mljdeckard
Member
I took my mom to a rental range today.
She has recently showed interest in shooting and carrying, (much to everyone's surprise,) and my dad has been trying to help her learn. The problem is, he isn't the greatest teacher, and he really doesn't want to buy anything other than the guns he already has. (A few .22s and a 1911.) The main problem is, she has a hard time racking the slide. I think to myself; "No problem. I have seen this episode of Personal Defense TV. She needs to pull it in tight, grip over the top, and push the gun forward. I am SUCH a freakin' GENIUS."
So we go to the range, I buy a box of .38 and a box of 9mm, unfortunately, the only revolver they had to rent was an LCR. I had meant to let her shoot a medium-heavy weight revolver to show her how much easier it is, but instead all I could do was let her shoot a featherweight one with a small grip and tell her that bigger ones are much easier to shoot and wouldn't beat her up. (For what it's worth, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.) Then we shot a Glock 17 and a Glock 19. I wanted to show her that she can handle a full-size gun, but a compact one might be a workable medium. With the last 15 rds we shot the Sig P-239. Another option to consider. She liked it a lot.
The problem was, she really still can't rack slides. It was a little easier, but still not easy enough to train with and clear malfunctions in a fight. I asked her what she was feeling, where it was hard, and she reminded me that a few years ago, she cracked her wrist, and it really hasn't been the same since. It is REALLY painful for her to grip a slide to rack it. She can do it maybe once or twice on the Sig, can BARELY do it on either of the Glocks. It was even hard for her to lock it to the rear, load a magazine, and tug it back to release it. She can still rack the Woodsman. But A: I have been in here for years telling people not to carry a .22 if there is anything else they can handle, and B: The Woodsman is an heirloom I don't want to see beat up, lost, or confiscated.
She needs to get real with either a heavy revolver DA pull, or racking a slide. Even if my dad loads the auto FOR her and outs it in her purse, she still needs to know how to reload and clear it. She's over 65 years old, her wrist probably won't get any better.
Before I resign her to the idea that she needs to carry a .22, use Stingers, and put as many rounds COM as possible, what should I have her try?
She has recently showed interest in shooting and carrying, (much to everyone's surprise,) and my dad has been trying to help her learn. The problem is, he isn't the greatest teacher, and he really doesn't want to buy anything other than the guns he already has. (A few .22s and a 1911.) The main problem is, she has a hard time racking the slide. I think to myself; "No problem. I have seen this episode of Personal Defense TV. She needs to pull it in tight, grip over the top, and push the gun forward. I am SUCH a freakin' GENIUS."
So we go to the range, I buy a box of .38 and a box of 9mm, unfortunately, the only revolver they had to rent was an LCR. I had meant to let her shoot a medium-heavy weight revolver to show her how much easier it is, but instead all I could do was let her shoot a featherweight one with a small grip and tell her that bigger ones are much easier to shoot and wouldn't beat her up. (For what it's worth, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.) Then we shot a Glock 17 and a Glock 19. I wanted to show her that she can handle a full-size gun, but a compact one might be a workable medium. With the last 15 rds we shot the Sig P-239. Another option to consider. She liked it a lot.
The problem was, she really still can't rack slides. It was a little easier, but still not easy enough to train with and clear malfunctions in a fight. I asked her what she was feeling, where it was hard, and she reminded me that a few years ago, she cracked her wrist, and it really hasn't been the same since. It is REALLY painful for her to grip a slide to rack it. She can do it maybe once or twice on the Sig, can BARELY do it on either of the Glocks. It was even hard for her to lock it to the rear, load a magazine, and tug it back to release it. She can still rack the Woodsman. But A: I have been in here for years telling people not to carry a .22 if there is anything else they can handle, and B: The Woodsman is an heirloom I don't want to see beat up, lost, or confiscated.
She needs to get real with either a heavy revolver DA pull, or racking a slide. Even if my dad loads the auto FOR her and outs it in her purse, she still needs to know how to reload and clear it. She's over 65 years old, her wrist probably won't get any better.
Before I resign her to the idea that she needs to carry a .22, use Stingers, and put as many rounds COM as possible, what should I have her try?