Bad Hands

[Banjojack76]

The ravages of age have hit me and I have trouble grasping the slide on my PM-9. The new H&K VP9 has little extensions on the back of the slide to help with the grasp. Also, Springer Precision offers similar retrofits for Glocks and Springfields. Has anyone seen or know of something similar for a PM-9? Has anyone had something made by a gunsmith that does the same thing?

[berettabone]

It wasn't made by a gunsmith, but I just bought the wife one..........................it's called a revolver:p

[Armybrat]

I'm having the same problem with my CT380 - it's still pretty tough to rack that little slide.

[SlowBurn]

I've seen posts where somebody added friction tape to the serrations. Looked like a pretty good fix.

[yqtszhj]

I've seen posts where somebody added friction tape to the serrations. Looked like a pretty good fix.
That does work well on my CW45. Harrylee had a post showing it a while back.

[OldLincoln]

Had a similar problem a few years back and solved it by using the overhand slide rack instead of the pinch and pull style. Place your free hand over the slide facing your shoulder with thumb and fingers on each side, grip with hand and push toward shoulder. I keep the push going till my hand is forced off the slide to prevent hanging on.

If you're already doing that then I'm out of ideas.

[deadeye]

Had a similar problem a few years back and solved it by using the overhand slide rack instead of the pinch and pull style. Place your free hand over the slide facing your shoulder with thumb and fingers on each side, grip with hand and push toward shoulder. I keep the push going till my hand is forced off the slide to prevent hanging on.

If you're already doing that then I'm out of ideas.
Same here. Old age and arthritis are taking their toll. I use the same approach as OldLincoln and it works pretty well. Have a terrible time sliding the slide back and locking it. I tried holding the slide with a terrycloth wash rag the other day and it seemed to help. Might try it.

[leftysixty]

Same here. Old age and arthritis are taking their toll. I use the same approach as OldLincoln and it works pretty well. Have a terrible time sliding the slide back and locking it. I tried holding the slide with a terrycloth wash rag the other day and it seemed to help. Might try it.


The easiest way to lock the slide back, is to install an empty mag and rack the slide like you would to chamber a round. It will lock back, no muss no fuss.

A loss of fine motor skills helped me to learn this, and lots of other things. :w00t:

[muggsy]

The pinch and pull technique is only used by those who limp wrist when shooting. A real man uses the heal of his hand and all four fingers. (We are still talking racking the slide aren't we?) :)

[Armybrat]

Kahrtalk really is a geezer board, ain't it?

[Bawanna]

Seems to have it's geezer days for sure. Nice warm day today I can type wicked fast without joint freeze up. Nice!

[Harrylee]

This may help or not I played around with this some time ago and still have the same tape on the slide, just be careful when cleaning the slide. Have sent a few fellows on the forum precut slide tape. does make a big difference. Here is the old link

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?21958-Better-slide-grip&highlight=harrylee+slide+tape

[Bawanna]

The ones you sent me are still holding up fine and dandy. They are a definite plus even with the overhand rack.

[greg_r]

Oldlincoln, deadeye, and leftysixty have it right.

[marcinstl]

It wasn't made by a gunsmith, but I just bought the wife one..........................it's called a revolver:p
ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765498_-1_757768_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y
this is the S&W Model 60, 3" barrel, similar dimensions and weight. do not start out with .357, buy a box of target load .38spl and practice with that.
try a box of this for carry ammo-- https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=110 short barrel, low flash recipe, 158gr. semi wadcutter, hollow point, soft lead- makes a nice big "Splat!". the old hands are going to love opening the cylinder and putting in the 38spl. cartridges, you can actually get hold of them. if you want to get fancy or expecting being in a long shoot out, buy some speedloaders. hehehehe, 5 shots should handle most of your social problems.
good luck, have fun. keep the HK for a house gun.

[greg_r]

Don't praise the DA revolver too fast. The trigger pull can be too much for arthritic hands.

Something like a Sig 238 with its easy racking slide and single action trigger can be a better choice. The Ruger LC380 is another good one.

[Bawanna]

This is true as well. No reason an old person should have to put up with a bad trigger neither.

Just need to find or modify something to make it work. Old guys can get away with bigger guns too, we don't look as suspicious cept for Jocko and Muggsy and the other greasy biker types around here.

I got onto a Marine Corp base with no search or ID check, I must be the epitemy of innocence and social grace. They should use me for training security, that would be so much fun.

[OldFatGuy]

This is true as well. No reason an old person should have to put up with a bad trigger neither.

Just need to find or modify something to make it work. Old guys can get away with bigger guns too, we don't look as suspicious cept for Jocko and Muggsy and the other greasy biker types around here.

I got onto a Marine Corp base with no search or ID check, I must be the epitemy of innocence and social grace. They should use me for training security, that would be so much fun.

I live in Florida, everyone is greasy.

[berettabone]

Don't praise the DA revolver too fast. The trigger pull can be too much for arthritic hands.

Something like a Sig 238 with its easy racking slide and single action trigger can be a better choice. The Ruger LC380 is another good one.

Do a couple of spring changes, a little fluff and buff, a bit of shim shim shimmy like my sister Kate, and a DA revolver can be mighty smooth indeed. After I did that, I got the trigger ALMOST as smooth as my MK. The single action may be a bit much for some, but compared to my 1911, it's a bunch lighter(hair).

[Dbholfo]

Thanks for the link. I'm not there yet but if my right thumb goes the way of my left thumb I will. I hold the slide and push the frame.

[OldLincoln]

Thanks for the link. I'm not there yet but if my right thumb goes the way of my left thumb I will. I hold the slide and push the frame.

That's how I do it, just push the frame right out from under the slide hand. My right thumb was crushed and stripped in a washing machine ringer at 4 and recently my left wore out the basil joint which I had removed. It's why I had to move to a larger grip in the G30SF. I liked my PM9 but couldn't hang onto it for a decent followup shot. But I'm just plain nasty good with the G30.

[muggsy]

I'm telling you guys, proper lubrication is the key to being able rack the slide. Maiden oil reins supreme! :)

[muggsy]

For you old farts who can't rack the slide on your Kahr pistols I have just two words for you. Tennis balls. Buy 'em. Squeeze 'em. Well, that's actually six words, but I think that you catch my drift. Use it or lose it. When I was a kid back on the farm our cow had a calf. Every day I'd pick up that calf and by the time that six months had passed I had acquired a tripple hernia. What that has to do with racking the slide of yer Kahr pistol I have no idea, but I thought that it was an interesting side note. :)

[Bawanna]

I think mammary glands would work too provided according to Itxi they aren't too big.

[OldLincoln]

That's right!! Us old farts need to volunteer at milk farms and get to milking them teats, squirt squirt! :)