I think the best option, but unfortunate not easy to accomplish, would be Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ with RED DOT.
Shield EZ is super easy to rack by itself, but optics makes it even easier. Racking the slide using the red dot housing can be done with any weak hands.
The only hard part is to get optics installed. Shield EZ doesn’t have optic ready cutout so the option is to use the plate mounted in the rear sight dove tail.
So, you lose iron sights, but receive super easy and soft racking slide.
I found this picture on one of Facebook posts, and I see it’s doable.
I personally used this method to install Red Dot on my SIRT M&P pistol and I really like it.
I haven’t even talked to her about using a red dot. So far, iron sights are the only thing she knows about and like I said she is very accurate with them. I didn’t have a dot on any guns I have until this summer. I was pleasantly surprised. But, as in all things, since I will be buying her gun for her, she will have to wait until Christmas '26 to get her red dot. Right now, I just want to make her feel as safe as possible.
So, if no red dot, you mus look for something that physically helps racking the slide.
I’ll still stay within Shield EZ - this is the easiest slide to rack on any of pistols I know.
Additionally this model has a little wings on the back that help with sling shot method:
Thank you all for the recommendations. I had no idea how to make it easier for her. I really appreciate the help. Now, I’ve got to get in touch with some gun shops in her area and see what she likes the most. It will be worth the 7 hour round trip now that I know what I’m looking for.
However there are also some advantages of going with SIG P365 ROSE…
optic ready, so at Christmas '26 you don’t need to do much… just install red dot
flat rear sights contour allows you to rack the slide without hands. Just hook it on belt, holster, table.. anything and push the firearm to rack he slide
I will definitely give that a thought especially since it was my only thought of an easier gun to operate. The only problem I’m having is that nobody in my area carries the Rose. I’ll check the shops where she lives and see if I can find one.
Edit: This was a reply for @Jerzees . I have no idea what went wrong!
380 ammo doesn’t have as much energy as 9mm, so recoil spring doesn’t need to be strong.
That is the reason 380 pistols are easier to rack.
Shield EZ is the easiest one because of the internal action mechanism (hammer, not a striker)… but to be honest, without trying, you won’t be able to figure out what works better in your case.
I think it may be the small size of the slide that she is having problems with because of the operations she has had on her hands. I don’t think she can close her grip well enough to reliably get it to pull back.
I think she has scheduled her CCW class for the first of December so I’m going to keep her going with the Glock 42 until then and in the meantime take her shopping to see which gun she can operate better. The springs in the Glock seem pretty tight but she also has a real problem with the “slide lock”. I use the slide release because it’s a lot faster when you actually need to shoot. She can decide how she wants to do it when she picks out her gun just as long as she can do them both. On the Glock, she can’t do either one reliably. The EZ 2.0 may be exactly what she needs.
Do not count on “slide lock / release”.
The main feature of this lever is to lock the slide once the magazine is empty. It locks by itself.
For self defense purpose there is no needs to be focused on locking the slide.
Using this lever as a slide release also is not important. You simply release the slide, either by using slingshot method or grabbing the top of the slide. You should practice the techniques that actually works for you, not focusing on things that are impossible to be done because of physical limitations.
Do not learn how to reload after slide locks back and mag is empty - learn how to manage the ammo and use tactical reload, which doesn’t require slide manipulation. Make everything easy and simple, the way your body allows you to do.
Of course easy to operate handgun helps, but sometimes you must learn techniques that can work on any handgun available at the moment.
My CCW has a 12 shot mag. If I have to empty that and use another one I probably won’t be counting bullets fired. I’d be busy trying to find where I needed to shoot next. Too much for me to keep up with. The Glock only has a six round mag but I can’t think of a situation I would use a tactical reload unless I was out of the fight completely and was making my way further out. Otherwise, I would only want to change out when I was empty. If the fight goes on for a while you will end up changing short mags all the time. I don’t see that as a good thing. You end up with mags that you don’t know what is in them and changing them twice instead of once.
The slide lock or the slide release is very useful to me. I don’t have to waste my time to get the gun back in battery and then put my support hand back on the gun when I can do both at the same time. It may not provide me more than a second but that second could be what you need.
on one of Facebook posts, and I see it’s doable.
