Help my wife get a CCW

[Balog]

I've been doing some shopping with my wife to try to find a good carry piece for her. Revolvers don't seem to fit her hands very well, so it's most likely gonna be an auto.

On most of the smaller sized models that she feels she could comfortably carry, she is unable to release the slide after it's locked back. Even when pulling with her off hand and hitting the release with her primary thumb, she lacks the hand strength to drop the slide easily. To be honest I have the same trouble with some models, especially compact Glocks. She grew up shooting Glocks, and I'd prefer to get her one of those since she is already familiar with it's manual of arms. But she simply can't drop the slide. I haven't tried a couple brands that may be better (Kahr and Kel-Tec for example), but I was wondering if there is anything that could be done to rectify this situation.

Thanks for any help.

Disclaimer: I do not know if it would be easier to release the slide if a round was being chambered. So far we've been limited to trying guns in shops, not at a range.

 

[Majic]

A round in the magazine will have push the follower down allowing the slide lock to move easier. Simply remove the magazine and have her retry releasing the slide on her choices. Another option is to obtain a snap cap and load that in the magazine then try again.
If that doesn't work then she may have to settle for one of the tip-up barrel models like the Beretta or Taurus.

 

[Brigrat]

Teach her to slingshot the slide on a glock.... Problem solved. I have huge, and strong hands. and I still have problems releasing Glock slides (I can still do it). SLingshoting works great!

 

[10Ring]

Assuming the right hand is the strong hand, instead of trying to pull the slide backwards with the left hand, hold the slide and push the frame forward with the right hand. This brings larger muscle groups into play. It may take a little practice, but this technique uses chest and anterior shoulder muscles instead of just forearm muscle groups.

I think this is what Brigrat was referring to.

 

[dakotasin]

my wife prefers revolvers, but the only revolver she has is a 686... a large framed, very heavy gun. ultimately, because she felt it easier to conceal autos, she went that route, but, she couldn't pull the slides back either...

---enter sig---

once we tried a sig, all that changed... the sig 239 works out very well for her, and the slide isn't hard to rack.

she didn't like the operations of a glock, so no comment on how easy/hard they are to rack.

my wife had an extremely tough time w/ the kahr, and taurus was a little tough for her, too... she had no troubles w/ bersa's 380. and that's all the guns she tried.

 

[KMKeller]

My wife initially had a Kahr P9 that proved pretty stiff when racking the slide back. After many visits to the gun shop and trying out virtually every type, model and manufacturer known to man, my wife settled on a Glock G19 and it's been perfect for her. And slingshotting the slide is definitely the way to go.

 

[Majic]

Even when pulling with her off hand and hitting the release with her primary thumb, she lacks the hand strength to drop the slide easily.

That is a reduntant technique that takes away some of the needed hand strength. When the grip is changed to drop the release with the thumb, strength is lost for supporting the pistol when slingshotting the slide.
Like others suggested use the whole off hand to hold the slide, push the pistol foward with the firing hand.
Also the follower will hold the slide lock lever up when the magazine is empty. Simply pushing on the lever requires you to overcome the magazine spring tension.

 

[TheEgg]

Ditto on everyone else -- try the slingshot technique.

On the guns, try out both the Sig 239, and S&W 3913 or 3913LS. Both of these guns seem to be very easy to manipulate, might work for the wife.

 

[KarlG]

Please pardon my ignorance. What do you mean "slingshotting"?

Thanks

 

[Majic]

KarlG,
You hold the pistol in your firing hand and grasp the slide with your off hand. Then pull the slide back and release. Just like you would do a slingshot.

 

[KarlG]

Majic, Thanks for the definition.