9mm pistols that have an easy slide to rack?

I'm not sure how much of that is due to the stiffness of the spring or rather due to the fact that the slide is small and hard to grab.

Probably has to do with the springs. My BHP was pretty stiff when I took it home but now it's a little easier now after I've shot it more. The BHP has a 32lbs mainspring and a plenty big enough slide. I never found the CZ75 slide to be small, just "not big." I also found it pretty easy to use, no complaints.
 
Sigs are always very easy to rack compared to Glock, H&K, Smith, etc... Usually no comparison from what I've seen
 
Generally speaking, the smaller and lighter the slide, the more spring they need to use to keep the gun from battering itself. Bigger guns with heavier slides can get away with lighter springs. I've found many of the mid- full sized striker fired 9mm Glocks & M&P's to have fairly easy springs ( and aftermarket springs to tune them down IF you feed them the right ammo.)
FWIW, The lightest factory recoil spring I've found on a 9mm was on a SA 1911 in 9mm. That came with a 9# spring that is super light to rack.
 
I have the same issues as the op. My fiancé has a tough time with racking the slide on most pistols. she is better with smaller subcompact guns like my shield partially because she can grab it easier with her smaller hands, but she has a though time shooting the sub 9mm guns they are too snappy for her liking.

I think a G42 is in order to keep the gun flatter shooting.
 
I hear you, I think the Ruger LC9 is about as cheap a gun as I'd go. They aren't meant to be abused at the range every week, but with less use I think they're decent to depend on. The real problem is there aren't many smallish 9's out there that rack easy and are not quite as expensive.

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She wants a 1911 (she liked shooting one at our pistol training) but we don't have the cash for one right now.

The lc9 doesn't hurt her wrist shooting?.
 
What I did to help my gf to rack the slide iois I unloaded my G23, safety checked it and during commercial breaks while we were watching TV she'd slowly rack the slide. It was hard, but it built up the strength to do what is an unnatural action for many new shooters.

A tip that helped her was when I told her to angle the gun downward and move the slide and frame on opposite directions in one motion at the same time. Now she can rack any of my guns with no problem.
 
I had no idea. That's brilliant. Actually, though, I will likely train her with this video:



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Yeah, that's what the video lady says. It's sensible and effective.



I like how she says "cocking" a bunch throughout the video, because I'm 12 and still laugh at that stuff.
 
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Sorry for the confusion. Primarily, I wanted to get her a pistol with an easy to slide rack. That seems to be the sticking point. Every time I've tried to get her to handle a pistol I've owned she tries and get's flustered and gives up when it seems to hard for her to handle.

The only gun she felt kinda comfortable sliding was the LC9 I owned, but sold.

She would use it as a personal protection pistol. Smaller is better, but we don't have a huge budge for this right now.

Just get her a Glock 42, simple, easy to rack, easy to shoot.

i seem to remember the LC9 being easy to rack, and having a nice trigger. Get another one?
 
Wow, someone brought this thread back from the dead.

It's funny because we settled on a new Ruger LC9, actually. We also got a couple of full size Springfield XD's which are easy to handle for her (likely because the slides are taller than average and give more mass to grab).

I did show her that method of racking, though, because it's a good tip. Just the same, I wanted her to feel confident so I stuck to getting a pistol that racked easily.
 
Lots of interesting information for women can be found at this web site:
thewellarmedwoman.com

I joined the group shortly after I arrived at my new home is SC. I met a great group of people. I don't think there are any Chapters up in the NE area. Regardless, thewellarmedwoman.com web site is loaded with helpful information, reviews and products for the woman shooter.

Best regards.
 
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