Easiest slide to operate for a female

[Wolkenflieger]

DWX Compact is very easy to rack but it's expensive and off-roster. Better guns with better build quality tend to rack more easily.

The Ruger Mark IV 22/45 (1911 grip) or Mark IV Target are both super easy, but those are .22 caliber. A .22 is an ideal first gun for any new shooter, especially women who are having trouble racking other guns. The charge handle makes it super easy. Pretty much no recoil with .22.

Any optic will make racking easier if used as a handle.

The push method is good too as explained in this thread.

 

[MosinKalash]

M&P shield EZ. It ias specifically designed to address this issue for you

 

[wajalama]

M&P shield EZ. It ias specifically designed to address this issue for you

Not on the roster

 

[five.five-six]

FS92. The M9 was literally adopted so that women and limp wristed men could be in the army too.

9MM 1911 works too.

 

[bryanwm18]

AndI am looking for the best fit optics ready pistol on the roster for my girlfriend. The main thing is a slide that takes less strength to rack than the average pistol. Any recommendations? I am about to hit the stores and start handling various ones. I am hoping the new HK VP9F fits all of the requirements . I don't think she wants to get her ccw yet so a full size frame is fine. In addition to a smooth slide and being optics ready, I would like a good trigger, and recoil that is manageable for her. I noticed Smith and Wesson just added a 380acp to the roster so I may check it out as well

My wife likes to shoot 22. She wanted a red dot and we decided on a p322. She likes it.
She hates small 9mm, but will shoot (and very well) the Beretta 92 and X5 legion, anything smaller has to much felt recoil for her. Yes that's a training issue, but she's not there, so sticking with what's she's comfortable with

 

[Skilly]

My wife likes to shoot 22. She wanted a red dot and we decided on a p322. She likes it.
She hates small 9mm, but will shoot (and very well) the Beretta 92 and X5 legion, anything smaller has to much felt recoil for her. Yes that's a training issue, but she's not there, so sticking with what's she's comfortable with

this.

Get her comfortable with the motions in a lighter form and work towards something with stopping power as a graduated step. The P322 is a great platform to have her learn from without the risk of her giving up or unable to rack. Bonus - as you get her up to speed with training, it'll cost you no more than a lunch at the local dive to push out thousands of rounds.

 

[Trapper]

I went through the same process several years ago, searching for the perfect pistol for my girlfriend. Couldn’t be too heavy, checkering couldn’t be too sharp because it hurt her hand, slide needed to be easy to operate, 9mm generated too much noise and recoil. On roster, off roster, custom grips, I searched and searched, then ended up getting a bigger girlfriend. YMMV

 

[RustVendor]

I went through the same process several years ago, searching for the perfect pistol for my girlfriend. Couldn’t be too heavy, checkering couldn’t be too sharp because it hurt her hand, slide needed to be easy to operate, 9mm generated too much noise and recoil. I searched and searched, then ended up getting a bigger girlfriend. YMMV

Lol this is the real answer

 

[jkcerda]

My wife likes to shoot 22. She wanted a red dot and we decided on a p322. She likes it.
She hates small 9mm, but will shoot (and very well) the Beretta 92 and X5 legion, anything smaller has to much felt recoil for her. Yes that's a training issue, but she's not there, so sticking with what's she's comfortable with

exactly why I got the X5 legion.

I won't be there to rack it for them so I got what works for her NOW, she can work up to others later.

 

[RustVendor]

Honestly this is something learned in front of the TV in dry fire, it's like 80% technique and 20% strength and it doesn't take much strength. Unless there's a health issue there's no gun a person can't learn to rack

 

[chiroken007]

I went through the same process several years ago, searching for the perfect pistol for my girlfriend. Couldn’t be too heavy, checkering couldn’t be too sharp because it hurt her hand, slide needed to be easy to operate, 9mm generated too much noise and recoil. I searched and searched, then ended up getting a bigger girlfriend. YMMV

You made a good choice my friend!!

 

[mrbar77]

I went through the same process several years ago, searching for the perfect pistol for my girlfriend. Couldn’t be too heavy, checkering couldn’t be too sharp because it hurt her hand, slide needed to be easy to operate, 9mm generated too much noise and recoil. On roster, off roster, custom grips, I searched and searched, then ended up getting a bigger girlfriend. YMMV

Thank you for the advice my friend, but I love my delicate little flower just the way she is and I will be keeping her.
My days of messing with big women were left behind once I was discharged from the Navy!

 

[Trapper]

Thank you for the advice my friend, but I love my delicate little flower just the way she is and I will be keeping her.
My days of messing with big women were left behind once I was discharged from the Navy!

I was in the Navy from 1989 - 2009

 

[chiroken007]

Thank you for the advice my friend, but I love my delicate little flower just the way she is and I will be keeping her.
My days of messing with big women were left behind once I was discharged from the Navy!

Sounds like plenty of discharge…

 

[mrbar77]

exactly why I got the X5 legion.

I won't be there to rack it for them so I got what works for her NOW, she can work up to others later.

Exactly! Some people dont understand that a stiff slide is just one more obstacle to overcome for a woman who is already not feeling confident about handling a firearm. I am building her confidence with a Ruger Mark IV Target and will ease her into a full size 9mm, then eventually get her confident enough to handle a ccw size 9mm. Practice and baby steps for a lady that is already overwhelmed or intimidated as a new shooter. Some men don't understand that you cant instruct a lady how to shoot in the same manner that you can teach your son or little brother.

 

[mrbar77]

I was in the Navy from 1989 - 2009

1997-2005 Navy Seabees

 

[rodralig]

I am looking for the best fit optics ready pistol on the roster for my girlfriend. The main thing is a slide that takes less strength to rack than the average pistol. Any recommendations? I am about to hit the stores and start handling various ones. I am hoping the new HK VP9F fits all of the requirements . I don't think she wants to get her ccw yet so a full size frame is fine. In addition to a smooth slide and being optics ready, I would like a good trigger, and recoil that is manageable for her. I noticed Smith and Wesson just added a 380acp to the roster so I may check it out as well

Higher-end pistols usually have very light, buttery-smooth slides, designs and balance that help minimize recoil, and excellent triggers. Expect to be in the $4K+ range. Say, the Atlas?

 

[RustVendor]

Exactly! Some people dont understand that a stiff slide is just one more obstacle to overcome for a woman who is already not feeling confident about handling a firearm. I am building her confidence with a Ruger Mark IV Target and will ease her into a full size 9mm, then eventually get her confident enough to handle a ccw size 9mm. Practice and baby steps for a lady that is already overwhelmed or intimidated as a new shooter. Some men don't understand that you cant instruct a lady how to shoot in the same manner that you can teach your son or little brother.

I've definitely taught women to shoot and rack a glock which is one of the harder ones, I do think it's trickier when it's someone you are in a relationship with. You are right though that it's an issue of confidence vs anything else it's not a matter of inherent strength or ability. Confidence just comes with practice. Now how do you get a woman to practice? It's a dilemma as old as time. Honestly would pay for some lessons as there's something miraculous that happens when it's not you giving the advice. And when she comes back you have to hold back saying " yeah that's exactly what I told you to do"

 

[mrbar77]

I've definitely taught women to shoot and rack a glock which is one of the harder ones, I do think it's trickier when it's someone you are in a relationship with. You are right though that it's an issue of confidence vs anything else it's not a matter of inherent strength or ability. Confidence just comes with practice. Now how do you get a woman to practice? It's a dilemma as old as time. Honestly would pay for some lessons as there's something miraculous that happens when it's not you giving the advice. And when she comes back you have to hold back saying " yeah that's exactly what I told you to do"

Well said

 

[rodralig]

I've definitely taught women to shoot and rack a glock which is one of the harder ones, I do think it's trickier when it's someone you are in a relationship with. You are right though that it's an issue of confidence vs anything else it's not a matter of inherent strength or ability. Confidence just comes with practice. Now how do you get a woman to practice? It's a dilemma as old as time. Honestly would pay for some lessons as there's something miraculous that happens when it's not you giving the advice. And when she comes back you have to hold back saying " yeah that's exactly what I told you to do"

In my experience at home, teaching the kids was actually easier than teaching my wife. The kids progressed to an intermediate level pretty quickly and would probably score well on standards from places like Gunsite or even the defunct Front Sight. In the end, I had to outsource my wife’s instruction, and sure enough, she ended up performing better that way.