Racking slide issue

Try this:
Extend both arms (stiff-arm/locked elbows), gun gripped in your right hand, turn the gun sideways (ghetto style), clamshell grip the slide with the left hand, and push your right shoulder forward, and your left shoulder back.
That will rack the slide using bigger muscles, making it easier, works for me.
Or the push/pull method:
Using the "Push-Pull" Technique to Manipulate the Slide of a Semi-Automatic Pistol - YouTube

Or just adding a PUSHING forward motion with your right hand to the lefthand pulling motion:
RACK A SLIDE THE EASY WAY | Easy technique to rack a slide, lock it back & how to load magazines! - YouTube
Some more racking method vids:
slide racking techniques - YouTube

Edit: If you determine the push/pull close to your body method works best for you, be aware that the barrel could be pointing at your left forearm and down the firing line to your left.
At the very least turn your body so your left shoulder as well as the muzzle are facing down range.
Do it lower with the barrel pointing down range and down at the ground in front of you is also an option.
The reason I always pick the furthest to the right firing bay, both indoor and outdoor...
jmo,
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"The Cornered Cat" also has some more recommendations for working the slide, with an emphasis for women

https://www.corneredcat.com/article/running-the-gun/rack-the-slide/

I have no experience with the S&W M&P Shield EZ, but some of my CAS friends have bought them for themselves or their wives and they like them very much. Easy to operate the slide.

I end up in this debate often, and I'm usually in the minority, but with a semi-auto pistol, you may only need to rack the slide once in the lifetime of owning the gun, and even then, you could have somebody else do that one rack for you.

There are multiple videos and slide shows online showing how anyone with even minimum strength can rack a slide. Comes down to the grade-school episode where someone puts their palms together and someone else tries to separate them. Impossible, because one's greatest strength is when one is keeping their hands together. Gunblast even has a video of it, I believe, as do many youtube entries. Simply turn one's body 90 degrees (to make sure the gun isn't pointed at anyone), bring both hands close to the body, and push with both hands to each other.

The Canik also has a rear sight that would allow you to hook it on a solid object like a table, window sill, door, your belt, your heel, etc, and rack the slide with one hand.

1) Smith and Wesson EZ.

2) Beretta 3032 "Cheetah" (tilt-up breech; slide-racking not required to load, though will also not clear a malfunction.)

3) Hammer-fired, DA/SA pistol (pre-cocking the hammer eliminates having to work against the mainspring, leaving only the recoil spring to overcome.) Requires lowering the hammer after racking.

4) Any gun pre-racked by another person, as suggested above.

5) A decent revolver.

A revolver doesn't need to be racked.

Tallball said:

A revolver doesn't need to be racked.

Click to expand...

2nd

CZ-75BD said:

I bought for my wife Canik TP9SF Elite, because she was not able to rack slide on her old Taurus PT 809.
Same problem with the new one. When she rack slide bullet not going to chamber, but stock crooked.
I wrote to Canik tech support but have no response yet.
I'm wondering if a slide spring replacement will make a difference.
Also wondering if S&W EZ will be good for her?

Click to expand...

The spring tension between those different pistols will all be similar for 9mm (or any other apples-to-apples caliber comparison). Sounds like she may be "riding the slide" when she racks in a round. Does she pull back and then release the slide? And when she pulls back on the slide, does she pull to the limit of its rear travel? Those two things are what I see as the cause of feed issues most of the time, when there is no mechanical issue with the gun.

If she doesn't have the grip or arm strength for pulling the slide back on a 9mm, consider finding her a .380, or move her to a revolver.

bangswitch said:

Sounds like she may be "riding the slide" when she racks in a round.

Click to expand...

I was wondering that myself.

You try riding the slide on my Kahr, you either stop the slide, or it won't go fully into battery.

One issue with revolvers and persons with limited hand strength is the double action trigger pull. Often it is too much for folks, so cocking the hammer for single action becomes the only way it can be fired. If you do go that route be sure to have her practice a lot to get used to the gun.

That Canik pistol looked like it may have worked for you both, too bad the slide was too tough.

I hope you can find a gun for her, maybe that S&W EZ could be a solution.

Stay safe.

CZ-75BD said:

We dscused revolver option and her concern is lack of rounds availible.

Click to expand...

Is she going up against the whole cartel? If you can't hit something after six rounds, or at least scare it off.....

Agree that except for people with fairly serious injuries (or limits for surgical recovery), arthritis (hand grip strength esp) or similar, everyone can rack a slide.

Many people IME do NOT and have to be assured that they cannot break the gun, or injure themselves. Even people used to mechanical objects do not typically manipulate a tool like this. You may pull with a wrench or hit with a hammer but you use the tool ON something else, you don't use force on the tool itself, if you follow.

So, that's step one to me. Try to assure of confidence in pulling the gun HARD. Barricade cocking is both a useful technique, and good intro to the force required. (WITH DUMMY ROUNDS!!!!!) put the rear sight or some other easy to index part on a rigid thing like the edge of a counter or table, and push with the firing hand until the slide is all the way to the rear. Do note: not the kitchen counter The gun will scratch stuff up, so outside or in the shop or something.

The second failure most people have is — as stated above — riding the slide forward. Even a little bit of lowering the slide will reduce the slide velocity. You have to make sure she's pulling ALL the way to the rear then just letting go. Same issue as the first of mindset, confidence. That the gun won't break in half, the slide won't fly off, etc. I am super opposed to using the slide stop lever as a slide release (whole separate topic, but let's skip it for now) but a good exercise then is:

Insert an empty mag. Have her pull or barricade cock until the slide is locked to the rear. Change magazines (again, for a loaded With Dummies one) then have her push the slide stop to let it fly forward. After a while (not just iterations, but maybe days) then have her pull and release off a "loaded" magazine and see how it goes.


All this also is why a lot start with sub-calibers. Train on .22 as it's stout enough to get used to the mechanicals without so much effort, so stepping up to centerfire is a little easier then.


I'd say also, if willing; take a video of her manipulation. We can see a lot in a video, suggest specific issues or fixes. But likely the things Tilos et al shared are what would be suggested, so try yourself to look close at what she's doing, and compare to proper techniques.


Yes, the EZ is a great gun, also, if you want to sidestep the issue.

9mm
S&W® EQUALIZER NTS (smith-wesson.com)
380
Ruger® Security-380® Centerfire Pistol Models
Nails
RACK A SLIDE THE EASY WAY | Easy technique to rack a slide, lock it back & how to load magazines! - YouTube
or
Amazon.com : pepper spray

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Get on the web and type in rack slide assist and you will get a bunch of referrals with gear to help you rack a slide, for example:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=slide+ra...lide+,sporting,124&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_11

S&W Shield EZ or S&W Equalizer will be much easier to rack the slide

Use one hand to hold the slide. Push forward with the hand holding the gun. Do this with an empty magazine so you know she can get it all the way to slide lock.

Aren't there slide rackers that attach to the serrations on the slide? Perhaps something like that may make the slide easier for the Mrs to work the slide. Recoil spring is 14 lbs you might be able to switch that out for a spring that's a bit lighter.

Was looking at the Slide Racker very simple design,about the size of an Altoids tin. Fits over the top of the slide ( slot cut for front sight) hold the sides aand press against any solid surface and viola your pistol is loaded ready to go. Look it up on You Tube.

With a DA/SA semiauto, you can cock the hammer first and then the slide is easy to rack.

Racking a slide for someone without much arm strength simply relies more heavily on proper technique.

Once she understands and can do it with the proper leverage, she will be fine with the Canik.