Center Fire Gun Recommendation for Wife with Shoulder Issues

by **mspingeld** Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:43 pm

My wife has been shooting league with me and doing very well. She shoots a Hammerli Xesse and likes it but she won't shoot center fire because my 45 has too much recoil. She's had a couple of shoulder surgeries in the past and even with the 22, she can't shoot more than 30 or 40 rounds (league is 30 shots per match).

What's the softest center fire gun you would recommend that can accept a dot and still shoot straight? Must be light weight as well. I offered her a Pardini but she says mine is too heavy.

Thanks for the help!

by **Wobbley** Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:51 pm

A 9mm RO. Load down some real softball loads.

by Jon Eulette Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:15 pm

I shoot 3.3 gr BE with 200gr lswc out of my 45. I have a screwed up shoulder and the recoil is very soft. In my opinion weight of pistol is more of an issue than recoil of pistol. Also properly fit barrel will lessen recoil. I hold real hard, so I can get this load to cycle a full weight MCP (heavy non-contoured slide) pistol with full rib and scope. Another thing to consider is thinner grips and recontouring grip safety to make grip circumference smaller. Women benefit from smaller grip.
Jon

by LenV Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:36 pm

A model 52 is another good choice. Put a mini mount on the rail with a micro dot. 2.8 gr BE behind a 148gr WC doesn't kick much more then a .22 (maybe a little) and is light.

Len

by Chris Miceli Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:43 pm

32 s&w long, 32 acp , 38 special.

by jglenn21 Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:48 pm

model 52 or a quality 38 special 1911.. my wife is a small woman with shoulder issues too( rotator cuff surgery) and loves her 52. she is able to reach the trigger with small hands.

also a 1911 38 super loaded down with light bullets and a light loads of BE.. I have a super for CF and run 3.6 of BE with a 126 dardus SWC.. slide mounted Udot.. have to run a 7 1/2lb spring to make it run... Very light shooting and very accurate

Totally agree with Jon on the overall weight of the pistol you chose being important

by rreid Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:01 pm

Model 15/67 revolver. Fairly light weight with 4" barrel, and there's a scope mount that fits in place of the rear sight. You can load as light as you want and don't have to worry about it cycling.

by dronning Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:40 pm

jglenn21 wrote:also a 1911 38 super loaded down with light bullets and a light loads of BE.. I have a super for CF and run 3.6 of BE with a 126 dardus SWC.. slide mounted Udot.. have to run a 7 1/2lb spring to make it run... Very light shooting and very accurate

Is that the 9MM bullet? and what size (.356, .357, .358) do you order?

- Dave

by rich.tullo Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:49 pm

rreid wrote:Model 15/67 revolver. Fairly light weight with 4" barrel, and there's a scope mount that fits in place of the rear sight. You can load as light as you want and don't have to worry about it cycling.

+1 on the K Frame. New Model 66 is a good choice, I have a M19 and love it.

I have a similar issue with my shoulder and I find the standard BE load 148 GN HBWC over 2.7 BE is good and 2.6 is very pleasant.

a 158 SWC over 3,0 BE is feels a little softer to me.

I just bought some 105gn SWC and plan on loading them over 3.0 BE. I do not have high hopes for accuracy but the recoil at -700fps should be about the same as the recoil of a 22lr.

Another thing to consider is Springfield XDM. Drop in Storm Lake barrel , 9mm, drop in trigger, good factory recoil system and grip inserts it may be an option. The Army used that set up this year at perry and they did ok with it. I shot a 45 and it recoils like a 9mm

by jglenn21 Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:05 pm

yes it's a 9mm/super bullet..

my kart barrel likes the .356

by john bickar Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:09 pm

If you want to get innovative, you could go with a Walther GSP in .32 S&W. The GSP is heavy(ish), but Sandy Santibañez did a lot of work in the late '90s to cut the weight of a .22 GSP way down so that his teenage daughter, Lauren, could shoot it.

I think some of Sandy's posts on that are still available in the TargetTalk archives.

You could get a Dave Wilson barrel, mill a good bit of the weight off of it, and then shoot 98gn bullets at the long line and Lapua 83s at 25.

It would not be an off-the-shelf solution, but it's possible.

Also, search the archives here for some of Jerry Keefer's posts. He has done a lot of work to get a shootable gun for the woman he is coaching and mentoring.

by LenV Thu Nov 24, 2016 2:30 am

As long as were thinking out of the box.... Did you ever think about a Browning 10/71? They were very well made and would work great for someone that wanted less weight and recoil. They fire .380 rounds. A micro mount should work on them also. With a little innovation. Here is a neat one. NFI http://www.gunbroker.com/item/600759222

Center Fire Gun Recommendation for Wife with Shoulder Issues Pix991610997

Center Fire Gun Recommendation for Wife with Shoulder Issues Pix991610997

by kc.crawford.7 Thu Nov 24, 2016 8:29 am

Well since we want to go out of the box. Aluminum receiver .38 Super downloaded to 38 Special velocity. Low mount integral Aimpoint Micro cut in the slide and lighten the slide even more. Can now also do aluminum grip safety and mainspring housing as well. Very soft shooting and about as light a pistol I can imagine and still be very accurate.

by Axehandle Thu Nov 24, 2016 8:56 am

+1 on the 38 Super.. My all steel KC built gun recoils like a target 22 and is as accurate to boot.... Build one with a few aluminum alloy parts and it just might be what she needs.
My experience with the 32 tells me that while they might not recoil hard there is an unexpected nastiness to the straight blow back action.

by **mspingeld** Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:03 am

I think we're on to something. She does (like most people) like the 1911 platform. Lightened up and softened up may be just what the doctor (shoulder surgeon?) ordered.

Is lightening the slide a double edge sword? Doesn't heavier reduce felt recoil? If so, then I guess it's a trade off - less weight vs. less recoil. My guess is, correct me if I'm wrong, is, make the gun light and fine tune the recoil with load development and recoil spring selection. That about right?

by kc.crawford.7 Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:09 am

Absolutely, I build a load back in the early 90's for the Super. It ran 710-715 fps and shot 1.25 square at 50 yards. Meister 150 SSWC I believe it was 3.0 of WW452AA very soft shooting and also very accurate.

by Chris Miceli Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:18 am

off KC's idea RRA makes a Poly 1911 frame with steel rails and feedramp.

by Axehandle Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:24 am

I'd bet KC would post a picture of the groups his 38 Super shot if he had not sent them to me with the gun! Smile

Since 452AA has gone away I use WST ... Wish she was close enough to hold and shoot it.
Center Fire Gun Recommendation for Wife with Shoulder Issues 001_zpsowaguuzo

Center Fire Gun Recommendation for Wife with Shoulder Issues 001_zpsowaguuzo

by jglenn21 Thu Nov 24, 2016 10:16 am

Len's idea of the little Browning brings back great memories.

My wife's first BE pistol was one of the 71s
High quality little pistol in 380.. great sights and shoots lead we shot 105 gr Lee cast in it and they we fine at 25.. 50 was a challenge though. Pretty good trigger too. She shot it for several years before her 52.
She's still mad I sold it..

by **willnewton** Thu Nov 24, 2016 12:05 pm

I loaded 3.1gr BE and 185 Zero SWC for my wife to try in my iron sights 1911. She has mostly only shot .22 pistol for fun and was intimidated by the .45 and also has shoulder issues.

I asked what she thought and she said, "Not bad, can you hand me another magazine?"

Yes ma'am! Smile

PS I don't mind shooting this load myself for 25-yard.

by rich.tullo Fri Nov 25, 2016 8:21 am

LenV wrote:As long as were thinking out of the box.... Did you ever think about a Browning 10/71? They were very well made and would work great for someone that wanted less weight and recoil. They fire .380 rounds. A micro mount should work on them also. With a little innovation. Here is a neat one. NFI http://www.gunbroker.com/item/600759222

by rich.tullo Fri Nov 25, 2016 8:24 am

Pretty are they accurate?

by jglenn21 Fri Nov 25, 2016 9:50 am

My wife's 71 was good out to 25 but a challenge at 50
Very reliable weapon

We were running a 105 gr lead bullet. Could have been improved with a better bushing but it would have to be made.

by rich.tullo Fri Nov 25, 2016 9:13 pm

pretty

by LenV Fri Nov 25, 2016 10:12 pm

Thinking back inside the box. The 52 is still my choice for light and accurate but I don't know how light She would require. Now you have something to compare it with. The 52 weighs 44.6 oz fully loaded.

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Center Fire Gun Recommendation for Wife with Shoulder Issues

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