Best Handgun Defensive Caliber for Old Arthritic Granny?

[browndalton]

Ps90

 

[David's Gun Room]

45-70

 

[Winterborne]

The question will come down to what she can operate.

Rimfire revolvers have heavy springs to ignite the round but load easy.

Most can't rack the slide or load the mag of a semi auto.

I vote Bear spray from Academy...all the grannies I know can shake and blast a can of Wasp spray.

 

[Ex313]

She needs to be able to reach over and start playing "Fortunate Son" really loud when she has to pull the gun on someone.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

She needs to be able to reach over and start playing "Fortunate Son" really loud when she has to pull the gun on someone.

Being able to whistle the theme music
for "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"
would be a strong deterrent, too.

 

[David Postell]

This is for home defense not for CCW.

I would say the needed criteria would be:
Low recoil
Decent round capacity
East to operate in regard to making ready to shoot and shooting. Not including cleaning and loading.
Terminal effectiveness
A small enough grip that a small weak hand could hold on to.

The calibers that come to mind are 22lr, 22wmr, 5.7, and 380.

Looking at some modern offerings, S&W make a high-capacity pistol in 22wmr and 5.7.
I am not in love with their terminal effectiveness and their grips are a little big for granny.
They do have great capacity and very low recoil.

Sig's P322 is a high capacity 22lr with an acceptable grip and low recoil.
But the terminal velocity is probably worse that the 22wmr and the 5.7. I am not sure how much worse in a 4-inch barrel.

Recently a larger size 380 has got my attention. It is a Beretta 80x Cheetah.
It has 13+1 capacity. Not too large of a grip. Larger than the modern-day pocket rockets so more controllable.
Low recoil. With some of the modern ammo by Underwood, it may be fairly effective.

What do you think?

Try out palmettos 5.7 pistol seems legit. We all know they are Glock clones they are good and reliable

 

[StuP]

Is she prepared and able to master the manual of arms required to clear stoppages, if not I'd suggest anything semi-auto might be a poor choice.

 

[CBH13]

LCR in .327 mag.

trigger is way better and easier than almost any other small wheelgun, you get 1 more round than .38, and it can be loaded with .32 long which feels like a 22 with way better ballistics

 

[glocker]

45-70

In a derringer!

 

[Korndog]

LCR in .327 mag.

trigger is way better and easier than almost any other small wheelgun, you get 1 more round than .38, and it can be loaded with .32 long which feels like a 22 with way better ballistics

Often hard to find, but an excellent recommendation!