My wife struggles to pull the DA trigger on snub-nose revolvers and could not rack the slide on my XD45, but she could shoot the XD45 just fine. She got instruction when she first got her pistol permit and could operate his G19 just fine.
Just like the OP is trying to do, I put together a list of easy to rack semi-autos (based on the responses in this thread and one on XDtalk.com). I wanted her to get something that was small enough that she could carry it if she really wants to but big enough that it won't be uncomfortable to shoot. I also wanted her to get a handgun with passive safeties only (she will never train enough to commit disengaging the safety to muscle memory). My list was:
Beretta PX4, G19 or G26, Kahr PM9 or CW9, S&W M&P9C, Springfield XD9sc, Walther PPS or P99. We went to the LGS this morning and she handled the G19, G26, M&P9C and the PPS. She could operate all of them and liked them all, but she really liked the M&P9C. We'll pick it up tomorrow.
Just like the OP is trying to do, I put together a list of easy to rack semi-autos (based on the responses in this thread and one on XDtalk.com). I wanted her to get something that was small enough that she could carry it if she really wants to but big enough that it won't be uncomfortable to shoot. I also wanted her to get a handgun with passive safeties only (she will never train enough to commit disengaging the safety to muscle memory). My list was:
Beretta PX4, G19 or G26, Kahr PM9 or CW9, S&W M&P9C, Springfield XD9sc, Walther PPS or P99. We went to the LGS this morning and she handled the G19, G26, M&P9C and the PPS. She could operate all of them and liked them all, but she really liked the M&P9C. We'll pick it up tomorrow.