[jnichols2]

I bought my SR40 in March, and love it. The only thing is the slide is a bear to rack. It bothers me some because I have arthritus in my thumbs.

At that time there were several threads stating that the SR series was just hard to rack, and would hopefully loosen up after 500 rounds. I went back to Academy Sports, and they let me work the slide on thier SR9 and SR40, both were just as hard to rack. Then I called Ruger, and was told that's just how they are.

I decided the best thing was to accept it and hope it would eventually loosen up. After all, I loved everything else about the gun.

Today I was at a gun show and looked at the Rugers. Tried SR40, SR40c, SR9 and SR9c. All were significantly easier to rack than mine. I could pull them back slingshot style with the thumb and forefinger. I have to rack mine overhand with palm and all four fingers. Now I realize that I haven't seen any threads about them being hard to rack in several months.

Is anybody aware of any changes made to the recoil spring? Do people that recently bought a pistol in the SR series find the slide hard to rack?

Again; I really love the gun, and can live with it being hard to rack.

 

[john16443]

I find it interesting that you've gone back to a retailer and tried their guns and found they rack about the same as yours. Then go to a show and try what I can only hope are also new guns and notice a signficant difference in the effort need to rack the slides.

You indicate you have arthritis, try this to see if it makes racking the slide a little easier for you. Using your 'overhand with palm and all four fingers' technique, try pushing the gun forward with your right hand (presuming you're right handed) instead of trying to pull the slide back with your left hand. In other words, hold the slide still and push the gun. That may make it easier for you.

 

[jnichols2]

John,

1. I too find it interesting. But the guy at the gun show didn't seem to know what I'm talking about.

2. As far as racking the slide, I do it much as you suggest (I am left handed). I found that about 30% pulling the slide back and 70% pushing the pistol forward works well.

My friend just bought a Springfield XD 45, and it's every bit as hard to rack as mine. He also was unable to slingshot either pistol with only thumb and forfinger. But I'm so very curious why the pistols at the gun show were so much easier.

Also, on TV all the actors make it look so easy.

 

[leftofcentre67]

My buddy has an SR40 as do I. I have the blued, and he has the stainless. He wanted to compare the two. He found both were hard to rack compared to say an M&P S&W40.
But other than that, no complaints.

 

[red feather]

go here and get the Galloway precision assembled guid rod in 14#m spring..I put on in mine and it seems to work

http://http://gallowayprecision.com/ruger-performance/sr9c-and-sr40c-parts/

 

[pazzo]

If the spring is weaker it will seem easier to rack. But a weaker spring will also pound the gun more and may be more prone to malfunctions.

You are doing it the preferred method with hand over slide.

The TV/movie guns are props that need to function with blanks. Not the same animal.

 

[leftofcentre67]

If the spring is weaker it will seem easier to rack. But a weaker spring will also pound the gun more and may be more prone to malfunctions.

You are doing it the preferred method with hand over slide.

The TV/movie guns are props that need to function with blanks. Not the same animal.

Dirty Harry can fire a .44 Magnum one handed in the movies and hit his target perfectly.

Then again it's a movie.

Last Man Standing had those magic 100 round 1911's too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWYpaQ48QNo&feature=related

But it looked cool!

 

[kjphilippona]

This is a problem i did not address with my SR40, my wilfe told me to get the gun i wanted and not worry about her. This gun is to be used for home defence and she needs to be able to use it, not only fire it but be able to rack the slide in case of a jam. It is hard for me to do, but i put more into how the gun felt in my hand and it had a steel slide taking some of the recoil bite away compared to a polymer gun. Not sure what i am going to do now, i really like the gun very much but if both of us can't use it, this does not make it a very good HD gun.

 

[Trucker]

This gun is to be used for home defence and she needs to be able to use it, not only fire it but be able to rack the slide in case of a jam.

Here's some suggestions.

[1] Keep the 40 cal loaded with quality personal defense ammo, one in the tube, slide safety on, for her. The odds against a jam with quality ammo is almost prohibitive. All she would need to do is flip the safety and pull start squeezing off! If the situation isn't under control by the time she empties the 40 cal she probably isn't going to get it controlled. Or ...

[2] Check out the Walther PK 380. Loaded with quality personal defense ammo it should do the job quite well in a home defense situation. I have a good friend that has one and the slide is unbelievably easy to rack!! Or ...

[3] If you feel the 380 won't suffice and don't like my suggestion #1 above, check out some revolvers in whatever caliber you think both you and your wife can handle.

BTW ... the 40cal is a very potent round with LOTS OF PENETRATION! Don't know what sort of a home you live in, but too much penetration may be something you should think about before choosing a caliber.

 

[kjphilippona]

Thank's , we have a very old home built in the 50's with walls so hard you have to pre-drill holes before trying to drive nails in to hang pictures. I have the gun loaded 15 in the clip and one in the chamber and safty on for her. My feeling are like you stated, the reason i picked the .40 was if you shoot anyone center mass with any type ammo you are going to blow a big enough hole in them. I have no intensions of just stopping some one, if they brake into my house their intension are to do harm to me and my family and the next person they will meet is their maker. We do have addition guns for her to use but i wanted something with additional ammo, we own a Charter Arms off duty .38 special and a S&W Model 19 .357 magnum one i cannot use +p ammo so not enough ump and the other too much ump for her to handle.

 

[charliebrown]

Oh yes

I bought my SR40 in March, and love it. The only thing is the slide is a bear to rack. It bothers me some because I have arthritus in my thumbs.

At that time there were several threads stating that the SR series was just hard to rack, and would hopefully loosen up after 500 rounds. I went back to Academy Sports, and they let me work the slide on thier SR9 and SR40, both were just as hard to rack. Then I called Ruger, and was told that's just how they are.

I decided the best thing was to accept it and hope it would eventually loosen up. After all, I loved everything else about the gun.

Today I was at a gun show and looked at the Rugers. Tried SR40, SR40c, SR9 and SR9c. All were significantly easier to rack than mine. I could pull them back slingshot style with the thumb and forefinger. I have to rack mine overhand with palm and all four fingers. Now I realize that I haven't seen any threads about them being hard to rack in several months.

Is anybody aware of any changes made to the recoil spring? Do people that recently bought a pistol in the SR series find the slide hard to rack?

Again; I really love the gun, and can live with it being hard to rack.

I've had my SR9C for just over a week now and noticed the same thing. Compared to my Beretta, it's harder to rack. I did this to mine and noticed a difference. I've been leaving my slide locked open all day and all night since firing it at the range last week. I don't think it's my imagination, but it's gotten a bit easier. Compressing the springs might make it easier?

In any event, the tip from another member is a good one: Place your hand over the slide and push forward on the grip while simultaneously pulling the slide to the rear. You'll be working the action with both hands rather than one. An Intructor I saw gives this "technique" to all of his female students and students with injured or weaker hands. No big deal or shame in it...people are just different and have different levels of strength. It's life ;-)

*PS. I'm still in rehab for an arm injury. It will never be as good as it once was, but it'll be good enough thanks to a great surgeon. *sigh...no more throwing 90 mph fastballs

 

[pjcyr8]

I own both a SR40c and a SR9c. I bought the SR40c first and the SR9c about 4 months later. The SR40c has about 2,000 rounds through it and the SR9c has about 600 through it. About a month ago I was fiddling around with racking the two of them and noticed the SR40c was significantly EASIER to rack than the SR9c. At first, I thought I had switched up recoil springs. I found out later that the SR40c and SR9c both use the same recoil spring. I also thought the SR40c was very difficult to rack when I first purchased it but now it is barely harder than my G19. I guess it is a matter of, do you want to spend $400 on ammo to break it in, purchase a lighter recoil spring (not sure if they are even available), or buy a new gun all together. If I were you, I would go shoot the crap out of it! Sounds like a tons of fun to me!