HD for the elderly- need some suggestions

[easy10]

Civilians can go to a police supply and purchase pepper spray. Just a quick spray in a room and guarantee everyone will head for the door.

[ScottDLS]

I would lean toward an AR pistol or SBR in either a pistol caliber or .223/5.56. 30 rds, little to no recoil, light weight, mounted flashlight, red-dot sight or iron sights and a green laser. I'm not a fan of lasers, but indoor, especially at night, it might be just what he needs. (A Form 1 SBR "build" doesn't take long for approval. It could be a pistol until paperwork is approved.)

Chas.

That's very interesting. My dad (80) was just asking me about getting an AR platform rifle for HD. He has a Glock 17 currently, but lives in Dallas where he is getting concerned with multiple intruder home invasion scenario (perhaps "mostly peaceful" protesters). He's in pretty good shape and would have no issue with recoil/weight/stance...and Mom shot an AR at their friend's ranch in OK and was very accurate. I think a SBR would be nice, but the new M4 "style" AR carbines at 16" really are pretty easy to handle. Add a red dot sight and flashlight, like you suggested....and I think I'm going to build him one. We have a new gun store near me that sells stripped lowers and he can come buy the serialized part, then I'll order all the rest online and build...

One item I was thinking about for an AR for HD is a silencer (suppressor). The noise from an AR is pretty horrendous without hearing protection. Maybe in that case, with the length of the silencer, I might lean toward a SBR. Two stamps and a year wait....

[ScottDLS]

I would lean toward an AR pistol or SBR in either a pistol caliber or .223/5.56. 30 rds, little to no recoil, light weight, mounted flashlight, red-dot sight or iron sights and a green laser. I'm not a fan of lasers, but indoor, especially at night, it might be just what he needs. (A Form 1 SBR "build" doesn't take long for approval. It could be a pistol until paperwork is approved.)

Chas.

That's very interesting. My dad (80) was just asking me about getting an AR platform rifle for HD. He has a Glock 17 currently, but lives in Dallas where he is getting concerned with multiple intruder home invasion scenario (perhaps "mostly peaceful" protesters). He's in pretty good shape and would have no issue with recoil/weight/stance...and Mom shot an AR at their friend's ranch in OK and was very accurate. I think a SBR would be nice, but the new M4 "style" AR carbines at 16" really are pretty easy to handle. Add a red dot sight and flashlight, like you suggested....and I think I'm going to build him one. We have a new gun store near me that sells stripped lowers and he can come buy the serialized part, then I'll order all the rest online and build...

One item I was thinking about for an AR for HD is a silencer (suppressor). The noise from an AR is pretty horrendous without hearing protection. Maybe in that case, with the length of the silencer, I might lean toward a SBR. Two stamps and a year wait....

Yeah, SBRs have quite a bit more bark. Actually one of the few times I think just the sound could cause someone to run.

Over the years, I've really come to love the linear comps, and some of the "blast cans" look interesting. Spike's Barking Spider is really nice, and tones down the flash on shorter barrels.
https://www.opticsplanet.com/spikes-sak ... omoly.html

I have a select fire Ruger AC-556F (folder) with 11.5" bbl (it would be SBR if it wasn't full auto). It's absolutely the loudest thing! I can't shoot it without double hearing protection. I refuse to shoot it indoors even at the ranges that let me, unless I put a .22LR kit on it that I bought. It has a threaded bbl, so I'm considering getting a 'can' for it that I could also use on an AR, just have to see if the threads are interchangeable.

[airborneveteran]

I would lean toward an AR pistol or SBR in either a pistol caliber or .223/5.56. 30 rds, little to no recoil, light weight, mounted flashlight, red-dot sight or iron sights and a green laser. I'm not a fan of lasers, but indoor, especially at night, it might be just what he needs. (A Form 1 SBR "build" doesn't take long for approval. It could be a pistol until paperwork is approved.)

Chas.

That's very interesting. My dad (80) was just asking me about getting an AR platform rifle for HD. He has a Glock 17 currently, but lives in Dallas where he is getting concerned with multiple intruder home invasion scenario (perhaps "mostly peaceful" protesters). He's in pretty good shape and would have no issue with recoil/weight/stance...and Mom shot an AR at their friend's ranch in OK and was very accurate. I think a SBR would be nice, but the new M4 "style" AR carbines at 16" really are pretty easy to handle. Add a red dot sight and flashlight, like you suggested....and I think I'm going to build him one. We have a new gun store near me that sells stripped lowers and he can come buy the serialized part, then I'll order all the rest online and build...

One item I was thinking about for an AR for HD is a silencer (suppressor). The noise from an AR is pretty horrendous without hearing protection. Maybe in that case, with the length of the silencer, I might lean toward a SBR. Two stamps and a year wait....

As much as I love my AR's, with an 80 year old dad who already has a Glock 17, I'd seriously consider the Ruger PC-9, and install the Glock magazine adapter. and buy him some 33 round 9mm Glock mags that both could use.

I am using the Ruger 9mm carbines at a youth organization where I volunteer and these carbines are sturdy guns that tame the modest recoil quite well. Even without the buffer & recoil spring of the AR, these carbines' recoil has been negligible, and I'm dealing with youngish kids who get their first taste of centerfire with these 9mm carbines. These newbie kids are definitely subject to being recoil aware. (In the abstract, buying an AR for home defense is always high on my list, but these carbines also have a place. Maybe buy the PC-9 today while you build the SBR and wait for ATF.)

[Armybrat]

I am an old fart (75).
Recently downsized from calibers that start with a 4 to 9mm because of arthritis in my shoulders & hands.
My new Ruger PC Carbine is just the ticket for me, as it compliments my SR9 very well.... and uses the same 17 round magazines.
Plus the barrel is threaded for a can. And is a takedown.

[Oldgringo]

Mrs. Oldgringo and I are both in our late 70's and duly licensed. Both vehicles are armed as well as the house and our modest RV. Guns are one thing, willingness to use them is a horse of another color.

Good night and good luck.

[Armybrat]

[MJR]

I would lean toward an AR pistol or SBR in either a pistol caliber or .223/5.56. 30 rds, little to no recoil, light weight, mounted flashlight, red-dot sight or iron sights and a green laser. I'm not a fan of lasers, but indoor, especially at night, it might be just what he needs. (A Form 1 SBR "build" doesn't take long for approval. It could be a pistol until paperwork is approved.)

Chas.

That's very interesting. My dad (80) was just asking me about getting an AR platform rifle for HD. He has a Glock 17 currently, but lives in Dallas where he is getting concerned with multiple intruder home invasion scenario (perhaps "mostly peaceful" protesters). He's in pretty good shape and would have no issue with recoil/weight/stance...and Mom shot an AR at their friend's ranch in OK and was very accurate. I think a SBR would be nice, but the new M4 "style" AR carbines at 16" really are pretty easy to handle. Add a red dot sight and flashlight, like you suggested....and I think I'm going to build him one. We have a new gun store near me that sells stripped lowers and he can come buy the serialized part, then I'll order all the rest online and build...

One item I was thinking about for an AR for HD is a silencer (suppressor). The noise from an AR is pretty horrendous without hearing protection. Maybe in that case, with the length of the silencer, I might lean toward a SBR. Two stamps and a year wait....

I was about to add an AR. But for $50 added a Glock 33 round mag. No need now.

[The Annoyed Man]

I would lean toward an AR pistol or SBR in either a pistol caliber or .223/5.56. 30 rds, little to no recoil, light weight, mounted flashlight, red-dot sight or iron sights and a green laser. I'm not a fan of lasers, but indoor, especially at night, it might be just what he needs. (A Form 1 SBR "build" doesn't take long for approval. It could be a pistol until paperwork is approved.)

Chas.

That's very interesting. My dad (80) was just asking me about getting an AR platform rifle for HD. He has a Glock 17 currently, but lives in Dallas where he is getting concerned with multiple intruder home invasion scenario (perhaps "mostly peaceful" protesters). He's in pretty good shape and would have no issue with recoil/weight/stance...and Mom shot an AR at their friend's ranch in OK and was very accurate. I think a SBR would be nice, but the new M4 "style" AR carbines at 16" really are pretty easy to handle. Add a red dot sight and flashlight, like you suggested....and I think I'm going to build him one. We have a new gun store near me that sells stripped lowers and he can come buy the serialized part, then I'll order all the rest online and build...

One item I was thinking about for an AR for HD is a silencer (suppressor). The noise from an AR is pretty horrendous without hearing protection. Maybe in that case, with the length of the silencer, I might lean toward a SBR. Two stamps and a year wait....

SBR is a form 1.... much quicker than a year. And if you form 1 a suppressor, that’s a lot faster too.

[ScottDLS]

...
SBR is a form 1.... much quicker than a year. And if you form 1 a suppressor, that’s a lot faster too.

Good point...if you build them. On the AR15 I was going to build it, so I could always Form 1 SBR. Though there's a shop near me that sells SBR's. Or I could build a standard AR and wait for Form 1 before adding the short upper. Do they still take the electronic forms? For a silencer (suppressor), forget it. Too much to build.

[The Annoyed Man]

...
SBR is a form 1.... much quicker than a year. And if you form 1 a suppressor, that’s a lot faster too.

Good point...if you build them. On the AR15 I was going to build it, so I could always Form 1 SBR. Though there's a shop near me that sells SBR's. Or I could build a standard AR and wait for Form 1 before adding the short upper. Do they still take the electronic forms? For a silencer (suppressor), forget it. Too much to build.

Yes, I believe that Form 1s are still managed over the Internet.

[AdioSS]

I just posted elsewhere that I’ve always thought that the Hipoint Carbine in .380ACP could be a great home defense weapon for smaller framed people. Out of the 16” barrel the .380 round is going about as fast as a 9mm from a pistol. The reviews of them say that there is no recoil & the report is similar to a subsonic .22lr.

[Crash]

My Dad asked me for some help/recommendations on a home defense weapon. He is mid 70's and has never owned a real gun. He asked about a pepperball pistol advertised on Hannity but then said he was sure he couldn't hit anything with a pistol.... ironically enough with a Red Rider BB gun he can shoot bottle caps with ease and handles the platform well. He joked that if it were more powerful, he'd be fine. SO... my first thought was a henry lever gun with .38 spl. I then found out that henry also does a 410 lever shotgun. These are basically the grown up's Red Riders.

It was a pretty helpless feeling to have Dad admit he was scared and knew if anything happened he could no longer protect Mom. I didn't want to knee jerk out a suggestion, so I look to you guys for some guidance, or to confirm that the levergun may be his best option.

What have you guys done or what do your elderly parents do for HD?

Thanks for any help!

I can only speak for myself and everybody's situation is different. I'm 79 years old and I've owned and shot shotguns, rifles, and handguns off and on since I was 13. Even though your Dad doesn't have a lot of experience with firearms, I don't think it should be too difficult for you to train him to a reasonable level of proficiency with most platforms in a fairly short time--if you will get him to practice regularly, both dry and live fire. I have a Mossberg 500 pump in 20 ga with an 18 1/4" barrel, a Browning M92 lever-action rifle in .44 magnum, and a 9mm S&W Shield EZ. Your Dad should be able to learn to shoot any of these fairly well if, again, he will put in the time practicing. Two suggestions:

1. Don't use full-power .44 magnum loads in a light lever-action--your shoulder won't like you. If the gun will feed, fire, and eject .44 Specials, use them instead. My Browning won't feed .44 Specials reliably, so I use .44 magnum Cowboy Action loads. The HSM Cowboy Action load with the 200 grain round nose flat point supposedly gets 975 muzzle velocity from a revolver (don't know what barrel length), so I'm guessing that it gets more than 1200 from my rifle and that should be enough to dissuade someone from "unsociable" behavior.
2. If he wants to use a pump-action shotgun, make it a 20 ga, not a 12, especially if he's not a big guy. Just as with the full-power .44 magnum loads, your shoulder won't like you if you use 12 ga ammo in a pump.

Just my suggestions, YMMV

Crash