Handgun for my wife with arthritis

[ngum Rights]

My wife is interested in getting handgun for self defense (not concealed cary).

The issue is that she has arthritis so she cannot pull the slide back on an automatic. She can cycle my Ruger SR22 with some difficulty, but that is not exactly a man stopper.

A revolver is a possibility but anything larger than a 22 is likely to have a pretty hard recoil -- any ideas? We have looked at a Beretta Tomcat but were not impressed.

[jb44336]

My advice would be to goto a local gun shop and take a look at some different handguns, ask to see a few, and see how she handles the slides. You could get all the suggestions in the world on here, but everyone is different so your best bet is to get some in her hands and let her choose.

[johnydavid]

I had an older gentleman come into store who had arthritis pretty bad and couldn't rack a semi. He did great with the Ruger LCR. You have the option of 22, 38 and of coarse 357 which is out of the question. No hammer which is a + He squeezed the trigger rapidly quite well and could easily open the cylinder.

[gold cup abuser]

Read an article on a recent American Handgunner. The author suggested the following:

1. Colt 1903 pocket pistol in 32 or 380.

2. Colt Mustang.

With the offering from Sig that might also be an idea.

Good luck.

[firebird.77]

The Sig p238 .380 slide is very light to rack with the hammer cocked, but pretty stiff with the hammer down. I would recommend checking it out in person and see if she can manipulate it, even if it means cocking the hammer first on an empty chamber, then racking the slide. Recoil is a DREAM IMO.



Personally I would be looking closely at .22 Mag revolvers, probably SA/DA with a 3-4" bbl. A .38 with cowboy loads would probably be an option too, and gives her the option to step up to full power later.

[sprrdhawk44]

As others have said, I would look at a .380. Though, I would look at an all steel model, such as Walther's offering:
http://www.waltherarms.com/products/.../#.UrpDhni9K0c

A pound and a half of steel will soak up the recoil of a .380 significantly.

[jthrelf]

I know the SR22 is very easy to cycle so that makes me worried that any semi may present a problem, but maybe not.

The LCR is a great gun. The SP101 will soak up some recoil with more steel. And like others suggested, a .380 like the Colt Mustang or P238 may be a great option. Go to the store and try out many options! Good luck with the search.

[Lexington]

As others have said, I would look at a .380. Though, I would look at an all steel model, such as Walther's offering:
http://www.waltherarms.com/products/.../#.UrpDhni9K0c

A pound and a half of steel will soak up the recoil of a .380 significantly.

This. My wife loves her CZ-83. .380 caliber in a 28 ounce package. The all-steel frame is a recoil absorber. She can shoot boxes of it and her wrists don't hurt at all.

It's also one of the only automatics she can manipulate the slide of.

With that said, I agree with everyone else. Take her and let her try out different firearms to get the best feel. It's how we learned that my wife wanted the CZ-83.

For revolvers, weight should also be a factor. A lot of recoil is absorbed by an all-steel K-Frame or L-Frame as opposed to a J-frame.

Good luck in your search!

[jerryg]

My wife has arthritus so I got her a sp101 snubby used 357. She's happy. It is her nightstand gun, as she don't carry.

[Grizz2720]

My wife has a Lady Smith and Wesson in 357 mag. That round is a hand full. How ever 38sp or 38sp +P works great for her.