Shanghai McCoy
Member
Between the Arthritis, tendonitis,bursitis and carpel I am noticing that racking in the first round on the 1911's is getting harder for me. Anyone else have this problem and is there a relatively simple solution?
"Itis" issues...
- Thread starter Shanghai McCoy
- Start date
Phaedrus/69
Member
I'm kind of there with you. Wrecking my shoulder two years ago set off a cascade of issues that have been challenging. So far my only solution has been to 'gut it out' but that's not going to work forever. Hopefully someone has some good ideas! I will say that while I was rehabbing my right shoulder and arm I switched to my Ruger LCRx for CCW since I could manipulate it easily with one hand.
CoalCrackerAl
Member
They have a assist to help.Im getting there too.. I do find cocking the hammer helps.
Pachmayr Slide Rack Assist black (amazon.com)
Pachmayr Slide Rack Assist black (amazon.com)
JTQ
Member
Yes, cocking the hammer is what I do.
Armored farmer
Member
My pistol instructor doesn't like the "slingshot" method of manipulating the slide. He says to "stack your thumbs" and push inward with both arms and use your pectoral muscles.
Y'all probably already know this.
Y'all probably already know this.
Yes this method definitely helps. Though I do find the 1911 raider to rack than some other pistols I own. Out of all my pistols, the Kel-Tec PF9 and P3AT are the worse.
jar
Contributing Member
Still carry my 1911s and so far without major issues but also find lately my plan B, C, and D get more than their fair share of WalkAbout.
Plans C & D are a Ruger Security 380 Lite Rack and a Walther CCP M2 380. They are all absolutely amazingly accurate, easy to rack, maintain, shoot and shoot lots for practice. Honestly the recoil is like a 22lr pistol.
No plans to give up on my 1911s but may well tend to carry the lighter 380s with modern self defense rounds.
Plans C & D are a Ruger Security 380 Lite Rack and a Walther CCP M2 380. They are all absolutely amazingly accurate, easy to rack, maintain, shoot and shoot lots for practice. Honestly the recoil is like a 22lr pistol.
No plans to give up on my 1911s but may well tend to carry the lighter 380s with modern self defense rounds.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
Assuming you have .45s, change to the same size 1911 chambered in 9mm.
That’s one reason I bought a 5” barreled 9mm 1911 recently. The recoil spring in the 9mm is very light.
doubleh
Member
But then it isn't a "real" 1911. 
That said I've owned an unreal 1911 in 9mm for quite a few years and really like to shoot it and it is easier to rack. There is enough difference that my #1 GG daughter shoots it but says unh-uh to the 45 version.
Want to go really easy to rack in the 1911 platform? Get a GSG 1911-22, change the recoil spring to handle subsonic rounds, and add a slide racker bar. Less effort than pulling a pop top on a can. Of course there is that pooty 22 rimfire thing to deal with but shooting mine is a blast. Well, more of a bang.
That said I've owned an unreal 1911 in 9mm for quite a few years and really like to shoot it and it is easier to rack. There is enough difference that my #1 GG daughter shoots it but says unh-uh to the 45 version.Want to go really easy to rack in the 1911 platform? Get a GSG 1911-22, change the recoil spring to handle subsonic rounds, and add a slide racker bar. Less effort than pulling a pop top on a can. Of course there is that pooty 22 rimfire thing to deal with but shooting mine is a blast. Well, more of a bang.
Dave DeLaurant
Member
I had to stop carrying my Glock 19 for about six months in 2015 after shattering my left arm. I didn't have the grip strength in my left-hand to rack the slide and found a revolver easier to operate one-handed.
Later on I added a Leupold Deltapoint Micro to my Glock -- its front face provides an emergency one-hand racking ledge.
So far my itises are mostly vision-related -- I can still rack an uncocked Astra M400, which remains the toughest slide to manipulate in my collection.
Later on I added a Leupold Deltapoint Micro to my Glock -- its front face provides an emergency one-hand racking ledge.
So far my itises are mostly vision-related -- I can still rack an uncocked Astra M400, which remains the toughest slide to manipulate in my collection.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
KevininPa
Member
Still carry my 1911s and so far without major issues but also find lately my plan B, C, and D get more than their fair share of WalkAbout.
Plans C & D are a Ruger Security 380 Lite Rack and a Walther CCP M2 380. They are all absolutely amazingly accurate, easy to rack, maintain, shoot and shoot lots for practice. Honestly the recoil is like a 22lr pistol.
No plans to give up on my 1911s but may well tend to carry the lighter 380s with modern self defense rounds.
Just got one of the EZs. Going to test run it for carry tomorrow, weather permitting. Preparing for my older years while I'm working. Racks WAY easier than any of my other pistols. I got the PC model with the gold bling trim. Wanted the black, but hey, the gold was on sale for $120 less. Plus the $75 rebate. All done and said, a Performance Center pistol for about $385.
My hands ache all the time. I have officially sold off all of my smaller semiautomatics and anything I can’t rack, which means bye bye G42.
Moved my 1911s to the 9mm caliber and found a NIB DW Guardian. So happy!
As far as the EZ series from SW, I had both the 380 and the 9mm. I swear I had to look at the target to see a hole to tell if it went off! Loved it, it mine had issues, so down the road it went. I liked the 9mm, but not enough to keep it. I have four NIB mag for it and a set of night sights so thinking I might have to give it another chance. I’m not overly impressed with M&P 9mms, never had one that shot as accurate as a Glock or Beretta. Now their 45s are the bomb! Really would like to see the EZ done in a 45GAP or ACP. That would just tickle me pink!
Moved my 1911s to the 9mm caliber and found a NIB DW Guardian. So happy!
As far as the EZ series from SW, I had both the 380 and the 9mm. I swear I had to look at the target to see a hole to tell if it went off! Loved it, it mine had issues, so down the road it went. I liked the 9mm, but not enough to keep it. I have four NIB mag for it and a set of night sights so thinking I might have to give it another chance. I’m not overly impressed with M&P 9mms, never had one that shot as accurate as a Glock or Beretta. Now their 45s are the bomb! Really would like to see the EZ done in a 45GAP or ACP. That would just tickle me pink!
JTQ
Member
JTQ
Member
I'm probably at a similar point, but where I'm at now, I get the feeling I'll be able to work the slide longer than I'll be able to pull a DA revolver trigger.
The lever I'm paying the most attention to is the thumb safety. If my thumb gives up on that, I'll have to look for other options.
Old Dog
Member
Yes. I've got it all, both shoulders, elbow, dominant side wrist, fingers... Last x-ray I saw of my right hand and wrist made my knees weak, looks brutal. Shoulders shredded.
I rack overhand, with my strong side wrist locked against my body, pushing the pistol forward as I pull the slide back. (Closer stronger, farther weaker)
Others have offered good solutions. I'm not ready for the "EZ" pistols yet, maybe that's just ego.
I got the wife a Beretta with a tip-up barrel. It's only a .380, so there's that... (She only carries her P-365 though).
As Grandpa used to say, "Gettin' old ain't for the faint of heart."
Naproxen is my friend.
I rack overhand, with my strong side wrist locked against my body, pushing the pistol forward as I pull the slide back. (Closer stronger, farther weaker)
Others have offered good solutions. I'm not ready for the "EZ" pistols yet, maybe that's just ego.
I got the wife a Beretta with a tip-up barrel. It's only a .380, so there's that... (She only carries her P-365 though).
As Grandpa used to say, "Gettin' old ain't for the faint of heart."
Naproxen is my friend.
Col. Harrumph
Member
Dave DeL is a better man than I am I guess, I'm finding it a lot more difficult that it used to be, to rack an Astra 400's slide. I just sent an email to Lyman asking if their Pachmayr slide assist would work with one. If they respond, I'll update.
lowercase
Member
Wow, my hands hurt just reading this. I have everything you listed, plus fibromyalgia. It has a ton of different symptoms, but the main one is feeling like having "tendonitis of everything". I've noticed that my grip strength has really dropped off. Currently, I can still rack a 1911, and just went shooting a new one a couple days ago. I don't have an easy solution except to say that I'l probably go back to my small revolvers eventually.
I didn't even think about cocking the hammer on a 1911 before racking, so this thread has been a help to me.
I didn't even think about cocking the hammer on a 1911 before racking, so this thread has been a help to me.
Shanghai McCoy
Member
A lot of good advice here. It's also a bit of comfort to see that I'm not alone in the battle with the "itis" .
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys.
jar
Contributing Member
Waiting on a range report.
AbE:
One other point I would like to make.
I get told often that choosing a .380 over a 9mm Luger is silly since 9mm Luger is cheaper and more powerful than .380.
True but,
I mostly shoot 45acp, 45 Colt, 32acp/32 S&W Long and frankly, those rounds are also more expensive than 9mm Luger. The lighter recoil of the 9mm Brown Short AKA .380 in a similar size and weight pistol to some of my 7.65s but smaller and lighter than my 1911s makes for greater control, easier carry and honestly not much change in my ammo budgets.
Plus the .380 ammo offerings just keep getting more and more attractive.
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