Hi, there was a post eons ago about an easy to rack slide for folks with Arthritis and diminished grip issues, anyone recall what the Brand and Model it was called? TY
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Smith & Wesson has an EZ and an updated Equalizer. both with an easy rack slide.
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Were you looking for an actual pistol that is friendly to arthritic hands or some tool or adapter?
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For 9MM- these two, mentioned by @Jim261
But you will find more “easy to rack” handguns in 380AUTO.
- SIG 365-380
- Ruger Security-380
Handgun chambered in 380 requires lighter recoil spring, so these above are very easy to rack.
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Yes, I remember hearing about the Smith & Wesson EZ as well, at least one in .380.
I thought Ruger had 1-2 models with the easier slide; One of which I have but in .22, the 10 rounder LCP version. Thought I heard they offered “easy” in another model.
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Walther PDP-F
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The question for me about .380 vs. 9mm is where is the benefit? I sold one of my two .380s as it hurt to shoot. I kept the PPK/S because of what it is, but almost never shoot it.
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I think this is more a function of the individual gun, though. I believe you have a 9mm EZ, no? I have a .380 version that I inherited from my wife when she found her hand was too small to reliability operate the grip safety. Picture shooting your 9, but with less powerful ammo, and you’ll have an idea how soft the 380EZ is. To me, shooting mostly revolvers, the EZ feels like I’m shooting a CO2 pellet pistol. No exaggerating.
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Not every 380 is easier to operate and shoot than 9mm.
That’s why I listed two 380 handguns only that I’m sure are super easy to rack the slide.
Everything is about handgun’s detail design, not the actual caliber.
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My other was a Cheetah, which was the prettiest firearm I’ve owned…but it was abysmal to shoot and I sold it. I’ve shot a few others but never found anything about them that (for me) was better than 9mm. And 9mm is available…everywhere and cheap.
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I totally agree that, all else being equal, the 9 is a more desirable cartridge when it comes to ammo cost, availability, and bullet energy. Had the 9EZ been available when we bought the 380, we’d probably have gotten that.
A good friend of mine has the equalizer, which is, to me, the perfect balance of easy shooting/racking, size, capacity, and it uses 9mm. I’m thinking one of those for myself would be a good EDC, as I have holsters to fit and I’m heavily practiced with the platform already.
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Look up a site called Brass Stacker they carry the adapter that you might be looking for . I have one on my gun
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yep, my idc is an equalizer. At 80 I need something easy on the hands and it fits the bill. My wife also finds it easy to rack and her arthritis is much worse than mine.
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There is always this…
Personally, I have always felt racking the slide via inertia was a result of weakened springs which, in my mind, would diminish the capability of damping recoil.
Anywho…I am one of those folks with Arthritis and some diminished grip issues. I still carry my clunky old Beretta 92A1 with a recoil spring that moonlights as a valve return spring for a Chevy V8 engine. That bad boy is tough. I will carry my clunky old Beretta 92A1 until I am no longer able to carry. The slide on my Beretta also has less real estate for me to grasp.
To combat the slide racking issue with my hands the way they are, I carry one in the pipe. It is easier to just pull the trigger and allow the machine to do it’s job. Yes, there will be issues with failures due to bad ammo, air temperature too high or too low, Watergate, or some other variable I can’t control and YES, I will have to actuate the slide.
Yes, it hurts. Yes, I do it anyway. Yes, I practice.
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I tried to find a clip of Tom Cruise racking a pistol one handed using the rear sight on a table in Valkyrie, but the task proved too difficult for me.
However, the point is no grip is required if a person is determined enough. Some say it is good training to practice chambering a round with one hand just in case … One can use a belt, heel of a shoe, a table or counter top. edge of a chair, etc. to hook the rear sight on - a bit more challenging depending on the design of your specific rear sight. It also runs some risk of scratching the slide and/or sight if that concerns a person.
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The method I’ve seen, and gotten to work, is the between the knees option. Seems reasonable. I haven’t tried under the arm/elbow. We need a contest…
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I’ve seen “air racking” on competition guns with heavy slides and the lightest recoil springs (7 pounds for a full size 2011). I’m sure if you really tried to so that at a competition, you would be disqualified.
I feel it’s a dangerous practice , and a sure way to wear out your pistol.
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What about flagging yourself when you use the elbow method?
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First time I saw that was in a movie and thought it’s just a gimmick. Never knew it could be done until that video.
I’ve practiced this a few times with my Beretta and it can be done. You can do it by catching the very front of the slide right above the barrel against a table edge or by the rear sight. There is more real estate with the front of the slide. With my “Chevy Tough” recoil spring, I have to find something solid to do it this way.
I was at a training class one weekend and one of the other students carried a WWII 1911 he got from his Grand Dad. Beautiful weapon. During a break, he pops off and says “And this is why I don’t like a Beretta, because you can’t do this.” He put the front of his pistol against a table and pushed. He chambered a round. Good for him. I countered him and did the same thing using only the leading edge of the slide as I described earlier. “Seems to work OK for me.” I said which brought forth snickers from the other students. Needless to say he was a little butt hurt,
I’m one of those guys who doesn’t care what anyone else carries. I don’t care about brand, or model or caliber. If it works for you, more power to ya, because at the end of the day if you can drill the holes you need to drill, your brand, model, and caliber combination worked for you. That’s all that matters.
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