Whether you like guns or not, they are a part of American culture; people’s interest in gun ownership increased after the pandemic in 2020 and has remained steady. Since guns aren’t an inexpensive purchase, it is important to really think about the potential benefits and disadvantages of gun ownership and what is required to be a safe firearms owner.
Nancy Langford, 78, had never lived by herself until recently and was very apprehensive about this change in her life. She felt afraid and thought she would feel more secure having a gun in her home. “There is meanness everywhere,” she says. Her son brought her a six-shooter that had belonged to her late husband, his father. “It looks like something from the Old West,” she says, but having it in her home has given her a sense of security.
And she’s not alone. Aaron McGahee, owner of Rhinox Research Group, a company that provides various levels of firearms training, says many of his older clients get a gun and take classes because they feel like they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves in a violent situation. “They realize they are a vulnerable population and, more often than not, the targets of aggression because of their age,” he says.
As a former military weapons instructor with 14 years experience, Aaron knows the importance of regular firearms training no matter a person’s age or situation, whether they’ve never touched a gun or have lifelong gun experience. “Firearms safety and armed self-defense require routine training. It’s what we call a highly perishable skill. You can forget how to do [it] if you’re not actively practicing,” he says. “It’s always important to take a basic class at least twice a year to make sure that those fundamental skills are still sharp.”
Aaron strongly recommends that people who are considering a firearms purchase take a class before plunking down dollars for their own weapon. “You don’t know what you need or what you’re looking for,” he says. “I want students when they do go to the gun store to know what’s right for them.” He says spending money on a class beforehand will ultimately save time, money, and potential embarrassment if you have to sell a gun you just bought because it doesn’t work for your situation.
Another benefit of a pre-purchase firearms class is that it can help older adults learn about the new technology in firearms. “We have a back-and-forth on revolvers. I continue to express that while revolvers are easy to fire and reliable, they are obsolete. It’s old technology. The capabilities of the revolver do not match what’s on the streets right now,” he says. “It’s the equivalent of trying to use a VCR for movie night.”
Older adults may be concerned about their physical ability to handle a gun, but Aaron notes that shaking hands and an inability to focus are what everyone experiences if they have to use a firearm during a violent encounter. “The training is designed to teach proper recoil management and proper gun handling with those things being in play,” he says.
Having a firearm in one’s home can give people a sense of security, but it can also be something new to worry about, especially if there are grandkids who visit or neighbors who may pop in periodically to check on someone’s welfare. Every gun organization has very clear rules for firearm safety that include keeping guns unloaded when not in use and storing firearms so they are inaccessible to unauthorized persons. Following those rules and getting regular training are essential to keeping older adults and their loved ones who may visit safe.
By Carrie Vittitoe
P.S. Plan a vacation.
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