How difficult is it to rack a Walther P22 or Mark IV?

[avocado213]

Wife has small and weak hands. I have a Sig P320 and she has a hard time racking the slide. For my Sig P365, she simply can't. Currently, she enjoys shooting the Ruger LCRX 22LR but I want to add to my collection a 22LR semi auto that she can operate. Compared to the Sig P320, how hard is it to rack a Walther P22 or Mark IV?

[SkyHawk]

A Mk series Ruger has a bolt, not a slide. I point that out because you can only get two fingers (index and thumb) on the mechanism. That may not help matters. Compare that to a gun where you can get all five fingers and your palm involved.

[Skip_Dog]

P22 is fairly ez to rack. Take her to the lgs and have her rack before you buy.

[Ora Serrata]

The p22 is pretty easy.

The Ruger isn’t bad but if she already has issues with other slides it may not be the best fit for her.

[SkyHawk]

Since it seems you have not ruled out off roster options, also look at the Ruger SR22P

[Half Cocked]

Originally Posted by SkyHawk

A Mk series Ruger has a bolt, not a slide. I point that out because you can only get two fingers (index and thumb) on the mechanism. That may not help matters. Compare that to a gun where you can get all five fingers and your palm involved.

Tandemkross makes a Halo™ charging ring bolt extension for the Ruger Mk pistols that make it easier to grasp the bolt. There may also be other brands of bolt extensions out there for these pistols.

[DB>]

P22 is easy to rack, shouldn't be a problem. Run mini-mags, it's designed around that HV round, it'll be fairly reliable. Some samples seem to run better than others...

If budget would allow for an off roster SR22P, it's an excellent option and a potentially less frustrating gun. My wife lost all interest in the Walther when I got her the Ruger, It's a shame the Ruger is no longer on roster, if you can find one at anything close to a "reasonable" price, grab it.

It's cheap, but a Phoenix Arms HP22 can actually be a good gun for smaller hands. Not anything like the quality of the Ruger, but for the price, mine shoot well (standard velocity only, per the factory recommendations), and have been quite reliable and accurate. You'll want a loader of some sort for the mags (P22 and SR22 mags have a button on the follower, making them easier to load, HP22 ya gotta stuff 'em in from the top, and it's tough on the thumbs without a loader!)

All the small .22LR's are hammer fired, and manually cocking the hammer makes racking significantly easier, as you aren't fighting the hammer spring AND the recoil spring.

[stevebla]

Buckmark with Halo my wife loves hers. Halo will not fit all Buckmarks. I used a little blue loctite between slide and Halo to keep it in place did't use on screws. P22 sucks was happy to sell it for $200 buck never looked back. +1 on mag loaders and a bunch of magazines.

https://www.tandemkross.com/halo-Cha...ark_p_200.html

Halo for Mark 4
https://www.tandemkross.com/halo-Cha...%A2_p_294.html

[Mystery_Milk]

Are you roster-exempt? If so the newer P22's are pretty well-received and should be easy to rack. But so should most semi-auto 22's with a full slide, and many have better reputations.

For those half-slide 22's your best option is to put one of those handles on it.

[1320Fastback]

No offense but if you can't rack a .22 I question the ability to safely aim and hold the weapon. I'd rent or go shooting with someone one of the pistols your considering and try it out.

[scotty99]

Originally Posted by 1320Fastback

No offense but if you can't rack a .22 I question the ability to safely aim and hold the weapon. I'd rent or go shooting with someone one of the pistols your considering and try it out.

You’ve obviously never racked a Browning Buckmark. Way tougher to rack than any other semi auto gun I own. Besides having little area to grip the slide hits the hammer almost at the pivot giving you near zero leverage. With the hammer down, your first thought will be that something is wrong with the gun.


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[scotty99]

OP, if it doesn’t have to be a .22, check out the S&W Easy Shield. My in-laws got one and it is comically easy to rack. Feels like they forgot to install a recoil spring.


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[Mrsdzrtrun]

I'm a 4'11 women and have the Walther. It's definitely the easiest gun to rack that we have. Take her down to a shop with rentals and rent it. She's going to enjoy it.

[Kokanee]

My son could easily rack it at 8 years old.

['ol shooter]

P-22 is easiest because you can cock the hammer first.
A better option is to buy her some exercisers to develop the G.I. Joe Kung-Fu Grip.

[k1dude]

I suggest you have her try a Sig P238. Women consider it to be one of the easiest to rack.

If you're roster exempt. Have her try the new S&W M&P Shield EZ .380. It's also considered to be one of the easiest to rack.

The P22 is easy to rack.