[RobO-excop]

Due to age and mostly Parkinson's, I no longer have the grip strength to grip the slide of my PF9. I can make it slide all the way back but I can't grip the sides of my nickel plated slide. I can rack the slide of my wife's Bersa Thunder 380, because of the decocker/safety lever on the left side of the slide.

Taking it apart and re-assembling it, inserting the assembly pin is near impossible. If I can't find a way around this, I'll have trade it in on something I can handle, like a revolver or preferably a Bersa Thunder 380 like my wife's. I can rack the slide of the 380 because the decocker/saftey lever givesme something to pull against. The Thunder 380 Plus would likely fill my hand a little better and 16 rounds of 380 appeal to me as well.

It there were some kind of loading tool that would slip into the PF9's barrel about half an inch with 2 "legs", one on each side of slide,using the barrel as a guide, maybe with rings or hooks on each leg to pull with my left hand while holding the gun normally with my left...anybody have any ideas? I'd rather keep the PF9 but I could live with a Thunder 380 Plus...

 

[haugrdr]

We've been passing around this article to help people with what you describe...please read it and try it and see if it helps. I know it has helped many many others.

It's sort of aimed at females...but does help with males or females that have lost grip strength.

http://www.corneredcat.com/article/running-the-gun/rack-the-slide/

 

[Steve912]

Would putting something like skateboard tape on each side of the slide help?

 

[Toakey45036]

Try the Handi-Racker:
https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/handi-racker-help-racking-semi-auto-slides/

 

[850sub]

If the handi racker doesn't work, maybe modify or replace the rear sight.
I was taught (on a different pistol) to do a one handed rack by placing the ears
Of the rear sight on the heel of my boot (or table etc) and push down, charging the pistol.
I'm not wearing shoes, but I just tried it on the edge of a chair and it worked.
Granted, it's not good on the sights but knowing how to work around a disability or injury has priority
over damage to the sight. Oh!and i just remembered my PF-9 originally had a laser rear sight.
This rear sight made racking a breeze, giving something to grip, as well as one handed racking
Using the method above. I have since installed original factory sights, but still
Have the laser sights in my parts box. This for sure will help you rack it without an extra tool.

 

[850sub]

Also, you could carve a notch in your rear sight. Give it an edge to grab using
the one handed rack.

 

[RobO-excop]

We've been passing around this article to help people with what you describe...please read it and try it and see if it helps. I know it has helped many many others.

It's sort of aimed at females...but does help with males or females that have lost grip strength.

http://www.corneredcat.com/article/running-the-gun/rack-the-slide/

Thanks, but the real issue is the grip strength of my left hand, which I use to hold the slide... the nickel plating really seems to make it harder for me. No matter how hard I squeeze with all 4 fingers and thumb, the slide slips through my fingers! I don't think skateboard tape will stick to the nickel either. I went to the LGS today and tried the Bersa 380 Plus and it works great just like my wifes 380 Thunder. To top it off,the larger grip frame fills my hand without the Hogue grip sleeve on my PF9 and the mag extensions on my PF9 aren't needed.It is one of the best feeling guns I've ever felt in my hand, AND it's 15 = 1, 16 shots! I hated leaving it there in the store. I already have a friend who wants my PF9 too! The recoil should be even less than the wifes 7+1 380 to boot. Looks like I have a decision to make...

 

[haugrdr]

Yeah, I had the slide on mine nickel plated also. Great for keeping it from rusting...but it does make the slide slippery.

 

[TxCajun]

No one carry pistol is right for everyone. It is critically important that you are confident, capable and comfortable in the use of a self defense weapon. By design requirements, the pf9 has stout recoil springs. Sell it to your friend and buy something that works for you. You can still hang out here.

 

[RobO-excop]

Try the Handi-Racker:
https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/handi-racker-help-racking-semi-auto-slides/

Thank you, regardless whatever I decide, a Handi-Racker is a must have!

 

[RobO-excop]

No one carry pistol is right for everyone. It is critically important that you are confident, capable and comfortable in the use of a self defense weapon. By design requirements, the pf9 has stout recoil springs. Sell it to your friend and buy something that works for you. You can still hang out here.

Thank you as well... if I trade my PF9 for the Thunder 380 Plus, I still would like to get another P32, but the Handi-Racker may not help much with the 3 handed operation of pressing down on the rear of the barrel while trying to re-insert the assembly pin. I much prefer the way the Bersa slide is removed and replaced. Has anyone tried using the Handi-Racker for this task?

 

[CJP32]

From what you've posted I think the Bersa is the way to go. I just don't think it's a good idea to carry a gun you aren't 100% confident in or one you struggle to operate.

If that Handi-Racker let you use the PF9 easier at the range what about when you carry, would you keep it with you all the time? Nothing wrong with using it to make things a little easier while practicing but I wouldn't want to rely on it if my gun jammed in a real situation.

 

[TSiWRX]

Thanks, but the real issue is the grip strength of my left hand, which I use to hold the slide... the nickel plating really seems to make it harder for me. No matter how hard I squeeze with all 4 fingers and thumb, the slide slips through my fingers! I don't think skateboard tape will stick to the nickel either. I went to the LGS today and tried the Bersa 380 Plus and it works great just like my wifes 380 Thunder. To top it off,the larger grip frame fills my hand without the Hogue grip sleeve on my PF9 and the mag extensions on my PF9 aren't needed.It is one of the best feeling guns I've ever felt in my hand, AND it's 15 = 1, 16 shots! I hated leaving it there in the store. I already have a friend who wants my PF9 too! The recoil should be even less than the wifes 7+1 380 to boot. Looks like I have a decision to make...

I use:

http://www.lifesafedirect.com/#!anti-slip-grit-tape/cghg

It was recommended to me by our local independent hardware store owner, who happens to also be a shooter.

It's quite durable - the only times I actually have it come off my slide is when I do very, very aggressive single-handed manipulations using it: think wooden door frame (hard enough that the frame's paint leaves residue on my rear sight body).

My training gun is a "duo-tone" XDm9, which is Springfield Armory's "stainless" slide over a black polymer body. It's pretty slick, bare - more so than the black finish on my carry gun - which is why I put that tape there, to help with single-handed manipulations (I prefer to cycle off my pants leg, and even with a very aggressive rear sight - the Dawson Charger - the tape helps tremendously with generating sufficient friction/traction)

It doesn't leave a residue, not even after it's been on months and months.

It's not that expensive if purchased in the smaller rolls or strips.

I don't know if it will help.

Also, have you tried both the overhand, thumb-towards-chest grip as well as the "y" (aka "pinch/slingshot") grip?

If you cannot reasonably manipulate the weapon, I would agree with the others - it would be smarter to move to a weapon which you can manipulate with-certainty.

 

[michael t]

Iam 70 I can rack the slide PF-9 But reassembly near impossible. I clean best I can and only disassemble if some one their to help assemble . I have trouble with my PPK/s and Colt Officer racking the slide Partly age and loss of use 2 fingers ring and pinky.

I carry these pistols .So I keep them loaded ready to go at all times. I can still shoot them .

My 380m Bersa's are the easy to rack and I can still carry my P-32 and 380 . I have a J frame 38spl and a 44 spl Bulldog also . My Commander 1911's are still easy to rack slide because of size

 

[dracer]

I'am 75 luckily I can still rack all of the autos I have you think the pf9 is bad , try the shield

 

[TSiWRX]

Remember, gentlemen, RobO-excop isn't just having a problem because of age - he also suffers from Parkinson's.

Just because one person can or cannot perform a physical action due to age or disease does not mean that another person's performance will be - or should be - the same, even with the same considerations in-mind.

 

[RobO-excop]

From what you've posted I think the Bersa is the way to go. I just don't think it's a good idea to carry a gun you aren't 100% confident in or one you struggle to operate.

If that Handi-Racker let you use the PF9 easier at the range what about when you carry, would you keep it with you all the time? Nothing wrong with using it to make things a little easier while practicing but I wouldn't want to rely on it if my gun jammed in a real situation.

I agree with CJP32, the handi-Racker is another complication that can be dropped or left at home when you need it. The Bersa is really looking good to me and my wife's Thunder 380 likes Hornady Critical Defense and Gold Dot ammo so I can share ammo with her. The Lehigh "X" nosed ammo looks pretty interesting for SD use as well. I am going back to my favorite LGS this week and try the slide-grip test on a new P32 while there to get my PF9 appraised. I miss my old P32 a lot. I'm thinking that a "Parkerized" finish on the slide would be the easiest to grip, too. The Bersa Thunder 380 Standard and Plus are both a little bigger than my PF9, but I couldn't pocket carry it either. It may be small enough to use my "Smart Carry" (crotch carry with a smaller pocket for a spare mag) that I use most of the time with my PF9. For all of the other times a PF9 or Thunder 380 is too large to carry discreetly, I'll have another P32. Unless the P32 gives me the same problem racking the slide. Then, I'll just have to save up a few more pennies and get a Beretta Tomcat 3032 with the tip-up barrel. I know it's a little bigger than a P32, but I'm hoping that the P32 will work for me and I won't need the Beretta. But, as long as I'm at my favorite LGS, it won't hurt to look, will it???

 

[RobO-excop]

Here's a 380 Beretta that isn't made anymore, a pity, with the tip up barrel, you don't need to rack the slide very often...

http://www.berettaweb.com/Beretta 80/Beretta 86.htm

 

[Vicmi]

I made a device to rack your auto pistol with one hand check it out

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO9VH13pibA[/ame]

I'm attaching a diagram on how I made this

 

[zaitcev]

If 380 is okay, I would've looked at Glock 42 with Vickers TD GSR-01 racker. That little thing really works, and unlike Handi-racker it stays attached to the gun. There remains a question if you can disassemble G42 though. It does not require an undue strength, but you have to operate both hands (one pulls the slide, other pulls the disassembly stop).