Fellow old guys question

[smle-man]

I'm on the downslope of 68 and find that my grip and upper arm strength is declining rapidly. I'm struggling to work the slide on my 1911s and Hi Powers. Frankly I have to cock the hammer first to be able to get the slide retracted. It doesn't help that I have rhumatoid arthritis in my joints. Getting some pistols back together and compressing the recoil spring is another major struggle.

Am I a wimp or are you other old guys having this issue?

[Kurgan]

No, you aren't a wimp. You are just getting old. I'm about a decade younger than you and I can still do what you are having problems with. Who knows in ten years what I will still be able to do.

Maybe an exercise program that concentrates on the areas of weakness would help.

[BillSmith]

Same age. It's the arthritis. I don't have it and still can't do things that were easy 10 years ago.

Wife has your problem. It is two-fold. Pain alone keeps you from doing a mundane task. Then add not doing it and you lose muscular strength.

The things you do every day have more retention than those you do only occasionally. Shoot more!

I'll be joining you both in a few years. Be nice if California would let us own a Smith & Wesson Shield EZ. Have wondered out loud on this forum before as to whether an American Disability Act lawsuit could be brought to court over this issue.

[Garv]

Arthritis.

There are rubber slide grips that help the grip using some less stress on the fingers.

https://www.amazon.com/Handi-Racker-Safest-rack-pistols-Orange/dp/B01BFMD9TU/ref=sr_1_2?adgrpid=1331509407083089&hvadid=83219536440291&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=79065&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83219857111216%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=25861_13464635&keywords=handi-+racker&qid=1669076307&sr=8-2

[Dano3467]

I can relate.

Yep. Getting older is an issue for sure.

But I'll keep pushing through no matter what.

We will all see what happens later in life. But today, is today, & tomorrow, we don't even know if will be alive, tomorrow. So I say, while you can, just enjoy.

[Reno-Kid]

Revolver

[BigPimping]

[smle-man]

Revolver

They are a lot easier to manipulate for me but I do love my 1911s.

[smle-man]

Arthritis.

There are rubber slide grips that help the grip using some less stress on the fingers.

https://www.amazon.com/Handi-Racker-...9076307&sr=8-2

Interesting idea, I'll check it out.

[not-fishing]

https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2021/5/8/how-to-rack-a-pistols-slide

First: do not pull the slide back.
Instead, hold the slide stationary, pointed in a safe direction, held close to your body, and push the frame of the pistol forward.
Then, let the slide go, like a bad ex-spouse.
Easy peasy.
Even my great grand ma can do it.

I can't get over how much strength I've lost at 68 so I'm back to using Girly-Man weights and grip squeezers

[mr goodguy]

You calling me? Yes it’s sucks to get old.lol….. but no one is getting younger.lol I have faith in you lift some weights 5-10 lbs just to keep your muscle from wasting

[FeuerFrei]

I'm on the downslope of 68 and find that my grip and upper arm strength is declining rapidly. I'm struggling to work the slide on my 1911s and Hi Powers. Frankly I have to cock the hammer first to be able to get the slide retracted. It doesn't help that I have rhumatoid arthritis in my joints. Getting some pistols back together and compressing the recoil spring is another major struggle.

Am I a wimp or are you other old guys having this issue?

It's not the age, it's the mileage. my birthday song.

[naz]

They are a lot easier to manipulate for me but I do love my 1911s.

What about switching to a 2011 with compensator, slide racker handle and frame mounted red dot?

Keep your familiar controls and add some things to make it easier to manipulate and shoot

[SharedShots]

Some things to consider:

All those exercise activities to regain strength and such, if you were disciplined enough to do them before there wouldn't be the need now. I'm not saying they don't work but realistically, if you weren't putting the effort into that before it's unlikely you will now. You have what you have, and you might get some tone but recovering the same strength from 5 years before, unlikely.

The slippery slope isn't gradual after 60. 50-60 is no big deal. After that its probably a submarine ride unless you always been really active.

Technique only goes so far. You can use bracing position to rack the slides and so on but it's temporary at best. It is worthwhile though and far easier to do that hitting some exercise routine you probably aren't going to maintain.

So, change equipment to adapt to you instead of you adapting to equipment. Shoot lighter loads and you can lower the spring rates. You're not getting into firefights right? Shoot light target stuff, even in 45 it can be powder puff stuff. Get to where that slide is easy for you to manipulate. You can always load full power stuff for HD/SD but you're probably past where shooting lighter stuff at the range is really going to instill bad habits that will make any difference if you need that pistol in HD/SD. When it comes to that though, if it's a pistol maybe an easier loading rifle or carbine for HD.

Do you have to shoot 45 or 10mm? Change up to 38 Super or another 9mm and go the light target load with springs to match. No need to compare yourself to the man of yesteryear.

Wear gloves. No matter what your age, gloves are a force multiplier just because the often afford a higher pressure grip because you don't feel the sharper edges and lines of even polymer against thinning skin. As we age, the skin thins and simple things we used to handle with ease can become uncomfortable to handle.

Have your pistol surfaces given the melt. reduce sharp edges. Those deep razor sharp slide grooves? Lose them, your skin is far more tender than it used to be. Rub in some invisible gloves. That one thing can really help. It gives your hands sort of an instant callous but offers you protection and the ability to grip with more strength but lessen the effect of the pressure on your fingers, palm etc.

Keep the gun clean. A gritty slide is harder to cycle than a clean one. A small but often helpful thing to do.

Warm hands. Warm up your hands before shooting. It's colder now and warming your hands can be a real boost to comfort. Try not to run long shooting sessions and instead take breaks and warm up your hands and arms.

Watch the inflammation. If you can tolerate it, Tylenol or another OTC remedy can offer a lot of relief so you can go through a real good time of shooting. I don't mean becoming an aspirin junkie but if you feel the twinges or sharpness in dexterity it might help and since it helps with inflammation its more than just pain relief, it can help reduce impact caused by it. Like anything else said here, it's just opinion, not telling you what to do.

Soft grip panels or soft grips. Not the floppy rubber kind, just something to soften the initial sharper impact transfer to your hands. Dump the sharp checkering and deep stippling. Sometimes less is more.

If you have standard mags, why load up 15 rounds if you don't have to? So you swap mags more, big whoop.

Stretch those hands, especially your wrists. Its not strength training it lets you use your strength in more comfort. Often it isn't that you don't have the strength, its that when you use that strength there is discomfort. That hand stretch routine before shooting can sometimes really help a lot and since it can be done while waiting for others to paste targets and so on, it takes only a few moments and not very much effort.

Get magazine loaders if you use mags.

STOP trying to carry 75 ponds of **** in one trip to the bench or shooting spot. Do you really need all 35 guns racked along with 1000 rounds of ammo for each when you might only shoot one pistol and 200 rounds? Do you really need to use a 20 pound hard carry case to hold a 1.5 pound pistol? Lighten up where you can.

You are what you are, there is no cheating out of it. Sure, if you have the discipline, you might gain back some but just be realistic about it, if you haven't done it all this time are you going to start now? Instead, maybe look at all the other things you can do that can make shooting more enjoyable.

Hope this helps some.





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[Tarmy]