Serving The Shooter With Physical Limitations

Written By Massad Ayoob

2021

There are a number of handguns (and accessories) designed to make slide manipulation,
reloads and even carry easier for users with physical limitations.
(Image courtesy of Honored American Veterans Afield)

In serving the lawful self-defense market, we’re helping people from becoming prey by successfully warding off predators. It’s a biological truth: Predators are drawn to the easiest prey — the weak, old, slow or impaired specimens of the target species. Therefore, people with physical limitations benefit more than anyone else from the self-defense capability the responsible gun dealer purveys.

Handgun Considerations

Some folks with hands weakened by age, arthritis or injury can’t effectively pull double-action triggers. Fortunately, you can steer them toward single-action and striker-fired auto pistols (when they’re in stock).

More commonly, they have trouble racking the slide of an auto pistol. First, there are several autos today expressly designed for easy slide manipulation. Examples include the Ruger LC380, Smith & Wesson’s “EZ” variation of its Shield series in 9mm and particularly .380 and Walther’s CCP. For the weakest hands, Ruger offers the Lite-Rack version of the little LCP in .22 LR.

With larger, more conventional hammer-fired autoloading pistols, you can show the customer how to cock the hammer first with the heel of the support hand, relieving mainspring tension and leaving only the recoil spring for the shooter to have to work against. (On a double action, do remind the new shooters they have to de-cock thereafter, and on a single action, they must on-safe at that point).

There are also devices expressly made to assist in slide operation. An example is the Handi-Racker, a patented tool to help manipulate the slide on semi-auto pistols (handi-racker.com).

Loading magazines can be difficult with weakened hands or fingers. You probably already have accessories like the Maglula UpLULA in stock (maglula.com). If there was ever a logical accessory sale, this is it.

The physically weaker customer is often an older one, and it’s a market that benefits from red dot sights for pistols. Show the aging customer how easily they can use the heel of their support hand on the front of the red dot to rack the slide.

A Word On Proper Technique

It has been discussed before in this space, but it bears repeating: The person with limited upper body strength can benefit from modern techniques for activating pistol slides. One method is to place the support hand palm down atop the slide with the thumb toward the shooter’s body, hold firmly with both hands and then drive the entire gun-hand side of the body forward to “thrust the frame under the slide.”

Another option is to grasp the slide with all digits firmly, with the thumb of the support hand forward, and do the same thing. That is, the rear leg straightens and pushes the dominant-hand-side of the whole body forward, while the support hand on the slide is pulling back at the same time. Sort of like a reverse punch in a karate dojo.

When you show a customer a useful skill they didn’t know existed before, it greatly reinforces your credibility in their eyes. You’ve taught them a potentially lifesaving skill, and a corollary benefit is they’re now more likely to listen when you give them further advice on what they need to buy from you.

Overcoming Shoulder Limitations

Does the customer have shoulder issues limiting rearward elbow movement, such as torn rotator cuffs? This can make drawing from a conventional hip holster excruciatingly difficult. Be able to offer a cross-draw holster, which will probably be more accessible. A shoulder holster is a variation of cross-draw and can work here, too.

The shoulder holster really comes into its own for patients with lumbar spine problems or sciatica issues, where weight on one side of the hip can make belt holsters a no-go. Some doctors have been known to recommend double shoulder holsters with two identical guns for balance to keep the upper back from subconsciously tilting to one side, which can exacerbate lower back issues.

Galco is one company that furnishes twin holster shoulder harnesses. Yes, the customer will need a second identical gun, but a backup gun can be a lifesaver in a lot of ways. Alternatively, experimentation with a pistol on one side and spare ammo carriers, flashlight carrier, etc., on the other side can work out to equal balance. Being a back patient myself, on bad days a shoulder rig becomes my “orthopedic holster.”

Wheelchairs & CCW

The customer who uses a wheelchair is the ideal candidate for a “higher capacity” auto pistol. He or she can’t run to cover to reload, after all. Moreover, a magazine pouch or speedloader carrier behind the hip can be uncomfortable with body weight leaning back on it.

If the customer is paralyzed from the waist down, the pressure of such an object can cause a bed sore situation or nerve damage they can’t feel in time to do anything about, and they have limited space on their front beltline. (Unfortunately, this situation has disparate impact against the wheelchair user in jurisdictions where they are limited to low-capacity magazines, a point that should be argued against magazine limits more than it is.)

Limited range of movement in the wheelchair is another factor militating for a cross-body carry. It’s well-known shoulder holsters or scabbards that carry butt-forward on the hip opposite the gun hand are ideally suited for people whose situation puts them constantly in a seated position.

Limited Upper Body Strength & Long Guns

Before we leave wheelchair-using customers, let’s consider something they have in common with people who have limited upper body strength. With carbine or shotgun, you don’t need me to tell you length of pull (the distance between buttstock and trigger) will be critical to fit, and consequently the customer’s ability to wield the gun effectively.

But let’s consider the person who uses the chair, who probably can’t lean forward to put their weight into the gun to control recoil. If they insist on using a hard-kicking long gun, you can show them how to put the butt against the chair, with the comb of the stock tucked tight into their armpit and aim looking over the top of the gun. It delivers solid hits at close range. Recoil of a shotgun will, however, damage the back support of most wheelchairs.

A variation of this technique works well with the fragile person who can stand but whose tenuous shoulders won’t allow conventional shotgun stances.

The late Bill Groce at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy taught a technique he called High Tuck. Again, the comb of the stock is in the armpit, leaving the butt to “kick” empty air beneath and behind the shoulder. With a conventional sporting stock, make sure the hand is as far back as possible from the trigger guard and the thumb is curled tightly over the stock, so the trigger guard won’t whack the middle finger when it comes back. Again, a close-range technique, but effective.

And of course, “bullpup” .223 carbine designs like the Steyr AUG or the FN FS2000 are particularly suitable for people with limited upper-body capabilities.

I’m out of space in this column, but you’re not out of options for customers with a physical impairment who come to you hoping you can show them how to stay safe.

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