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Feeling Rusty and Uneasy
I miss my Glock.
A few months have passed since my husband and I have gone to the shooting range. With one distraction or another, and lots of excuses, we just didn’t get there (and it’s only 20 minutes away). My current excuse is that I’ve developed arthritis in my hands. My daily dose of prednisone that I take for PMR apparently disguised the symptoms; now that we’ve been trying to reduce the dose, the aching in my hands that has emerged is making it difficult to grab almost anything firmly, from milk cartons to door handles to guns.
I especially became aware of my lack of attention to my training when I heard about the Allen, TX, shooting. Several people mentioned that it’s the last town they would have thought of for a shooting to take place.
Just like our town and community.
So I’m reminded that basically there is no safe place. I have everything I need to protect myself: my concealed carry permit, my special purse for carrying, and my Glock 42, which I specially bought for its small size. But it was difficult for me to rack when I first bought it; I haven’t tried to rack it open recently, but it certainly won’t be any easier. A number of questions come up for me: should I try harder to find a drug that will reduce the pain in my hands? Is there actually a gun that I would be capable of grasping or racking? Should I rely on my husband to protect me? I hate the idea of taking more drugs almost as much as I resent having to depend on my husband (who is happy to oblige but respects my desire for self-protection).
I think, however, that it’s time to act. There may be too much at stake.
Published in Guns
BTW, I also highly recommend the big circle-small dot red dot configuration. I acquire my targets MUCH faster this way.
All of the above, and I suspect it will contribute to misfeeds from riding the slide.
Foremost, however, is that practicing it on “various” objects is likely to have you working it in unaccustomed angles with questionable backdrops. Seems to increase the odds of hitting the trigger (how do you grip something harder?) and of having it go somewhere you haven’t cleared. And since hand strength is a known issue, I would think that there’s a risk of capsizing the weapon in the firing hand.
For an emergency, it’s fine, and good luck harming machinery (slide etc) that’s designed to absorb explosive forces with just your hand and a table. Not an issue, although the optic itself must be one tough customer to take that on a regular basis with no visible damage.
Like a lot of things, it’s good to know how to do in an emergency. I don’t recommend it as a matter of course when there are much better options, like weapons designed to be easier to operate.
I wanted to update everyone. We went to the range and gun shop today. Before I left, I tookd 2 extra strength Tylenol. It helped some, but by the time I finished about 60 rounds on my Glock 42 and the used gun (see below), my hands hurt badly. I have an appointment with my doctor in two weeks and we will have a discussion about treatment. (He’ll be able to look at my hands and gauge approaches, and I’ll share your suggestions.) Meanwhile, a few of you mentioned Voltaren and I’ll give it a try.
We also asked our friend who works in the gun shop about a new gun for me. He let me try a used 9mm S&W EZ; it was heavier than I liked and the recoil was worse than my Glock 42. He didn’t have a used S&W N&P 380 Shield EZ, but I handled it and liked everything about it. It was light, fit my hand perfectly, was so amazing to rack that I know I’m going to love it. I didn’t try it today because my hands were too sore, but it’s going to be my first choice, the next time I go. I can’t thank you all enough for your input! Clearly many of you favored the weapon I chose. I’ll try to remember to report back when I’ve used it. Thanks so much!
Here’s the big secret about Tylenol: it doesn’t work very well(for most pain, and particularly arthritis).
Next time, take a couple of ibuprofen (or aspirin) and I predict things will be better. Ibuprofen, aspirin, and Aleve are all NSAIDs and — at least in my experience — they do a far better job than Tylenol in reining in pain.
Tylenol is not only far less effective, it has some danger: it metabolizes via your liver, and the prescribed dosage is perilously close to an overdose. See https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/tylenol-acetaminophen-poisoning
Thanks, Headedwest. I’ve gotten into the habit of using Tylenol because they insisted I use it during chemotherapy. I’ve used Aleve before, and it has its drawbacks, doesn’t it? It’s worked great for me in the past– maybe just use it when I’m practicing? I’ll check with my doctor.
Aleve is an NSAID, so you have to keep track of your dosage (though NSAID overdoses are less deadly than Tylenol overdoses). My experience (one person) is I rank ibuprofen as the best pain relief, and Aleve and aspirin in second place. Tylenol is worthless to me.
For reasons I do not understand, doctors and hospitals universally recommend Tylenol in all cases all the time. Lately, I have responded to such recommendations by pushing back, telling them that Tylenol has done nothing at all for any pain I have ever experienced. In some cases, they kind of give up and agree that NSAIDs can be better.
It is a shame the government is so anal about 9 mm AR pistols. I would love to add one to my collection for home defense. I don’t know how much longer I can shoot. My trigger finger is about shot (arthritis). I can’t even use spray cans with a top plunger unless I push down with my thumb. Following arthritis tips on here closely.
Any chance using your left hand?
Only after putting many rounds down range. I have never had much success being ambidextrous doing other things.
Yabbut, ibuprofen and naproxen are murder on the kidneys of those of us who have needed joint pain relief for a long time. Voltaren isn’t great but helps somewhat if massaged into the hand joints.
Yep me too. I feel pathetic when I have to use both hands to use a spray can.
Yes, my use is occasional. Should have noted that.
I was going to weigh in on that – Tylenol is considered by hospitals and doctors to be the “go to” pain killer. Like you are stating “universal.” Why that’s so, I don’t know.
I find for me it is good for the occasional headache, which are almost always mild to begin with. But useless for anything more serious like my chronic back pain (when it flares up.)
I can’t figure out why health care people have such a love affair with it. The stuff is hard on the liver and kidneys.
Maybe Aleve is a big problem if a person takes it for days on end. But Aleve knocks out bad aches and pains. Since I rarely use anything for more than 3 or 4 days, I don’t think its use poses a real problem.
Largely because it isn’t an NSAID but a pain blocker.
It works for fever – I keep both around for grandchildren since my house is affectionately known as grandma’s infirmary