Fellow old guys question

[smle-man]

Save your damn money.

I hate to state the obvious, but did you try racking it with the opposite hand?

Shoot more with your weak hand to get strength back in a more fun kinda way. Nobody likes lifting weights when a more fun alternative option is available.

Stop whining and start winning.

Yes I did, actually

[Imageview]

[Mongo68]

I had to go to a slide racker since I cant grip well anymore after an accident with a saw. They do make ones that go in the rear sight dovetail.

[bbodybill]

How you spell... Beretta 21a??? Gettin there... Age 77 (sunset strip :-))

[smle-man]

https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2...-pistols-slide





I can't get over how much strength I've lost at 68 so I'm back to using Girly-Man weights and grip squeezers

I just tried this method and it works great with my 1911s. A little less so with the Hi Powers but still effective.

[sigstroker]

As a last resort, put an optic on your pistol and rack the slide against a table or corner of a wall.

[ojisan]

You guys suggesting Glock do realize that when racking the slide you also pull back the striker spring in addition to the recoil spring, right?
Glocks and other striker fired pistols are harder to rack the slide than hammer pistols when the hammer has been cocked first.
Without a doubt, my G27 is the hardest to rack pistol I own.
My Shield 9 was stiff at first but has broken in, the 27 remains a tough one.

Pistols to consider for those with weakened hand strength:
- Colt Mustang, Pocketlite and Government .380 and similar locked breech designs which use much softer recoil springs than blow back designs like Walther PP & PPK, Makarov, etc.
- Beretta 86 Cheetah in .380 with tip-up barrel, Beretta 3032 Tomcat and similar. (Maybe...but I had a 21A in .22LR with the tip up barrel that constantly failed to extract / eject...if you raised the barrel breech too high when prying out a stuck case, the slide would pop off and the recoil springs let go. Not hard to reassemble but a genuine PITA. Maybe the .25ACP versions are better.)
- With any luck on the downfall of the Roster, the S&W E-Z models are quite popular. (Edit: I just noticed that you are out of CA so go check out a E-Z.)

[CamW]

I hate to add to your misery, but someone needs to warn you. The warranty on all of your body parts expires at age 70 and there is no renewal option. Make the most of the next two years.

[FNGGlock]

Striker fired pistols are much easier to add a handle or ring.

https://www.glockstore.com/Slide-Pull-Charging-Handle

[acaligunner]

I'm on the downslope of 68 and find that my grip and upper arm strength is declining rapidly. I'm struggling to work the slide on my 1911s and Hi Powers. Frankly I have to cock the hammer first to be able to get the slide retracted. It doesn't help that I have rhumatoid arthritis in my joints. Getting some pistols back together and compressing the recoil spring is another major struggle.

Am I a wimp or are you other old guys having this issue?

It happens, find a revolver that works for you.

[joefrank64k]

You’re never too old to start simple weight training.

While you won’t make big gains, you can slow the inevitable decline in strength.

[Aldemar]

Just turned 70. Have arthritis real bad, also both wrists fused. Still daily carry a 1911 in condition 1 as knocking off the thumb safety is not an issue. I'm also playing around with a SIG 938 because it has the same manual of arms as a 1911 except no grip safety.

[smle-man]

I've been doing 5 lb weights for about 5 years as PT for my shoulders. Left had rotator cuff surgery and the right shoulder is in bad shape. Maybe I need to join a gym.

[IVC]

Am I a wimp or are you other old guys having this issue?

You're not a wimp, strength changes with age. I'm not close to you in age, but I've trained and certified enough people who struggled with the slide. There are simple techniques to significantly increase your efficiency, and you can also add "wings" to the back of the slide if your fingers are slipping.

You just have to adapt.

[Dan_Eastvale]