took two "older women" to the range yesterday

[W.E.G.]

We were shooting 130-grain Winchester FMJ "range ammo."

It was completely "my idea," but it was better than sitting around talking about our surgeries.

The gun belongs to the 67-year-old.

The opportunity to get these two to the range comes up only rarely.

I expected hand-strength issues, but was surprised at the severity of it.

I don't find double-action triggers to be any easier with a .22, or with different .38 revolvers.
I've got one of those S&W "kit gun" .22 revolvers. D/A trigger is plenty heavy.
I wouldn't trust either of them with a semi-auto of any flavor in a million years.

Honestly, I confiscated an Astra .25 auto from the 67-year old some years ago, and replaced it with the Ruger and a couple boxes of .38's after she complained about how nasty the .25 was to fire (which she probably had not done in 30 years).

The Astra is now old enough for C&R.
I'm gonna sell it and send her the money.
She needs it.

 

[rwsmith]

My wife likes bunny wadcutters.

She likes the 686 and shoots bunny wadcutters just fine. I've been thinking about taking her up a level but I have to take it easy. I don't want to scare off my shooting partner.

I'm going to try to get her to fire something stronger out of the 686 to feel a little kick. Then I think she'll be ready for low end 9mm. She's a little afraid of the semi right now. I can understand because it's a higher energy round, the slide jumping back at you and shells bouncing off the walls.

 

[UncaGrunny]

I'm hoping to get the wife out with my 15-22 someday soon; she's never fired a long arm & it's about the friendliest firearm I've ever shot, absent air guns.

She made it thru handgun training with the range's Glock 9mm like a trooper, but for some reason she simply cannot rack the slide on Dad's old Hi-Standard HD Mil... possibly too narrow for her to grip the slide well, and the serrations on those are unfriendly to soft fingers if you let it slip at all. Sharply cut.

The M&P 9fs she hasn't had a chance to try yet, but I think she'll take to the 15-22. Might not fit many people's definition of a home defense weapon, but a .22lr round in the right place is a darn sight more protection than an unfired anything-bigger.

 

[loc n load]

Gals and guns

I trained thousands of male & female officers to shoot handguns ( both revolver & pistols)over a thirty year period.....qualification was a necessity - because it was a "condition of employment"....upper body strength was sometimes an issue on both the revolver shooting DA and the pistols....and I am talking abt shooters ranging in age from 21 to 50 years of age.....I also qualified officers on M-14's 308, Remington 870's with #4 buck loads, and M-16 A2's as well as SMG's.....I encountered quite a few males who did not have all of that great hand strength or upper body endurance also......it can be done....but it can and was at times quite a challenge. It helps to motivate them, when they know their jobs are at risk.

 

[fiasconva]

Bet you didn't call them "older women" while either of them was holding a gun...

 

[Clean Break]

Not everyone is fit enough to surf or waterski. Not everyone is fit enough to safely operate a gun.

 

[pharmer]

Better to take a couple "non gun non shooter" types to the range than a wahoo commando anytime. Next time they are asked to "take a stand" on guns, if you were nice the answer will be in the affirmative. Joe

 

[Biggfoot44]

Taking non-shooters shooting is always a good thing. But you're using an incorrect gun.

It varies highly from person to person. For some the biggest issues is trigger pull per se. ( And DA triggers use certain specific muscles not in everyday use. ) For others the arm / shoulder issues of holding the gun in a firing position are the sticking point.