Recommend a revolver for a disabled shooter?

[9245]

So my girlfriend wants me to teach her to shoot and then get her carry license, wonderful! I picked a good one However there are some unique challenges: she has cerebral palsy, she is normally confined to a wheelchair and has only one fully working hand (the other works but can only make a claw), and the working one has minimal strength. Do to circumstances (some do to ammo price/availability others not) I have not been a able to get her to the range yet, but I have had the chance to let her handle some of my stuff and more at the store, I’m trying to get an idea what will work well for her.

I discovered some things:
She cannot work the slide of a semi auto, not even the Shield EZ, although she got close with that one (granted I have not had her try the 380 version yet), in the event of a jam or stoppage she would be screwed and I’m willing to bet she will limp wrist it.

She also cannot work the cylinder release of a NEW Smith and Wesson revolver, it’s too stiff, however she COULD relatively easily work the one on my late 1970s model 10.

She says she likes the model 10 and liked the size (4 inch 10-6) too.

I’m considering building her a custom model 10 from parts but before I go that route I wanted to see what modern options might be available.

Price should be as low as possible, certainly under $1,000, preferably way under as I don’t even know if she’ll like it.
I’d like to find her something similar to the 4 inch 10-6.
I want her to have nice adjustable night sites
A laser would be nice but not required
A rail and red dot cutout would also be nice but are not required
Caliber must be decently effective (meet the FBI minimum in gel tests) but have a relatively low recoil, bearing in mind her hand strength.
Capacity must be 6+ (OK this is my own bias but I just never understood 5 shot revolvers) but the more the better.

I like the idea of hammerless or a bobbed hammer but still would like there to be a usable hammer, she was having some issues dry firing in double action mode, she could do it, but single action was easier for her. So something with a low profile/snag resistant hammer but still thumb cockable?

Any suggestions?

I’m stymied by not getting her to the range yet but, without getting in to her business, there are reasons that hasn't been possible yet but I’m hoping to be able to get that rectified in the next few weeks/couple of months.

I’m thinking maybe a 9mm (or .38 special like the Model 10 of course, but I’m still not a super fan of that caliber), or maybe .327 magnum?

 

[18robert]

look for the charter .32 mag. can shoot .32 long also. you can get a factory hammerless hammer for it. they are around $ 350, when i got mine about 5-6 months ago. also 6 shot,nice gun. good luck.

 

[RGNewell]

Honest opinion? You are letting your own biases in the way..357? You need to teach her to shoot whatever will work for her to get permit. Then get a 22 magnum either J or K frame for her to carry. Have a competent GS reduce trigger pull as much as safely possible. The 22 magnum should handle anything she will encounter.

 

[9245]

Honest opinion? You are letting your own biases in the way..357? You need to teach her to shoot whatever will work for her to get permit. Then get a 22 magnum either J or K frame for her to carry. Have a competent GS reduce trigger pull as much as safely possible. The 22 magnum should handle anything she will encounter.

I said .327 not .357. And the FBI standard is the FBI standard for a reason.

 

[RGNewell]

I said .327 not .357. And the FBI standard is the FBI standard for a reason.

Sorry. Eyes aren't working too good this early. I have never fired a .327 so have no opinion. With that said action job is still a good idea.

 

[JAREDSHS]

Wow ! First …..huge admiration and praise to both of you fine people for taking this positive step. Personally (and I say this only to get you opened up to rethinking)..consider…642 loaded with what ever load she can shoot well at about 10 or 15 feet. Forget adjustable sights, forget “6” shots, forget “magnum”, forget9 mm.

She needs small, light, no exposed hammer, very easy to conceal.

 

[BB57]

A few thoughts…

My bachelors degree was in criminology but my masters degrees are in mental health and vocational rehabilitation counseling, and so worked for a time in VR for a couple states, the VA and the feds. I’ve worked with disabled shooters on the side, both those post disability wanting to get back at it, as well as new shooters showing an interest.

It comes down to residual skills and transferable skills - using what the person can do to figure out the best ways to accommodate what he or she wants to do.

It also comes down to focusing on the essential functions of shooting and not getting wrapped around the axel with the things that don’t really matter. For example you are almost certainly not expecting her to be able to field strip and clean a handgun. She’s got you for that right? Or the local gun shop can clean it periodically for her,

From that perspective what matter is well can she hold and shoot the Model 10 in question. Not much else matters if she can’t shoot it effectively. That is more important than being able to perform a full manual of arms with it.

For example, the odds are extremely high that are she’ll never need to do a reload with what ever she uses so I wouldn’t sweat the cylinder latch, etc.

I’d also be a bit more open about options.

“She can’t rack a slide” is a pretty broad statement as some slides can be pretty easy to rack. The slide on a PP in .32 ACP for example is pretty easy to rack. On a .22 LR it’s even easier.

On a hammer fired pistol, cocking the hammer is a significant amount of the force needed to rack the slide - especially on smaller caliber pistols. Consequently, if the person cocks the hammer first, the force needed to rack the slide may be half of what it would be otherwise. It’s not how it’s normally done, but that’s not the point.

Again, her goal isn’t to shoot a practical pistol match or join the local SWAT team, her goal is to be able to first perform the essential function of shooting the pistol, and any of the secondary items like racking the slide, reloading, etc, are just gravy on the potatoes that help her be more independent with the handgun.

If you install a square faced rear sight you can rack a pistol on a table edge, or on a seam on your jeans or in her case on a suitable surface of her wheelchair. I’m not suggesting a 1911 but a sight like this allows you to rack a slide one handed.

You can also get creative. Does she plan to use an OWB holster or does she wear a belt? Sew a piece of Velcro on the outside of the holster or the belt. Then carefully clean and degrease the side of the slide and glue the complimentary piece of Velcro on the side of the slide. Now, racking the slide is just a matter of sticking the pistol to the Velcro on the belt and pressing forward with her hand and arm, and then twisting the pistol free of the Velcro. And once again she has a wheel chair - use it. Glue a piece of Velcro to it in a convenient location and you’ll accomplish the same thing.

In short, there are lots of ways for a person with one hand and limited hand strength to rack a slide. Don’t limit her by not getting outside the box and looking for different ways to do things.

There are also options like the Beretta Tomcat where the magazine is inserted and the barrel flips up to load the first round. There’s no need to rack the slide at all. This the smaller Bob cat, but it the same deal. It can be loaded and made ready to fire with one hand and minimal hand strength.

Probably most importantLy do not make the mistake most guys make in picking a handgun for them, or almost as bad, “guiding” them in the direction the guy wants them to go based the guy’s biases and predispositions. That seldom results in the woman actually using the handgun.

Take her somewhere that has a good selection of guns in rental and let her try them on the range. At a minimum let her go through the selection at a decently stocked gun shop (or two or three) and try various handguns to see what she can hold and point effectively with the slights more or less naturally aligning themselves, as well as finding out what features she can and can’t operate - while thinking creatively about easy, inexpensive accommodations that won’t permanently alter the gun.

 

[glenwolde]

A few thoughts…

My bachelors degree was in criminology but my masters degrees are in mental health and vocational rehabilitation counseling, and so worked for a time in VR for a couple states, the VA and the feds. I’ve worked with disabled shooters on the side, both those post disability wanting to get back at it, as well as new shooters showing an interest.

It comes down to residual skills and transferable skills - using what the person can do to figure out the best ways to accommodate what he or she wants to do.

It also comes down to focusing on the essential functions of shooting and not getting wrapped around the axel with the things that don’t really matter. For example you are almost certainly not expecting her to be able to field strip and clean a handgun. She’s got you for that right? Or the local gun shop can clean it periodically for her,

From that perspective what matter is well can she hold and shoot the Model 10 in question. Not much else matters if she can’t shoot it effectively. That is more important than being able to perform a full manual of arms with it.

For example, the odds are extremely high that are she’ll never need to do a reload with what ever she uses so I wouldn’t sweat the cylinder latch, etc.

I’d also be a bit more open about options.

“She can’t rack a slide” is a pretty broad statement as some slides can be pretty easy to rack. The slide on a PP in .32 ACP for example is pretty easy to rack. On a .22 LR it’s even easier.

On a hammer fired pistol, cocking the hammer is a significant amount of the force needed to rack the slide - especially on smaller caliber pistols. Consequently, if the person cocks the hammer first, the force needed to rack the slide may be half of what it would be otherwise. It’s not how it’s normally done, but that’s not the point.

Again, her goal isn’t to shoot a practical pistol match or join the local SWAT team, her goal is to be able to first perform the essential function of shooting the pistol, and any of the secondary items like racking the slide, reloading, etc, are just gravy on the potatoes that help her be more independent with the handgun.

If you install a square faced rear sight you can rack a pistol on a table edge, or on a seam on your jeans or in her case on a suitable surface of her wheelchair. I’m not suggesting a 1911 but a sight like this allows you to rack a slide one handed.

You can also get creative. Does she plan to use an OWB holster or does she wear a belt? Sew a piece of Velcro on the outside of the holster or the belt. Then carefully clean and degrease the side of the slide and glue the complimentary piece of Velcro on the side of the slide. Now, racking the slide is just a matter of sticking the pistol to the Velcro on the belt and pressing forward with her hand and arm, and then twisting the pistol free of the Velcro. And once again she has a wheel chair - use it. Glue a piece of Velcro to it in a convenient location and you’ll accomplish the same thing.

In short, there are lots of ways for a person with one hand and limited hand strength to rack a slide. Don’t limit her by not getting outside the box and looking for different ways to do things.

There are also options like the Beretta Tomcat where the magazine is inserted and the barrel flips up to load the first round. There’s no need to rack the slide at all. This the smaller Bob cat, but it the same deal. It can be loaded and made ready to fire with one hand and minimal hand strength.

Probably most importantLy do not make the mistake most guys make in picking a handgun for them, or almost as bad, “guiding” them in the direction the guy wants them to go based the guy’s biases and predispositions. That seldom results in the woman actually using the handgun.

Take her somewhere that has a good selection of guns in rental and let her try them on the range. At a minimum let her go through the selection at a decently stocked gun shop (or two or three) and try various handguns to see what she can hold and point effectively with the slights more or less naturally aligning themselves, as well as finding out what features she can and can’t operate - while thinking creatively about easy, inexpensive accommodations that won’t permanently alter the gun.

Reading the OP, and then the above, I came up with a Ruger Single Seven in .327.

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

You fell into the “I want her to shoot what I think would work” trap.
If she has never been shooting before, your first, and IMHO only, option is 22Lr.
First of all I assume she has not shot before. Putting any other caliber in her hand at this point is shooting yourselves in the foot.
. Its not a man stopper but 99% of all encounters ends with either a gun drawn or getting shot- anywhere - because Your girlfriend went from being an “easy victim” to an armed citizen.
Man stopper calibers are great but weapon proficiency and shot placement still trumps caliber.
Tons of practice will pay dividends and hopefully moving up the cartridge ladder.
Get a laser boresighter and put it into the model 10 barrel. Place her a few feet from the wall.
Shoot at a lightswitch. If she can hit fairly close then you are good to get to the range. Have her keep practicing. I will manually flick the weapon to simulate recoil.
You might also want to try a CO2 gun.
The Dan Wesson 715 CO2 revolver is also a great practice item.
Do not dump money into a one off item just yet.
Best wishes-
Agree with BB57 above.
Also, in the future, you might want to look up “pistol charging handle / slide racker” on google but the tactical rear sight option works good too.

 

[Grayfox]

I've told this story many times, but here its worth telling again.
My wife had arthritis in her hands. She became recoil sensitive and could no longer handle the recoil of her .38 Detective Special.
For her the solution was a S&W Model 30-1 in .32 S&W Long.
I did some polishing on the internals and played with rebound springs to give it the lightest, but still reliable, trigger possible.
She loved the gun! Recoil is little more than a .22. Yet its a more reliable and more powerful cartridge.
Mag-Tech makes an excellent 98gr SJHP round that does meet FBI specs in gelatin tests.
S&W makes several J-frame .32s in both round and square butts and barrel lengths from 2" to 4". I'm sure you can find something to fit her.
In this pic, my wife's gun is the little 2" snub. But the 3" or 4" will serve just as well, if not better.

 

[rincar]

If she could load the first round into the barrel. The Beretta Model 21 A sounds like a possible pistol for her. The other option might be a 22 LR or 22 Magnum revolver. The Heritage arms bar keeper or a Ruger Wrangler. a Smith & Wesson Model 18. Is Just a Model !5 in 22LR. Good luck with your search

 

[Marshal Tom]

BB57 and I often think along the same lines and that is true here.One question I have is, can she use the other hand in any way to at least support/ stabilize the pistol for a two handed hold or is she limited to shooting one handed?
Go on line and look at the Quick Draw Magnetic mount. I found it at the Official Tactical Store. It could be mounted in a variety of locations, including the side of her wheelchair. It holds the pistol and also allows racking it as it is removed with one hand.
Also consider the Glock model 44 in .22lr and the M&P compact .22 as a starter. Low recoil, both very easy to rack etc. I would rather that she be able to operate and hit with a .22 than struggle with what would arguably be a more effective defensive caliber, at least to start out with.
I have a new student who showed up the first day with a Charter Arms .38 snubby that she had owned for several years, never shot and didn't even know how to load or unload it. After teaching her that and some dry firing, she shot a few ads. She complained of the recoil and noise and kept saying that she thought she was going to drop it. I borrowed an M&P compact .22 from a friend and had her try it. She did much better. I sent her shopping at one of the stores that I send students to. She ultimately purchased that gun. She did much better on the next session. She could operate the slide easily and she could hit with it. She could not with the CA .38. 3rdgeargrndrr's comments are right on as well.

 

[H Richard]

I have 1 recommendation that might work for her. Seeing her limitations, I agree with most that a Semi-Auto isn't practical. Any .357 is foolish, as she could never withstand the recoil (from your list of limitations).
A S&W 432PD is a J Frame, 6 shot .32 H&R Magnum, but you can shoot 32 longs as well. It is Hammerless, light weight, easy to operate, potent enough when needed.

 

[Darkenfast]

Robert Miller's channel on how he shoots with his disability is a bit of an eye-opener. He's shooting revolvers from a wheelchair, with his off-hand and second finger on the trigger. Hope it helps you and your girlfriend!

Robert Miller - YouTube

 

[snubbyfan]

I have a degenerative peripheral motor nerve condition which, according to my Neurologist, gives me profound weakness in my right hand and wrist and moderate weakness in my left hand and wrist.
I did a trigger job on my 442 smoothing the innards and installing an eight pound mainspring and an eleven pound rebound spring. I also changed to a Pachmayr compact grip. My snubby is completely dependable, there's no problem with reset or light strikes and I'd like to be able to move my fingers well enough to outrun the trigger.
I put a LaserLyte side mount laser on it mainly for dry fire practice and trained to shoot left handed. I can still fire it with my right hand but I need to use a 2 hand hold.



I was able to do this,


From this far away, I'm the fellow on the left.


All that being said, my wife's 66-3 always had a sweet trigger, I was always able to shoot it and it'll shoot .357 magnum. It's just kinda bulky for concealed carry.

 

[Old18C]

You may be interested in a S&W 351 PD. Seven shot .22 Mag very light with Crimson trace laser grips Very easy to use if the Red Dot on the target does not get the point across the seven rounds of .22 mag will.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I'm not trying to be cruel, but I know a thing or two about Cerebral Palsy, so... why not find her a mean dog that loves her? If she is limited to use of one hand and is wheelchair bound, she does not have what would be considered a mild case. My concern would be with the steadiness of her functioning hand and the ability to safely aim and fire the gun, regardless of what it is. She deserves to have protection from harm, but she is not absolved of the same responsibilities regarding safe handling of firearms that everyone else is subject to. She should also have the ability to prevent someone from taking her weapon from her, at least as much as anyone else could do. I say all this mainly because of her desire to have a carry permit, not of her desire to learn to shoot, which is admirable and entirely possible. A Model 10 would be an excellent choice, more so because she likes them, but also because it is a basic, easy to operate revolver. A Chief's Special (M36), or even better, a M37 Airweight would also be something to consider.

 

[PatriotX]

I have a shooting buddy with peripheral neuropathy.

The Hogue extended cylinder release was of great aid.

 

[jimmyj]

1. S&W "K" Frame, 3" or 4" barrel, RB or SB.
2. Action Job
3. Std W/C ammo

*** No semi-auto, No Hammerless

 

[Krogen]

She also cannot work the cylinder release of a NEW Smith and Wesson revolver, it’s too stiff, however she COULD relatively easily work the one on my late 1970s model 10.

It's great to hear when someone wants to learn to shoot. And you sound like you'll give everything you've got to help her meet that goal.

You mentioned she had trouble working the cylinder release on a new S&W. She may be more comfortable with a Ruger or Colt since their releases operate differently. Of course many of us on this forum focus on S&W, but there are other good choices as well. It's all about what she likes and what works for her.

A new shooter is often better off with a 22 as they learn. Then they can step up to a bigger cartridge if desired. Recoil and muzzle blast can be a big turnoff for newbies.