So, racking slides...

[AmericanRedoubt]

Such a friendly informative well-written reply. Thank you. I once heard Tom Gresham of GunTalk Radio give the very same advice.

We're hoping she's not trying to rack using her thumb and index finger from behind the slide, pinky down. Won't work. Also, I can't see why the size of the caliber is going to make a difference in how the slide operates....

First I must say that racking a slide is about leverage, not strength. It she isn't pulling against some rigid surface ( a locked elbow and wrist, or elbow braced on ribs if absolutely necessary.) If she's holding it too far away from her body, it won't work. When I got my first Glock, I couldn't rack it five times in a row either or work the slide release. Was almost in tears from frustration. I had to practice (dry fire with snap caps) on the sofa for a week and build up some muscle in the right places. I still remove the slide kinda funny, but it comes off. Hands that type for a living have great flexibility and stamina but not so much strength.

When I rack semi automatics, I grip the slide between the base of my palm and my finger tips. In order to do this, I need the gun at a 45 degree angle to my body, which means I turn slightly to the right, to keep the muzzle down range. When I'm tired, I might brace my right elbow to my body for extra stability and leverage. It may not look perfect but you do what you have to do, to get the job done. And they rack every single time and damned quickly. I do it this way not because I'm so dainty and girly, but because I'm older than God and my hands and wrists are cranky.

Please, please stop "getting" her a gun. Let her choose one she can comfortably operate. You can be in the car listening to the ball game while she does this. The best place to do that is River City Gun Exchange, they have about every handgun around and they're real good about letting potential buyers handle them. Don't go there on a Tuesday morning or a Saturday, they're mobbed. I like 2 pm on Thursdays and it's worth taking an afternoon off. It's really best if she tries everything that looks interesting, selects a gun with the help of a competent salesperson and pays for it her own very self. They're mostly ex-cops there, they like women shooters and they won't sell her something that isn't right. She does this all by herself. It creates a lot of ownership and pride in her selection. And if she's anything like me, she'd die before saying she bought something she really couldn't handle.

If she won't do it alone, buy me lunch or coffee and I'll go with her. You can give final approval just before the credit cards come out.

The best solution is to put here with a competent instructor and an assortment of available guns, who can diagnose and correct the situation. PM me and I can tell you some who sells instruction time in 2 hour increments for a very reasonable price. You can both have a lesson once the racking problem is solved. Again, you sit in the car and listen to the ball game while the racking diagnosis is going on. Really.

PM me with some choices of weekend mornings at Sac Valley and I'll look at what she's doing, look at the guns, try to rack 'em myself and if all else fails, I can rustle up an instructor for a 15 minute freebie.

----

NRA Life Member; also member of GunOwners.org of America, NRAila.org, Second Amendment Foundation SAF.org, CalGunsFoundation.org, CRPA.org, GunOwnersCA.com, NSSF.org, JPFO.org, Permies.com, thesurvivalpodcast.com Member Support Brigade, Wolf Pack member at thesurvivalistblog.net, Permaculture Homesteader, Minister. https://www.youtube.com/user/WesternRedoubt, https://twitter.com/AmericaRedoubt, https://plus.google.com/u/0/100074989588861962432, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ameri...43830355647369

[hk91666]

Once you find the gun she likes get a lower power spring from wolff springs might make the racking easier

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

[Whiterabbit]

So is $10 grand.

So you'd be perfectly comfortable carrying a .22 pistol as your primary SD weapon given a 9mm? I see. Obviously shot placement is important, but so is tissue displacement. Anything less than 9 doesn't make a big enough hole IMHO.

Anytime someone says this I ask if they'd be willing to catch a 22 rimfire bullet. No takers yet.

But seriously, do reconsider a revolver. If you NEED 8, 10, 15, or 30 rounds to FEEL safe, more power to you! I won;t limit you. But I don't NEED more than 5 rounds to stop any credible threat to my life. Revolvers have too many advantages, and that includes pushing even larger bullets (just as slow or slower, to even further reduce recoil).

It's funny, I've been told that in the 50's and earlier the prevailing attitude was that semi-auto was the one that required more training and practice to become proficient. Now it's the other way around? Interesting.

[Packy14]

is she doing overhand or slingshot? slingshot requires a great deal more strength than overhand... I teach everyone to overhand and have not seen anyone unable to do that.

[Che762x39]

Please, please stop "getting" her a gun. Let her choose one she can comfortably operate. You can be in the car listening to the ball game while she does this.

Bonnie really nailed it. I see that everytime I go to Turners or the indoor range. If the lady wants a gun let her choose. The other day a guy brought his lady in and everytime she started to move towards the revolver section, he'll cough. She'll move back towards the Glock section and he'll smile.

Guys really do not get it.

[Che762x39]

It's funny, I've been told that in the 50's and earlier the prevailing attitude was that semi-auto was the one that required more training and practice to become proficient. Now it's the other way around? Interesting.

That is why you should have a second opinion.

My dad had his 1911A1 from WWII and only handgun he ever owned. My father - in - law was a 1911A1 instructor for the US Army in WWII and after that experience he preferred a Colt Single Action Army.

Everyone has a different POV on "proficient". The answer is "evolve"

[jeremiah12]

From personal experience with my wife, Bonnie is right. If this is to be your wife's gun, let her choose it. Stay out of it. Have your wife take a class without you being in the class.

Yes, I wanted my wife to be able to defend herself when I am not around. Yes, I have opinions about what what I believe are the better guns. Men will argue for days as to the perfect caliber and the perfect handgun. Guess what, you are not your wife. She needs something that works for her. She may or may not be interested in the technicalities of differences between calibers, bullet weights, etc.

My wife took 2 months of looking to find the gun she liked. It is hers and she shoots it. She will not let me touch it. It worked out better than if I selected what I thought would work for her.

[pastureofmuppets]

I understand that revolvers are reliable and simple. I don't like the limited capacity. You guys are completely ignoring the multiple attacker argument

That's why you buy her two revolvers...

[movie zombie]

and moon clips for each of those revolvers!

[nickel plate]

A .380+P Semi-auto would be worth looking at. My Sig Sauer P238 has a factory recoil spring that is very smooth and light to rack.
My 9mm M&P Shield is very hard to rack.

[BonnieB]

It suddenly crossed my mind, OP, is your wife afraid of the slide? Is she afraid her fingers are going to get caught in it when it snaps back? If this is so, I think gloves are a bad idea, just one more opportunity to snag something.

But if she's flinching away from the slide, she's always going to have trouble and you should show her how to keep (all) her fingers out of the way.

[LMT4ME]

Why is she racking the slide. Gun should be loaded. If gun (god help you) goes to slide lock, then a mag change requires either hitting the slide release or a slight rack.

[Em6726]

Locked and loaded

[SanDiegoMan]

The best option is to let her pick out her own pistol. See if she thinks a revolver would be an ok option. My vote is for a .454 revolver though.

[BonnieB]

Why is she racking the slide. Gun should be loaded. If gun (god help you) goes to slide lock, then a mag change requires either hitting the slide release or a slight rack.

Um, you gotta rack the slide each time you reload, I think. Such as when I punch out 150 rounds of .40 caliber on a Tuesday morning. If you don't practice, you might as well use the dang gun as a door stop! It'll be safer.

Of COURSE she has to be able to rack the slide!