Is there a slide a lady can rack?

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ta4

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Wifey can't rack any of the slides on my semi-autos. She doesn't like revolvers. I can't blame her for that.:D What gun has a slide a person with weak hands can rack? I keep all of my guns are in ready-to-shoot condition. Yet, there must be a gun for her to manipulate as needed.
 
First of all, if you get a hammer fired semiauto, you can have her thumb cock the hammer before racking the slide. This will significantly reduce the strength needed for racking slide. Also, many semautos can be racked easily if you change the recoil spring. Many times the factory spring is too stiff for standard loads and lower power spring won't hurt the gun.

Rule of thumb is that larger the gun and smaller the caliber, the easier it is to rack since the heavy slide compensates the need for stiff recoil spring. For example, Beretta 92 9mm is pretty easy to rack.
 
this isn't going to go well.

"what you do mean a slide a LADY can rack?!"



Easiest slide I have is my G34. But I think the bigger and heavier the slide + less potent the round, the weaker the spring is (can be). Have any full size 9mm?
 
If Pax's suggestions don't work, you could always get a Beretta model 86 or 3032 Tomcat. They have tip-up barrels so one can avoid racking the slide; however, it won't do you much good if you have to clear a jam.
 
Yeah, I second that: Get a Beretta with a tip-up barrel...no slide to rack at all.
Click to expand...
Thirded. And, the smaller gun may fit her hands better, resulting in happy wife. And we all know (to at least some degree) that when da wife happy, e'rebody happy.
 
My Mother had the same problem a few years ago. After searching a bunch of Gunshops, she found that the G26 was the easiest to handle. That short recoil spring doesn't offer much resistance. Yes, I know it is a dual unit..just not an
issue for those with weak hand strength who really need/want a semi-auto.
 
Technique can also help. Try having her push forward on the grip with her strong hand while pushing back on the slide with the off hand. The Cornered Cat (where I picked up that trick) is a great resource for women & guns. While I'm neither female nor weak, I found that trick handy after putting a heavier recoil spring in my CZ-52.
 
i find my 92fs harder to rack then my g17. To be fair, i bought my 92fs new, and have only about 3-4k rounds through it, and the G17 i bought used (and it looked used too), and i've put well over 10k rounds through it.

My new XD-45 5", is somewhat of a bear to rack. I even have to put a bit of muscle into it. Of course i am a wimpy guy with small arms and hands :neener:

Thats ok, I just use pax's method for racking it. Works for the ladies, works for me.
 
I once saw an ad for an aftermarket barrel bushing for 1911s that had an extension tube that allowed one to push the muzzle end against a wall or table to cycle the slide...
 
I'd bet that if she cocks the hammer first and uses the opposing hand technique, (Strong hand push frame - weak hand pull slide) and uses her weak hand over the slide rather than trying to pinch the slide (Slingshot), she will be able to do it. Then if she practices the process will get progressively easier. Take PAX' www.corneredcat.com as gospel.
 
My Ruger P345 uses a light recoil spring, with a buffer or dampner spring, that compresses just before the slide is all the way back. It racks very easy:) The grip is narrow, and the trigger reach is well suited for small hands, my wife prefers this gun over any other autoloader in the safe.
 
Technique.

Proper technique solves most problems. In this forum on this very day is a thread started by Pax dealing with this subject. Also, there are links in paxs' posts to www.corneredcat.com which is an excellent source for women shooters and the men who love them. My wife is rather petite and can manipulate a 1911 with 23# mainspring and 18.5# recoil spring. She prefers something better suited to her, but she is capable. Barring physical infirmity, any woman is capable. After all, they do things around the house (my wife is a full time Mom) and at the workplace which often require more sheer strength. Technique is where it's at.

Hey, now there's a link in my post, too! Funny thing, that.
 
this is a question that just cant be answered online. I have been through this and it depends on the womans strength, finger length, fingertip sensitivity (i.e. ouch this hurts my fingers).

I went through every semi auto that my gun store had with my wife and we settled on a S&W 640 revolver for a number of reasons, which include the fact that there is no slide to rack.
 
A lighter recoil spring (or a system that uses a lighter recoil spring) is necessary. The 9mm 1911 Government sized model has less resistance than a Commander sized model, or a .45. The Walther P38 and P5 have smaller dual recoil springs that make it easier for someone so afflicted to chamber a round. The Taurus 24/7 in 9mm has a fairly light recoil spring. That is why it is important for her to PICK HER OWN GUN!!!
 
its also why it is important for her to learn how to properly rack the slide.

A 100 pound soaking wet little thing at my old job could rack slides no problem and only the hardest to rack made her grunt a bit. Read the webpage presented, good stuff on there and then have her try racking slides as instructed there and I'd be willing to bet she has little if any problem.
 
Racking the slide is very important for a woman, who might feel uncomfortable or just plain not want to shoot because of her difficulty or feeling overwhelmed. It is good that a 100lbs woman could rack a slide, but I used to know a 180lbs guy who could bench over 500lbs, that doesnt mean that every other 180lbs guy could do it, hell I weight 200+ and cant bench that much, life just works like that. My wife for instance is 6' tall and pretty strong, but got very frustrated attempting to rack slides and it hurt her fingers and hands on many guns, I knew if this was going to be an issue, she was just not going to carry the weapon. Could she learn to rack the slide or ignore the discomfort, yes probably, but WOULD she...I doubt it. So now she carries a revolver that she loves, instead of having a semi auto that she lets sit in the safe because its a pain to operate.

If the poster says its an issue...then it is an issue period.
 
http://www.99shadesofgrey.com/fitness/2006/09/15/interview_with_dennis_cieri.php

He recently did 600lbs and did 501 at 181 pounds in 1999.

Here is another in 2006 540lbs at 181 weight class which is 82.5kgs, youll notice dennis jumped to 198lbs and pushed over 580 that year...you will also notice a guy at 165 hit over 500lbs on bench on this chart as well. .http://www.usapowerlifting.com/records/american/men-benchpress.htm There are also many others who do not have the money to make it to nationals who can push over 500lbs at under 198lbs weight class.

Here is another article of Dennis and McCormick both hitting over 500 at 181 http://www.usaplnationals.com/181battle.html



Just because you cant do it doesnt make it BS. I will accept your silence as an apology
 
A friend's wife had a problem racking any auto pistol until she tried his Taurus 24/7 9mm. Guess what he doesn't get to shoot any more.
 
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