1911 - How to work the slide with less force?

[DCM]

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

I would be extremely careful with that.

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/e...ack_injury.htm
http://www.usacarry.com/racking-pist...-not-strength/

Edit: Not the photo I was looking for, the one I saw was MUCH worse! but here one is.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/wp-...ge-to-hand.jpg

[BNE]

To all the commenters, I greatly appreciate the suggestions. Dad and I discussed all of them today. We tried cocking the empty gun first and then racking the slide. This showed a significant reduction in the force required. Dad was very happy with the simpe solution.

He is capable of racking it normally, but he recognizes that his grip is not what it used to be.

Thanks again guys.

[ColColt]

Good deal! Success is all that matters. I'm nearly 69 now and have a little trouble like your dad. If I really put forth a lot of effort I can rack the slide but it's not as easy as it was when I was 25-50. It got a little more difficult over time. Glad he found a way.

[KCSO]

First cock the hammer and then pull back on the slide and push forward with the other hand on the grip, this and a 14 # spring should solve the problem.

[Clark]

KCSO,
You beat me to it

But but but.... I made a graph of my 1911 of the forces I measured that shows the hysteretic loops for friction and cocking the hammer.

[nicholst55]

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!

The operation of expanding and contracting is what wears a spring out, not leaving it in either position.

There is a video on Facebook of a fella who was born without arms. It shows him shooting and reloading his 1911 with his feet. While it may have taken him many, many years to develop the strength and dexterity in his toes to allow that, it just shows what is possible with enough determination.

[rodsvet]

Just put a round in the chamber and ease the hammer down with a full mag in the handle. I've got two 1911's hidden in the house this way. Just rotate your mags every now and then and check for spring tension.

[coleman]

Try a slide racker or a SEMI-AUTO COCKING SIGHT



http://www.1911store.com/slide-racke...gracker-1.aspx

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-par...-prod1846.aspx

[flounderman]

ROGERF had the solution. I thought everybody knew this. Don't be messing with the spring. You wrap your hand over the slide and hold the slide with your whole hand, with your thumb pointing rearward, and push the grip forward. I try to teach women this method.

[6bg6ga]

Artful,

Thanks for that video clip. That in my opinion would help someone with arthritis. My wifes cousin has a 1911 and has trouble racking it and the muzzle brake compensator would solve his problems. I own a EAA Witness with a muzzle brake comp and your correct in it keeping the muzzle down. I also own a Colt and a Sig.

One thing to consider might be a different 1911. My EAA Witness is double action the first shot so it can have one in the chamber and you simply pull the trigger and after that it functions like a normal 1911.

[StrawHat]

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

Maybe I am missing something. Why don't you load it for him, put it in condition 1 and let him put it where he wants it? In a "what if" scenario, all he needs to do is drop the safety and go.

[TenTea]

Another vote for *Condition One* storage in the den.

[MtGun44]

Locked and cocked is how the pistol was designed to be kept ready for use.
Actually, the Army acceptance board required the thumb safety to be disengaged
for the entire safety testing period, only the grip safety keeping it safe, and it
passed.

With a round in the chamber, hammer cocked and thumb safety engaged the gun
is totally safe for storage. To use, grip and disengage the thumb safety - pull the
trigger.

Folks carry around shotguns (dbl barrels, semiautos, pumps) all the time with a round
in the chamber and the hammer back, safety engaged. THEY JUST CAN'T SEE THE HAMMER
INSIDE THE ACTION, SO IT IS OK. Seeing the hammer back seems to cause fear in some,
and it is unfounded, there are TWO independent safeties at work.

Bill

[Rich/WIS]

If you use a lighter recoil spring also replace the hammer spring with a lighter one, a major part of the initial effort is cocking the hammer and the OEM spring is a lot stronger than it needs to be to firer a primer. You might also consider buying a couple of boxes of target SWC ammo, less recoil and the SWC actually produces a better wound channel that RN ball. Target 45's for wadcutter use usually run a 14lb recoil spring and a 1lb hammer spring. The lighter hammer spring will also lighten trigger pull slightly.

[scattershot]

Rodsvet nailed it. The 1911 has a rebounding firing pin, so you can lower the hammer on a chambered round and leave it that way. Then all you have to do is cock the hammer.

[leftiye]

The issue may be more about gripping the slide than it is about actual force needed to cycle the slide. My CZ52 is that way - poor gripping grooves (and especially with heavy spring for hotter loads), etc. I put some adhesive backed coarse sandpaper (medium coarse from sanding discs) on both sides of the slide, and colored it black with leather dye. Souds tacky maybe, but it is sooo fine to use now.

[StrawHat]

Where can one find this compensator?

Thanks.

Kevin

[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 actually taught in the military when I was in.

[samari46]

Used a 18.5 lb spring and a shok buffer to prevent frame battering. Went to a 16 lb spring as all I shoot is lead 230 grain same as hardball. But still use the shok buffer as they are cheap. If going to a lighter spring I'd still keep a shok buffer again to prevent frame damage. Cheap insurance. Does not affect racking the slide. Frank

[contender1]

I know this is an old post,, and much has been offered.
I did see a company at SHOT offering an item called the "Slide Racker." It's a molded piece that fits over the top of a slide,, and allows a weaker hand to have something more to grasp & allows a bit of easier cocking. It was designed to assist folks who have issues with hard to operate semi's.