Pistol for person with weak left hand?

[brhalltx]

I saw a ring welded onto the back of a slide once. Can't remember the details, though.

I saw that too, somewhere, in the last few months.

[brhalltx]

Will she be shooting right hand only?

Probably; I'm not sure she can rotate her hand enough to hold a pistol in her left hand in a normal way. But it's worth checking into.

[brhalltx]

Have her look into a Beretta 86. It doesn't require the slide to be racked manually to load. It has the tilting barrel.

Tip ups are a possibility; but probably still has the same problem of grasping the slide to clear a jam.

[brhalltx]

My wife's BFF carries a .38 Snubby.

I'm leaning towards a revolver too, but the hubby says the DA trigger pull is too much. I think a test is in order, though... Several semi autos, a DA revolver, and a carbine.

[brhalltx]

First off, while I don't know the OP's friend or situation in detail I suspect that a GOOD firearms instructor can teach her how to chamber a round on nearly any semi-auto pistol. The proper technique uses both hand and can be done so that the weak (IE non-dominant) hand essentially does not move. In the event that the shoulder and elbow are also damaged to the point that the friend can not use the correct method a semi-auto with a tip up barrel or a revolver is probably the best choice. I would strongly advise against adding gimmick devices so that someone can carry a specific brand/type/whatever firearm seeing as firearms are most definately not one size fits all.

You'd be surprised if you saw her try to rotate her hand... It's an "oh, now I see" moment. She can't carry a cafeteria tray.

I'm definitely against any gimmick that's a separate piece of hardware. It's going to be technique (maybe an overhand rack) combined with the right hardware. Maybe something to make grasping the slide easier/different hand position, maybe a DA revolver.

[brhalltx]

http://www.corneredcat.com/article/runn ... the-slide/

I found that too, and it mentions overhand racking, pretty much what A-R mentioned above. That's probably the first thing I'll try, with an assortment of hardware.

[canvasbck]

Lastly, this could be a technique issue. I've seen ladies who never before could rack a slide do so after proper training in the overhand push-pull method. Hold pistol in strong hand shooting grip. Grab slide with weak hand over top grasping rear serrations. PUSH forward with strong hand while at same time pulling backward (as much as she can) with weak hand. It's the combination of opposing forces from BOTH hands that can make the difference.

This

I have yet to encounter someone who could not be trained to rack a slide with a 17-19# recoil spring unless the shooter has had a stroke or some other significant medical impairment.

[flechero]

Have her look into a Beretta 86. It doesn't require the slide to be racked manually to load. It has the tilting barrel.

Tip ups are a possibility; but probably still has the same problem of grasping the slide to clear a jam.

Which is also something I was thinking. But since the clearing of a malfunction will not be the primary use, this gun may be a better all around option for her. I certainly don't know the extent of her ability with the weak/impaired arm.



I still think the best option is a snubby with a good trigger job.

[The Annoyed Man]

Again:

http://www.corneredcat.com/article/runn ... the-slide/

Before your friend makes a decision on what pistol to buy/carry, have her read this website, and this page specifically linked above. My wife has difficulty racking a slide, but she now carries a 9mm semiauto (Kahr CW9) instead of a 2" snubbie (S&W 642). She shoots the 9mm better and it has greater capacity and reloads faster.

The Cornered Cat is a most excellent resource for women who seek to carry a handgun and who face issues which most guys take for granted.