View Full Version : How old is too old to carry?
speedyp8
05-22-2018, 09:07 PM
I’ve spent most of my life in a northern state that is not gun friendly. I’ve owned pistols for 20 years just couldn’t legally carry them. Now I live in Florida and had to get my carry permit. I’m 57 and love the idea of carry but in a mostly retirement area there isn’t much crime. I would probably have to shoot wildlife way before the need to shoot a BG.
I think without serious training carrying is more a problem than a solution at my age. My son is a peace officer and I see the stress training he goes through and have to wonder what would I do in a stressful situation.
Let me know your thoughts.
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yqtszhj
05-22-2018, 09:38 PM
First Welcome to the forum. Just curious what led you to us here? Anyway at 55 I figure I’m too old to fight fair so I carry all the time.
For convenience you can carry a small pocket 380 or 9mm. Even in Florida you can do that in shorts. Easy to do and you can get it from the pocket easy as long as your not sitting while driving.
OldFatGuy
05-22-2018, 09:44 PM
I'm 63, pretty crippled up, can't run, can't fight. I go to the park and to Walmart, I wonder too why I need to carry. I'm not fast enough in wit to save myself anyway, by the time I know I'm in trouble, it will be over. What I think about are other things. The old saying, better to have it and not need it, than .....etc.
speedyp8
05-22-2018, 11:04 PM
First Welcome to the forum. Just curious what led you to us here? Anyway at 55 I figure I’m too old to fight fair so I carry all the time.
For convenience you can carry a small pocket 380 or 9mm. Even in Florida you can do that in shorts. Easy to do and you can get it from the pocket easy as long as your not sitting while driving.
I’m here because I bought a CM9 to pocket carry. I haven’t shot it yet but bought a small (of course it’s a CM9) holster for it to fit in my pocket. My other quandary is that my wife does not like guns.
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leftysixty
05-22-2018, 11:17 PM
I'm 70 years young, beat up and crippled, I still have fight in me and that's why I still carry a handgun! :amflag:
Transporter
05-22-2018, 11:36 PM
Gents, as we get younger we all still have that American boy in us that just loves to play with a gun--the controlling of the mechanical mechanism is too fascinating. And we , our dads, uncles, grandfathers introduced us. Handling and carrying a gun is practical, tactile, responsible, weighty, noble--a locus that helps focus the mind on the present, prescient, and positive reality. The NOW. Go on, fellas! Be 70, be 80...carry a gun you've known for decades or try a new one to train new habits. Current, like a new language. What is better than this? And in the end--you pull the trigger and it goes BANG!!!
Wlfman13
05-23-2018, 01:40 AM
Well, there you have it. I believe we have answered the original question. There does not seem to be a “too old”.
There does come a time when we may be allowed to live long enough that it is no longer that important. Before I get my wrist slapped, let me provide an example.
When I was 8, my grandfather took me aside, and showed me his Smith & Wesson .38 Special Combat Masterpiece, and his shotgun. Both of which he carried as a police officer. He asked me which one I wanted, and explained that I was the oldest grandson, and that my cousin (6 days younger than me) would get the gun I didn’t choose, and that I would get my choice when he no longer had a need for the gun. It may be obvious that I chose the pistol.
Fast-forward 37 years, and my grandfather moved to an assisted-living facility. He decided he no longer had a need for the pistol, and gave the gun to me. A little while later, I visited him and we ate lunch together, getting ready to go to the range for my first chance to fire the gun I had waited 37 years to fire. He, with his walker with tennis balls on the feet, and me carrying the range bag. Both grinning ear to ear.
We donned eyes & ears, entered the range, and the smiling stopped. He stood behind me as I made a quarter-sized hole at 7 yards. After 20 rounds, I asked if he wanted to shoot. He said, “I’ve shot that thing enough in my life. I don’t need any more practice.” I reeled the target back to us, and said, “Not bad, huh? That thing is accurate!”. He said, “It is VERY accurate. You also didn’t make it very hard on yourself, either.” In one sentence, his eyes let me know how much he enjoyed seeing me shoot the gun, and his words and tone let me know that he knew I had been “sandbagging”, and that he expected me to expect more out of the gun. Two sentences prior, he let me know that his days of shooting were over. I sent the target back out to 15 yards and made the quarter-sized hole the size of a half-dollar. I got a little smile out of him, and he said, “Why don’t you let the gun cool down a bit?”
So, it seems that you might never be too old. However, when you are done, you are done.
We went ahead and quit for the day. I still have the “other” ten rounds in the safe.
-Wlf
JohnR
05-23-2018, 08:06 AM
I would add that there's no such thing as a "safe neighborhood." It only takes one violent crime to make you wish you'd been carrying. That's not to say everyone should carry a G17 with three spare mags 24/7, just that in this period of history we can't assume we're totally safe anywhere.
Bobshouse
05-23-2018, 08:36 AM
Quit carrying the day you go outside and your friends tell you that you forgot to put on your pants...that will be your hint.
AIRret
05-23-2018, 08:53 AM
As a women a gun levels the playing field.
Now, as a 63 year old women who's had two back surgeries it's even more important to "close" the gap and level the field….and give me a chance to NOT be a victim!!
I am also committed to train!! If your NOT willing to train is when you need to question why you carry!
Mike_usn_ret
05-23-2018, 09:23 AM
I am 68 years old and carry a Kahr CM9 in a IWB holster every minute I am awake. My wife could not understand why I carried in the house till the the night an escaped criminal was caught in the neighborhood. I believe if I still have the mental and physical ability to carry, I will. Range time practice is important the older we get.
yqtszhj
05-23-2018, 09:44 AM
I’m here because I bought a CM9 to pocket carry. I haven’t shot it yet but bought a small (of course it’s a CM9) holster for it to fit in my pocket. My other quandary is that my wife does not like guns.
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You picked a good pistol for pocket carry. I have one that I bought when the CM9 first came out.
As for the wife, my wife thinks I have too many pistols (I just like cool pistols) so I tell her I think she has too many pairs of shoes, purses, and a scarf collection that would rival Macy’s retail stock. Saying that usually gets me an eye roll and then we move on to another topic. :rolleyes:
Barth
05-23-2018, 10:23 AM
I'll carry as long as I can proficiently operate the weapon.
Pretending you know when, where and how you will be attacked is a prescription for disaster.
Fortune favors the prepared :cool:
berettabone
05-23-2018, 11:05 AM
I have a feeling that when the time comes, if it comes, you'll know how to use it. I will carry until I can't. I can't run anymore so it's the equalizer. If you are to continue carrying, you must practice. Retirement places in FL. are perfect soft targets. Yesterday they shut down the high schools in my area because of an active armed robbery. A month ago, some poor soul a few blocks away from me was shot 4 times from outside through his kitchen window. You cannot possibly be ready for everything that may come your way, but being aware and prepared at least gives you a fighting chance. If your not truly committed to carry, then maybe you shouldn't. You have to have the correct mind set to carry. I tell my wife all the time, if your not ready to kill someone to save yourself, then you probably should carry a hammer. She's still carrying...………………………………………..
JimboTN
05-23-2018, 11:16 AM
IF you can still think clearly enough to fight back...you're still young enough to carry. The question will more likely be WHAT you should carry and HOW than whether or not you should. I'm 69 and arthritis and numerous surgeries and now having to use a cane...I'm re-evaluating my primary handguns of choice - which are almost all in 40 S&W. The size and recoil are beginning to be uncomfortable. IF it gets to the point where I can't effectively apply them I'll reduce the size/caliber but I can't in good conscience give up my ability to defend myself and loved ones.
As to the subject of "safe neighborhood" today's criminal element thrives on soft targets and gun-free and/or geriatric gathering places seem to be a growing target.
OldFatGuy
05-23-2018, 11:24 AM
I pocket carry a CM40. In the winter when I can wear more than a t-shirt, I'll wear an IWB holster. But mostly, all I have on is a t-shirt and shorts. I don't "conceal" with a t-shirt, I just cover with a t-shirt. I don't want anyone knowing, or suspecting I have a gun. That would be a good reason to rob me, to get my gun.
Ken L
05-23-2018, 11:33 AM
I'm 57 and I carry my CW40 every day. Well, almost every day--the weeks that I fly for business (I'm in sales, cover 5 western states) I don't carry because I haven't had the guts to check my gun yet. I've never been in the situation that I've needed to use my gun, but then I've never been in a situation where I've needed the fire insurance I carry on my house either. My wife, also, doesn't like guns. She tolerates them. She has asked me why I feel the need to carry when I'm at home, and I've told her that statistics show that 100% of home invasions happen at home. I get the eye roll.
dustnchips
05-23-2018, 11:38 AM
If you are too old to learn you are too old to start carrying. I'm 70 and carry. I shoot at least 50 rounds out of each of my carry guns every month, often more than that. I also do a little bit of dry fire. Practice and learn. When you are too weak, too unsteady, have too poor vision or other problems then you are too old.
getsome
05-23-2018, 12:46 PM
I plan on having my PM9 with me in my pocket at my funeral because I might need it on the other side when I run into my Mother in Law....For now I figure I'm too old and crippled to fight and too fat to run so having a hand gun on me at all times gives me much comfort....
berettabone
05-23-2018, 05:20 PM
IF you can still think clearly enough to fight back...you're still young enough to carry. The question will more likely be WHAT you should carry and HOW than whether or not you should. I'm 69 and arthritis and numerous surgeries and now having to use a cane...I'm re-evaluating my primary handguns of choice - which are almost all in 40 S&W. The size and recoil are beginning to be uncomfortable. IF it gets to the point where I can't effectively apply them I'll reduce the size/caliber but I can't in good conscience give up my ability to defend myself and loved ones.
As to the subject of "safe neighborhood" today's criminal element thrives on soft targets and gun-free and/or geriatric gathering places seem to be a growing target. I prefer .40 cal. myself. If you ever have to use it to defend yourself, you won't notice the recoil. It's not uncomfortable for me to practice yet. I'll just cut down a bit on practice if that happens. Don't worry, I read it on here...………….."Start at the beltline, the firearm will rise from there."
OldFatGuy
05-23-2018, 05:23 PM
I can only shoot a couple mags through my CM40, then my wrist starts twitching and I can't shoot anything. It's the last one I shoot when I go to the range.
Barth
05-23-2018, 06:45 PM
I can only shoot a couple mags through my CM40, then my wrist starts twitching and I can't shoot anything. It's the last one I shoot when I go to the range.
Friend has a Walther PPS 40.
It's no fun for me to shoot.
Bought my PPS in 9mm and it's a pussycat.
Really believe 9mm shines in the light micro polymer guns.
My Kahr MK40 is fine with 40.
But it's an all stainless gun.
You might try sub-sonic 180 gr in your 40.
Seems to have less felt recoil than super-sonic 155/165 gr in my hands.
At any rate, in a self defense situation a couple of mags should get the job done :)
OldFatGuy
05-23-2018, 06:53 PM
I figure if I'm still shooting after 12 rounds, I'm in some kind of trouble. I want to go to a 9mm, but finances are holding things up. Maybe later this year.
I originally misunderstood the question. My answer would have been my Walther PP .380 acp is 52 years old and not too old to carry.
Wlfman13
05-24-2018, 01:00 AM
I originally misunderstood the question. My answer would have been my Walther PP .380 acp is 52 years old and not too old to carry.
HAHAHAHA!!!!!!
-Wlf
340pd
05-24-2018, 09:16 AM
I am 73 and just renewed my 5 year permit and will continue to do so until I feel it would be more prudent to keep a Shockwave in my lap while I am having my diapers changed in a nursing home.
BTW, I still an an instructor and shoot over 95% on all my qualifies and continue to take regular force on force training.
My wife is 71 with a current permit and is deadly with her CT equipped S&W snubbie.
yqtszhj
05-24-2018, 09:43 AM
..... until I feel it would be more prudent to keep a Shockwave in my lap while I am having my diapers changed in a nursing home.
Now that’s just funny right there.
JohnR
05-24-2018, 06:28 PM
Well, nursing home abuse is a thing, after all.
Armybrat
05-24-2018, 08:44 PM
I'm with getsome, and am the same age as 340pd.
skiflydive
05-25-2018, 08:46 AM
Maybe it's a good conversation to have with the kids when they come to take your car keys....
dustnchips
05-25-2018, 09:08 AM
It seems that everyone on this site is old. No wonder I feel at home here.
Armybrat
05-25-2018, 11:01 AM
We're lucky not to get a bunch of hearing aid/Metamucil/AARP/cemetery plot pop-up ads.
Bawanna
05-25-2018, 12:07 PM
I'm getting a new one in a week or two. 2200 bucks of potential gun money just so I can hear instructions from she who must be obeyed!
I'll use my old one as a back up for failures. I love failures, she hate them.
340pd
05-25-2018, 03:00 PM
Maybe it's a good conversation to have with the kids when they come to take your car keys....
My car runs 0-60 in just over 5 seconds. The kids will never catch me.
AIRret
05-25-2018, 03:59 PM
My car runs 0-60 in just over 5 seconds. The kids will never catch me.
GOOD for you!!
Maybe it's a good conversation to have with the kids when they come to take your car keys....
Oh, I can relate to this.
When my Dad was in his early 80's, he started to drive like Mr Magoo. Pretty scary, and I was the only one that could get away with saying "Gimme the keys Pop - I'll drive".
We had a family meeting (sans Pop) where everyone wanted me to get Pop to give up the keys and driver's license.
My Dad was a stone mason for most of his life, and he had biceps the size of my thighs. NO ONE in their right mind would even THINK about getting in a fight with him. Including me.
When he was 83, an aggressive driver got pissed at him, and at a stop light, ran up to Dad's truck and punched him in the head through the open window. Dad got out of the truck and dropped the guy with one punch. There was witnesses, and when the police arrived, they laughed when they heard the story. And I got the call "Hey Chief - your Dad decked some guy that attacked him in his truck." After asking if everyone was OK, the officer said he was pretty sure that aggressive driver would think twice about picking on an old guy again, and Dad wouldn't press charges.
Pop drove up until a week before he passed at the ripe old age of 89.
Alfonse
05-25-2018, 08:09 PM
Pop drove up until a week before he passed at the ripe old age of 89.
Love that whole story. I'm getting old enough that I refuse to carry the 80 pound sacks of concrete anymore and I avoid the 60 pound sacks pretty well too. I think I can still lug a pistol around for awhile though.
Bawanna
05-25-2018, 11:29 PM
Awesome story Ed. Old guys rock.
O'Dell
05-26-2018, 01:28 AM
Oh, I can relate to this.
When my Dad was in his early 80's, he started to drive like Mr Magoo. Pretty scary, and I was the only one that could get away with saying "Gimme the keys Pop - I'll drive".
We had a family meeting (sans Pop) where everyone wanted me to get Pop to give up the keys and driver's license.
My Dad was a stone mason for most of his life, and he had biceps the size of my thighs. NO ONE in their right mind would even THINK about getting in a fight with him. Including me.
When he was 83, an aggressive driver got pissed at him, and at a stop light, ran up to Dad's truck and punched him in the head through the open window. Dad got out of the truck and dropped the guy with one punch. There was witnesses, and when the police arrived, they laughed when they heard the story. And I got the call "Hey Chief - your Dad decked some guy
Pop drove up until a week before he passed at the ripe old age of 89.
My Dad died at 82. but he was still driving and played 18 holes of golf a week earlier. My Mother, however, lived to 96 and was still driving to the supermarket, library, and beauty shop weekly 2 months before she died.
O'Dell
05-26-2018, 01:32 AM
My car runs 0-60 in just over 5 seconds. The kids will never catch me.
My Jag will do it in under 4 seconds, so I don't think my son's Miata has a chance.
Armybrat
05-26-2018, 02:18 PM
Old guy humor beats those millennial "comedians" hands down.
AIRret
05-26-2018, 06:22 PM
old guy humor beats those millennial "comedians" hands down.
ahmen!!!
7shot
05-31-2018, 09:42 AM
As long as you're physically and mentally able, IMO you're good to go! But like JohnR said, if you forget to put on your pants you might want to take a hard look. :)
Fortunately, at 60, I have no issues and can carry my MK9 everyday.
Bawanna
05-31-2018, 10:55 AM
Mine will be on me when they nail the lid shut, pants or no pants, who needs pants anyhow ya know?
What a silly question. I began carrying side arms at about age 19. That was 56 years ago. When will I stop? Well, I kinda liked the when you forget to put on your pants thing, but I've carried sans pants. Guess my answer would be...when you deploy your weapon and then realize you're holding it backwards. Or for me when, more likely, I'm dead.
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