yep iam in a wheelchair and i am going to be turning 21 on the 14th of this month. i want to get myself a pistol for range use but mostly conceal carry and home defense, i will try and give u guys the best possible idea of what i look like but as far as the measurements of my hip from the side of my wheelchair where i could put a holster i dont know. i tried to measure myself and i got 5'1/4 i dont know if thats correct or not, all i really would like to know is what would u guys recommend as a good conceal carry and home defense semiauto pistol for a guy like myself in my situation.as for pistols i have shot in my life i have shot a .22 a glock 17 9mm which was to long of a gun for me, id like something smaller in size, i would like to stick with either a glock or a small kimber 45. for the caliber for either the glock or kimber i would prefer .40 cal .45 cal or 9mm. so its that and maybe a few ideas on what would be a nice holster, iv been looking at a belly band holster and it looks pretty nice for my situation. i hope u guys can help me out in the best way u can.
If you can fit it somewhere on your person or wheelchair, a high capacity 45 may be a good choice. Reason I say that is that it would have the most knockdown power per shot, and enough capacity in case a number of people attacked you, presuming that you were defenseless. I happen to like their ergonomics, finding the filling grip very comfortable, and the weight of such pistols would make recoil more manageable, and since the weight of the pistol would presumably be on the wheelchair, it wouldn't be as significant a matter as on a person on foot. I am far more comfortable firing one of those than the likes of a Makarov or small 9x19mm such as a Star BM.
For more of a generally excellent handgun with which I have great experience, I'd recommend the Steyr M40, M9, or M357. They have been flawless in their reliability and the recoil is low, plus the slide and barrel design are such that the pistol does not buck very much.
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First off, Welcome to Gun and Game. I would think a revolver in .357 magnum would be a better choice with a few speed loaders strategically located about your person. A Ruger SP101 is an awesome weapon for self defence. Keep it simple. If you are set on an auto pistol, BRG has a good idea there with the Makarov or the Star. I like the Star Firestar series in .40S&W
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I have two friends that are disabled. One has MS the other has Cerebral Palsy; neither have lots of strength or stamina. Large bores or big kickers are out of the question ; at least with their circumstances. They each carry Kel-Tec firearms, one is a P-32 the other is a P-3AT. They both shoot these arms very well. I've shot with both of them and they feel very confident with their arms and abilities....
That does beg a good question - is your disability a general one, or one that just affects the legs? My assumption was that you had normal upper body strength and weight.
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I was thinking along the same lines as Apollyon67, except maybe a snub nose .38 that is hammerless. My thought is that if you are chairbound, then perhaps something like a Smith and Wesson 642 may be good, since there is no hammer to snag whether you carry it on your person or in a bag and have a bit less mobility.
Springfield Armory has just anounced a new piece. It's called the EMP - Enhanced Micro Pistol. It's a 1911, but, here's the thing, the frame, grip, and slide are all shorter. It's just like those old Colt .380ACP (my dad has one). But, it's updated. Ambi-safety, Novaks, and it's sexy. Oh, and it's in 9mm, 40SW, and .45GAP. My dad's a lefty, and he's going throught POST next spring, He HATES the .40, says he's a gun snob and doesn't want to carry his issued Glock 23 (no not 22,- in Utah County, special functions officers have compacts.). Late yesterday, I showed the specs to him, and he said, "Holy crap, I need one." I'm plannin on one on my 21st.
Springfield XD's also have the "safe-action" of a glock. The only noticeable difference is the grip angle is that of a 1911, there is a grip-safety, a loaded chamber indicator, and a "striker-cocked" indicator. I personally liek the feeling of an XD as compared to a Glock.
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For 16 years I wore a S&W Mod. 686 4" in a Bianchi X15 shoulder holster. I have never had a revolver fail to go bang for me and the X15 hugs your side like a good woman. Really can't go wrong...atleast look into it... and Good Luck !!
Get a Kimber, Colt, Springfield, or any other Commander size 1911. You can choose between a 45 or 9mm. A 40 has a quick recoil where the other two a somewhat less reactive. I would suggest a crossdraw holster. It can be concealed and give you better access while sitting in a wheelchair. A full size 1911 would be ok, but you suggested your desire was something smaller. I wouldn't recommend a 3-1/2 barrel, they also have an abrupt recoil, even when ported. An aluminum frame is a plus too. The new alloys are strong and don't present a wear issue.
Indy
I would consider carrying the weapon on the whellchair itself. Somewhere on your strong side in a mounted holster. It would be easy enough to fab up some kind of concealment for it, and it allows you to carry a good sized weapon. One suggestion of a weapon is the new Sig P250. I haven't shot it yet, but it seems like its going to be a great gun. It is very versatile, being based on a steel action/frame, with interchangable slides and grips. You can get a grip that fits your hand in whatever caliber you want.
I would consider carrying the weapon on the whellchair itself. Somewhere on your strong side in a mounted holster. It would be easy enough to fab up some kind of concealment for it, and it allows you to carry a good sized weapon. One suggestion of a weapon is the new Sig P250. I haven't shot it yet, but it seems like its going to be a great gun. It is very versatile, being based on a steel action/frame, with interchangable slides and grips. You can get a grip that fits your hand in whatever caliber you want.
Sounds good but think about it, what is some asshole pushes him out of the chair then what?
Your situation is complicated by one unfortunate fact. Survivability in a gunfight is primarily affected by how quickly you seek cover or concealment. Since that is probably not an option for you, I would look at what you can do to minimize that problem. First of all unless you brandish a weapon or otherwise call attention to yourself you are probably not perceived as a threat. So, your firearm needs to be well concealed but easy to access. You wont have much mobility with one hand holding a pistol and weapon retention is also a problem for you. All of this means that once you make your move, you have to go all the way and end the confrontation. Diving behind a parked car for a "time out" is probably not possible for you.
You have a lot to think about besides selection of a weapon. Your disability does not exempt you from the responsibility to train yourself if you choose to carry a firearm. Good Luck!
Troylaplante is right, a hammerless would be a better choice for concealed carry.
+1. Hammerless snubby. Probably .357magnum, so that you can use .38 specials to practice with and carry the full-power rounds for defense. I'm not saying not to practice with the .357mag rounds, since you should always practice with what you carry, but the lower power will help you be able to work out any flinching or what-not much quicker.
The biggest issue I see you having in the wheelchair (which I've been wheelchair bound twice due to breaking my femur... twice) is if someone got in really close and essentially smothered you. With a semi-auto, you would get off one shot with the one in the chamber, but the attacker might have it pinned against you, preventing the action from loading a second round. Not a problem with a snub-nosed revolver.
This is coming from someone that doesn't own a revolver (yet!) and Does own the "baby" Glock 27 in .40S&W. In other words, even though the G27 is what I CC and OC with regularly and is best for me, I am saying that I don't think it would work best in your specific situation.
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