How To Rack Any Handgun Slide

A common question both while I was instructing and here on the channel has been about how easy a slide is to rack or not on a certain handgun. Here I show you how to rack any handgun.

[kavan]

Another tip that may be helpful is to push the gun forward with the dominant hand while pulling the slide back with the other.

[Grandpadew]

Excellent subject and very well presented, will make sure my wife sees this....to overcome it for her I picked up a Handi Racker but she wasn't much thrilled with it. thanks again.

[maurygollob]

An outstanding video, thanks so much. The ravages of time constantly challenge us oldsters, while your valued experience and

[KingNez]

Very informative video...as a man new to the gun community I do tent to baby my gun afraid to pull the slide back to hard, but you said something that sat with me, a freaking bullet shoots through and knocks the slide back so why am I so worried....that really helped alot thanks for the video bud, I'm learning everyday

[tcafan]

Something I tell folks who struggle with it is to use split the load between your grip hand going forward and your slide hand going backwards. Many newer shooters try to do it all with the slide hand.

[rockanderson]

There is an easier way you are overlooking.
I'm a senior citizen undergoing chemo treatment. Surprising to me, chemo robbed a lot of my strength.
What worked was to hold on to the slide with the left hand as you show.
Then racking the slide by pushing the gun forward with the right hand and keeping the slide stationary.
Worked for me.
I found this only necessary if the hammer was down (like on my Ruger LCP 2).

[jamesharris]

Beautiful video. Really needed this one. Thanks

[bryanshaw]

I've been shooting for quite a while but sometimes I feel like a beginner. Arthritis in my fingers & wrist give me trouble racking my 1911. Especially my kimber 9mm. Kind of takes the fun out

[danieldryden]

Racking the slide with the hammer up is a much more satisfying sound, plus it cuts the ready time almost in half

[mtnride]

I just got a P-01 and I cannot believe how freaking hard it is rack. I have S&W 45's and an FNX 45 Tactical and they are a dream to rack. The CZ is a PITA

[SamerDebs]

Best way is a push pull rack which utilizes the power of 2 hands instead of one. ONe way is to point the handgun 45 degree angle to the ground push out with your right hand while simultaneously pulling back with your left hand. Same technique but point the handgun to the left while performing a push/pull rack slide.

[Somatom_Man]

Thanks for being different than the other 20 videos for women.

[Warburg]

I have a Glock 42. My problem is racking the slide while at the same time trying to depress the slide stop with my thumb, which isn't easy. I've sent away for an Extended Slide Stop Lever, which should help, but this never seems to be discussed in videos on slide release problems.

[paulcycling]

It actually worked for me. I am a smaller framed man. I had a hard time with my desert eagle. 50.ae. great idea

[BenHayat]

This is a good way of racking the slide, but I've seen people, including myself, when we grab with full hand than just fingers, we let the inside part of our palm to drop down and when the slide comes back (if you're still holding on the slide) the plam's skin get's caught between the slide and the ejector hole and you get a nasty bite.

Best to grab the slide with your left hand thumb, index and middle finger, and keep the palm away from the ejector hole.
My two cents! :-)

[subp]

Good tips. I remember my instructor also explaining to me the influence of stress on the motoric skills, so the method you shown on the glock is also much easier to do under stress. There were some female coleagues on range with us and none had problem racking the slide that way. Even on my friends G43 his wife has no issues whatsoever with this grip.

[CharlottePrattParrott]

How can I build up hand strength? The hard part for me is gripping with my left hand as you demonstrated.

[MrLeram]

I need help. Just found this old video and I want to see if there's something I'm doing wrong racking a Diamondback DB9 Gen 4. It's requires almost superhuman strength. Guess you can load the mag with 5, rack it and then add another to the magazine after ejecting it.

[PeenTip]

I had to learn to rack and release the slide without using the slide release button as I have a terrible cyst in my right hand, making it hard to pull tension in the slide to press the button.

[foxthooot]

Does racking the slide frequently damage or wears down my gun?