care of.
My mom said we weren’t going to the hospital for 10 mins. I took the firing pin spring out and reloaded it. She then said she doesn’t think he knows where it is... So do I risk asking him and getting him upset...?
Thanks for understanding.

Greg
 
ExAgoradzo said:
Raven is taken care of.
My mom said we weren’t going to the hospital for 10 mins. I took the firing pin spring out and reloaded it. She then said she doesn’t think he knows where it is... So do I risk asking him and getting him upset...?
Thanks for understanding.

Greg
Click to expand...
You could tell him you're going target shooting and ask to borrow it, tell him it probably needs a cleaning anyway.
 
armedwalleye said:
You could tell him you're going target shooting and ask to borrow it, tell him it probably needs a cleaning anyway.
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking too. Ask him for the favor of shooting his gun and keep him happy.

Sorry your family is going through this, it's a cruel thing to happen to anyone. You're a good son.
 
Yeah both my grandfathers have dimensia and I am in the same dilemma as you.

The first one we took all the ammo out of the house and it saved his life. He had a lucid day where he realized what was happening to him and went for the gun cabinet. Thank goodness we took the ammo....

But the other one he was always a gun guy and I’m having the same problem with if I should disable them or not.
 
I had to do the same with my dad. He did not need to have a shotgun.
 
I am sorry to hear about your Dad. The Raven firing pin is easy to remove. Not sure about the Ruger though. Mr. Browning might have had something as most of his pistols had magazine disconnects.
 
You better hope no one breaks in....I would be pissed if I went for my gun and it had the firing pin removed when it was needed against a push in robbery. Quite common as of late. You would never forgive yourself. If he never goes near them then just let them be. Taking out the firing pins of both is super easy.
 
I get it.
That was one of my first thoughts when I was planning this. If I didn’t have to get them on a plane and go to CA I’d just take them and let him be mad if necessary... Pretty stressful week for all of us. His fall will prob meek his license goes bye bye. But you have to ask yourself do you want him driving?! Nope. Then, do you want him with a firearm?!

Lord help us.
Greg
 
@ExAgoradzo, first of all, let me say how sorry I am that you're going through this. I've been there & done that, and it downright stinks. There's no easy path through. With that said, I like this idea:
armedwalleye said:
You could tell him you're going target shooting and ask to borrow it, tell him it probably needs a cleaning anyway.
Click to expand...
I don't know how far along into dementia your dad is, but he may or may not remember that you have them. If so, "Oh, yeah, Dad. I have those and I'll bring them by tomorrow . . . " Come tomorrow, he may or may not remember that you have them. I know you're not supposed to lie, but it may be the only way to keep peace. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.
 
When this happened to my grandpa we took all the ammo out of the house. While he was in hospital for a day. Left guns he never new the difference. And we had a family member with them at all times. To help w toilet, cleaning, walking, feeding,etc. Alittle piece of advice. If he likes to wander out doors. Put a black trash bag infront of doors. They will not walk over it. Learned this from a nurse. He had sundowner's. Liked to walk around at night.
 
My Dad had a Model 28 in each car, and a S&W Model 915 in the nightstand for years. As he started progressing with dementia, he realized that the 9mm was "complicated" and asked that I take it, and replace it with one of his revolvers, which was "simpler". I took the 915, and replaced it with an unloaded Model 28...and within a month or two, removed that. His dementia progressed so rapidly, that I was glad I had taken the guns away. He could easily have not recognized a friend or family member, and done something drastic. Alzheimers/dementia can bring on personality changes as well.

If the guns are not something your father regularly accesses, I would just remove them. If he does, I think the idea of removing the firing pins is a good one.
 
Spats' comment about patients not remembering "yesterday" is correct. My wife wanted to go "home" every evening, so I told her it was late but we would go in the morning. You might tell him the gun(s) are at the gunsmith being cleaned or repaired. Loss of driving privileges is a big bridge to cross. If he has ready access to his keys, you might want to file a couple of teeth down so they're not usable. Good luck.
 
ExAgoradzo: Good luck with your method.

When my wife decided that her parents should no longer drive, luckily both at the same time, they were already in the huge ARC retirement complex in n.e. San Antonio.
My wife hid their car at the far side of the long parking lot in the rear. When they were told they should not drive, her Dad, for about the first time in her life, chewed her out a bit on the telephone. Just that once.

When parents etc live at home with dementia it must be so much more difficult--guns or cars-- although my Dad knows that his driving days won't last forever, right now only due to an accum. of moderate physical issues.
 
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