my mother in law wants a gun

I set my mom up with a 6" GP100 loaded with 38 +P

my thinking:
Snubbies are too hard to aim with a 2" site radius
semi handguns are too complicated for a very casual user
pump shotguns too damn big and too much boom
semi auto rifles, manual of arms too damn complicated for a casual user

This. KISS rule in affect. You don't get much more simple than a nice revolver.
 
Oh I know, how about a nice 1919A1? It's belt fed so she won't have to reload it and you can mount it on a tripod so she doesn't have to lift it:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I set my mom up with a 6" GP100 loaded with 38 +P

my thinking:
Snubbies are too hard to aim with a 2" site radius
semi handguns are too complicated for a very casual user
pump shotguns too damn big and too much boom
semi auto rifles, manual of arms too damn complicated for a casual user

This.
My 65yo mother got her LTC 2 yrs ago. Very little shooting experience prior. she Was convinced, based on a friend's wife's recommendation, that a G26 was the gun for her. I was skeptical, based on her hand strength.

I introduced her to my G19. She could only barely rack the slide and also found loading a magazine very difficult.

I suggested a revolver. She picked up a hammerless 642 one day, after calling me from a gun shop to ask my opinion. I said get it because I wanted her to get SOMETHING; at that point she'd had the LTC for a few months already.

Well, the DA only trigger on the 642 and the tiny sight radius didn't help her much. She literally could barely put it on the paper at 30ft.

Finally got her into a stainless .357 S&W with 3" bbl and regular sa/da (the model escapes me now, I haven't laid eyes on it in 2 yrs). Loaded it with .38 spl and she loves it.

Obviously YMMV, but that's my experience.

I think if I left my AR with her for a week, she would still not be able to figure out how to run it.
 
Saw a mom defend her place with hi point carbine the other day.

Might be worth considering.

Looks easy to operate and maintain. Get it in .45ACP Go mom!

Also, a GP100 on her hip as backup. [smile]
 
Last edited:
Ruger LCR in .22WMRF

Small and light enough to handle. Carry even. Not so punishing of recoil. Winchester makes PDX1 home/self defense ammo for it.

Anyone breaking in & getting shot by it won't stick around to know whether it's a .38 or .357. They'll be running.
 
Interesting that everyone thinks 62 is old.

That's natural until you start to approach that number!

Remember when we all thought anyone >30 was "old"? [laugh]

- - - Updated - - -

This

Any long gun might go through several houses, taking out more than the bad guy.

If you do the research (FBI did) you'll find that most pistols will too!
 
the question is, do you like her?

If yes, get her something nice that she can handle...

If no, this may be an option....

backwards.png

(I'm pretty surprised that this hasn't already been posted with the crew on here)
 
A carbine (pistol caliber or .223), a fuller size semi G17 or 19, or wheel gun would all be my vote before a scatter gun.

That said she has to have the conversation with herself to know if she able to pull a trigger.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
don't many LEO's use rifles for clearing buildings?

They do. With practice/training. The question here becomes does the OP's MiL intend to run room-clearing drills, with her carbine, until she's comfortable moving around the house with it, or will she occasionally hit the range to make sure she's still on paper?
 
i love my CX4 storm in 9mm. such an amazing little PC-carbine.
if i were doing it again i would have looked at the just right carbine also since it takes glock mags.

i agree with whoever suggested a revolver. my folks have revolvers since them old peeps tend to let the gun sit for years on end. i can't trust a loaded magazine or pistol that has been in the cupboard since 1976. a revolver, on the other hand, i will trust from WW2.

- - - Updated - - -

the question is, do you like her?

If yes, get her something nice that she can handle...

If no, this may be an option....

View attachment 98003

(I'm pretty surprised that this hasn't already been posted with the crew on here)

+1 for mother in law, ROFL
 
I would agree with those that suggest a revolver. The main reason being that unless she really takes to shooting, it will probably sit in the drawer of an end table for years at a time.

Model 60 loaded with 38 spec +p. It can sit there for 5 years after she forgets about it and still be effective and reliable when something goes bump in the night.

I don't like a rifle at all. Way too many things to remember when her heart is beating out of her chest, way to easy to take away from her, and over penetration is a major concern. Even a smaller gauge shotgun has too many potential issues.

Revolver - point pull trigger and repeat. If centerfire is too much, 22 mag is not a bad choice
 
Tell her to get an alarm system.
[rofl2]
Depending on where she lives, this advice ranges from pointless to deadly.

I have personally observed response times from 15 to 30 minutes in FL. Particularly to house alarms.

She's going to need to try some things out. Take a good collection and help her or find a range to rent different things.

As far as carbine vs hand-gun vs shotgun, it depends on her, see above. Ideally she would be comfortable with whatever she chooses and practice regularly, but people have saved lives with guns they've fire rarely or never as well. Keeping in mind it can be tough to find a place to practice with rifles depending on where she lives...
 
Back
Top Bottom