My neighbor has a 9VE Sigma that he loves. He shoots it dead-on, center-target. The problem is that he is 69, an ex drill sergeant, vet from Korea, and a great guy. The problem is that he has had hand damages over his lifetime and has a problem racking the slide the first time. He doesn't target shoot it much since he is pretty much and expert shot, but he uses it for home defense and is sometimes afraid that he will not be able to rack the slide in a life threatening situation.

The Sigma has an 18 pound recoil spring. Is there a way to reduce the slide pressure? Thanks. This guy spends a lot of time helping disabled Vets and asks for nothing in return. I'd like to help him with this problem.

Thanks,

Dave

My neighbor has a 9VE Sigma that he loves. He shoots it dead-on, center-target. The problem is that he is 69, an ex drill sergeant, vet from Korea, and a great guy. The problem is that he has had hand damages over his lifetime and has a problem racking the slide the first time. He doesn't target shoot it much since he is pretty much and expert shot, but he uses it for home defense and is sometimes afraid that he will not be able to rack the slide in a life threatening situation.

The Sigma has an 18 pound recoil spring. Is there a way to reduce the slide pressure? Thanks. This guy spends a lot of time helping disabled Vets and asks for nothing in return. I'd like to help him with this problem.

Thanks,

Dave

Lighten the spring and you can't sufficiently slow the slide before it smacks the frame. Sounds like it might be time to consider a revolver.

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-Greg

In my opinion, the slide should already be racked before the life threatening situation.

The Sigma is perfectly OK to leave with one loaded in the chamber, so racking should not be an issue except to change magazines or to unload the gun.

Maybe you could drill some holes in an old wooden chair seat, and he could put the slide against it and push down to rack it. Trade him into a revolver.

You'll recall how for 5-10 years or so, snag free sights (rears especially) were the height of "tacticool". Well, now they're putting fixed rear sights on with large definite right angles. In order to be able to rack slides against some stationary object with, should you loose the use of one hand in a fight. I agree, it may be time to switch to a wheel gun. But if he likes the pistol, a rear sight as described would allow him to rack it against a counter, chair back, night stand, head board, etc.

Vice grips? I'm joking. It sounds like you really want to help this fine gentleman who served our country so well. Back in the day the guys carried many pistols, cyinders, etc. I'm sitting here racking my slide and brain and not coming up with much. You might contact the mother ship, Smith & Wesson, and ask them. I was looking at the slide and thinking it might be possible to drill and tap and install some kind of arm sorta like what you find on rifles. But on both sides. Best of luck.

Any good machinist or smith, could hook this old war horse up with a pair of custom fabricated tabs. Just beware of them during cycling! Don't a boat load of the unlimited guns running exotic optics, have racking tabs due to the slide serations being obscured by the optic's mounts?
(Just doing my part to keep this one on top for a bit Vanya)

Thanks Spot!

You might have your friend try this as I have used it many times as an instructor with people that have difficulty racking the slide.
Have him hold the SLIDE stationary and push forward on the frame instead of how he was most likely trained to hold the frame stationary and pull back on the slide. It has helped many of my students over the years. Hope it does the trick for him as well!
Randy

growr took the words out of my mouth. A weaker spring is not the way to go as it might produce failures to feed. Leaving the chamber empty is actually a good safety technique in a pistol like the Sigma, Glock or M&P unless the pistol is always kept in a holster. I'm thinking in terms of a night stand gun, grabbing while still groggy and having a ND although the heavy trigger pull of the Sigma is an advantage here.

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I shoot, therefore I am.

Thanks guys, those are some really helpful answers. He does have a Ruger .357 revolver as well, but really likes the Sigma, his only semi-auto. I'll tell him about the idea of holding the slide and pushing the frame. That sounds like a winner. He does keep it loaded at all times, now but thinks ahead to possible problems such as having to rack the slide when he's hurting. I think these answers may be just what he needs. Thanks again!

Dave

Hi dave,
I like my Sigma too. It probably helps to have more than one defence weapon, especially for your friend. As an older sheepdog, I too have to look at what i can do vs what maybe will give me trouble. I tend to think that this guy will look at things the same way. What is familiar first then a back up. Help this man decide. I get the impression that he doesn't have to worry about someone else in his house picking up his Sigma and playing with it. So it might be that he can keep one in the chamber and not really worry too much. I hope I speak for many in stating that we appreciate this mans service to our country and that if he were our neighbor we, like you, would try to help. When he is hurting and you are there to help.. Sorry but this just seems like what our lord wants us to do. Some of us are sheepdogs because some of us our wolves. Don't get me wrong, in nature wolves are good and serve a purpose, but in society.. I have chosen to be a sheepdog because of the choices made by those who wish harm to those who can't defend themselves. Your neighbor made the choice as well. I think together we will find a way for him to maintain his choice. Just do a search, warrior sheepdog. One greater than I phrased well what it means.
All my best.

NEVER, EVER change the weight of the recoil spring in an auto. The auto is made to be reliable for a certain pressure cartridge range with the factory spring. Too light and the slide velocity goes way up and the slide batters the frame to destruction very quickly. Too heavy and the slide may not go all the way back causing stoppages, or if it does go all the way back, it will go forward so fast it will run over the top of the magazine before the next cartridge gets to the top and the slide will feed nothing into the chamber for the next shot. Leave it be.

He could load up and leave it with one in the chamber so he does not have to rack the slide. If he carries in condition 3 (empty chamber, full magazine), then he should go to the revolver.