1911 - How to work the slide with less force?

[BNE]

My 81 year old father keeps a 1911 in a hidden spot in the den as his self defense weapon. With arthritis setting in he is having trouble working the slide.

How can you make the slide easier to work?
Change springs? If yes, where is a good place to get one?

We understand this will make felt recoil stronger and may not be good for the gun long term, but he is not shooting it every day and its primary purpose now is for that "What if..." scenario.

We also understand that a revolver is an obvious fix! BUT Dad is partial to his 1911 and is quite good with it.

It is a Colt Combat Commander. I can PM the specifics if needed.

Thanks for your help.

BNE

[Jupiter7]

Might wanna do this as a load specific project and "tune" the gun. I'd recommend Wolff springs. 14lbs would be a few pounds reduced from standard.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Well, here's the deal: You can get recoil springs of various weights from Wolff Gun Springs, and that will reduce the amount of effort needed to manually operate the slide. But the catch is that the weaker the spring is the more battering the frame takes when the weapon is fired. So there are two things that come to mind in addition to installing a weaker recoil spring. First is that much of the effort needed to operate the slide is expended in cocking the hammer from an uncocked position. You might just give this a try: remove the magazine and clear the pistol, then try pulling the slide back with the hammer un-cocked and then with it cocked. You'll notice quite a difference. This brings up the possibility of having the pistol fully cocked with and empty chamber, and your father would only have to work the slide to load the pistol. Or, you might consider having the pistol already loaded with a round in the chamber, "cocked and locked." I think that any fears about the hammer spring weakening over the long term would be unwarranted. Since you state that the gun is kept in "a hidden spot"---why not just keep it cocked and locked and avoid having to operate the slide at all? Should you install a less powerful recoil spring, and since your father apparently doesn't target practice with the pistol very often or at all, frame battering may not be a consideration. You could reduce that problem by installing a Shock-Buff type neoprene washer around the recoil spring guide. There are several brands of these, and Brownell's sells most of them. If you do install a different spring and a Shock-Buff be sure to try the pistol out before relying on it for self-defense. I have several .45s equipped with the Shock-Buff, and all remain reliable.

[w5pv]

I think I would consider going to a double action revolver.If it needs to be concealed try a stubby.

[JSnover]

Someone marketed a handle or grip of some sort a few years ago. It didn't reduced the effort but it gave the shooter a lot more to grab, making it easier to rack the slide. For a piece that will never leave home, something like that might work.

[JSnover]

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-par...1846-7163.aspx
Briley makes it. Brownells is currently out of stock.

[725]

It's a last dispirit technique, but food for thought: A semi can be racked with a weak or injured hand by setting the sights against the edge of a table, counter-top, window sill, etc., pushing into the hard surface chosen and thrusting the entire pistol down to move the slide. Wrecks the sights, mares the table, but can put the pistol back into action. Not a method of choice, but sometimes choice is a slim option. Best of luck.

[Artful]

[Skipper]

Leave it cocked on an empty chamber. It's much easier to rack without having to overcome the hammer spring.

[Char-Gar]

The pistol needs a proper recoil spring to function. Put a round in the chamber and either engage the safety or lower the hammer. The hammer can be cocked or the safety disengaged with two hand if need be. If he can't do that he needs to change handguns.

[BNE]

Thanks guys. This gives us a few choices to try.

[docone31]

I carried my Commander with the hammer back, and the chamber empty. With the hammer back, the slide is a lot lighter.

[DCM]

It's a last dispirit technique, but food for thought: A semi can be racked with a weak or injured hand by setting the sights against the edge of a table, counter-top, window sill, etc., pushing into the hard surface chosen and thrusting the entire pistol down to move the slide. Wrecks the sights, mares the table, but can put the pistol back into action. Not a method of choice, but sometimes choice is a slim option. Best of luck.

BIG +1
No alteration to the gun and one could attach a small sacrificial piece of soft pine to the edge of the desk to save the rear sight and desk.
Just hook and push to load, with a bit of practice of course.

[country gent]

Cocking the hammer first manually removes the main springs tension from racking the slide, making it much easier to work the slide. My wife would put the front sight on the edge of the bed frame and grip it normally pushing down with her body wieght and when retracted slide it off. Takes some practice but it does work once the technique is learned. Just lightening the spring with full power loads can be an issue causing heavy wear and battering. Slide velocity increases with the lighter spring making recoil harder on adjustable sights also. If all else leave a round chambered and saftey on and handle accordingly.

[Zouave 58]

As said above, be careful about lightening the recoil spring too much as it can cause feeding issues. I would think it would be a real problem for your father to clear a jam in a high stress situation. On the other hand, double action revolver trigger pulls can be hard to manage. I had an opportunity to handle a Ruger CLR the other day and I was impressed with how light the DA was; even my wife who can barely manage a Ruger Bearcat can cycle the CLR. Comes in 22, 38 special and 357, with or without laser sight. Might be an effective tool for your dad.

[John Taylor]

It's a last dispirit technique, but food for thought: A semi can be racked with a weak or injured hand by setting the sights against the edge of a table, counter-top, window sill, etc., pushing into the hard surface chosen and thrusting the entire pistol down to move the slide. Wrecks the sights, mares the table, but can put the pistol back into action. Not a method of choice, but sometimes choice is a slim option. Best of luck.

This was taught in the military many years ago. The issue 1911 has a good front sight that will take this method.

[Rogerf]

Try this technique, rather then hold the gun and trying to pull the slide back, griping the slide between the thumb and first finger, with a normal grip hold the gun in front of, across the front of the body. Grip the slide in the palm of your hand thumb on the near side and all 4 fingers gripping the other. The gun will be fairly close to the body and the thumbs should be pointing toward each other and/or overlapping each other, one on the slide and the other below it.. Rather then just pulling back on the slide, push the gun toward the slide. This push/pull motion with the majority of the work done by pushing on the grip, which is usually in the person strong hand. I have used this with several older gentleman and a few gals that were having trouble with working the slide. As mentioned earlier cocking the hammer will also make this a little easier. Remember to be safe as this points the gun in a direction they may not be used to.

good luck
rf

[ColColt]

As others have mentioned, I've found it far and always easier to cock the hammer first. My Ruger SR1911 is pretty stiff and not being a spring chicken myself have lost some strength, due to time, in my hands and find it difficult to rack the slide as easy as I could ten years ago...five for that matter and this method makes it much easier. I still use the standard 16# spring as I've found over the years with other 1911's this to be the best spring for functioning.

[lefty o]

Try this technique, rather then hold the gun and trying to pull the slide back, griping the slide between the thumb and first finger, with a normal grip hold the gun in front of, across the front of the body. Grip the slide in the palm of your hand thumb on the near side and all 4 fingers gripping the other. The gun will be fairly close to the body and the thumbs should be pointing toward each other and/or overlapping each other, one on the slide and the other below it.. Rather then just pulling back on the slide, push the gun toward the slide. This push/pull motion with the majority of the work done by pushing on the grip, which is usually in the person strong hand. I have used this with several older gentleman and a few gals that were having trouble with working the slide. As mentioned earlier cocking the hammer will also make this a little easier. Remember to be safe as this points the gun in a direction they may not be used to.

good luck
rf

this is absolutely the way to go. if its still difficult, get a variable power recoil spring, works just like a normal one, but easier to get the slide started moving.

[HeavyMetal]

Changing springs is not the answer!

My Father in Law only had one arm, his left, and he really wanted a 1911 but no one could figure how to set it up so he could load it.

My answer was real simple: I bought one of the Barrel bushing/ muzzle breaks for a standard 1911 and cut off enough of the bushing end so it would function in a Commander without hitting the locking lugs on the barrel.

In use he stood a mag on the table, slammed the Commander down on it to seat the mag and then pushed the muzzle break against a door frame and the slide moved back far enough to chamber a round when he pulled it back, quickly, from said door frame.


A dresser, end table or head board could perform the same task with ease ( and did for the FIL a couple times) this is the best way to rig a 1911 platform to "soften" slide work.

Never liked leaving a pistol cocked, or a mag loaded, for long periods of time it's hard on springs!