Press release via AmmoLand.com
Handi-Racker is one effortless way to rack the slide on most any semi-auto pistol. Yes, most of us can rack a slide with our hands. But for those with arthritis, weak or small hands, or who may be disabled (even missing an appendage), slide operation can be difficult or impossible! Handi-Racker makes these problems disappear. Simply place . . .
the Handi-Racker atop the slide and place the front of the Handi-Racker against any firm surface and push the pistol forward and the slide is effortlessly functioned.
The Handi-Racker also makes it effortless to clear a hard-stuck jam, and when disassembling or reassembling, Handi-Racker makes it easy to hold the slide rearward while removing or replacing pins and/or levers. And of course, it makes it easier to lock a slide back on a heavy-spring pistol.
CNC machined from an extruded block of high-density, tough-as-nails pistol finish-protecting polyethylene, the patented Handi-Racker is designed for many years of hard use. Handi-Racker comes in two sizes that fit 90 percent of the most popular semi-automatics currently manufactured. Pick the one you need at www.handiracker.com. (Note: The popular Beretta 92 series requires a separate model due to its exposed barrel construction.)
Handi-Racker CEO Chris McAnich says, “Look at it this way – you probably have power steering in your car, so think of the Handi-Racker as power steering for pistols; less work, more fun.”
Specifications:
Material: High-density polyethylene
Functions: Loading, locking slide to rear, clearing jams, disassembly/reassembly.
MSRP: $29.99
As much as I love semi-autos from 1911s to Glocks, if I was physically unable to rack the slide I would carry a revolver instead.
That, and $30 is too much for a chunk of plastic.
Yes to the second part but as to the first I see this more as a range tool for people who might carry a revolver but still want to fire their semis.
This is a P.T.Barnum device, any table, hard cover book or even a block of wood will do exactly the same thing, for a H of a lot less. Even a little piece of 1/4″ Polycarbonate carried in the pocket will do the trick, cost….about $2.
Whoever need this are better served with wheelguns for life and death matters
True. However, if you had a large collection of range guns that you quite enjoyed to shoot or semi-autos that held sentimental value that you would like to be able to use even for recreational purposes, 30$ isn’t that much to throw down to be able to use your firearms again.
Of course
Those with hand strength issues often also have a difficult time with long double action triggers with up to double the pull weight of a semi auto.
The obvious solution for those people are Mare’s Legs!
http://cdn2.armslist.com/sites/armslist/uploads/posts/2013/11/04/2296011_01_henry_mares_leg_640.jpg
I’ve seen several guns at IDPA events fail to reciprocate after firing. It’s usually due to an out of spec case on a handloaded round. Those are a bitch to clear. Something like this would be nice for that situation.
The hard jam example in 8:20 on the video is pretty compelling. I’ll likely get one of these.
Maybe I’m not envisioning its use properly, but to me, the Handi-Racker doesn’t sound like something that is intrinsically safe to use.
it is also not intrinsically unsafe. Firearms safety rules always apply regardless of how you rack a firearm.
Sure, but any device that has you putting your hands forward of the muzzle seems like it’s asking for trouble. Might be useful for clearing really tight jams, but for routine use, I think I’d try to find a better way to rack the slide if possible.
Unless the manufacturer has lengthened the cut out for the front sight in the past year, the model in the photo above has the Handi-Racker backwards and the front sight isn’t actually in the slot. When I’m showing students how to use this I always demonstrated with the support hand index finger holding the tool against the top of the slide behind the front sight with the other fingers curled in to ensure that those fingers aren’t swept by the muzzle.
That was my first thought when I saw the lead photo. It would make more sense to me if it had an extended handle that kept your weak hand well behind the muzzle.
I got one in the cart for the wife, neck injury messes with her hands sometimes causing difficulty racking the slide. Less then $16 Amazon Prime.
Hey, watch what you say about people with small hands! Talk like that will cost you the Florida primaries.
My gun dealer stocked these. I didn’t buy one, because of being able to rack the guns I own. However, didn’t think about take down, cleaning,ext. Could be handy in some cases, just to have in the gun bag, with the gun tool, the speed loader, and small flashlight. Not needed in a self defense situation, (hopefully). But, at the range might be a good idea. Both my spouse and I already have arthritis in our hands.
Y.A.W.N.
Yet Another Weapons Novelty
This is actually very enabling to those with with hand strength issues. Like my fellow veteran friend who almost lost his hand.
I’m particularly enthralled with the ability to place this against a hollow core door or sheetrock wall to work on a jam, with the possibility of AD-ing a round in an unsafe direction. I don’t think the device is intrinsically unsafe, but folks using it need to stay keenly aware of muzzle discipline.
Same as anyone chambering a round with any other method.
This has saved my a$$ a few times at the range with hard jams. Works great. I have also used this with new shooters who have trouble racking the slide at first. Money well spent small and takes very little room in my range bag.
Count me as another fan. Although I have no need of one myself, I have a friend who, because of burns sustained in an IED, has limited mobility of his fingers. A long double action revolver trigger is too hard to pull, but racking the slide on his 1911 is difficult as well. He actually has to pull the trigger with his middle finger as the index is fused straight. He uses this to load his first mag, and he would use the rear sight to rack in a self defense situation. Really helps him on the range.
I saw these at SHOT, and bought one.
I own mostly semis. My wife has her revolver. But, it seems reasonable to at least be familiar with my semis; this gadget allows her to practice with my guns (as much as she cares to) without asking me for help.
Looks like a fantastic idea. I have a lady who works with me and she cannot rack a slide and revolvers have a heavier trigger pull than she can handle easily. I think I will get her one of these. $30 is nothing for something that will last years and I sure could not build one as nice for that amount. People have no idea how much it costs to make anything these day, especially if you are paying living wages or value your own time.
When the slide is hard on my hand, I use a handi-jacker.
Other than serious disability as mentioned above, believe racking a slide is more using proper technic. When I was young, shot my first semi-auto owned by a boyfriend. He had luger pistol, don’t remember make/model, just the caliber. It was D/S action, he had no problem. I could not rack it at all. Fast forward to current age of 65, less hand strength but can rack any of my pistols from 22lr to 9mm with learning proper technic, With all safety rules in place, I learned to rack a slide by; grip frame, grip slide, push frame forward while firmly holding the slide. Release. It’s a pushing motion with a snappy release of slide, not a pulling motion of the slide. Learned from facilitator of Ladies Shooting League years ago. Rarely have a jam. Loading a round, releasing the slide in a very snappy way is key to putting a pistol in “make ready” status. Practice, practice, practice with snap caps. I brought the Handi-Racker from Amazon.com, but really did not find it as useful as the method I use regularly. .
I’d be more inclined to permanently affix some sort of handle to the pistol (I’ve seen a couple of designs that fit into the rear slide serrations on various pistols, similar to the HK VP9) if racking was an issue. Catch it on a nearby surface and let it return under spring pressure.
The only issue a tool like this solves is if your weak hand cannot grip the slide firmly enough for a press-together across-the-body style slide rack (rather than pinch-pulling the slide back), and the aforementioned “hard jams.” What exactly are people doing out there that’s making their guns jam up so badly, so often, that they decide to get a specialized tool to clear them?
I teach basic handgun safety courses and use these in my classes when necessary. In my experience about 1 in 40 students will either have some medical condition that limits their hand strength or just have a very weak grip. Some nervous novices also get such sweaty palms that they have trouble gripping the slide. Those who are struggling to rack the slides are so relieved when I bring out the Handi-Racker and they see that they can stop struggling and slowing the class down.
I bought a dozen of them after trying it at SHOT last year and gave some to the instructors who sometimes help me with the classes. They’ve all found them useful in their own classes. If slide racking isn’t a problem for you, don’t buy one – it’s a solution to a problem you fortunately don’t have.
I’m turning 60 later this year. I can still rack my semi-auto pistols, but I can see the day coming when I won’t be able to do so. I can’t see carrying a handi-racker with me, so the plan is to switch to a revolver when the time comes.
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