[BigJimP]

I have arthritis in both hands and wrists.../ good and bad days....but I still shoot about 10 boxes a week thru my handguns ( 9mm to .357 mag ) and about 4 boxes of shotshells a week...( and I'm in my 60's now )....

Key is reducing recoil ....lighter loads(reloading your own ammo really helps), heavier guns, and picking guns that fit your hands - and to some extent maybe having guns with rubber grips, or wearing shooting gloves ( like a pair of winter golf gloves ) might help.

I shoot more 9mm than anything else in my handguns ( a 1911 in 9mm ...and I carry a 1911 in .45 acp ) ...but on bad weeks, I don't shoot the .45 acp. When I shoot my revolvers....I don't go with a .44 mag very often / instead I favor .357 mag ...and on bad days I'll shoot .38 spl's in them...

Today as an example ...knuckles on my shooting hand are not very good ...and I'm going to the range this afternoon ...making it a revolver day ....a S&W model 617 ( .22 ) ....a model 66 2 " (K frame) a model 19 in a 4" (K frame ) both .357 mag....and a Freedom Arms single action in .357 mag.../ if the 2" and 4" K frames bother me, I won't shoot them much ...and go back to the .22 or to the Single Action.../ the large frame Freedom Arms is heavy and it fills my hand - so its easy on my hand. I have 4 boxes of
.357 mag ....and 400 rds of .22 .../ and the point is to have some fun / do some shooting without beating my hands up.
----------
a steel 1911 ...in 9mm ....is easy on my hands...so its become my primary range gun.

I wouldn't want to own a small scandium frame revolver in .357 mag....vs the older steel guns ( like the model 19's or 27's that I have - K and N frames)....the big N frames ( S&W ) are easy on my hands...K frames can batter my knuckles a little ...( so I put on a pair of light golf rain gloves - helps a little ).