Age old question. What CCW for elderly

[Hill_Country]

I just started medicare last month and this thread makes me feel like a kid. <G>

I still love my 3d Gen Smiths, but I find myself more and more just grabbing my 638. It is about half the weight and I don't even notice it. The drawback is that the little sucker stings so I usually take the (steel) model 36 to the range. I'm thinking I need a model 649 in .357 so I have the option of .38's, but then I'm right back to the weight of the CS9 or 908.

Perhaps as important as caliber is the sights - I've had increasing difficulty focusing on the sights and lasers have been a godsend for me. Beyond that, I like lasers for a number of reasons and believe they have substantially improved my trigger technique. I go in for my first cataract surgery tomorrow so we'll see how all that works out.

I've learned a lot on this forum, mainly that no one will ever agree on the proper caliber of a carry weapon. So carry what you're comfortable with and confident that it will do the job.

 

[CW Spook]

I'm just a year younger. For me, the choice has become a 642CT...regular practice with WCs, & carry 125gr JHP +P, firing just a cylinder or two of those a year to remind me.

 

[SMSgt]

61 here, and I still find my Glock 30 .45 ACP pleasant to shoot. My only complaint is the weight; 10+ rounds of 230 grn .45s adds up. If I were buying today, I'd look at the G30S (slightly smaller and lighter--same capacity) or the G36 (smaller single stack, less capacity).

If neither of those two worked out, I'd carry a small 6-shot .38 loaded with standard load 158 grain hardcast SWCs. Contrary to what some think, BGs are not armor plated.

 

[MP1983]

given the climate & locale where you live, and the guns you listed that you own & shoot, I think it's more of a question about ease of carry than age...

the Kahr 9mm is a nice option, but check out the Walther PPS...it's about the size of a deck of cards and not too heavy, and, is light on recoil in 9mm....

give it a looksee...

good luck to you on the hunt...

BTW: I believe they carry those at GT Distributor's in Austin...

 

[TStick]

I hope youngsters are allowed in here!

I have a completely different proposal for you. Keep what you have and are familiar with - but ask a local gun internet forum or gun club for a reloader to help with practice ammo. That way, you won't be changing guns between practice and protection, you won't have to learn a new gun or settle for something less than what you really want, and you won't be giving up practice with your choice of carry.

A reloader can put much lighter loads together for you to practice with and maintain proficiency that won't have the sting of commercial ammo. Then, when practice is over, load up with some premium defense ammo for protection. I assume that you won't notice or care about the sting if you really need to protect yourself, but that is a personal question for you and only you.

There is a downside, and that is that you will need to vet the reloader pretty well yourself; as you don't want to be firing accidental double charges! However, I bet that there are an awful lot of highly experienced loaders near you that would love nothing more than to help you keep practicing and protecting yourself; that just seems to be the way the gun community works.

 

[Bmlove]

Hmmmm u may be right

given the climate & locale where you live, and the guns you listed that you own & shoot, I think it's more of a question about ease of carry than age...

the Kahr 9mm is a nice option, but check out the Walther PPS...it's about the size of a deck of cards and not too heavy, and, is light on recoil in 9mm....

give it a looksee...

good luck to you on the hunt...

BTW: I believe they carry those at GT Distributor's in Austin...

I think you might have hit the nail on the head. I've never thought about it along those lines. Everyone has had good thoughts and I do thank them all. I'm going to be making a decision soon I know and when I do I'll let everyone know. I shoot my 9mm very well and thinking might be able to just go a little smaller and lighter on the 9mm line and not have the expense of so many calibers of guns. 9mm so much cheaper than 38 spl too. Familiar with gt dist. Have excellent prices and being retired navy can get addnl discount. . And I do like the looks and feel of the Kahr, just have not shot one.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Old Seabee]

CCW

I like the 640 pro series no hammer load what feels good . Im 68 & it feels good OldSeabee

 

[Old cop]

I'm 67 and recently went back to carrying my Colt Cobra for all the same reasons you listed. I know this is a S&W site but the Cobra has better sights and a lighter trigger while only being slightly bigger than the J. Another possibility is a Keltec .32 acp. It qualifies as a mouse gun but comes in handy when social circumstances dictate and it's better than nothing.

 

[venomballistics]

From what I gather, you have some issue with recoil due to the edict imposed by king Arthur.
You do not want any of the super light titanium this scandium that "must be kept loaded to keep it from floating away" guns.
The weight of the gun helps you deal with the recoil.
carrying a heavier gun isn't that hard after you figure out how to carry them.
I recommend starting out with the heaviest chunk of steel you currently have and use it to determine some of the most tolerable means of carry with that. as soon as you find a position that seems to work well for you, make some concessions as needed.
Try not to give up too much weight. in your case, its probably better to adapt to something you can practice with rather than become deathly afraid of something that eats you up with recoil.

 

[Bmlove]

From what I gather, you have some issue with recoil due to the edict imposed by king Arthur.
You do not want any of the super light titanium this scandium that "must be kept loaded to keep it from floating away" guns.
The weight of the gun helps you deal with the recoil.
carrying a heavier gun isn't that hard after you figure out how to carry them.
I recommend starting out with the heaviest chunk of steel you currently have and use it to determine some of the most tolerable means of carry with that. as soon as you find a position that seems to work well for you, make some concessions as needed.
Try not to give up too much weight. in your case, its probably better to adapt to something you can practice with rather than become deathly afraid of something that eats you up with recoil.

Venom, I do understand the weight to recoil ratio. My current .38 weights 34 Ounces loaded and my 9mm is in the 27 oz range. Both feel really heavy when I carry them at home. I guess I forgot to mention I do also have a bad back and had spinal fusion surgery several years ago. I have just recently "recaught" the shooting bug and started with a SAXD 45 full sized few month ago which got traded for the 9mm 4" xd I have now. Very little recoil and I do shoot it well. My 38 S&W was my dads service revolver from the 50's that he carried for 30+ years. Fine gun and I love the Smith revolvers. DA hard for me to shoot but getting better with practice. His gun is getting old and I want to retire it so looking for a replacement. Revolver or pistol, like them both. I'm rattling, sorry will close now. Lol
Thank for ur input though. I'm taking everything I've received here into account in my looking process. Some guns have been mentioned that I did not know about and I've stared a database to be able to track them and review them. Thanks again

 

[Bmlove]

I've got a couple that I use for conceal carry:

S&W Model 60 2 1/8". Yeah, it really stings shooting .357 Mag, so I load it 'down' with .38 Special +P. I carry two speed loaders for a total of 15 rounds. This has become my regular carry weapon when I'm out riding my bicycle on the various bike paths in my area, replacing the M686+ 2.5". It fits nicely in my handlebar bag, ready to grab if the need ever presents itself. I don't have difficulties with gripping the gun, or pulling the trigger in DA. You might consider reducing the spring to get a better DA trigger pull. IMHO, there is nothing simpler and more reliable, than a DA revolver. Well, perhaps my Thompson Contender. But follow up shots are not as quick. And it's difficult to conceal a 14" .45-70 barrel...

The other 'go to' CC pistol is a Kimber Ultra CDP II. Small, accurate, .45acp stopping power (Federal 230gr Hydra Shok) I carry one or two extra magazines, depending on how I have it concealed.

I know what you mean about getting the arthritis. I'm 62, and can feel it creeping into my fingers/knuckles. And shooting .357 magnum out of a J-frame is not my idea of a pleasant range session either. However, in a life or death situation, I don't think you will ever feel it. And, statistics have shown, in most of those situations no shots are ever fired. But, 'times they are a changin'. The bad guys have stepped up the violence levels. Simple robberies have now become robberies/batteries/homicides. And, as in nature, the elderly are easy targets.

Be safe out there.

I recently rented a m60 CT 3" at the local range and like an idiot I shoot 50 rds of 357 thru it in one session. My hand ached for 3 days lol. But I did really like the gun and thought my search was over. Only thing stopping me from buying it is/was the price tag. Anyone got a used one they want to sell. . Cheap. Lol.

 

[shouldazagged]

I'm 75, with lots of arthritis, pretty much head to toe. What's comfortable for me is a 640 .38 Special with Pachmayr Compac grips, loaded with +P. Probably weighs around 24 ounces loaded. I pocket carry it in either a DeSantis Nemesis or Uncle Mike's pocket holster. It's no trouble to conceal.

The sights, of course, are not models of visibility, but I don't anticipate having to make self-defense shots at over 25 feet at the outside. Probably a lot closer.

The heft of the steel J-frame and the construction of the Pachmayrs absorb a lot of recoil, and the grips and the shape of the Centennial frame give a higher hold to reduce muzzle flip. Pretty easy to shoot with buggered-up hands. And I just like revolvers.

 

[finesse_r]

Slightly Better Than the Alternative

At 67 my arthritis is just beginning to take a toll on me in the form of no longer enjoying shooting .357 Magnum loads especially in my lighter weight revolvers. I have recently switched from semi-autos to revolvers for concealed carry, as I doubt I will ever need semi-auto fire power in this rural area, and I just really like revolvers better.

I carry several guns. I will list them in order of carry time they get: S&W M 696, Ruger Speed Six SS, 2 ¾" in either 9mm or .38 + P. I sometimes drop a 649-2 in my pocket for a back up and I have dropped down from +P to .38 Spl. 125 gr. Nyclads.

I am looking for an IWB holster for my S&W625-3 3" which may well become my next primary concealed carry gun. It is not much larger than the 696 I now carry and it comes with a larger diameter projectile and one extra round.

If I drive into Houston or Dallas, I would shift back to a M6906 or a M4513TSW for primary and carry either the 649 or the Speed Six in 9mm for a back up.

One thing I have found that helps with recoil dramatically is to use Pachmayr grips that cover the back strap. I like their compac grips on all my round butt carry revolvers. On my single stack semi-autos I put Hogue grips, but keep the original S&W grips on my double stack semis.

My guess is that another 5 or 10 years will see me downgrade the carry guns to mostly .38 +P and eventually to just .38 spls. Another possibility is to reload my own and just shoot something like a .44 spl. flat nose 200 gr. lead wad cutter bullet with a lighter powder load to reduce the recoil. Even at slower speeds a 200 gr. Flat nose .44 spl. should get the job done pretty well. Can you say thud!

 

[Bmlove]

I'm 75, with lots of arthritis, pretty much head to toe. What's comfortable for me is a 640 .38 Special with Pachmayr Compac grips, loaded with +P. Probably weighs around 24 ounces loaded. I pocket carry it in either a DeSantis Nemesis or Uncle Mike's pocket holster. It's no trouble to conceal.

The sights, of course, are not models of visibility, but I don't anticipate having to make self-defense shots at over 25 feet at the outside. Probably a lot closer.

The heft of the steel J-frame and the construction of the Pachmayrs absorb a lot of recoil, and the grips and the shape of the Centennial frame give a higher hold to reduce muzzle flip. Pretty easy to shoot with buggered-up hands. And I just like revolvers.

Mmmmmmm revolvers..such a sensual feel of the finger slowly squeezing the trigger until the hammer releases the power of the bullet down range. Nothing bets that feel for sure. .

 

[venomballistics]

Mmmmmmm revolvers..such a sensual feel of the finger slowly squeezing the trigger until the hammer releases the power of the bullet down range. Nothing bets that feel for sure. .

I can think of a few that beat it ....
the feeling of a clutch engaging on a 450+ hp V8 and that pin ya to the drivers seat rush that follows comes to mind.
Other examples I can't share on a family friendly forum, though they have been known to result in families to be friendly to

 

[Xfuzz]

It has been mentioned ..S&W 12 2" RB.
After that a Ninja/tactical Cane.

 

[RussC]

I'm 68, male, fairly fit and currently shoot the following:
SAXD 4" 9mm
Smith and wesson 38 special snub k frame
Various 22- cals.

I am going to be getting my CHL this summer and the guns I have are to heavy for me to carry. Add this to the fact that my hands are developing a bit of arthritis, I'm looking for a good conceal gun. I wanted a light 357 so I could shoot multiple ammo but it hurts the hands too much. Have tried the smith m60, ruger sp101, and just too much for me to handle. You guys have been great in answering questions in the past and I respect your input. So I'm asking for a little input now for some recommendations on the best gun for an elderly man to carry. Ok, not that old but starting to feel it. Also sight is not what it once was either. Gun will need some good sights. My 9mm has some fine three white dot.


Thanks in advance

Sir:

I would keep your eye on the new Beretta Pico 380/32 which will be released this Aug.

The weapon will offer a barrel swap so you can go 32 if the 380 is too much recoil.

I own the M&P Shield 9 mm and really enjoy it but she is 24 oz loaded.

I know there are some argue a 380 or 32 is not enough and there will always be a trade off when it comes to a concealed weapon. (Smaller and lighter weight weapons will have more felt recoil and come in smaller calibers)

I would see if your local gun range rents a Shield 9mm. It is a little big for a pocket gun but great for IWB.

No question the Beretta Pico will be a pocket gun and the 32 may be good for the sore wrists.

Russ

P.S. Pico will offer real sights unlike some 380 weapons that offer small grooves.

I have poor vision and I had installed on my Shield XS Big Dot Night Sights. You can't miss the white golf ball front sight even with my vision. It is big illuminates in low light and makes point shooting a breeze.

 

[Jeffersonwasright]

When I turn 75, I'm tradin' in my guns for a hand grenade. You wanna pick on an old guy? Come and get it!!

 

[shouldazagged]

When I turn 75, I'm tradin' in my guns for a hand grenade. You wanna pick on an old guy? Come and get it!!

Easy for you to say--I can still squeeze a trigger, but I might hurt myself trying to pull the pin on a grenade. Besides, I probably couldn't throw the damn thing far enough to be out of the blast radius.

.

 

[tops]

An older person, or a smaller statured woman can do much worse than a J frame revolver for self-defense.

I carried one in my 20s and I was tough as a pine knot and could bear hunt with a switch. Larry