I don't post on here as much I would like to, but I am in need of advice. My 74 year old grandmother has decided she would like to have a handgun for home defense and even CCW (with training of course). Although she is older and small in stature, she still continues to teach in a rough area of our city, and is by no means not capable of carrying. However because of her small stature most handguns simply are too large for her. With boot grips she could hardly hold my K-frame S&W. She likes my PT-22 tackle box gun, but i do not trust it enough to give to her. Y'all have any suggestions on small, yet trustworthy low-recoil handguns that are affordable? Thanks in advance!
Handgun for older lady
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bigfatdave
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ATBackPackin
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Nushif
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Get her the one she picks after shooting and liking it, for sure.
dprice3844444
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nice easy to pull 38 smith snub nose
Thompsoncustom
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I would say go find a range that rents guns and see what she likes and if she likes say a .45 great bu if all she likes is a .22 I wouldn't try to talk into a bigger caliber as that would probably lead to her felling uncomfortable and she might stop carrying
moxie
Member
Berettta Bobcat .22 LR tip up barrel. No racking required. Mild recoil. Very concealable.
Nushif
Member
No, I think I changed my mind.
Just go out to a gun shop, get her a short barrelled double action revolver in the smallest size possible or the smallest gun possible with the most possible kick for the marginal caliber. Both great choices. As a matter of fact ... Encourage thenhottest loads for usage, too.
Seriously though. The girl has been on this planet for 74 years. Send her off to the course and let her make up her own mind. She's been doing this kind of stuff for years, I swear. you know ... The being an adult bit?
Just go out to a gun shop, get her a short barrelled double action revolver in the smallest size possible or the smallest gun possible with the most possible kick for the marginal caliber. Both great choices. As a matter of fact ... Encourage thenhottest loads for usage, too.
Seriously though. The girl has been on this planet for 74 years. Send her off to the course and let her make up her own mind. She's been doing this kind of stuff for years, I swear. you know ... The being an adult bit?
ATBackPackin
Member
WOW.
I hear what you are saying and I agree 100%. However I think he is asking for suggestions to introduce her to rather than buying a gun and forcing it down her throat come hell or high water.
Then again I could be wrong, it certainly wouldn't be the first or last time.
I own a Walther P 22. For me it is great, however i would not recomend it for the person described. Neither would I recomend the Tarus mentioned. What I would recomend looking at would be the Charter Arms Pathfinder with the 22 lr/ 22 mag cylinders. The weight is 20 ounces which is within reason for the person described, barrel is 4", 22 lr for practice, 22 mag for carry, six shots is maybe a little light but 22 mag is a noisy intimidating round, handle is easy to grip and 22 mag recoil is not bad. I have the 38 snub charter and every time I pull the trigger it goes off.
blindhari
Have her google Cornered Cat
blindhari
Have her google Cornered Cat
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beatledog7
Member
Whatever she can shoot well and likes.
Thanks for all the replies. Of course I will shop around with her and encourage to get what she likes and prefers, she is capable of picking out a pistol herself. I was just trying to get some ideas and what might work for others. She has trouble with recoil, so I am leaning towards the 32 calibers. She really likes the small frame Beretta such as the 950 Jetfire, though its anawfully small caliber. I was thinking Tomcat, but hear they have frame durability issues!
HPShooter
Member
I suggest you go with something like the Taurus .327 an earlier poster mentioned, currently available inexpensively from CDNN. However, I'd have her load it with .32 S&W Long. Preferably FIOCCHI FMJ ball or the Magtech Hollow Point, both available from Midway. Both have some of the highest velocities you can find in this caliber, but still are controllable and relatively low report.
I think revolvers are the way to go for relative novices, particularly where self-defense is the primary objective. Unless there is going to be a lot of practice with an auto. One range session with one box of ammo just won't do.
Also, I think she would be well armed with the .32 Long. The smaller calibers actually do work.....especially as a hit from a small cal is much better than a miss from something bigger. We had a older lady around here in the past 15 years who shot a would be rapist with a Baby Browning .25 Auto - five rounds hit him, dead right there.
You might also look around for a Smith Model 30. That model typically has rounded grips and a three inch barrel. There are also several older model, small frame Colts which can be found in .32 Long. Both the Smith and Colts are high quality revolvers.
You have an interesting and important project, good luck.
I think revolvers are the way to go for relative novices, particularly where self-defense is the primary objective. Unless there is going to be a lot of practice with an auto. One range session with one box of ammo just won't do.
Also, I think she would be well armed with the .32 Long. The smaller calibers actually do work.....especially as a hit from a small cal is much better than a miss from something bigger. We had a older lady around here in the past 15 years who shot a would be rapist with a Baby Browning .25 Auto - five rounds hit him, dead right there.
You might also look around for a Smith Model 30. That model typically has rounded grips and a three inch barrel. There are also several older model, small frame Colts which can be found in .32 Long. Both the Smith and Colts are high quality revolvers.
You have an interesting and important project, good luck.
Hit_Factor
Member
My guess is she will end up with small caliber snub nose revolver. Even a 22 is better than no gun at all.
Small semi's usually can't be operated by ladies with a few years on them.
Let her pick, if she doesn't like it she won't have it available when its needed.
Small semi's usually can't be operated by ladies with a few years on them.
Let her pick, if she doesn't like it she won't have it available when its needed.
Burt Blade
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.32 ammunition (other than .32 auto) can be very hard to find in many locations. It works, but be sure to stock up when you find it.
Depending on her physical condition/strength:
Double action triggers can be difficult if not impossible to shoot accurately.
Slides can be hard to retract.
Small pistols/revolvers can recoil excessively, even in mild calibers.
My first thought would run to the various Berettas with tip up barrels. They come in a variety of frame sizes and in .22, .25, .32, and .380 calibers. Taurus makes a clone or two.
But mostly, a big +1 to having her be comfortable carrying/shooting whatever she ends up with.
Double action triggers can be difficult if not impossible to shoot accurately.
Slides can be hard to retract.
Small pistols/revolvers can recoil excessively, even in mild calibers.
My first thought would run to the various Berettas with tip up barrels. They come in a variety of frame sizes and in .22, .25, .32, and .380 calibers. Taurus makes a clone or two.
But mostly, a big +1 to having her be comfortable carrying/shooting whatever she ends up with.
Shadow 7D
Member
little is more recoil,
lighter is MORE recoil
hotter round more recoil
Consider a full frame (Beretta 84) type gun
or even a larger 9mm
Oh and revolver's don't have a slide to spread out the recoil impulse
And don't get her an airweight .357, BIG BEEFY MEN, hate those.
Corneredcat.com has a good section on slingshotting an auto
in the end, she is the one who has to shoot it
LET HER CHOOSE
lighter is MORE recoil
hotter round more recoil
Consider a full frame (Beretta 84) type gun
or even a larger 9mm
Oh and revolver's don't have a slide to spread out the recoil impulse
And don't get her an airweight .357, BIG BEEFY MEN, hate those.
Corneredcat.com has a good section on slingshotting an auto
in the end, she is the one who has to shoot it
LET HER CHOOSE
Thanks again for all the input, the tip up barrel pistols seem to be ideal, I have PT-22 that she likes but I do not trust it. Like most lower end rimfires it will not go through one or two mags with out a jam. And I like the Tomcat but I hear it is faulty as well. Didn't Beretta make a tip-up .380 some time ago?
Super Sneaky Steve
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Walther PK380.
I bought a bobcat for my mother and she couldn't load the little magazine by herself. Now it's my gun and a fine one at that.
The P22 is nice but not as reliable.
I bought a bobcat for my mother and she couldn't load the little magazine by herself. Now it's my gun and a fine one at that.
The P22 is nice but not as reliable.
Lawdawg45
Member
I rarely recommend this, but have her try a 22 magnum revolver. My wife and her mother both are getting one soon, and the recoil is very manageable with some models having a 9 round capacity.
LD
LD
engineer88
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I highly recommend the Keltec P32. Light recoil, ten round mags if you like and great for small hands. Mine are very reliable and fun to shoot. Plus very easy to carry, lighter spring so easier to rack then a 380. They disappear in a purse or pocket.
Hit_Factor
Member
.32 is a semi rimless cartridge and prone to rimlock in a p32. Especially HP ammo. There is a fix, but experience is required to prevent or recognize.
engineer88
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I wouldn't know about rimlock. Jhp in 32acp is pointless. I use only quality fmj. I have probably fired 5-6,000 rounds of 32acp in my lifetime, at least a quarter of that out of my P32's and have never had it happen. I understand it is possible, but to me it is worth the risk of that over a Rimfire cartridge failing to fire or my limpwristing a tiny 380. I *personally* feel safer with it, but to each their own.
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