Can't rack the slide? Maybe this gadget can help: Handi-Racker

[Librarian]

I went to SHOT this week, and walked by a guy playing with a Glock and a piece of plastic.

So I bought one for retail sale, $20, and I just sold it to my wife. (She got the 'family discount'. ) This one has two slide sizes on one block - XL and L.

See attached pictures - weighs 1.8 oz, measures 4 inches long, 2 inches wide, 3/4 inch thick.

She tried it with my Glock 30, whose slide she cannot move by hand - and it works!

The web site for the product, handi-racker.com is a bit amateurish and somewhat out of date; the youtube video it links to refers to an earlier version of the product. They've widened the sight channel, and created that 2-width version.

There are a few aesthetic problems - the gadget is made from nylon, and there are small milling marks in the slots, where material was taken away; the markings on the yellow side seem to have been made by a hot tool and there are 'melt ridges' around each character. Neither is a problem for me, but some folks are more sensitive to such things. (This also might be early production; I don't remember if they said that.)

Of course, they were at SHOT hoping to get gun stores and such to buy them and resell - and they do have some CA resellers, and a locate-by-zip page to find them. Amazon has 2 sizes available.

[movie zombie]

[teg33]

Thanks for the info, I'm going to get one

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by movie zombie

That guy was actually in the SHOT booth, but I mostly talked to another guy.

[movie zombie]

i may call him as my semi-autos are all "older" and not the new models he lists........

[rkt88edmo]

Even though your sights are steel, not sure that they will hold up to that force over time. Dovetail sight probably not a problem, bu tlittle screw into post sights, even though most of the pressure is in the base which is bigger, you are still levering the screw which is tiny.

[glockman19]

There are 2 ways to rack a slide:

1) racking the slide back itself.
2) holding the slide and pushing the frame forward.

If your wife has trouble holding and pulling back try holding and pushing forward.

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by glockman19

There are 2 ways to rack a slide:

1) racking the slide back itself.
2) holding the slide and pushing the frame forward.

If your wife has trouble holding and pulling back try holding and pushing forward.

Tried all of that. She just doesn't believe, and it isn't important to her.

I want her able to shoot mine without me having to rack the slide for her while practicing at a range.

[glockman19]

Originally Posted by Librarian

Tried all of that. She just doesn't believe, and it isn't important to her.

I want her able to shoot mine without me having to rack the slide for her while practicing at a range.

I understand, have the same issues. Henceforth the revolvers. sadly she actually shoots the 1911's best.

[movie zombie]

I personally do the push the frame technique.
however, a "gadget" would certainly make things easier.

[CSACANNONEER]

The problem I see with this gadget is that it would only be practical for static range use. While that's fine, it also could possibly end up allowing a weaker shooter to purchase and end up relying on the wrong firearm for SD/HD.

[BonnieB]

(This post is in The Women's Forum, for those of you just scanning for new posts)

Why is this thread here? Did OP put it in the wrong place? Are you guys implying that women can't rack guns? Risky behavior....

I wouldn't imply that, in this Forum, if I were you... Probably belongs somewhere else.

If you can't rack a gun, you shouldn't shoot it. If you have to have someone rack it for you, you shouldn't shoot it. Because you are not fully in control of the gun.

But if you can't rack it, it's either technique or weak hands. When I got my first Glock, I was in tears because I couldn't remove the slide and could barely rack it at all. But I had it, I'd paid for it and I was committed. Turns out that my hands were just too weak for those particular motions. So I sat in front of TV for a week or so, squeezing a tennis ball until my strength came up in both hands.

It wasn't that I was particularly weak, it was just that I had spent 30 years in the computer biz and my hands were trained for short, light, quick motions on a keyboard. But a week's exercise fixed that. I think it will fix anyone's.

I'm 67, and have no problem racking a .45 1911. With a little practice, I think anyone can.

[Pally]

While I appreciate the ingenuity of the product, I can agree with the post above. I think practice and developing proper technique are the best/safest options.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by rkt88edmo

Even though your sights are steel, not sure that they will hold up to that force over time. Dovetail sight probably not a problem, bu tlittle screw into post sights, even though most of the pressure is in the base which is bigger, you are still levering the screw which is tiny.

I saw another product at SHOT in the new product section that you aligned into the end of the barrel and you pushed forward on it. it would push the slide back and had a recess for the barrel to go into. forces would be against the front of the slide and not the sights.

I don't recall the company selling it.

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by BonnieB

(This post is in The Women's Forum, for those of you just scanning for new posts)

Why is this thread here? Did OP put it in the wrong place? Are you guys implying that women can't rack guns? Risky behavior....

I wouldn't imply that, in this Forum, if I were you... Probably belongs somewhere else.

If you can't rack a gun, you shouldn't shoot it. If you have to have someone rack it for you, you shouldn't shoot it. Because you are not fully in control of the gun.

But if you can't rack it, it's either technique or weak hands. When I got my first Glock, I was in tears because I couldn't remove the slide and could barely rack it at all. But I had it, I'd paid for it and I was committed. Turns out that my hands were just too weak for those particular motions. So I sat in front of TV for a week or so, squeezing a tennis ball until my strength came up in both hands.

It wasn't that I was particularly weak, it was just that I had spent 30 years in the computer biz and my hands were trained for short, light, quick motions on a keyboard. But a week's exercise fixed that. I think it will fix anyone's.

I'm 67, and have no problem racking a .45 1911. With a little practice, I think anyone can.

You did notice I am the OP, right? You may safely rely on my awareness of what may be appropriate to this forum.

My wife will disagree with 'anyone' - thus the interest in some kind of assisting device.

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by rkt88edmo

Even though your sights are steel, not sure that they will hold up to that force over time. Dovetail sight probably not a problem, bu tlittle screw into post sights, even though most of the pressure is in the base which is bigger, you are still levering the screw which is tiny.

This one does not push against the sights.

[rkt88edmo]

I'm confused I guess. Does the channel for the top of the slide have stops that I didn't notice?

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by rkt88edmo

I'm confused I guess. Does the channel for the top of the slide have stops that I didn't notice?

Yes. See picture 2.

[KR_H]

Originally Posted by Librarian

You did notice I am the OP, right? You may safely rely on my awareness of what may be appropriate to this forum.

:::looking for the Like button:::

Oops, wrong site.

[jeremiah12]

Originally Posted by Librarian

You did notice I am the OP, right? You may safely rely on my awareness of what may be appropriate to this forum.

My wife will disagree with 'anyone' - thus the interest in some kind of assisting device.

I am in a similar situation. First, I do agree with Bonny in that almost anyone who is determined and willing to stick with it, can develop the necessary strength and learn the skill to rack a slide. Using proper technique does greatly reduce the amount of physical strength required.

I decided I need to get back into guns after I had a stroke. As a youngster, I owned and shot rifles. I hated handguns, they were inaccurate. The couple of times I had used a firearm for SD, my lever gun worked just fine.

At 48 and suffering partial paralysis on my left side, I could no longer count on my martial arts training that I had used for many years. So I decided to buy a Glock because they were supposed to be a decent gun. It took me nearly a month before I could rack the slide. It took a few months before I could rack the slide more than 5 times in a day. It was 6 months before I could remove the slide. I now have a G29 with a 21 lb recoil spring that is no problem. I still have muscle weakness problems, I just have learned how to rack the slide with the push-pull method. I love shooting too much so I ignore the muscle pain in my wrists. I am going to rack the slides the way they are supposed to be racked because that is what is keeping my muscle strength up in my wrists.

Now, my wife has been against guns, almost to the point where she was considering divorce. When she realized that I would not give up shooting and that my son loved it and we were going to do it over her objections she gave in.

She has slowly softened her stance towards guns. A few weeks ago she approached me after discovering a friend of hers had been through a home invasion. The daughter had managed to escape out the back to call the police but it still took over an hour for the police to show up. The thugs left about 10 minutes before the police arrived. Where we live, police response times are very long, even when the call involves someone with a gun because the police department is understaffed and stretched too thin.

She wants me to teach her to shoot my guns. She does not want to take a class, yet. I do not have one that fits her hand well and she is unable to rack any one of them. I refuse to buy a gun for her because that will not work. She will not buy one for herself yet.

So I am left with getting a Handi-Racker. It will be like training wheels for a bike. She will be able to rack the slide and operate my guns. I can get her to the range. I can hope she realizes she can shoot guns. I discovered why she is turned off to shooting. Her dad started her with a .357 mag.

Unfortunately, her hands are too small for my G17 and I no longer have my G19 as it is now my son's. I am sure he will let me borrow it for mom though (he is in school and only an hour's drive a way).

I hope she gets hooked and then will take classes. My LGR has women's only classes. Then she can go buy her own gun, and it does not have to be a Glock.

But if she never gets to that point, at least she will be able to shoot my guns so she has a chance if the need ever arises. It is not ideal but better than the alternative.

Do not suggest a revolver, she absolutely refuses to use those. Her dad bought her a .38 snubby years ago and she shot it twice and put it away. When she was at the height of her anti-gun rant with me, she turned it in to the police. She absolutely will not shoot revolvers because of the experience she had with the .38 snubby and the .357 mag. She will try a 9 mm because some of her co-workers have told her they do not have much recoil.

It is what it is and I have to work with what I have. The Librarian is in the same situation.

[BonnieB]

Again, I am shaking my head. When will people learn not to put a small, high caliber gun in the hands of a beginner, just because she has small hands? When? It's the fastest way to discourage someone from shooting that I can name. Talk about setting someone up to fail.

And I just wanted to mention that I've had very good luck with the Advantage Arms conversion kits for Glocks, which is a whole separate slide and mags, to shoot .22 lr through your existing Glock. Easy rack, not much kick, fun to shoot, not as expensive as a whole 'nuther gun... So if you have a high caliber Glock, but the grip is ok for your bride, you can start her on .22, which will probably be wildly successful.

The AA conversion kits do NOT like bare lead rounds, they much prefer copper-tops, FWIW.

[movie zombie]

and the guys in other forums/threads here on calguns wonder why some of us women get all bent out of shape re putting a small gun of high caliber into the hands of a first time shooter.....sigh. and no wonder you are a good poster in this forum, jeremiah!

jeremiah, would your wife not even consider a .22 revolver?

as much as I personally would not want to depend on a .22 for self-defense, it is certainly better than nothing if that is what the shooter is willing to practice with....revolver or semi-auto.

BonnieB, good info re the conversion kits for Glocks! I don't own a Glock but it is good info to have to pass around.

sometimes guys think they aren't trying to force a particular gun or caliber into the hands of a new shooter but their writing says otherwise.......

[Librarian]

In our case, my wife has a S&W Bodyguard .38 she bought for herself.

We went off to City Arms East, and I said 'buy a gun you like - I'll just stand over here and shut up'. (Passed the HSC test 100%, no prep at all. Of course, I do mumble aloud a lot ...)

I have house guns. She wants her gun in the safe.

But I want her able to hit something with mine; she can't do that without practicing once in a while, and she can't practice if she can't rack the slide(s). And that is her explicit statement to me: she can't rack the slides by herself, and she would at least practice, so she would be familiar, if she could do that - but she doesn't want her own semi-auto. (She has tried most of mine at a range; trigger reach is too long for her. She has tried K-frames, still too long, so J-frame or equivalent revolver is her choice.)

I don't yet have my own snubby I could use as a house gun.

[71MUSTY]

Interesting. All these years I thought Handi-racker was another name for a tube top.

My wife has become much better at racking her own weapons but it took a while for her to get the hang of it.

[KR_H]

Originally Posted by 71MUSTY

My wife has become much better at racking her own weapons but it took a while for her to get the hang of it.

Ages ago I read a thread on this site about a wife / girlfriend not being able to rack the slide. In desperation the fellow sort of yelled at her, "Just DO it." Apparently that comment was just the breakthrough she needed. She did it.

Funny how I remember that comment when I'm having a bit of a struggle.

P.S. Musty, see how I conveniently ignored your tube top comment ;- )

[ColdDeadHands1]

My two cents after successfully getting my wife into firearms and three trips to Frontsight? Get a full size M&P 9mm AND a M&P22. Use the 22 to learn technique & ergonomics and graduate up to the 9mm when the time is right. Range trips can shoot both to ease the wear and tear on her hands/wrists. The pistols are dimensionally identical.

This won't be cheap as both pistols are now off roster but I think it is worth it in the long run. My wife actually enjoys shooting both pistols and looks forward to our next trip to FS.

[j-shot]

Originally Posted by glockman19

There are 2 ways to rack a slide:

1) racking the slide back itself.
2) holding the slide and pushing the frame forward.

If your wife has trouble holding and pulling back try holding and pushing forward.

Or secret mall ninja one handed rack