Carrying for the disabled

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Hey all,

As many of you know, I am having health issues that left me (hopefully temporarily) unable to do many things with my right arm. One of the most important ones is that I can't rack the slide on any of my handguns due to a lack of grip strength. This has been preventing me from carrying and protecting myself because I can't chamber a round every time I get out of my car. If I could legally leave a round chambered, I would be much better off.

There must be many more folks out there with disabilities that hinder their ability to protect themselves and their family. This is a great example of why the school and car bans should be stricken. I plan on writing my representatives to let them know how these laws prevent me from exercising my rights. Who else do you think I should be writing about this?

Thanks
Geoff

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Geoff wrote:

Who else do you think I should be writing about this?

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I wish I could tell you...

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I could do a few letters to the editor for local papers. I'm sure the Journal will publish it

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I've written many letters to JSOnline. I've had I believe 5 or 6 printed (out of maybe 2 dozen submitted to date). I'm pretty good now at guessing which ones won't be printed based on how meaningful it is.

If I write a well thought out opinion with factual data to support it, no way in hell. When I write a simplistic one a 2nd grader could understand, it has a good shot at being printed.

And I'm not exaggerating.

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Geoff wrote:

I could do a few letters to the editor for local papers. I'm sure the Journal will publish it

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Are there other disabled gun owners you could get to do the same? The whole power in numbers thing.

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Until you get past this maybe you should consider a wheel gun. It would be easier for you to work with until everything gets back to normal.

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Geoff wrote:

Hey all,

As many of you know, I am having health issues that left me (hopefully temporarily) unable to do many things with my right arm. One of the most important ones is that I can't rack the slide on any of my handguns due to a lack of grip strength. This has been preventing me from carrying and protecting myself because I can't chamber a round every time I get out of my car. If I could legally leave a round chambered, I would be much better off.

There must be many more folks out there with disabilities that hinder their ability to protect themselves and their family. This is a great example of why the school and car bans should be stricken. I plan on writing my representatives to let them know how these laws prevent me from exercising my rights. Who else do you think I should be writing about this?

Thanks
Geoff

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Sorry to hear of your problems. But it highlight the need for people who carry guns for their defense to train and practice in one-hand shooting techniques. Anyone could suffer and injury or gunshot a hand or arm during an assault and there are techniques for dealing with your situation.

Sure, you could switch to a revolver, but there are drawbacks to that: you're reducing the number of rounds, and to complicate things, reloading a revolver one-handed is slower and more complicated than reloading a semi-auto.

What are the most commonly taught methods of racking a slide one handed? Catching the rear sight on the edge of the holster, belt or shoe.

Last year a shooter in our advanced civilian combat league shot the entire 10 week league one-handed due to shoulder surgery. Not only one-handed, but weak handed at that. She did quite well, clearing malfunctions and performing reloads.

I looked on youtube and found a video that demonstrates similar methods to those we use. I hope it helps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTcdDLGngnY

P.s. Dry fire practice is essential before attempting this with a loaded gun.

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Shotgun wrote:

Sure, you could switch to a revolver, but there are drawbacks to that: you're reducing the number of rounds, and to complicate things, reloading a revolver one-handed is slower and more complicated than reloading a semi-auto.

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Unless you get an 8 shot revolver.

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protias wrote:

Shotgun wrote:

Sure, you could switch to a revolver, but there are drawbacks to that: you're reducing the number of rounds, and to complicate things, reloading a revolver one-handed is slower and more complicated than reloading a semi-auto.

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Unless you get an 8 shot revolver.

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I'd have to carry two of them to equal the 16 rounds in my Glock 35.

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Geoff wrote:

Hey all,

As many of you know, I am having health issues that left me (hopefully temporarily) unable to do many things with my right arm. One of the most important ones is that I can't rack the slide on any of my handguns due to a lack of grip strength. This has been preventing me from carrying and protecting myself because I can't chamber a round every time I get out of my car.

Thanks
Geoff

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Good thing you're not in a wheelchair...anyone in one of those technically can't carry at all.

My solution to your specific problem...keep it loaded but locked in the trunk. IF you get caught...IF...it's only a misdemeanor ticket anyways.

I know a few people who keep a loaded gun under the front seat in a non-locked bag for protection. The risk of a ticket is far easier to live with than being victim to a crime because you can't get to your gun and load it. Criminals just aren't going to wait while you unlock your weapon and load up, just because you ask nicely.

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icepik wrote:

Good thing you're not in a wheelchair...anyone in one of those technically can't carry at all.

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Please provide a citation to the statute to which you refer.

I will anticipate and copy

340.01 VEHICLES—DEFINITIONS
[ ... ]
(43) “Pedestrian” means any person afoot or any person in a wheelchair, either manually or mechanically propelled, or other low−powered, mechanically propelled vehicle designed specifically for use by a physically disabled person, but does not include any person using an electric personal assistive mobility device.

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that long precedes 340.01(74)

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Good link Shotgun, I'll have to give that a try.

I never thought about the importance of having ambidextrious controls on a firearm until my surgery. I did practice shooting with my off hand, but I have not been able to operate the safety, slide stop release or mag release successfully.

(Un)fortunately I don't know anyone else in a similar situation but I will definitely keep that in mind now.

Geoff