One of life’s harsh realities is that when we grow older, performing those simple tasks we once took for granted becomes more of a challenge. Just when you have it all figured out, one by one, the various parts of your body no longer want to cooperate like they once did.
While shooting a pistol does not require the athleticism of a gymnast, the aging process can have an adverse impact on performance. While we can’t entirely turn back Father Time, with a few adjustments we can continue to perform at a relatively high level. This is especially important for those who carry a firearm for personal defense, as criminals like to select victims they perceive to be a lesser threat.
I first noticed a decline in my shooting performance when I hit the big 50 mark. When conducting firearms training at my job, I always liked to throw in a more dynamic shooting drill or two that took my shooters well outside the comfort zone of the square range. In these exercises, the shooter had to apply the fundamentals of practical marksmanship and utilize basic tactics such as movement and use of cover while performing at game speed.
I rationalized that if I expected my shooters to perform at an acceptable level, I had better be able to demonstrate the skills cold without any sort of warm-up. It was at this point that I began missing shots while performing my demos. Needless to say, my less-than-stellar performance was not helpful.
Fortunately for me the fix was very simple, and an insert in my shooting glasses solved my problem. Suddenly, the front sight was in clear focus and I was back on my game. But over time, some other challenges began to confront me. A couple of very serious health scares began to chip away at my mobility, and even the way I gripped my gun. Again, I made an adjustment, and was able to close the performance deficit.
No, I can’t jump as high or run as fast as when I was 30, but I’m confident that I would be a formidable adversary to someone threatening my safety.
Arthritis — Keeping Uncle Arthur in Check
Arthritis is a group of conditions that causes inflammation of the joints and can lead to stiffness, swelling and a reduced range of motion. These symptoms typically increase as we grow older. While there is no cure for most types of arthritis, medication, physical therapy and lifestyle changes can mitigate and reduce the intensity of the symptoms.
I have a touch of arthritis in the legs and my right hand. While I feel it when getting up from a seated position, so far it has not been a huge problem. My right hand (support hand for this lefty) sometimes feels like a catcher’s mitt that, has on occasion, caused my shots to print right of the target. To counter that, I have to really focus hard on obtaining a tight grip with the support hand. In the not-so-distant past, my grip was on autopilot, but now I have to really mentally focus. When I do, my hits impact where they are supposed to. At the present time, this is merely an inconvenience.
Shooters with more severe symptoms may want to consider the following options. Increasing the grip diameter of your handgun will reduce the range of motion your hand takes when making contact. That alone may enhance your comfort factor. In practice sessions, consider wearing a pair of gloves that increase friction between your hand and the pistol. I own a pair of leather PAST Professional shooting gloves, which I occasionally utilize. My hands are pretty beat up and the padded PAST gloves definitely help my cause. It’s hardly a revelation to many, but the handguns that most often affect shooting comfort aren’t the big, service-size blasters, but rather those small, lightweight pistols we carry for personal defense. Practice with the gun you really carry, and gloves can make a big difference.
While I don’t personally use ported handguns for personal defense, it does work. The port allows pressure to exit and spread its influence over a wider area, reducing muzzle rise and felt recoil.
A simpler solution is reconsidering what sort of cartridge your pistol fires. I came of age in the bigger-is-better era and felt that any serious handgun round should begin with a “4”. I still have one .45 ACP pistol in my carry rotation, but its polymer frame doesn’t beat me up nearly as much as a like-chambered gun with an aluminum alloy frame.
With that said, all my other serious carry pistols are in 9mm. Improvements in terminal performance have certainly narrowed the performance between the 9mm and larger-bore pistols, and I don’t feel the least bit put out with the Parabellum cartridge. I can run a pistol in this round measurably faster, and a mild-mannered 9mm is comfortable to shoot in extended practice sessions.
Overcoming Reduced Grip Strength
No matter your age or gender, grip is an extremely important fundamental in achieving a high level of performance with a pistol. The grip is your connection with the gun, and deficiencies will result in off-center hits and poor recoil control.
Consider that in most people, grip strength diminishes with age. Biochemical changes often result in stiffer, more irregular dense connective tissue and a 20-25% reduction in grip strength at 60 years old. The good news is that you can regain and maintain grip strength through exercise.
Some years ago, I became acquainted with hand grip strengthening devices that you place in the hand between the palm and fingers. These devices are available in different weights where you close the hand to compress a spring. I would suggest selecting one that offers a moderate degree of resistance where the hand begins to feel fatigued after 10-15 reps. Don’t overdo it and perform no more than three or four sets. I have gotten positive results, especially when recovering from a hand injury, using one of these devices. The comfort factor may be increased by selecting one with a soft, foam handle as opposed to hard plastic.
Of late, I have been working my hands on the IronMind EGG, made of a soft gel like material. As the name implies, this is an egg-shaped device that you compress and release to exercise the hand. To work this tool, I do about a dozen compress/releases then switch and exercise the other hand. IronMind EGGs are available in two variations, green as well as blue.
There are also some other tools out there, including bands to exercise the fingers as well as piston-activated spring finger exercisers. The bottom line is, while you don’t need the hand strength of Superman to shoot a pistol to a high standard, you certainly need to have a positive grip. If you determine that diminished hand strength is adversely impacting your shooting, work those hands to get back on track.
On another note, you may also experience that racking the slide on your pistol has gotten significantly harder. If so, consider this technique. Rather than holding the pistol firmly in the dominant hand and retracting the slide toward you with the support hand, switch it around. Take an overhand grip on the pistol just behind the ejection port and push forward with the strong-side arm. This gets the shoulder into the act and takes far less effort than retracting the slide. Using this technique, you can easily overcome the resistance of a heavy duty recoil spring.
Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism — The Eyes Have It
Meeting with success when shooting a pistol requires good vision. But like everything else on our bodies, vision degrades as we grow older. Common refractive problems include myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. To further muddy the waters, one could have a combination such as myopia and astigmatism. We are indeed visual creatures and, regardless of whether you are a shooter or not, you should get your eyes checked regularly. Although vision issues are yet another speed bump, many of the above listed maladies can be corrected with the proper glasses.
The best route is to have a set of prescription glasses made. One of the issues is that optometrists, who are highly skilled in prescribing glasses for driving or reading, don’t understand what is required for shooting. Very often, the optical centers may have to be relocated so you pick up the sights naturally while looking through the frames. What you want to avoid is the need to move your head back or down to pick up the sights.
When speaking to the doc, it’s important that he understands the need to clearly define that front sight 30” or so from your face while keeping the head in a natural position. Unfortunately, bringing the pistol into the examination room is outside the realm of possibility, so don’t do it!
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In many cases, minor vision problems when shooting can be overcome with a set of relatively inexpensive over-the-counter glasses with a magnifier. Over the last few years, I have enjoyed success with such a set from ESS, and now other firms are also turning out similar glasses.
A word or two about pistol sights is also in order. In my younger days, I could clearly define the serrations in the black front of my pistol. Not anymore! For any handgun used for personal defense, I prefer something that really grabs my attention in all lighting conditions. The front sight on my Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C contains a tritium insert with a luminescent ring, which stands out in all light conditions.
I’m also fond of the Big Dot system offered by XS Sights, and a few of my pistols are so equipped.
Lasers and red dots may also have something to offer for the senior shooter. Lasers use an on-target focal point and are game changers in reduced light or indoors. Red dot sights have caught on in a big way and may be a viable solution for some shooters. Like lasers, aiming requires only a single focal point and, if you work at it, you can find that dot very fast. There may be something here for seasoned shooters, but it’s not the perfect fix for everyone. For example, shooters handicapped with astigmatism may see a starburst rather than a dot.
Old-school pistol shooters who cut their teeth on iron sights often have a difficult time transitioning to a red dot, and there is that significant investment of the red dot optic itself to consider. You simply have to make an honest assessment if you are willing to make the investment in gear and time to get up to speed.
Thinking It Through
No matter how long we stay in the game, the equation for success depends on proper execution of the fundamentals. As long as you have those ducks in a row, the bullet has no alternative but to hit the target.
As for me, I had to back off on the gas pedal ever so slightly to achieve the same measure of success that I did in the past. Back then, I could obtain a crush grip on my pistol without even thinking about. But now, I have to give it some conscious thought as I lift the gun from the holster and make sure my support hand is holding up its part of the bargain. The end result is that I can still run my pistol very quickly and score decisive hits.
Shooting a pistol is just as much a mental process as it is physical. Analyze where your deficiencies lie and take corrective action, whether it’s working the hands or getting the eyes checked. And don’t be a couch potato! Some regular, moderate exercise can help your cause in a very big way.
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