S&W 442
I really like my P250. It is very accurate and reliable.
My preferred “senior carry” is a .40 SIG 229 or a Glock Mod 20.
I wonder why the calibers of the top 3 are not mentioned.
Ruger LC9s.
The Bersa Thunder in .380 ACP.
Very light...weighs about 18 ounces fully loaded.
Has adjustable rear sights.
SA/DA with decocker...which some folks have to get used to, but once learned it is instinctive to use.
Cheap!
If you ever have to use a concealed carry weapon for defensive purposes, you should realize that you are going to lose that weapon.
You may or may not get it back, even if you are determined to be fully within your rights to have used it.
Fact of life.
I would much rather have to give up a weapon I paid less than 200 bucks for, than my race-tuned prized 1911, that incidentally, weighs about 40 ounces fully charged.
I use a Kydex molded holster for my Bersa, clip on style, easily removed for those times that you MUST disarm (Courthouse, school...you know) and very difficult to detect.
I carried a 1911 for years...years of constantly adjusting my waist, pulling up my pants...well, you know the drill.
Some of the .380 loads are approaching 1400 fps and with wound channels that exceed .38+P and some 9mm.
It's not a long distance round...never was and should never be used as such...but it's a hell of a lot better than a .22 or a .25 ACP.
And for us gnarly old dudes with arthritic hands...it's one of the easiest semi-autos to rack.
I have three of them (One is actually the CC 9mm) and I have put thousands of rounds thru them with only two malfunctions, both attributed to reloads.
The PX (one of those places that you have to disarm) has a sale on them now...I think you can get one for about 170 bucks, and if you have a coupon for the Star Card, even less.
www.gunblast.com/Ruger-LCR22Mag.htm
“its friction reducing cam helps lesson the recoil”
Really? The trigger design can “lesson [sic] the recoil”? New one on me.
And FWIW, the Shield I used to own was hideous to rack. I used leather gloves, racked it a thousand times, shot it, and it still was incredible hard to rack. So I sold it. If grip strength is a concern in older shooters, maybe consider something like the Springfield XDE.
And rather than a light Ruger LCR (13 oz), how about going for all steel (S&W Model 60) or...better still...a Model 10. Lots of seniors can get away with wearing baggy clothing. A K-frame isn’t much harder to conceal than a J-frame, but a K-frame shooting 38+P out of a 4 inch barrel will be much easier on the wrists. And a gun you LIKE to shoot is one you are more LIKELY to shoot - shoot often and well.
I used to carry my Model 60. I now carry my 686+ almost as frequently. Like a lot of ‘seniors’, I rarely need to go out and spend 12 hours on the town, so the weight isn’t as much of an issue. And if I need to shoot it, a 686+ is fine to shoot with full 357 loads.
For senors the weapon needs to be light - weigh much less than a pound, small and easily concealable, reliable, low maintenance, low to no recoil and, deadly.
I carry a Glock 17!!!
I completely disagree with the Beretta Bobcat or Tomcat. The strength needed to pull the trigger is beyond many seniors, especially women. Instead, I recommend a Taurus TCP .380. Much easier to handle and maintain. I know several people who own them and given the concerns one may have concerns about Taurus, they are outstanding.
After reading all the comments there is no such thing as the “five best carry guns for seniors”. I am a senior and carry the fine single stack, slim, no safety, Sig P-239 in 9mm. Beautiful semi auto hand gun for sure. Not even listed.
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I have two Glock 26s.
Solid gun, but be forewarned: it requires tough finger tips to clean! The spring tensions are waaay stiff.
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