Question. My wife can't rack the slide on any of my handguns.

[Will Carry]

She has trouble pulling a double action trigger, even on my silky smooth Model 36. Her only choices are 1) Having a pistol handy that I have racked a round for her. 2) Learning to shoot single action only or 3) Any ideas?

PS. I offered to buy her a NAA Black Widow buy she doesn't think a 22mag will stop an attacker. She wants a 44 magnum. "I only want to shoot one time" I think she said. Bless her heart........

Edited February 21, 2011 by Will Carry

[LagerHead]

I'm not sure of the stature or physical limitations your wife may or may not have, but if she is relatively able bodied she might just need to work on technique.

What I suggest to those that have problems is to avoid gripping the slide and attempting to rack the slide. Instead use friction and in one movement thrust the gun forward and the slide to the rear, basically pushing one hand against the other. You really barely have to touch the slide if you work on this. I say barely but it is indeed relative. You certainly don't need anything near a death grip on it though.

[BigK]

I taught my daughter the technique that LagerHead described. I told her to 1) get a firm overhand grip on the top/rear of the slide with her left hand, 2) hold the gun normally in her right hand (finger on the frame), 3) push that right hand forward, 4) while pushing with the right hand, resist the forward movement with her left hand. She can rack almost any pistol using this technique and she's not very strong.

[Erik88]

I'm not sure of the stature or physical limitations your wife may or may not have, but if she is relatively able bodied she might just need to work on technique.

What I suggest to those that have problems is to avoid gripping the slide and attempting to rack the slide. Instead use friction and in one movement thrust the gun forward and the slide to the rear, basically pushing one hand against the other. You really barely have to touch the slide if you work on this. I say barely but it is indeed relative. You certainly don't need anything near a death grip on it though.

I taught my daughter the technique that LagerHead described. I told her to 1) get a firm overhand grip on the top/rear of the slide with her left hand, 2) hold the gun normally in her right hand (finger on the frame), 3) push that right hand forward, 4) while pushing with the right hand, resist the forward movement with her left hand. She can rack almost any pistol using this technique and she's not very strong.

this^^^ push forward with strong hand while having a firm grip on the slide with weak hand. If this doesn't work then I'm not sure what else to suggest. Let us know if this does the trick.

[gregintenn]

Can she cock the hammer on your silky smooth model 36?

[Retired Navy GMC]

Have her try the techniques above, and if all else fails, have her handle a Walther PK380.

It has a very light recoil spring which in turn takes little effort to rack the slide.

[Guest BenderBendingRodriguez]

Revolver. No need to rack anything. Load it and it's ready. Very little that can go wrong with it. Will just require practice to be a proficient shot. Doesn't sound like she has much interest in reloading, so the capacity might be a downside, but at least she won't be fiddling with speed loaders or anything under stress.

::Edit::

The trouble with a DA trigger somehow slipped past me. So... revolver with a trigger job. Or train her to instinctively cock the hammer on her draw.

[LagerHead]

Here's a video that shows pretty much what I'm talking about. It works so well I actually demonstrate by NOT gripping the slide and just kind of slapping it with my palm and fingers as I thrust forward to show how the thrust with your shooting hand is the part that really seals the deal.

[crossfire]

Have her try the techniques above, and if all else fails, have her handle a Walther PK380.

It has a very light recoil spring which in turn takes little effort to rack the slide.

+1 On the techniques and the Walther PK380.

[Curiousgb]

She wants a 44 magnum. "I only want to shoot one time" I think she said. Bless her heart........

Get her a Coach Gun.

[Guest nicemac]

My wife carries a S&W J-Frame revolver with a trigger job. Pull is pretty light and definitely easier than racking any slide I have ever used. Added a Crimson Trace LG-305 laser grip with a good bit of rubber on the backstrap and it is not that harsh to shoot, even with +P ammo.

[JAB]

I don't know how much you can/will spend but if this is to leave in one place for home defense, not for carry and the lady truly wants a .44 Mag (which, if she lacks the strength to operate a slide or DA trigger might be a bit much for to handle in handgun form) then what about the possibility of a lever action carbine chambered for .44 Mag? Or a lever carbine in .357 Mag (which would allow her to use .38 Specials if she wants?) A semiauto pistol caliber carbine might be worth considering, as well. She'd have to handle a couple to see if she can operate them, of course, but I would think that operating the lever on a lever gun or the charging handle on a semiauto long gun would be easier than operating a pistol slide.

Edited February 21, 2011 by JAB

[Guest friesepferd]

First on racking the slide. She can, trust me. She just needs to learn correctly how. Many people here described it well, but I will give my own descrpition quick:

- Left hand over the top of the slide gripping the back of it on the slide grips if there are some

- right hand holding the gun as if shooting (with finger up of course)

- push with right hand, hold with left

- (this is the one people often dont teach that helps the most) Don't have her point the gun straight away, have the length of the gun be parrellel to her chest. Now, be careful which way you are pointing the gun here. To do this, you generally have to turn your body 90 degrees, so that the barrel remains pointint down range. You are not (if at an indoor range) facing sideways, toward the stall next to you. Being in this position when she pushes WITH HER RIGHT HAND will help a ton.

- I have never failed to teach a scrawny 8 year old girl how to rack even the toughest of slides.

So trust me, she CAN rack the slide. She just needs to do it right. If she actually connot (most likely do to a real physical problem), then either go with a revolver or go with one of those tilt-up barrel semiautos (such as Beretta - model 86).

As far as double action goes... just dont get her a double action gun. Get her a SAO with thumb safety, or DA/SA with safety that she can carry cocked and locked, or get her a striker fire (I highly suggest the springdield XD). Personally I dont like double action (even though I can pull it fine). Theres no reason for her to have one if thats not what she likes.

So in summary, teach her how to rack the slide, and get her a striker or SAO gun.

[titanfan11]

My M&P .40 allows you to rack the slide one handed by using a hard corner surface against the rear sight. Or she could use inertia like this shooter.

link: Racking a Glock slide with one hand | The Firearm Blog

[Guest friesepferd]

Oh, also, check out cornered cat's description of how to do this. This is what I do:

Cornered Cat - Rack the Slide

bringing it into the mid section and pushing with the right hand. She kinda half turns it sideways. Pretty similar to mine.

Also, if you and your wife have not yet- read that entire website. by FAR the best website for women and guns (great website for men too)

[SavageSig]

Tip up barrel pistol. Look at a Beretta Tomcat or something similar.

[Guest Aces&8s]

Check out the ruger LCR, it is DA, but uses a ratcheting cam mechanism, so the trigger pull does not feel heavy at all.

[Guest adamoxtwo]

If you have the time I would recommend taking her to a Shop such as Guns and Leather and let her play (and talk with the folks there at the shop) while you walk away. I will say that the folks there are extremely trust worthy and I'm not sure why but Women tend to listen to everyone but their Husband! My wife had the same problem and fell in love with the SIG P239 9mm. Food for thought.

[Guest EYEMAN]

Tip up barrel pistol. Look at a Beretta Tomcat or something similar.

My wife has had joint replacement on both hands and I thought the Tomcat would be the answer. The barrel was impossible for her to unlatch and the barrel could not be latched back down. I got rid of the Tomcat and carried her to the gunshop to try to operate a Walther PK380. It was almost effortless for her. It is amazing how light all the functions of the PK380 are. She loves it and feels very comfortable shooting it.

[Guest rockbottom12]

take her to the gun shop let her choose.

[DaveTN]

There is no such thing as a silky smooth Model 36.

A J-frame has a hard trigger pull by design.

Now a K-frame on the other hand, can made to be smooth as glass and very light. For a home defense gun I would check out some really smooth K (or even possibly an L) frame. S&W model 66, 19 or possibly even a 686. They will also have less recoil, are far more accurate, and more enjoyable to shoot.

[Guest ForPointSix]

+1 on the 686.

[Guest mindless01]

The Walther PK380 is what my wife carries as well. Very easy to rack the slide and she loves the gun.

My wife has had joint replacement on both hands and I thought the Tomcat would be the answer. The barrel was impossible for her to unlatch and the barrel could not be latched back down. I got rid of the Tomcat and carried her to the gunshop to try to operate a Walther PK380. It was almost effortless for her. It is amazing how light all the functions of the PK380 are. She loves it and feels very comfortable shooting it.

[Mykltn]

She has trouble pulling a double action trigger, even on my silky smooth Model 36. Her only choices are 1) Having a pistol handy that I have racked a round for her. 2) Learning to shoot single action only or 3) Any ideas?

PS. I offered to buy her a NAA Black Widow buy she doesn't think a 22mag will stop an attacker. She wants a 44 magnum. "I only want to shoot one time" I think she said. Bless her heart........

Got my wife a Berretta Tomcat and she loves it. It is a great gun for ladies that have trouble racking the slide like my wife does. I tried revolvers and light autos but non seemed to make her confident enough to carry until the Tomcat.

[graycrait]

I'll bet I run into this at least 3 times a week. Good suggestions have been given save one, which I will get to in a bit. I'll comment on a couple of the preceding:

1) PK380 - very easy slide to rack if like all others the initial push pull is relatively violent to overcome the hammer inertia. But I do have to say the PK380 has a very easy slide to rack. I don't care for the PK380 safety, the mag disconnect and the lack of a slide stop lever.

2) When racking with a two handed grip, also lock the elbows, and point the gun down at 45 degrees. Then using shoulders push pull.

3) Tomcat is cool, and I have tip ups also. However, its size poses difficulties for many shooters.

4) Get her a Brass Stacker Glock Slide Pull (have to have a non-RTF Glock): Slide Pull Oftentimes people laugh at mine but it makes racking safe, positive, fast and can be done by the very weak, old, arthritic, one armed (with "hook" or prosthetic) or simply by those who don't really care what folks conventionally think. It also eliminates all that bold talk about racking the slide on your pants using the perfect rear sight when you are wounded and still in the fight, etc. With the Brass Stacker Glock Slide Pull you can simply rack the slide while hooking the pull over the bone shards sticking up from your compound fracture, erasing the need for the perfect rear sight (which could still be used) that will hook clothing material efficiently.