I traded my Ruger LCR 38 special for my new Shield 9mm. I tried one out at the range before buying this one. This is the first semi auto pistol I have owned. I needed to carry concealed and the Ruger was just too big to hide in my clothing in the summer time. I am looking forward to shooting this pistol soon. I hope I can manage the slide. It is hard for my 82 year old hands to rack it. I know it will get easier with use. Any recommendations for me.

1. Practice...a lot!

2. Get some hand squeezers and strengthen your grip.

3. Have fun.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Use your whole hand to rack the slide by gripping the top of the slide in a palming fashion, if you're not already doing that, not just your thumb and forefinger. Push forward with the grip hand as you pull back with the slide Hand. Pull all the way back then let go. Don't ease it forward as it will usually cause a miss-feed. This may help:

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Molon Labe

You will go broke before the Shield loosens up enough from just shooting if you are using the wrong technique. Same for the hand exerciser except insert dead for broke.
Maybe one of these will help:

Young man;
I empathize with you! It was not easy for me to take down and reassemble, I am referring to the fact that the short barrel, Stiff RSA and difficulty in locking back the slide was something a lot of shield owners complained about! I am 85 yrs. of age and
not as dexterous as when I was younger. The fact that I have over 1,900 rds. through it was helped me in that regard.
As I said, not easy, but manageable! Every time I take it out and shoot it, it gets easier to do!

mb

The slide racking methods shown above certainly work. They all, however, show the pistol pointed off to the side when racking, not straight ahead, or "down range", which is the safest position. Your neighbors at the range will not appreciate you pointing your gun at or near them.

I prefer keeping the gun pointed down range with the strong hand, while "cupping" the support hand over the top rear of the slide, with the center of the hand on or just forward of the rear sight. Your fingers, palm and heel of your hand then provide the force necessary.

See:

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Turn 90 degrees and point the gun down range. Problem solved. I must have the gun across my body similar to the videos. Believe me, I have tried about every method.

Congratulations,and shoot shoot and shoot it as often as you can.

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Life is short,live it fully.

I don't like the method in Post #3, too dangerous and will induce malfunctions. He covers the ejection post with his hand, and the other method shown he lets go with his shooting grip. I'm a lefty too and would never do what he is demonstrating.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

The whole hand method is most useful.

I prefer to cup the ejection port, not try to keep my hand behind it: when you clear the pistol, drop the magazine and rack the slide while rolling the pistol to drop the chambered round into your hand.

Beats chasing the round all over the room.

I agree with Old cop, covering the ejection port is not a habit to cultivate. It will lead to a problem one of these days.

I really like the vid Moxie posted. The lady there describes just what I learned and still practice today. I'm glad you posted that because I discovered that the lady has quite a number of good videos discussing good gun handling and self defense concepts.

I'd recommend everyone watch her three part discussion with a man who had to shoot a man assaulting his daughter. No bravado, just a no bull discussion on the aftermath of a lawful use of force by a private citizen.

I think I would stick with a revolver since it's your first semi auto. There are so many great concealable Scandium Ti +P capable revolvers out there..........

I've used the 'whole hand' grip for a while, much easier. I cup the ejection port, never had an issue with a jam and as mentioned above, easy to catch an ejected round for inspection if it's a FTF.

Keeping the weapon pointed downrange is something not mentioned often enough. I know from experience if the shooter has strength issues then keeping the non-dominate hand close to the body is easier. If that's your case, then at least train yourself to turn 90 degrees to keep that weapon downrange.

Also, I've heard that it's easier to keep the hand gripping the slide stationary and push forward with your dominate hand.