Defense Shotgun for Mom

[W.R.Buchanan]

PC Carbine in .40 is the ticket, although 9mm would do the job too. Ideally one with an adjustable stock that you can adjust before you pin it. Either that or see if she can handle a featureless grip.

Or, if you have to build a PCC, get a side-charging Gibbz upper for ease of loading. That would allow you to set the length of pull when it's still not a complete gun yet.

Much easier to just buy a Ruger PCC .40 like I did. And Magpul finally posted some OD Green stocks on their site today. I finally got one coming and it only took 6 months!

Could I defend with that gun, maybe /probably, could she????? I have hit steel targets at 3 gun shoots with mine out to 175 yards. Holding 2 feet high and 2 feet to the left, figured out after a few shots. At 100 yards I can hit a man sized target offhand 90%+. At 50 yards every time.

I have shot that gun a lot But I would choose something else to fight with if I had a choice. You guys should know that I am big on Tactical Shotguns however they aren't the right tool for an open country fight. IF the shots are going to be much over 50 yards, you need a rifle. and I don't mean a PCC.

I have a Marlin 1894CB24 .44 Mag. that I can hit with out to 200 yards off a rest. Getting hit by a 260 gr SWC would be similar to getting hit buy a Shotgun Slug. It would give me extra range and would be extremely formidable at shorter ranges. So for her situation that's the gun I'd choose, but I doubt she could deal with the recoil. So we are back to a .223 carbine like a Mini 14 or KT SU 16.

AR's have too many "Legalities" attached to them and if she was in a gun fight here in CA and killed someone with an AR, she'd probably have Legal problems afterwards.

Only real safe way to deal with this situation is to avoid the fight completely. IE: Move her!

Randy

[SharedShots]

She has already lived longer than many of us will. Now is probably not the time to start her thinking about firefights (where does this stuff come from?), building guns and all that.

I doubt what she wants is to live in fear, have some AR or whatever constantly within reach because of some open land warfare scenario and at 86+ move into some other house and have her independence washed away.

I doubt those commenting are 86 or really close to it. She might take a shovel to a snake or even get out the 410 to deal with such critters but all this tactical stuff? Seriously.

Door knocks are getting real common and I just went through that this weekend where it happened to family living alone and yes, 86 years old as it happens. That is why I added this post.

We put cameras up, family member was visiting and "dad' was sitting in the living room watching some TV. The front door was left unlocked, by accident. Place has always been relatively safe. Someone opens the door and quickly closes it. This is happening all over in higher density housing for seniors as well as apartment buildings. What to do, at 86 get them into some Mini14 or AR and then start heading to the range to gain competence? For the very few, maybe, for most - lets be realistic.

Solution? Auto-locking door lock with spring closure. The helpers come by once a day with a midday meal and medicine, tidy up but they too can accidentally leave a door unlocked so this solves any such problem. We can open the lock remotely if needed. Door locks aren't going to work in the OPs case but auto locking doors just might help. As people "into" guns, naturally the recommendations for some new gun come up but so often it's easy to forget the subject person.

My point is that he isn't moving no matter what anyone says, getting into some built new rifle or a Mini or AR, again, its more than just saying here you go, hope it works out - everyone here is about training right? So being honest about it, gonna take very senior to the range and all that and prepare for some firefight? That can't be serious.

Harden the environment without making it a prison, frequent visits even if it means sucking it up and figuring out how to make that happen but in all that, don't make guns some central focus in their life if it's never been that, they aren't into the tactiwhatever stuff you read around here. 86 year old Mom and Grandma and the talk is about firefights, 100 yard and longer distance shoots?

Some say move her. Ok, when did it become ok to move people if they don't want to move and are capable of independent living and not mentally incompetent? Where does that even come from? All this talk about freedom and the calls are just to move her when she said no? Don't worry, your turn will come.

Sometimes, just sometimes, things will happen and given the totality of the situation, sometimes the answer to everything isn't more or new guns. She is apparently aware, able to make her own decisions and no doubt knows the risks. Do what you can but don't control her life, it's hers and not yours and I say that in general terms. Don't take away the years some people have left even if well meaning.






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[floogy]

I think there's pretty good points all around. One thing is that she still seems to be lucid and not suffering from memory problems. I know that I wouldn't mind dying out by the wood pile with my boots on at whatever age that happens to be.

I think that if she's capable of caring for herself, she should be free to do so as long as she wants. Trading safety for freedom is a tough pill to swallow. If I had concerns about memory loss or mobility issues, I'd have to make a strong argument to move somewhere else.

Be cautious about getting a gun as a security blanket. If unwilling or unable to use it well, it can become a liability.

First and foremost, do everything possible to increase security prior to having to use a gun, a gun is last resort anyway. Beefing up doors and windows to the point where they're very secure. Maybe a safe room of some sort. Use an exterior door for the bedroom? All those types of things.

Here's a suggestion I've not seen. 22WMR semi auto. https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst....cfm/ID/260574 Just one of a few available, including a Kel Tec which is even smaller and can have evil features since it's rimfire.

At this point, there is no perfect gun for her. Everything will be a compromise based on her age and size/weight. Very large and very small firearms are both terrible as are lightweight guns with a lot of recoil. i.e. a 38 snubnose or 12ga shotgun.

My suggestion is PCC or 22 mag semi auto.

[Mojaveman]

Here's a suggestion I've not seen. 22WMR semi-auto. My suggestion is PCC or 22 magnum semi-auto.

Exactly what I was thinking. Considering her age and size maybe a Ruger 10/22 with a few extra magazines?

[floogy]

Exactly what I was thinking. Considering her age and size maybe a Ruger 10/22 with a few extra magazines?

Those 10/22 Mags are crazy expensive now. One on GB is $1100 and counting. The Kel Tec 22 mag rifle is an option, as is the Bear Creek 22 mag dedicated upper.

Again, while 22 mag is a compromise, I think someone of that age, size and level of firearms proficiency would be able to get more hits with a light recoiling long gun.

[DaveInOroValley]

Along with whatever shotgun decided on how about a decent revolver? My Grandmother kept a Webley in her night stand. Revolvers for older people are preferred to a semi-auto for obvious reasons.

[newbutold]

Along with whatever shotgun decided on how about a decent revolver? My Grandmother kept a Webley in her night stand. Revolvers for older people are preferred to a semi-auto for obvious reasons.

Sounds like she has a revolver....

"Mom is 86, getting close to 87 now and about 5'3" and 90 lbs. She has a .38 SW revolver as well as a single shot .410 shotgun that she uses for snakes."

[SoftHeart]

One of my walk-in closets is converted to a saferoom. You can't fire through the walls or the door which you can't bust open without a truck.

Get one of these middle-end security DVR/NVR'S W/motion detection/overwrite protection w/day/night-cameras w/insulated electronics.

Make sure the cameras are wireless (so thieves can't follow the wiring to your secuity box. Hide your DVR/NVR and anchor it in an armored box.



System can call any device and/or both you and your mom. Make sure the cameras are equipped w/speakers. Sexist or not, there's more hesitation if you come on the speaker instead of your mom.

These outfits that advetise on TV posture as if they've come up w/all this innovation, it's the manufacturers. I'm not suggesting you buy from Grainger, but go on their site, to check out some of the DVR/NVR's.

Make sure you have a small "pinhole" camera somewhere around the front door, that keeps recording even if thieves disable the camera they can see.

The cheap stuff they sell for $500 is useless, their guts are cheap, half-*** put together, and not weatherized; they sell this **** knowing it's gong to quit, and quit soon.


10 grand is a lot of money, but that buys you a mid-level DVR/NVR that's going to last you 10 yrs.

and weatherized day/night cameras w/speakers which is like life insurance.

Just a few suggestions to lay on you that you may have already thought of, but my 2 cents anyway.


BTW; Overwrite protection saves memory, where if nothing happens (you set how much memory) the system after so much memory is used, reformats, and so it's practically "hands off".


I spent years talking w/thieves while I was supervising them in the dayroom and out on the rec field. They don't like being recorded, they don't like spending a lot time breaking in, or hanging around.

Security stuff can't physically stop a break in, but it does discourage thieves, and most likely push them to the neighbors house who doesn't have anything.


Thieves love hassle free EZ pickens.

[JagerDog]

Along with whatever shotgun decided on how about a decent revolver? My Grandmother kept a Webley in her night stand. Revolvers for older people are preferred to a semi-auto for obvious reasons.

OP says she has a .38 S&W revolver.

I tend to recommend revolvers to anyone who isn't going to "train". The original point-and-click interface.

[JagerDog]

Those 10/22 Mags are crazy expensive now. One on GB is $1100 and counting. The Kel Tec 22 mag rifle is an option, as is the Bear Creek 22 mag dedicated upper.

Again, while 22 mag is a compromise, I think someone of that age, size and level of firearms proficiency would be able to get more hits with a light recoiling long gun.

How much do you think a pistol caliber carbine recoils?

[floogy]

How much do you think a pistol caliber carbine recoils?

A lot less than a shotgun.

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[JagerDog]

A lot less than a shotgun.

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Cuz that's what you were discussing right?

[FeuerFrei]

My money is on the old lady that knows how to live on her own without a nanny minded family member being a pain.

If she asks for help then help. Otherwise nunya! Family or no.

Never underestimate the elderly rural dwellers. They got old by doing what needs to be done.

I hope she digs in like a tick and stays put to live like she wants to.

[JagerDog]

My money is on the old lady that knows how to live on her own without a nanny minded family member being a pain.

If she asks for help then help. Otherwise nunya! Family or no.

Never underestimate the elderly rural dwellers. They got old by doing what needs to be done.

I hope she digs in like a tick and stays put to live like she wants to.

Winner!

[k1dude]

Without reading the whole thread again, what about the Kel-Tec CMR-30? Someone may have previously mentioned it.



It's only 3.8 pounds and shoots 22 mag. Granted it's a mag-fed semi-auto again, and will require training on her part to get familiar with it. I still think a semi-auto is a bad idea for her. But if she were to get a semi-auto, it's worth considering.