Neither arthritis, nor a wheelchair, nor heart surgery, nor impaired mobility, nor gloom of night keeps chronologically gifted folk (senior citizens) from defending themselves. If anyone tries to tell you that defense guns and seniors are incompatible, here’s some proof that it isn’t so. Age, even when accompanied by physical impairment, is generally no barrier to shooting a gun. That can’t be said of most of the other methods of self-protection such as impact weapons, unarmed fighting, and running away.
The Cleveland Ohio Plain Dealer published a story about senior citizens and guns. A 69-year old man was quoted as saying, “Having a concealed weapon today is more to my advantage than it perhaps would’ve been when I was 30 years old.” About 12 percent of all concealed-carry licenses issued since 2005 in Cuyahoga County have been to people 60 and older. Seniors make up nearly 50% of students in one man’s license certification class, “An 87-year-old woman with a gun is equal to anybody,” he said. A 64-year old man said he carries a gun because, “I’ve had two heart surgeries. I literally can’t run, can’t fight.” With headlines like “Granny Gets Her Gun”, “Elderly Women Send Rapist Running”, “80-yr old Woman Uses Shotgun On Intruder”, “Go Grandma!”, “Woman in Wheelchair Shoots Mugger,” “Wife Uses Gun To Save Husband”, “Woman Blasts Intruder Dead”, “Armed Grandma Captures Two Escapees”, and “Granny Bar Owner Chases Off Armed Robber”, you can see that there are many amazing stories.
Here are summaries of more than 20 people, from 55 to 91, all women, who have successfully protected themselves with a firearm. As you read them, consider what would likely have happened if these seniors had not been armed. Chronologically Gifted Folk Protect Themselves
