Suggestions and thoughts on this problem

[Brownie]

A customer who has severely deformed fingers due to arthritis who feels she needs a gun for home protection. Her hand strength, let alone her finger strength is very weak.

I had her try various firearms to include the Beretta 21a with tip up barrel thinking she could cock the hammer, safety lever on [ single action trigger pull ] and be able to load this one without having to rack a slide; she tried a small revo in double and single action; as well as a 1911 type firearm due to the light 4.5 pound trigger pull as well.

The situation doesn't look good. This woman can't hold or pull the trigger on a gun when it's cocked with the lightest of trigger pulls I can think of to test. She can't cock the revo or pull the trigger, nor with the Beretta or the 1911 type pistols.

I'm think of having her try a two hand hold and use the off hand finger to pull the trigger when she comes back in tomorrow, as she still wants to talk to me about her options in firearms if any exist.

Any suggestions suggestions from the members here?

[steve2267]

Am I correct in assuming that she is also incapable of operating the slide (i.e. racking) on any semi-auto pistol?

[DocH]

This is a real problem. I'll have to think on this one.I've had two relatives with that problem,one had her fingers drawn toward ulna side (outside) of the hands severely.The other had them drawn backwards bent over the top of the hand.Very painful.
Also any amount of recoil whatsoever is going to be very painful and discouraging to a person with this condition. I hate to be negative but a handgun may not be possible for this lady.

[Brownie]

Am I correct in assuming that she is also incapable of operating the slide (i.e. racking) on any semi-auto pistol?

Thats it in a nutshell Steve. Can't even pull the trigger weight of a cocked revo.

I hate to be negative but a handgun may not be possible for this lady.

Thats what I'm thinking here as well Doc.

We tried various pepper sprays and she didn't have the strength to discharge them either.

[steve2267]

Any chance of a 12ga or 20ga double (i.e. a coach gun)?

Perhaps the trigger(s) could be worked to be nice and light?

While I absolutely abhor the idea of using a middle finger to pull the trigger on a sidearm, perhaps that would offer more leverage on a coach gun?

Maybe a 20ga double, pay the tax stamp and get it cut down to 12" or something?

[Dave James]

This is going to require some monkeying around with a hand gun,,went thru this awhile back with a older gentleman, hears what we did

Glock 19,, Yea!! I know :D Had the local guy install the target grade 3lb trigger stuff, changed out the rear sight for a Heine straight -8 and then had him weld up the sides of the rear slide to form a hard L shaped bump both sides.. Had the smith build up the 22 conversion slide same,same

Taught him to cycle slide by either using the rear sight off of the night stand or the side of the slide, trigger weight seems OK for him now and when in 9mm mode he can maintain a good grip and use his off hand middle finger to work it if he has to.

Time intensive and costly ??? Yes but he felt worth it.

Short of some thing like that?????

[Guantes]

B,

I have a thought, it might be too far out, but nothing lost mentioning it.
You know the small "T" handled gaffs. I was thinking of a minature one made out of maybe 1/4" - 3/8" flat stock with a small "J" hook on the end. The other end with a round "T" handle. With a revolver she could put all her fingers on the grip and hold the device in the other hand. The "J" would hook on the trigger and fit along the side of the frame between her thumb and fingers. Her off hand would hold the handle of the "gaff" and she could use her entire off hand to pull it and thereby the trigger.

?????????

[Brownie]

Keep the suggestions coming, I may just send her up to an armorer we use to see if he can fabricate something along the lines of G's suggestion.

Appreicate the suggestions folks

[DocH]

Pretty good thought,G.That just might be workable.

[steve2267]

Just saw this picture from the SHOT show over on gunblast.com. Don't know if it might have relevance to this problem or not:

http://www.gunblast.com/images/SHOT2008/Day2/DSC02384.jpg

http://www.gunblast.com/images/SHOT2008/Day2/DSC02384.jpg

[David Williams]

Remember the old "winter trigger" modification for the M1 Garands? Guys couldn't get their gloved fingers inside the trigger guard, so they started using a lever mounted right behind the trigger guard that the shooter could squeeze. IIRC, I think some variants had a small lever, while another had a long lever that one could wrap all four fingers around.

You might be able to couple that with an autoloading shotgun.