380 With Easy Slide Operation

SP45

Which 380 would you recommend for an older person who has weak hand strength and has trouble operating the slide. It does not have to be small as it will mostly be used in the home.

mark christian

Beretta 86 with a tip-up barrel. You don't even have to rack the slide, just load a round directly into the chamber, lower and lock the barrel (the locking latch is on the right side of the frame), release the safety, pull the trigger and shoot.

tsr1965

Mark is exactly correct. I have been having to sell a lot of the Taurus PT 22's, and Beretta 21's to customers, and some revolvers, just for the lack of hand strength.

asop

I looked at these awhile back and ended up purchasing Ruger's LCP. Smaller and MUCH less expensive. What's the reason for the high prices on the Beretta?

rufe-snow

Don't mean to pee, in the previous posters Cheerios.[:D] But the 86 hasn't been made for years. And has become a high priced collectors item, because of this. Haven't seen one sold for years, locally. If you are able to find one for sale? My wag, is that it would be in the $800 to $1200 price range.


Might have to consider, a Smith and Wesson revolver. The has been worked on by a knowledgeable gunsmith. To make the double action mechanism as smooth and light as possible. But still be reliable.

Ricci Wright

Go to a gun store preferably one with a range and good supply of rental guns. Look at a Sig p238, a Walther pk380, a Bersa thunder 380. While a 9mm the Walther ccp is also easy to operate. If you can find a good older k frame S&W 38 revolver that might work for you as well. We do this all the time at the store and these guns usually work. If none of the above are easy enough look at a Ruger SR22 pistol. It is super easy to run and shoot well. It is a 22lr but if the bullets are well placed will do the job. Good luck.

savage170

Another option is one of these my SIL has has one
http://www.handi-racker.com

Bill DeShivs

Or, learn how to pull the slide back using your upper body strength.

oldWinchesterfan

Here's one more option to consider. My wife does not have much hand strength and her favorite shooter is a full size 1911 in 9mm. Easy to work slide because of the light recoil spring. Holds10 + 1 rounds and shoots with little recoil. An easy shooter. Not a CCW piece but a fine house gun. Hers happens to be a stainless Springfield Armory, but I suspect others have similar characteristics.

JIM STARK

For those with weak hand strength, be aware that many times the handgun is limp wristed... Don't ask me how i know....
JIM............

beantownshootah

Taurus model pt58 is a clone of the Beretta 84. Its also out of production, but you may be able to find a used one quite a bit cheaper than a Beretta.

Which .380 would I recommend for an older person with weak grip?

My answer: "NONE of them" (including the Walther PPK clones).

In my opinion .380 is a round best used in a pocket pistol or small submachine gun. Outside those two applications, I really don't see a good use for this caliber.

If someone lacks the hand strength to rack the slide on a .380, chances are pretty good they also lack the strength to control the gun during recoil. They'll either drop the gun altogether, or "limp wrist" it so it jams on shot #1.

IMO the little "pocket" .380s that make nice light carry pieces are simply a poor choice for primary home defense (for anyone. . .let alone frailer older persons with low grip strength).

They're too little, hard to operate, hard to control (barely enough room to get a one handed grip, let alone a two handed one), and offer little power. Yes, they're better than the proverbial pointed stick, but I think there are much better choices out there.

If they have to have "a" gun, my recommendation for an older person who lacks hand strength is a MEDIUM FRAME .38 caliber revolver.

The rounds are more powerful, cheaper, easier to load into the gun, simpler to operate, offer less recoil, and are more reliable. A variety of grips are available, to optimize fit of the gun to the hand of the shooter. A 4" barrel revolver is also physically more intimidating to an adversary (it looks like a gun, not a toy) and *MUCH* easier to hit with.

62fuelie

+1 on the Walther PPC. It has a gas retarded recoil system much like the H&K P-7. This allows the recoil spring to be lighter as it is mostly concerned with stripping the fresh round from the mag and returning to battery.
I, also, like the suggestion on the S&W "K" frames. In particular the 2" Model 10 and Model 15 and the 2 1/2" Model 19/66. Good deal of weapon weight to absorb recoil, but needs to supported by the strength of the same wrists we are concerned about in the "limp-wrist" area. Go to a gunstore with a range where they will let to rent the possible candidates and see what works best for you. Many will apply all or part of the rent to the purchase if you buy from them.