looking for SemiAuto Pistol for the wife

[lazypineapple]

She can't rack the slide on my Glocks.
What other semiautos should I look at that a Petite Lady can operate ?
with stopping power.?
thanks

 

[baboon]

Wow if she can't rack the slide how does she handle the recoil? My wife got these small boney finger & she could do my Les Baer when it was brand new. Might want to try and have her work out with your Glock until she can do it.

 

[lazypineapple]

She hasn't shot it. so no tellin on the recoil.
she has tried to work out on the Glocks.
She can Almost rack the slide on my G35 , but noway on the G27.
will probably get her a Revolver. If I can't fine her a SemiAuto to operate.
Maybe a small SA to take the CHL and carry a Revolver.

 

[Mate]

It could be that her form is bad. The biggest mistake guys make is buying a gun without their wife/girlfriends input. What fits your hands may not fit her hands.

Alright, this is the only video on youtube I could find, but watch where he puts his hands (if you can ignore the sniffs).

YouTube - How to rack the slide

1. The gun is in close, we're all stronger in close right? Nobody opens jars with their arms outstretched.
2. He puts his hands over the slide serrations so he has more purchase.
3. He pushes with his right hand AS he's racking with his left hand.

 

[navyguy]

IME, Glocks are about the easiest to rack. At least the 9mm. That's the only one my wife can rack. If that doesn't work, the revolver is the your best choice. But, the really small and light ones are going to be heavy recoil.

 

[Stag]

If there is a local range that rents pistol, rent a couple that are appealing to her. See if she can rack those slides. If not, then move on to a revolver, and see if she is comfortable with that. My wife is good with a revolver, not so good with a semi-auto. Different strokes for different folks. Glocks and XDs are pretty easy to rack.

 

[Geronimo45]

Make sure she uses proper technique when racking, and the problem may go away.
Cornered Cat - Rack the Slide

 

[idleprocess]

Far too many people try to rack the slide by slingshotting (sometimes literally, pinching the back of it between thumb and forefinger). I can do it with with some of my pistols, but not all and it takes far too much effort to do it routinely - nevermind under duress.

The overhand technique requires the least coordination and offers the greatest mechanical margin. You can use both arms and the overhand grip offers the most contact area.

I think the author of the article on Cornered Cat hit on the biggest impediment for most women - the crippling powers of perception. For a number of reasons - be it fear, intimidation, social conditioning, etc - women can easily convince themselves that they're physically incapable of performing that action when it's really a mental block. My mother - largely because of her age and upbringing - is mentally incapable of performing the slightest bit of vehicle maintenance even though she readily has the intelligence and mechanical aptitude to do it... she has a negative emotional reaction whenever you even talk about how things work on cars - like she's not supposed to be interested such things. Most women are stronger than they will admit, but many will only apply that strength to tasks they consider socially appropriate.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Wife can't rack my P232, P238 or any of the Beretta's. Put any of my .45's in her hand, an' she's good to go. I tell her she only wants to play with the *expensive* toys!

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Most people have a lot more upper body strength than they think. I think a lot of people, including many women, just don't have a complete understanding of the physical components in a firearm, how they operate, and just how durable they are. Because of that, I think a lot of people are a bit timid about operating a semi auto, and are not using nearly as much strength as they are capable of for doing things like racking the slide. Just grab that sob, rip the slide backwards without remorse, and then let go. Sometimes I think people newer to guns are "afraid to break it" or something. One very important thing to remember is that, in most cases, when manipulating a firearm it is a good thing to be very abrupt and to a degree violent with all your actions. Many semi autos, like 1911s for example, can have really stiff main springs which means that first little bit of slide travel can be stiff as hell.

The easiest semi auto to manipulate is the H&K P30, hands down. It recoils soft, the spring is lightweight so it has about the easiest slide to manipulate, it's easy as heck and requires little effort to drop the slide using the slide release lever, etc etc.

 

[Texas42]

. . . My mother - largely because of her age and upbringing - is mentally incapable of performing the slightest bit of vehicle maintenance even though she readily has the intelligence and mechanical aptitude to do it... she has a negative emotional reaction whenever you even talk about how things work on cars - like she's not supposed to be interested such things. Most women are stronger than they will admit, but many will only apply that strength to tasks they consider socially appropriate.

So are you saying that it is possible for me to cook?

Damn. . . .

 

[res1b3uq]

stiff slide

On pistiols with hammers, (like the 1911) the hammer can be cocked first, which lowers the power required to operate the slide. I don't know how the Glock operates, nor do I care.

 

[idleprocess]

So are you saying that it is possible for me to cook?

Damn. . . .

I suspect you possess the raw dexterity and intelligence. I cannot make any claims about your level of aptitude...