Page 1 of 1
Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:03 pm
by Running Arrow Bill
Looking for info and suggestions, recommendations.
My arthritis is killing me!! Past 6 months racking slide on .40 and 9mm have been punishing. I've tried several "methods" others have suggested and still have pain.
Are there any .40 and 9mm out there are "easier" to rack the slide? I'm about ready to go to our local gun store and see when they have and try. Also, the trigger pulls on mine are a little fierce now...
Will appreciate any recommendations!!
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slike
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:22 pm
by Jim Beaux
Running Arrow Bill wrote:Looking for info and suggestions, recommendations.
My arthritis is killing me!! Past 6 months racking slide on .40 and 9mm have been punishing. I've tried several "methods" others have suggested and still have pain.
Are there any .40 and 9mm out there are "easier" to rack the slide? I'm about ready to go to our local gun store and see when they have and try. Also, the trigger pulls on mine are a little fierce now...
Will appreciate any recommendations!!
One handed rack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5tpZ7OgJB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMsAvWOEj-k
Good luck
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slike
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:40 pm
by The Annoyed Man
Running Arrow Bill wrote:Looking for info and suggestions, recommendations.
My arthritis is killing me!! Past 6 months racking slide on .40 and 9mm have been punishing. I've tried several "methods" others have suggested and still have pain.
Are there any .40 and 9mm out there are "easier" to rack the slide? I'm about ready to go to our local gun store and see when they have and try. Also, the trigger pulls on mine are a little fierce now...
Will appreciate any recommendations!!
Meant as an honest reply, not as making fun, but Bill have you ever looked at The Cornered Cat website? It is for women, but there is at least one page there on how to rack a slide for people with weaker hands. If arthritis and all those other 'itis" brothers were bothering my hands that badly, that's actually one of the first places I'd look.
Otherwise, I would suggest actually changing platform. I don't know what you're carrying, but even though I have taken to carrying polymer guns, I am still a 1911 guy at heart, and one of the things that I like about 1911s is that the 5" guns just aren't that hard to rack.
And of course, revolvers don't rack at all.
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:54 pm
by patterson
Ive seen people use the rear site to rack the slide on Sigs before and my wife has the same problem she cannot rack the slide on my 1911s even if u pull the hammer back. The only one she could rack a t a LGS was the Sig 238 and 938
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:52 pm
by WinoVeritas
While I don't as yet have to use at range, I do use the Handi-Rackers on my work bench when checking slide action after cleaning or repeated jacking of slide when braced against bench or wall. It also works well in the double/opposing push left and right hand across chest, giving the weak hand something substantial to grasp other than slide serrations. Can't vouch for The Racker-1, but principle is the same.
http://www.handi-racker.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://stores.tutorturtlepress.com/the-racker-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I understand your pain - there are times my arthritis makes my favorite pastime miserable. I've also found that tight gloves help (3/4 or full finger) when on the range.
EDIT: My two easiest to rack are a Taurus PT92 and a TISAS Zigana Sport (both 9MM) as well as lightest recoil (subjective) - I'll include a PT100 .40 in that group, also.
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 12:50 am
by EEllis
There are several accessories that attach to slides to make them easier to rack. What kind of gun are we talking about?
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 1:08 am
by joe817
Good point! I tried out a Glock 30 (.45) a few years ago & I found racking the slide VERY difficult. For that reason, I wouldn't have one. I agree with TAM, that going to a different platform may be a suitable alternative.
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:38 am
by johncanfield
One of our former pastors used to say that "Arthur Itus came to visit and decided to stay." I was just complaining to dear wife about my hands hurting

.
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:47 am
by RetNavy
george wrote:
I have not tried it, but I have seen some people at IDPA manually cock the hammer on particular semi autos, to make racking the slide easier.
i have found that having the hammer back on both my wifes's 9 and my 1911 makes racking the slide a lot easier...
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:40 pm
by AlaskanInTexas
If I was in your situation, I would take a hard look at becoming a wheel gun kind of guy (well not really, since I already am).
Re: Arthritis and Racking Slide
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:28 pm
by patterson
I went to a indoor range today and shot two of my semi autos and my wifes .357 and had more fun and better groups with it