Exploring 🔫 For Shooters with Less Grip Strength
Worth the read even if you don't struggle with your grip
Several months back, I was at the range with my husband, getting some time on a gun I was set to review. The man in the bay next to me was finishing up, and I noticed he approached my husband, who was on the bench behind me, and they started talking. Shortly after, I took a break and joined the conversation.
This man was a bit older, probably in his 70s, and he commented on how nice it was that we came to the range together. He asked what I was shooting and how I liked it. His wife likes shooting as well, but as she’s getting older, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to rack a slide and manipulate the controls on a handgun.
I should note that I believe most people can rack a slide if they’re taught the proper technique instead of trying to use brute force. But that’s easy to say when you don’t have arthritis or a disability or just generally weak hands. That’s a topic for another day.
He asked if I had any suggestions for her to try. At the time, the easiest-to-rack pistol I’d handle was the Walther PDP-F. I didn’t have it with me, or else I would have let him try it, but he said he’d bring her back to rent it.
When my husband and I got into the car, I told him I wished I’d had more suggestions for that man. The PDP-F is a great gun, but it’s pretty big for a woman despite being designed for us. Until I started writing in the gun industry, I hadn’t really tried many pistols. I picked the ones I liked, and since then, my practice has been focused on what I carry because that’s where I need to be proficient. Still, I was left feeling out of the loop.
In the months following I got the chance to spend some time with two pistols that I would have recommended that day at the range. In fact, when the chance came up, I immediately thought of that man and wished we’d exchanged information. I don’t think my IG demographic is 70+-year-old men, though, so I didn’t bother giving him my handle 😂
I wrote reviews on each of these pistols, and they were published recently. It’s much more than I can fit in this newsletter, so I’ll leave you with the links if you’d like to read them. Maybe you know someone struggling with hand strength issues? If so, I hope this information helps!
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback.
Have a great weekend and stay casual+tactical,
Elizabeth