So I buy my wife a Glock 26...

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Molon Labe

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For Christmas, naturally. :)

(FYI, the Glock 26 is Glock's smallest 9 mm.)

A little background: This is her first handgun, and she has very little prior experience with guns. But she has expressed an interest in getting a handgun for self protection, which is why I made the purchase.

Now my wife is not very big; 5' 0" and 100 lbs max. And her thumb can barely reach the slide release lever, let alone actuate it. And she seemed to have a very hard time even racking the slide. :(

So now what do I do? This a is brand new gun I just purchased this evening from a local gun shop.

Here are a few things I can think of:

1. Get her to practice with it until she masters it.

2. Install an "easier" aftermarket spring and slide release lever.

3. Take it back and exchange it for a revolver.

Thoughts? Comments?
 
Do what you should have done in the first place, take her with you and see what gun fits her hand and what she is most comfortable with.
 
Here's an email I sent to the store owner this evening:

XXXXX:

Thanks for the Glock 26 this evening. It’s a very nice gun.

My wife was quite excited. But here’s the problem: she’s rather small (about 100 lbs.), and had trouble racking the slide. (This isn’t the gun’s fault. It’s my fault, and I should have realized it beforehand.)

And then I started thinking about what you said about women and guns. And then I thought, maybe she would be better off with a revolver?

Anyway, is there a credit/exchange policy per chance? I still want to get her a handgun (and I’d still like to buy it from you), but now I’m thinking a revolver would be better for her. The gun has not been shot (I don’t even have ammo for it!), and the instructions haven’t even been open. It’s still exactly the way I received it. And if you don’t mind, I could bring her to your place and she could try out the “feel†of a few guns beforehand.

Please let me know. I’d even be willing to pay a modest “restocing fee†or whatever.

Thanks,

XXXX
 
Molon Labe ~

surfinUSA is right; you should have taken her with you in the first place to pick out her own gun. Guns are kind of like shoes -- you have to try them on in order to know if they will fit.

Water under the bridge now.

If your wife basically likes the Glock (it sounds as though she does), I wouldn't give up on it just yet. Difficulty racking a slide is rarely primarily a strength issue. It is primarily a technique issue.

Try this: Have her hold the gun in her right hand in a standard grip (finger off the trigger, please...)

Her left hand then goes to the top of the gun. I prefer the overhand hold rather than the slingshot hold, but whichever is comfortable for her will do.

Without moving her left hand, have her push the frame forward with her right hand.

(Do not tell her to pull back on the slide with her left hand; pushing muscles are stronger than pulling muscles.)

That should do the trick.

To lock the slide back, you can teach her the cheater's technique of using an empty magazine. She can do that until she is generally comfortable with the gun.

When she's ready to learn to lock the slide herself (and she definitely should learn how), have her do the above racking technique while holding the slide stop lever up. Don't let her try to hold the slide to the rear while fumbling around for the lever -- that takes a lot of strength and dexterity, and is very difficult for newbies to manage. Just have her push up on it while she's racking the slide, and it will go right into place as soon as the slide is where it needs to be.

Now, all that said -- get that woman to a class! :D

pax
 
The G26 is a truly excellent CCW piece, and if your wife likes it, don't try to change it! Pax has given good advice on operating the slide. As for the grip size, look at Robar's grip reduction package. Doing this to the G26 will make it much easier for her to acquire a firing grip, and also operate the slide release.
 
And her thumb can barely reach the slide release lever, let alone actuate it.
Click to expand...
Whups, forgot to address this.

If after she tries the above, reaching and using the slide release is still a problem, just purchase an extended slide release for her. That should fix the difficulty. They don't cost much and it'll take a gunsmith about 2 seconds to drop one in.

pax
 
Lot of Glock shooters never even use the slide release opting instead to insert new loaded mag and pull the slide back just a bit (much easier than trying to rack from all the way forward position). If your done shooting and want to relase the slide just drop empty mag do same thing.

She might also be more comfortable doing it like a lot of 1911 shooters and hitting the release with the OFF hand thumb as the weak hand come up to a 2 handed grip.

PS Anybody mention SHE should have been the one to pick our her gun :evil:
 
P.S. on returning the gun to the dealer don't be surprised if a more than "modest" restocking fee is charged. Even if a gun has not been fired once the paperwork is done it's a "used" gun and he/she is going to have to price it accordingly. Kinda like driving a new car off the lot and watching the value drop 20% before you hit the first stoplight :(
 
Looks like a good chance to add another pistol to the collection :evil:
"But its for you honey"
 
The G26 is an excellent carry weapon. IF necessary, you can install a weaker recoil spring. If your wife will use the hand-over technique described above, though, I'm sure she'll be able to rack the slide.

I never use the slide stop lever as a slide release. That's really a non-issue.

I don't think you and your wife should be "writing off" the G26, until/unless she's run a couple of thousand rounds downrange. :)

BTW, you dont' need a gunsmith to change any parts on a Glock. You can learn to replace every part on a Glock in about 15 minutes. Plenty of information at Glocktalk; topglock.com; glockmeister.com
 
Thanks for all the excellent advice! We'll try some of the things you guys mentioned, and I'll let you know how it goes.

BTW: If I install a (slightly) weaker spring, is there any drawback to it? I figure there must be, else the gun would come with a weaker spring.
 
Whups, forgot to address this.

If after she tries the above, reaching and using the slide release is still a problem, just purchase an extended slide release for her. That should fix the difficulty. They don't cost much and it'll take a gunsmith about 2 seconds to drop one in.
Click to expand...

I second that. The extended slide stop I installed on my 26 was the best upgrade I could have done (other then the night sights)

Good Luck
 
PAX nailed it. Most experienced Glock shooters (except the competition crowd) have no use for the external slide release other than to lock the slide back with no mag.
Bronson7
 
surfinUSA,
Reminded us once again the first rule: Let the person try before buying.

pax, nailed it and provided great advice and input.

Molon Labe,

Thanks for sharing , We are gonna link this thread though for folks that ask " what gun should I buy for my wife?"

:D
 
A quick update:

I emailed the store owner and got this reply:

------------------------
Molon Labe,

I would not have any problem with an exchange on anything in the store. I wouldn't charge you any restocking fee. The only thing I would ask is you pay just the tax on the new item.

Have her come down, I will find one that fits her hand.

Thanks,

XXXX

------------------------

I think this is an extremely generous offer by the store owner. My wife will be stopping by there today. (Long story, but unfortunately I won’t be able to go along with her.)

I’ll let you know what happens.
 
The G-26 is an excellent all around carry piece and is very accurate, more so than a gun that small should be, as I type this I have one in my pocket in a desantis nemesis pocket holster. I have had mine for about 5 years and 4,000 + rounds. I have seen more than one woman at the range with a G-26.

I have never had any malfunction or jam with mine, its the most relaible semiautoi I own, as reliable as any revolver.

A revolver like a 642 may be easier to handle, but the recoil from even standard .38 ammo may drive her away. It has about 5X the felt recoil of my G-26 with any decent carry ammo +p or other wise. I would have her practice with the G-26, and use thepushing technique for racking the slide. The G-26 will be much more pleasant to shoot and is a much more effective weapon than a small revolver. (BTW I also have and carry a 642, and a model 36 chief's special)
 
Update:

My wife went to the gun store and tried out many handguns. She said she felt more comfortable with a revolver vs. a semi-auto. So she exchanged the G26 (pluss $200 credit) for a small frame, stainless steel Taurus .357 revolver w/ 2†barrel. She also said the store owner was very helpful.

Even though I was hoping she would get a semi-auto (e.g. the Glock 26), I came to realize that the most important thing is for her to have a gun she likes. And she appears to really like this revolver, so (by definition) it is the best gun for her.

Thanks again for all your suggestions!!
 
The other option is to buy every gun imaginable and let her work her way through them all.

Sadly it seems like I'm trying to go that way. I'm not married yet, just have a fiancee who hasn't seen my collection yet...the prospect of getting married has likely accelerated my firearms purchasing.
 
It might be a wise decision to start her out with some light .38's and not .357's. A small .357 can be a handfull for someone who's never shot one before.
 
Molon Labe - I hope mistake number 2 is not lurking. That is #1 one being not allowing your wife to handle the gun first before buying and #2 not allowing your wife to know the discharge and recoil effects of different calibers with different handguns. My sister didn't like the feel or discharge of a Kimber Ultra. So my brother in law went with her to a gunstore and she liked the feel of a S&W Ladysmith in .38 Special. Very light and comfortable in her hand. Except when she took it to the range and shot it. Yikes! Didn't like the recoil at all and it now gathers dust and she's back to looking for something else. :what:

Since you are in SW Ohio I assume you are near the Cincinnati area. I'd find a range that rents guns so she can try out several and make a good decision. We need to make our spouses gun enthusiats so the next time we "need" another gun we don't want the hassle of convincing her of it. It also promotes domestic bliss. :)
 
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