Racking the Slide?

[Potato]

Long story short... My wife has difficulty racking the slide on pretty much any handgun. Exception being a Walther P22. Thinking along the lines of 9mm/380. So my question is which Kahr do you find the easiest to rack the slide? Try and keep in mind this will be for a woman. I would like to get some suggestions so i know what to try and tack down locally for her to try. Trying to stay with Kahr.. Thank you!

[b4uqzme]

Many find any Kahr fairly stiff to rack. But I feel, with proper technique and practice, most can master it. But to answer your question I find a K9 or K40 easiest to rack. I would guess a T9 or T40 would be the same. It's not that the springs are any softer -- it's more that there is plenty of slide to grasp plus the slide to frame fit is really, really smooth.

With that said, Mrs. b4 settled on my favorite Ruger SP101. :rolleyes:

[OldFatGuy]

I have a hard time pulling the slide on my CM40 straight back. I push it back, easier. And I only have to rack it once, and it's in my pocket. If I need to use it in a SD situation, I'm confident I won't have a failure requiring me to rack it again.

[zamboni]

While I'm sure she could be taught better technique, if she has trouble with most other guns I would find a better option than a kahr. Hit a LGS and handle as many different guns as you can and hopefully she will find one that feels right in her hand and she can rack.

[muggsy]

What's wrong with her carrying a .22? Any gun is better than no gun. You might even consider getting her a revolver. My sister carries a Walther .380 and has no problem racking the slide.

[hardluk1]

Try to find a sig P250 380 The 380 version has a thinner lighter slide and a thin barrel and the chamber area scalloped to lighten the pistol even more and it can be racked by finger pushing again the rear sight . If you grab it like a normal 9mm to racking you might think the recoil spring is missing The pistol is a double stack under one wide at the slide and 1.10 at the widest - the grip area. Holds 12 rounds on a normal p250/320 mags that has a spacer in it for the shorter 380's as it can be upgraded to a 9 or 40 call down the road. The trigger group comes out to clean and it holds the serial number. You can also buy 15 round mags and x-grip makes spacers , Cool pistol that feels like a no other 380 and seems to run fine with slow or hot underwood 380 ammo . Trigger is a DA type 6lbs on my wifes after 200 rounds fired with the best feeling trigger out there . Not quit as good as a kahr but very good still . Feels good in the hand easy to rack , light weight at a under 20oz weight and will make a solid defensive handgun and down the road maybe upgrade to a 9mm .
http://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2014/11/sig-sauer-p250-sub-compact-380/#sig_p250_001

[RustyGunn]

This may be a solution to the racking issue.
http://www.handi-racker.com
HTH
RG

[JohnR]

YMMV, my K9's slide was a monster to rack the slide, while the other Kahrs I've had have been just a little stiffer than your average semi-auto. The easiest semi to rack that I know of is the Sig P238, you can probably rack it with your pinky and thumb. The hardest to rack was an EAA Witness full size; there just wasn't enough slide to hold on to, and it was new and very stiff.

Then there's revolvers...

[Big Sexy]

Many women have difficulty racking slides when they attempt to do it the way us guys do it. Thus guys aren't always the best at showing women how to rack slides because we typically have larger hands and more upper body strength and don't have to rely on technique.

Trust me, though; your wife can rack the slide on a lot of pistols if she uses the right technique. I successfully taught my 72 year old, frail mother-in-law with arthritis in her hands how to rack the slide of her Shield using the technique this woman describes on her website here: https://www.corneredcat.com/article/running-the-gun/rack-the-slide/. Before I showed her the correct way to grab the slide and to "punch" with her opposite hand on the grip, she was certain she would never be able to use a semi-auto as her CCW. Now, she has no problem racking the slide of any pistol I hand her. Just use the exact technique verbatim as described in that article, with the gun held close to her midsection and I'm betting she'll be able to do it.

It's more about technique than strength.

[BEARDOG]

I have a Kahr CW9, CM9, CM45, CW380. Out of the four, the CW9 is easiest to rack.

If she is willing and able and interested enough to learn and practice proper racking technique she should be able to do it.

Here is a website all about women and guns. It is written by a women for women. Lots of good info on her website. Here is a link to the proper techniques to rack a semi.
http://www.corneredcat.com/article/running-the-gun/rack-the-slide/

Take her shopping and let her "try on" a bunch of different pistols and brands. Let her find one she likes.

I would also have her look at some revolvers, as they are much more easy and straightforward to learn how to operate safely and efficiently.

[marcinstl]

she drops the bullets in and closes the cylinder, puts the gun on the bench, rolls the target out to 3yds. picks up the gun and gets off 2 quick shots from the hip into the targets center, goes to 2 handed grip and straight arms, line up front sight in the trough, 2 more shots in the center. guess she's ready to go to town? notice the words magazine or rack the slide or thumb off safety or look at the loaded indicator did not appear in the above description. S&W, Ruger, Charter Arms. maybe find a gunsmith to do a trigger job to lighten up the DA pull.

[JohnR]

she drops the bullets in and closes the cylinder, puts the gun on the bench, rolls the target out to 3yds. picks up the gun and gets off 2 quick shots from the hip into the targets center, goes to 2 handed grip and straight arms, line up front sight in the trough, 2 more shots in the center. guess she's ready to go to town? notice the words magazine or rack the slide or thumb off safety or look at the loaded indicator did not appear in the above description. S&W, Ruger, Charter Arms. maybe find a gunsmith to do a trigger job to lighten up the DA pull.
;) Sounds like an excerpt from a Stephen Hunter novel.

[K9_Two_Tone]

If you are set on a 380 or 9mm semi-auto, then take a look at two pistols that are no longer in production. They can be found used. The first is the Beretta 380 (Model 86?) with a tip-up barrel. You can load the first round without racking the slide. The barrel simply tips up and once loaded you snap the barrel into place. It operates like any other semi-auto after that. The other is the Walther P5. It uses two tiny recoil springs instead of a large mainspring. This is combined with a falling block locking system rather than a modified Browning tipping barrel lock. The result is that the pistol is so easy to rack that I could probably rack it with one finger if there was something to grasp. It feels as if the slide is on ball bearings.

Good luck.

[Higgy Baby]

My wife has carried the Beretta 3032 Tomcat since '96. It has the "tip-up" barrel, and never needs racking.
We have never had an issue with it in nearly 20 years. She will not even look at another gun. It fits her little hand nicely, and she has no problems loading and unloading it.

edit: here is a link to a video with several of the tip up barrel guns-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNnphAEgMLk&index=4&list=PLNomn1Is0cuTdicAtkvL9FnepUTKC_5r3

[OldFatGuy]

Well, I've learned something from those "racking made easy" links!

[SlowBurn]

If you're really having trouble you can use Kahrs last round hold open. Insert an empty mag and pull back the slide, which locks itself open.

Insert a full mag, release the slide and you're good to go.

[smokersteve]

Glocks slide rack a lot easier than Kahrs

[Potato]

WOW! Guys, very impressed with your number of replies. Just wanted to drop in. Very busy day. I'm definitely going to read them tonight and post accordingly. Talk soon,. Thanks to all who have replied!

[Potato]

Thank you very much! Thats exactly what i'm looking for. I will add the K9, and T9, to the list. Nice looking handguns too! Hopefully i can find a store with them, or the next Gun Show.

[Potato]

Many find any Kahr fairly stiff to rack. But I feel, with proper technique and practice, most can master it. But to answer your question I find a K9 or K40 easiest to rack. I would guess a T9 or T40 would be the same. It's not that the springs are any softer -- it's more that there is plenty of slide to grasp plus the slide to frame fit is really, really smooth.

With that said, Mrs. b4 settled on my favorite Ruger SP101. :rolleyes:

Sorry for the double reply........

Thank you very much! Thats exactly what i'm looking for. I will add the K9, and T9, to the list. Nice looking handguns too! Hopefully i can find a store with them, or the next Gun Show.

[Potato]

While I'm sure she could be taught better technique, if she has trouble with most other guns I would find a better option than a kahr. Hit a LGS and handle as many different guns as you can and hopefully she will find one that feels right in her hand and she can rack.

Thank you! Allot comes down to Arthritis for her. Occasionally we have tried different options. Mostly the M&P, XD, GLOCK, tried different slide lengths as well hoping that may attribute to some issues. Unfortunately we really weren't looking at Kahrs really, so i can't really recall what models where even available locally. Kinda felt like they wanted us to buy one of the previous listed models.

[b4uqzme]

You are very welcome. But do read all the posts. There's a lot of varying opinion/experience. Bottom line: try them out yourself...hopefully the very gun you and the Mrs. are considering.

[Planedude]

My wife has carried the Beretta 3032 Tomcat since '96. It has the "tip-up" barrel, and never needs racking.
We have never had an issue with it in nearly 20 years. She will not even look at another gun. It fits her little hand nicely, and she has no problems loading and unloading it.

edit: here is a link to a video with several of the tip up barrel guns-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNnphAEgMLk&index=4&list=PLNomn1Is0cuTdicAtkvL9FnepUTKC_5r3

2X on the .32ACP Tomcat (not available in .380). My wife's first gun was/is a the Berretta 21A and after 21years it's still a great shooter (just down load the mag by one round for smooth operation). .22LR fails (ammo misfires) too often in carry situations for me, but I do still pocket it for walking to dogs along the levy. The biggest threats down there are short, smelly and four legged...
Ladies love shooting my .32 Colt pocket automatic (built 1916). Easy to rack, but I wouldn't trust that guns safety to stay on with it sliding around in a purse.
Good luck and let us know what y'all decide. Your story may offer direction for others.

[Big Sexy]

It's good that you're having her handle a lot of different pistols, Potato. One thing I learned the hard way is to not assume my own thoughts about what gun is right for my wife will be the same as hers, and that cost me some significant $.

[WMD]

Many find any Kahr fairly stiff to rack. But I feel, with proper technique and practice, most can master it. But to answer your question I find a K9 or K40 easiest to rack. I would guess a T9 or T40 would be the same. It's not that the springs are any softer -- it's more that there is plenty of slide to grasp plus the slide to frame fit is really, really smooth.

With that said, Mrs. b4 settled on my favorite Ruger SP101. :rolleyes:

Oh do I know that program.... See the post about "Clapp" :eek:

[b4uqzme]

^^^ sniff, sniff...:o