Why I can't Rack my .380

[rwsmith]

Oh, just an aside....

I have a grand piano and never had a problem moving it around or picking up one corner for someone to put a cup under a leg. One day I went in to move it for some reason, and picked up on it, and NOTHING HAPPENED. I tried again, and again, nothing. I said, ok, I've got to get focused so I can put all my strength and move this thing. I psyched up and tried again. It didn't budge in the slightest. Like it was glued to the floor. I don't try that anymore by myself, I recruit help.

 

[Eric300]

What holster is that? Nice and high!!

not to self:
you don't need a new gun, you don't need a new gun!!!!

TAGUA - It's really a well-made/designed pancake holster. Nice stiff leather and HD stitching. Very comfortable, too.

 

[sigp220.45]

A friend of mine passed on a .380 his wife really liked because she had trouble racking the slide.

I asked him: Does she go the the range alone?

No, never.

Do you think she’ll be in a position where she gets in a shootout, has a malfunction, actually has a spare mag, remembers how to clear it, but at that time will not have the requisite hand strength to work the slide?

Uh, no - that is highly unlikely.

So what’s the problem?

I understand the OP has resolved his issues, but I see this “logic” applied to new shooters all the time.

 

[GnarlsR2]

I apologize that my comment caused bad feelings.
I did not mean it to be disparaging. When I re-read it in light of your comment, I see this was poor wording on my part.

Again, I apologize to you and any others to whom I caused offense.

At one point in my career I was a very highly paid communications analyst for a $2.6 Billon international corporation, so my opinion may be worthless.

I did not read any arrogance in your post, and the wording was not poor. "Cowboy up" may work well when you're 50 years of age, but at 77 cowboy up is just a nice thought.

In typical conversational textual communications there is something called conceptual semantics. Tone, intent, and humor, for example, may be difficult to interpret.

Your apology is not necessary, however it is a polite way to acknowledge that some readers may not have the emotional maturity or intellectual acuity to follow your concerns about racking a slide on a small pistol that is very difficult to rack and it is well published in 10's of thousands of posts and reviews.

 

[JackM]

I remember Charles Atlas.
Did you ever send off 25 cents to get his program!!

Nah, nobody ever kicked sand in my face.

 

[Rustyt1953]

At one point in my career I was a very highly paid communications analyst for a $2.6 Billon international corporation, so my opinion may be worthless.

I did not read any arrogance in your post, and the wording was not poor. "Cowboy up" may work well when you're 50 years of age, but at 77 cowboy up is just a nice thought.

In typical conversational textual communications there is something called conceptual semantics. Tone, intent, and humor, for example, may be difficult to interpret.

Your apology is not necessary, however it is a polite way to acknowledge that some readers may not have the emotional maturity or intellectual acuity to follow your concerns about racking a slide on a small pistol that is very difficult to rack and it is well published in 10's of thousands of post and reviews.

I wish I would have said that.

Beautifully penned.

 

[Echo40]

I had this problem when I first got my M&P40 Shield, my solution was to add grip strength increasing exercises to my daily workout routine. Now I can work the slide no problem.

Look up some exercises, get into a routine, and have the fringe benefit of potentially being able to defend yourself without a firearm if the need should arise, not to mention the satisfaction no longer being emasculated by stubborn jar lids.

 

[GnarlsR2]

I wish I would have said that.

Beautifully penned.

Thank you.

At my age I need all the dopamine activation I can get.

 

[GnarlsR2]

I had this problem when I first got my M&P40 Shield, my solution was to add grip strength increasing exercises to my daily workout routine. Now I can work the slide no problem.

Look up some exercises, get into a routine, and have the fringe benefit of potentially being able to defend yourself without a firearm if the need should arise, not to mention the satisfaction no longer being emasculated by stubborn jar lids.

For my BG2 the Talon Rear Slide Grip made a big difference in my ability to rack that little buggar.

Slide Grip - S&W Bodyguard 2.0

At my older age my grip and hand strength has gone south. I use this and it really helped after about 30 days of religiously working it in each hand once a day for about 20 minutes.

https://a.co/d/6kAxCjm

 

[fatcat3]

I remember Charles Atlas.
Did you ever send off 25 cents to get his program!!

LORD NO. I was too busy milking cows, by hand. Moving hay bales, by hand, stacking pulp wood, by hand, splitting firewood with a maul by hand, digging fence post holes by hand, shoveling snow, by hand that now that I'm in my "golden years" (who come up with that B.S.) I have a hard time closing my hands. I can still rack the slide but not one handed like I could 40-50 years ago.

 

[47knuckle]

Mrs 47knuckle had the same problem. Took her to a gun store and had her try a S&W 380 EZ. She had no problem racking the slide, so she is now the proud owner of one.

 

[RUT]

>>For my BG2 the Talon Rear Slide Grip made a big difference in my ability to rack that little buggar.<<

This..... I have these on several of my autos and they simply do the trick.

 

[Hawg Rider]

For my BG2 the Talon Rear Slide Grip made a big difference in my ability to rack that little buggar.

Slide Grip - S&W Bodyguard 2.0

At my older age my grip and hand strength has gone south. I use this and it really helped after about 30 days of religiously working it in each hand once a day for about 20 minutes.

https://a.co/d/6kAxCjm

A couple of guys beat me to it! The Talon slide grip really helped me with my PC M&P Shield Plus 9mm. It wasn't so much a hand and grip strength issue, it was more of "not much to hold on to" issue. The Talon is a cheap fix and easy to install...but don't stop doing your exercises! I have some arthritis in my support hand thumb, so gripping and racking the slide can sometimes be challenging. Exercises and Voltaren gel helps!

 

[gwpercle]

Do a search on the term ... "Revolver"
That's one in my avatar ... what is good about them is ,
No slide to rack and no magazine to seat ...
I rather like the concept my self ...
no law says you Must shoot a semi-auto ... that I know of .
Gary

 

[URIT]

I found and used a Charles Atlas dynamic tension booklet when I was 12. I still do some of the isometrics, but not for 15 minutes.

Today, at 78, I don't have a Captain of Crunch, but I do use a Luxon hand grip strengthener which can be dialed from 10kg - 50kg. It, along with the Vive four ball set, does help grip strength and other old-age hand maladies.

I still carry my trusted model 3953, and have no problem operating the slide.

 

[Brian Parrish]

I appreciate the sentiment of the OP which is rare on this forum.
Refuse to surrender to your weakness!
Keep trying to rack it until you can do it!
Same thing with "hard trigger pulls".
The trigger is not hard. Your finger is weak.
Same thing with carrying a "heavy" gun on your belt.
The gun is not heavy when you are not weak.
As was said by 18DAI, now departed comrade,
"Maybe they should just work out."
I offer my respect to you as a man geeollie.
Now fix it!
Best to You!
BrianD

 

[shil]

I surmise that an itty-bitty direct-blowback .380 doesn't have much of a gripping surface on the slide, which may be a factor.
Solution? A 1913 Smith and Wesson pocket pistol! It has a feature which disengages the slide from the recoil spring! Finding .35 S&W ammo, though, might be problematic! My exemplar, along with a partial box of original ammo, remains a safe queen. Reliable sources have advised me: Even though .32 ACP will fit, firing it is NOT advisable.

 

[gjgalligan]

I have read many posts about how hard it is to rack a gun or seat magazines, etc... I look to myself in trying to identify the root of the issue.

What in my life do I do to have strong arms and strong hands?? Why would a little tiny woman's gun like a .380 defeat me? The reason is, my hands have zero callouses, my gripping strength is worthless, my arms are tooth picks because I live like a modern city dwelling man. My brain is strong but my body is weak......because having arm and hand strength is not required for daily life.

I don't lift anything heavier than a 40 pound bag of dog food. My gripping strength is challenged only by opening a jar of jelly. I can't do 4 push-ups or hang from a monkey bar for more than 2 seconds. No WONDER MY GUN SPRINGS DEFEAT ME AND I DON't SHOOT WORTH BEANS.

In the year 2525...

 

[geeollie]

If man is still alive.......he just might look like me!!!!

 

[JH1951]

It has been mentioned above, but I will reinforce the wisdom of the suggestion for senior citizens (or any upper body strength challenged individual) to consider getting a revolver. None of the above worries seem to apply. I use a J-frame Mod.49 in a Mika pocket holster. Yes, a J-frame is five rounds of .38 Spl. (what I would use), but that is enough to get you through two average gunfights.
I suggest this after carrying a BHP, a full size 1911, a sub compact SIG 1911, and others I cannot recall. A .38 Spl. with wadcutters satisfies all my needs now as I am no longer on course to vanquish the world of crime when I leave home; simply to defend myself or a loved one should the need arise.
I will although admit my feeling of triumph years ago when a very upset trucker got out of his cab with an axe pick handle and charged my car in gridlock traffic. In mid-swing he found himself looking down the bore of a full size Colts 1911. He stopped in his tracks, said "My mistake, sorry." I said "That's great, now give me that piece of wood and get back in your cab." He did, and all was well resolved with no shots fired. I still have his stick here somewhere. I digress.... I wish I was still young enough to carry a nice 1911, but I am not. J-frame all the way. If need be I may throw a speed strip in my other pocket just for insurance. But need has never been.
Blessings to all, but please carry something that you do not have to struggle to use, and practice with it until you have a decent level of confidence putting it to use.