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Easiest slide to rack in a semi-auto?


Crusty Knees

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My wife is wanting to get a concealed carry permit.  She is an excellent shot, and can hit anything with a single-action.  (1911, Cobra in Single Action mode, a Ruger Blackhawk....  No she doesn't want to deal with the old-type single action army mechanism of unloading and loading).  The problem is her arthritic hands.  Although her revolver is fine, the concealed course requires her to reload many times.

For her, opening the cylinder on her Colt Cobra is a two-handed chore.  Racking the slide on my Springfield XD-S or my S&W are impossible for her.

 

I'd like to just take her to the gun store and let her try bunches of guns to see what she slides can operate.  But, everybody is just about out of stock on everything!  Do y'all have a specific recommendation that we can call around and ask if they have one X in stock?  These endless trips to find basically nothing on the shelves is wearing. 

 

Thanks,

CK 

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S&W Shield EZ.We go & so much easier to rackt Crazy Daizy a S&W Shield for carry but it real hard to rack.Put a ad on grip on the slide which helped but still hard.

Got to feel a EZ.So much easier to rack.The magazines are easy to load also.Gonna get one as soon as it ecomes available'

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Largo

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10 minutes ago, largo casey #19191 said:

S&W Shield EZ.We go & so much easier to rackt Crazy Daizy a S&W Shield for carry but it real hard to rack.Put a ad on grip on the slide which helped but still hard.

Got to feel a EZ.So much easier to rack.The magazines are easy to load also.Gonna get one as soon as it ecomes available'

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Largo

What he said ^^^^^^^

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I do not know for sure, but I doubt that your wife will be able to handle any semi-auto in an emergency, other than to carry it with a round In the chamber and with the hammer cocked, and the safety on.  It is not a very safe way to carry (I do not believe)  There is more to consider here regarding the semi auto, but I think, for her self defense purposes, that a revolver may be the best choice for her.  As I stated before (and perhaps others may have as well) most “gun fights”  involve three or fewer rounds fired by either party.

 

Cat Brules

 

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Howdy,

The beretta is also very very quiiiiet.Tip up one little click.

Load first round no noise.

Lock down one more little click.

It was James Bond's favorite until M took it away and forced

the Walther on Bond.

Or howsabout the ruger 9mm lcr with moon clips?

Best

CR

 

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19 minutes ago, largo casey #19191 said:

S&W Shield EZ.We go & so much easier to rackt Crazy Daizy a S&W Shield for carry but it real hard to rack.Put a ad on grip on the slide which helped but still hard.

Got to feel a EZ.So much easier to rack.The magazines are easy to load also.Gonna get one as soon as it ecomes available'

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Largo

+1

I Have the 9mm EZ. I found mine likes the 124 gn projectile better than the 115 gn. I feel very little difference in recoil between the two. THE 148 gn I can feel the recoil as being heavier, but it is not intolerable. Loading the magazines is much easier also. 
 

CJ

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18 minutes ago, Joke 'um said:

May I suggest a tip-up barrel Beretta?  Loading, unloading, and status checks all done without racking the slide.  DA first shot.  Easy.

My wife loved hers.  After she died my daughter adopted it.

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1 hour ago, Cat Brules said:

I do not know for sure, but I doubt that your wife will be able to handle any semi-auto in an emergency, other than to carry it with a round In the chamber and with the hammer cocked, and the safety on.  It is not a very safe way to carry (I do not believe)  There is more to consider here regarding the semi auto, but I think, for her self defense purposes, that a revolver may be the best choice for her.  As I stated before (and perhaps others may have as well) most “gun fights”  involve three or fewer rounds fired by either party.

 

Cat Brules

 

Not all semi autos have to be carried with the hammer cocked and the safety on. You’re describing a 1911 type. Most semis are striker fired so you can carry one in the chamber and the safety off just like a Revolver .

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No hammer on this baby!! I can carry this with or without the safety on and one in the chamber.

IMG_2051.jpg

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Crusty Knees,

 

There is no requirement, under Florida law, for your wife to be compelled to do multiple reloads in order for her to obtain her CWFL.  She only needs to take a course that meets the NRA's minimum standards for operating a handgun.  Her prospective "instructor" may disagree, but he would be wrong.  I taught these classes for about 10 years in Florida, and no such requirements exist.  He's probably trying to convince her to take a more advanced course than what is necessary under Florida law, thereby spending more money than necessary.  PM me when you get a chance, and I can steer you in the direction of several very qualified instructors in your area who will treat your wife with respect, and provide really good instruction for a first-time shooter.

 

My wife has very arthritic hands as well.  She had to give up on her favorite J-frame Smith .38 snubbie because of the long, stiff trigger pull.  She tried her sister's Glock 42 (.380) and loved it.  The G42 now accompanies it everywhere she goes.  She carries with 6 in the magazine and 1 in the chamber, so that's 7 rounds of .380 at immediate disposal.  There is no need for her to rack the slide.  Shoot 'til empty.  Tactically speaking, yes she should learn to reload.  But that's just not in the cards for her.

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1 minute ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

No hammer on this baby!! I can carry this with or without the safety on and one in the chamber.

IMG_2051.jpg

 

Rye has another good suggestion.  The SR9c is light, very dependable, and easy to carry.  Price is very reasonable as well.

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1 hour ago, Cat Brules said:

I do not know for sure, but I doubt that your wife will be able to handle any semi-auto in an emergency, other than to carry it with a round In the chamber and with the hammer cocked, and the safety on.  It is not a very safe way to carry (I do not believe)  There is more to consider here regarding the semi auto, but I think, for her self defense purposes, that a revolver may be the best choice for her.  As I stated before (and perhaps others may have as well) most “gun fights”  involve three or fewer rounds fired by either party.

 

Cat Brules

 

 

If you're using a 1911 then cocked and locked is the only way to carry it.  Striker fired with or without an external safety are meant to be carried "ready to fire".  I would never want to have to rack a slide when confronted, it's one more thing to forget or fumble with.  If the gun is not safe to carry "ready to fire" then it's not a gun I would ever consider to be a suitable CCW.  But you are correct that most times that a weapon is drawn by a civilian the fight will only be for 2-4 rounds.  

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http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0790/Sections/0790.06.html

 

Paragraph 1, section (h)

(h) Demonstrates competence with a firearm by any one of the following:

1. Completion of any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or a similar agency of another state;
2. Completion of any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course;
3. Completion of any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by a law enforcement agency, junior college, college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school, using instructors certified by the National Rifle Association, Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, or the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
4. Completion of any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, special deputies, or any division or subdivision of a law enforcement agency or security enforcement;
5. Presents evidence of equivalent experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competition or military service;
6. Is licensed or has been licensed to carry a firearm in this state or a county or municipality of this state, unless such license has been revoked for cause; or
7. Completion of any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state-certified or National Rifle Association certified firearms instructor;
 
A photocopy of a certificate of completion of any of the courses or classes; an affidavit from the instructor, school, club, organization, or group that conducted or taught such course or class attesting to the completion of the course or class by the applicant; or a copy of any document that shows completion of the course or class or evidences participation in firearms competition shall constitute evidence of qualification under this paragraph.
 
Does she shoot Cowboy? then all she needs is something showing that she has shot in a match.
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Let my wife try different gun because of arthritis and she picked the Browning 380 it’s a smaller 1911 but has

a longer barrel and slide so it doesn’t need a real heavy recoil spring making it easier to rack.

ST

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2 hours ago, Crusty Knees said:

My wife is wanting to get a concealed carry permit.  She is an excellent shot, and can hit anything with a single-action.  (1911, Cobra in Single Action mode, a Ruger Blackhawk....  No she doesn't want to deal with the old-type single action army mechanism of unloading and loading).  The problem is her arthritic hands.  Although her revolver is fine, the concealed course requires her to reload many times.

For her, opening the cylinder on her Colt Cobra is a two-handed chore.  Racking the slide on my Springfield XD-S or my S&W are impossible for her.

 

I'd like to just take her to the gun store and let her try bunches of guns to see what she slides can operate.  But, everybody is just about out of stock on everything!  Do y'all have a specific recommendation that we can call around and ask if they have one X in stock?  These endless trips to find basically nothing on the shelves is wearing. 

 

Thanks,

CK 

Have her rotate the semi-auto 90 degrees counter clockwise so that the ejection port is at the 9 o'clock position and see if she can rack the slide that way.  For some reason that that helps with racking the slide.

 

 

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3 hours ago, Crusty Knees said:

My wife is wanting to get a concealed carry permit.  She is an excellent shot, and can hit anything with a single-action.  (1911, Cobra in Single Action mode, a Ruger Blackhawk....  No she doesn't want to deal with the old-type single action army mechanism of unloading and loading).  The problem is her arthritic hands.  Although her revolver is fine, the concealed course requires her to reload many times.

For her, opening the cylinder on her Colt Cobra is a two-handed chore.  Racking the slide on my Springfield XD-S or my S&W are impossible for her.

 

I'd like to just take her to the gun store and let her try bunches of guns to see what she slides can operate.  But, everybody is just about out of stock on everything!  Do y'all have a specific recommendation that we can call around and ask if they have one X in stock?  These endless trips to find basically nothing on the shelves is wearing. 

 

Thanks,

CK 

 

Like @largo casey #19191 and @Cactus Jack Calder mentioned, the S&W Shield EZ is definitely worth a look. It is easier to operate than pretty much all other semi-autos and it's not an inch and a quarter wide.

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45 minutes ago, Alpo said:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0790/Sections/0790.06.html

 

Paragraph 1, section (h)

(h) Demonstrates competence with a firearm by any one of the following:

1. ...
...
5. Presents evidence of equivalent experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competition or military service;
...
A photocopy of a certificate of completion of any of the courses or classes; an affidavit from the instructor, school, club, organization, or group that conducted or taught such course or class attesting to the completion of the course or class by the applicant; or a copy of any document that shows completion of the course or class or evidences participation in firearms competition shall constitute evidence of qualification under this paragraph.
 
Does she shoot Cowboy? then all she needs is something showing that she has shot in a match.

 

Oregon has a similar provision for CHL training:

 

Quote

 

(E) Presents evidence of equivalent experience with a handgun through participation in organized shooting competition or military service;

 

ORS 166.291

 

As a SASS RO Instructor, ROC member, and a director for the Oregon State Shooting Association, I have provided a pdf affidavit verifying participation in CAS, as well as having taken RO1/RO2 Courses (if applicable) that has been accepted in five OR counties so far.

 

 

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Thank you everyone for your input.  She is quite happy with her Colt Cobra.  She does not want to compete/participate in SASS, (or anything else), except for occasionally dressing as a schoolmarm, (which she was), kinda look for a Saturday night thing, or watching at the range on rare occasions.  The other ladies have tried to get her interested.

 

I found a store that has the EZ in stock, and we're headed over there tomorrow to take a look.

 

Thank yu,

CK

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I work in a gunshop.  Hands down, the easiest slide to rack is the Shield EZ in 380, with the EZ 9 being a very close second.  I bought the 380 for my wife, who has arthritis in her hands and can't manipulate most semi autos.  

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I recently bought the S&W Shield EZ in 9mm and its very easy to rack the slide on it.  You can buy them with and without the external safety.  It's easy to shoot and the magazines are particularly easy to load as well.

 

Kajun

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3 hours ago, Crusty Knees said:

Thank you everyone for your input.  She is quite happy with her Colt Cobra.  She does not want to compete/participate in SASS, (or anything else), except for occasionally dressing as a schoolmarm, (which she was), kinda look for a Saturday night thing, or watching at the range on rare occasions.  The other ladies have tried to get her interested.

 

I found a store that has the EZ in stock, and we're headed over there tomorrow to take a look.

 

Thank yu,

CK

As mentioned there is no state requirement for multiple reloads. I would suggest she get another instructor. She should be able to qualify and train with her Cobra.

 

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5 hours ago, Chantry said:

Have her rotate the semi-auto 90 degrees counter clockwise so that the ejection port is at the 9 o'clock position and see if she can rack the slide that way.  For some reason that that helps with racking the slide.

 

 

Along with this try holding the slide firmly, then push forward on the frame.  It is easier than holding the frame and pulling the slide back      GW

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10 minutes ago, G W Wade said:

Along with this try holding the slide firmly, then push forward on the frame.  It is easier than holding the frame and pulling the slide back      GW

Yeah. Pushing works better than pulling. That’s how we trained.

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I have a number of them, the only ones my wife can rack is a .380 Mustang and a Beretta 92. She likes the Beretta and shoots it well. Seen her bullseye bowling pens with it several times. One reason I keep it in the safe.

JHC :P

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Two-C Sue loves her Smith and Wesson M&P 380 EZ!  Holds 8 rounds, is a HAMMER-fired single action that has the easiest slide action and best trigger pull she found... Her trigger breaks really clean at 5 lbs and she (and I) love the loaded chamber indicator, too.  Grip angle is a natural pointer for her and she hits what she aims at...  easy loading clips as others have also mentioned.

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