Wife having difficulty pulling back slide

[Satex]

Anyone else out there have a wife/girlfriend who has difficulty pulling back the slide on an semiauto handgun

1) Tell her the following it's not a toy; a pistol is supposed to handled rough.
2) Show her how to grab the slide with her fingers and palm. I noticed women try to load with the tips of their fingers - which makes it harder.
3) Tell her to think of something really aggravating that you do next time she tries to load.

[Librarian]

... but sometimes it really is an issue of upper body strength.

Look at Kathy Jackson's "Cornered Cat" page on this.

[tacosauce]

Good advice above about using the palm and fingers. I read somewhere that holding the gun sideways while placing the off hand base of the thumb on top and fingers underneath and pushing with the grip while pulling the slide back at the same time was easier for some people. Think "gangsta idiot style" while racking the slide, then proceed to operate like a normal person.

Check out this page:

http://www.corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.aspx

I also found this helpful in general on technique:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48

[LECTRIKHED]

I took my girlfriend to the gun store. She had practiced on my Ruger 22 so she knew how to rack a slide. Anyways, after trying some glocks, xd, sig, and 1911s, she was only able to rack one, the 1911. However, she was barely able to rack the slide on that. In a scary situation I doubt she would have properly been able to rack the slide.

We settled for a Taurus tracker 627. 7 shots of 38 special hollow point is much better than a jammed 9mm. Plus I got a cool revolver that can fire 357.

Get your wife a gun she is comfortable with. Start off with a revolver. After she has experience shooting a semi, have her graduate to a semi. In a situation that she needs to use, you can't have it jamming because she rode the slide, or didn't rack it properly.

[caldude]

Good advice above about using the palm and fingers. I read somewhere that holding the gun sideways while placing the off hand base of the thumb on top and fingers underneath and pushing with the grip while pulling the slide back at the same time was easier for some people. Think "gangsta idiot style" while racking the slide, then proceed to operate like a normal person.

Check out this page:

http://www.corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.aspx

I also found this helpful in general on technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48

The sideways method works best for my wife. She stands sideways with the barrel pointed downrange, one hand on the grip, and the other palming the top of the slide and using opposing motions of the hands to rack the slide.

When she first held a pistol and tried to rack the slide straight back, she wasn't able to get a good enough grip and really had little control of the gun as she tried to pull the slide back (it was waving all over the place). With a different technique, she hasn't had a problem.

[trinydex]

She has difficulty with both versions: index finger and thumb like a slingshot - the slide will barely budge. If she palms the slide, she can move it but sometimes it will be a bit of a struggle.

It helped when she was holding the slide firmly, and using the other hand to move the frame forward. It also helped today when I was wiped off the too generous helping of CLP that I leave behind to prevent rust .

for the palming style does she use the strong hand to push, or does she try to pull/push the slide?

[Maton]

have her bring it in close to her body, even turn sideways a bit for more leverage(while maintaining muzzle integrity downrange) and remind her to push/pull. For weaker people it may be easier for her to cup her hand on top of the weapon. I've seen this over and over again, I've even seen grown men that weigh 240lbs that struggle and cannot lock the slide. So again- put weapon close to her body(similar to opening a jar) and use that core strength instead of trying to muscle it away from her body. Hand cupped over for greater grip and use of whole hand, and push/pull. Lemme know if that works, if not I can ask some of my students how they finally got it.

[ricknadine1111]

Anyone else out there have a wife/girlfriend who has difficulty pulling back the slide on an semiauto handgun. So far my wife cannot rack the slide to load a round, on the 226,HK USPc, and 220. However, my USP full size, she can rack the slide, maybe because that one is 12 years old, and the recoil spring may have less tension.

If your wife/gf had the same issue, what did you do? Moved over to a revolver - and which revolver? Or is there a semiauto that seems to be easier to rack the slide?

I do have a GP100, 4" SS, but that one is heavy and a brick, so I am not sure I would want that to be the home defense of choice for her either.

thanks!

dont pull the slide push the pistol much easer

[Nemo]

I'm a woman, and I had a hell of a time racking the slide on my new CZ SP-01. Embarrassing. Three things helped:

1. Kathy Jackson's "Cornered Cat" site mentioned above (esp. the photos accompanying the article).
2. Using shooting gloves while getting familiar with the gun--these helped give me a better grip on the serrations and more confidence in "punching" the grips forward while holding the slide in the overhand grip.
3. Front Sight class--my hands were torn up pretty good by the end of 4 days of training, but the slide was less stiff from so many repetitions and my muscle memory was thoroughly established. Also, I now have the Grip of Doom.

[Millions-Knives]

My lady friend was never able to rack the slide on my USPc 45. She's small and petite. But I recently showed her a different technique. Most people would pinch the rear of the slide with their thumb and forefinger and pull like hell.

If you grip tight with your right hand, hold your elbow at 90 degrees along the front of your body (given it's still pointed down range) grab front of the slide with all fingers and thumb... instead of PULLING back, keep that hand stationary and shove forward with your grip hand and release the slide once it's all the way back. Propper form, not so sure... but she can rack my USP and my 1911 that way.

[duenor]

Weld a c-shaped cocking handle onto the rear of your slide. make sure it is big enough for at least two fingers.

you laugh, hah hah, but oh if you only knew the requests we get for "gunsmithing" from customers....

[trinydex]

the pushing/punching with grip hand seems like the best recomendation. i don't know why but i just do that anyway. a lotta the "pros" grab the front end of the slide... i find that a little hard sometimes, but i don't have the checkering either.

[Sumo99]

Ever think about installing a lighter mainspring? I installed one in one of my 1911's and now my wife has no problem racking the slide. Just a thought.