Racking a slide with the opposite hand

[Mastrogiacomo]

I'm right handed. When at the range, I usually practice shooting left and right. Recently because of pain my left hand -- I decided to try putting the gun in my left hand and rack the slide with my right instead. Easier said than done. I hurt myself in the process at each attempt. How do lefties do this?

 

[j45m16]

howdid u hurt ur self? Never have any problems with switching hands to rck or shoot.

 

[Dobe]

Weak hand rack

I enjoy shooting and dryfiring weak hand. Try emphasizing the pressure between the index and middle finger with the muscle in the palm just under the thumb. I believe this will help.

Hope this helps
Dobe

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

My father was in Fire Restoration which is heavy and very hard work, especially on the joints and knees. Requires a great deal of painful scrubbing, use of the hands, bending, kneeling, lifting, carrying, etc. You name it...not easy for a woman. Also studied Arnis...something did it but who the Hell knows?

I'm only 35 so I hope it's nothing more than hard work but even when I hold the gun in my left hand and squeeze -- I feel it. I tried racking the gun previously and hurt myself the whole time. What I was actually trying to do was to rack it and lock it in place so I could load it. After a while I gave up and went back to using my left hand. Wish there were some way to master this motion with the right hand too.

 

[Dobe]

This is where the front serrations on some 1911's shine. Because you are pushing from the front, you actually need a perceived less amount of force. This is primarily because the front part of the gun has a tendancy to rock backward when using the back serrations. The reason, of course is that the force is almost directly above the pivot point (your hand).

If you have front serrations, or can grip the front part of the slide, simply push backwards with the right hand. The left index finger is in a great position to place the slide catch.
Try it, it works great.

If you feel that you can not keep your hand or fingers from in front of the bore, then simply find another way. I have racked from the front of my 1911's and others for some time. I feel quiet safe doing so.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Thanks! That explaination is a little clearer than some I've received. I'll give it a go....

 

[Dobe]

Good luck. I hate to see anyone have to give up their 1911.

Dobe

 

[Navy joe]

Try an overhand rack where your 4 fingers are on one side of the slide and the heel of your hand is on the other. Usually requires less grip strength than the std thumb/index back pinch deal. It is all I use anymore, more sailor-proof. Train to have the side of your index finger jam against the front of the rear sight, locates your hand and helps in the rearward motion. Get physical therapy for the broke hand too.

 

[E357]

You hurt yourself trying to rack and lock open at the same time. Rack the slide with an empty mag in place, the follower will lock the slide for you - less finger manipulation. Then drop and fill up the mag. Obvious, but we forget sometimes.

Elliot

 

[Deles136]

Try a clamp called Quick-Grip handi-clamp. I bought the 59200 model - opens to 2" - from Wal-Mart for $5.00. This size is just right for a 1911 size pistol. Works great for me, either hand.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Thanks for the replies. I'll give them all a try and practice. By the way, what section of Walmart did you find this grip? I may look at that too!

As far as the hand -- it's not broken. Only pain in the middle and ring finger near the knuckle. Maybe arthritis from having injuried it on the job with my father? I'm planning on having a hand specialist check it out when I get better insurance. There was a lot of straining and pulling in his line of work. Other than these two fingers, my hand is fine but unfortunately it sometimes makes gripping and racking a pistol a little hard.

 

[Deles136]

Mastrogiacomo - I found the clamp in the tools/hardware section of Wal-Mart. I am 67 with arthritis and this clamp solved my racking problems for many years, I hope. Simple, light, cheap, quick to use and release, fits easily in the back pocket, has rubber pads to protect the finish on the slide.

 

[Test1968]

Weak hands and slide racking

My wife has weak hands and can't normally rack the slide very easily.

So one of our instructors showed her a slightly different method.

Instead of racking the slide with the opposite hand, try

holding the slide with the opposite hand and pushing on the butt
of the frame with the dominant hand.

You should be using the strength of the dominant hand,
instead of the non-dominant hand.

It has worked for her, and I have shown this to a few women,
and they have found it easier to use than the traditional method.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Appreciate all the feedback, folks. Thank you.