[Joejitsu]

I have a XD9SC and my wife is unable to rack the slide. The only other semiauto I have is a Beretta Tomcat which has a slide that is hard to rack as well. My question is, do smaller caliber firearms usually have a slide that is easier to rack because of a lighter recoil spring, etc? I need to take a trip with her to the gun store, but am wondering if for example the slide on a Walther P22 is easy to rack because it is a 22, etc.

Joe

 

[Joejitsu]

wow, 32 views and nobody knows?

 

[amishclark]

yes.

 

[yocan]

Cornered Cat - Table of Contents
That website is awesome. tells a different way to rack a pistol.

 

[agalindo]

Smaller caliber semiautos usually have a stronger spring because they are blow-back operated instead of the locked breach type for most larger caliber semiautos pistols.

 

[UncleBuck]

I have a XD9SC and my wife is unable to rack the slide. The only other semiauto I have is a Beretta Tomcat which has a slide that is hard to rack as well. My question is, do smaller caliber firearms usually have a slide that is easier to rack because of a lighter recoil spring, etc? I need to take a trip with her to the gun store, but am wondering if for example the slide on a Walther P22 is easy to rack because it is a 22, etc.

Joe

Have her reach over the top of the back of the slide and grip it with her palm and as many fingers as the slide will allow. My girl has no problem with the XD45 but it did take some practice. At first she wanted to grab it with the thumb and fore finger which she could not do.

 

[ADA]

Cornered Cat - Table of Contents
That website is awesome. tells a different way to rack a pistol.

Yocan is right. If you know it is a stock spring she will just have to learn the technique that works for her. Here's a shortcut to that page:

Cornered Cat - Rack the Slide

 

[trik396]

My wife is a tiny little thing but she's able to rack the XDSC9 with a firm grip.

The P22 is far easier to rack and it's what I started her with.