Author's note: this article was updated in 2025 with new links, pictures, and video.
The Handi-Racker is essentially a chunk of machined plastic that fits over the slide of a semi-auto pistol so that people with weak hand strength can employ a mechanical advantage when racking the slide.
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| Step 1: Place |
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| Step 2: Rack |
While you certainly could use this to rack the slide in a self-defense situation, you shouldn't need to do that if you carry your gun with a loaded chamber and the safety on. Instead, the point of this is to enable people with arthritis, low grip strength, or other physical ailments to rack the slide from the "hammer down" position after disassembly and reassembly, or to clear jams. In other words, this is meant to be used at home in a non-stress situation, because it is a tool, like your cleaning kit.
My mother has precisely the problem the Handi-Racker was made to solve, due to rheumatoid arthritis in her hands. She can, with difficulty, load a round into the chamber of her PMR-30 if the striker has already been cocked, but if the striker is fully down she lacks the strength -- yes, even using the hip-method endorsed by Kathy Jackson of Cornered Cat -- to rack the slide. This meant that the Handi-Racker would be the perfect tool for her.
2025 edit: At some point, the original small / medium/ large sizes were replaced with "Compact" and "Full-Sized." The original measurements were as follows:
- Small: 3/4" (0.75) slide channel width, blue & white
- Medium: 7/8" (0.875) slide channel width, black & white
- Large: 1 1/16 " (1.062) slide channel width, black & yellow
The current sizes are per this picture:
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| https://amzn.to/40PafwD |
That was two days ago. Today I received it in the mail. I give McAninch massive points for quick shipping, as I am the impatient sort.
I retrieved my mom's PMR-30, and after I unloaded it I began experimenting with the Handi-Racker. Given the length of the PMR-30 barrel, I needed to use the large racker. It wiggles a bit on the slide, but since we're using linear force to hold it in place rather than lateral, that isn't much of an issue.
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| https://amzn.to/40PafwD |
As shown in the pictures at the top of this article, the Handi-Racker is meant to be placed against a wall or a table with the operator's hand simply holding the plastic in place on top of the gun. This affords the following benefits:
- No one's hands or fingers go in front of the muzzle.
- Users can utilize their full body weight to rack the slide.
- The Handi-Racker can be used to safely load and unload the pistol, provided one is mindful of Rule #4.
Here is the best thing I can say: It works for my 73-year-old arthritic mother. Prior to this, my mother could rack the slide with the striker already back, but when the striker was down she couldn't get it to budge. With the use of the Handi-Racker, she was able to completely rack the slide.
My Rating: A+
This is an excellent product that does what it says it does. I recommend this to everyone who has trouble racking the slide of their semi-auto pistol.
Obligatory FTC disclaimer: as stated above, I bought one and got the other two for free. I was not paid to give a good review.
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Interesting.
ReplyDeleteBtw, many pistol safeties can not be engaged unless the action is cocked. That's pretty common. (It's not universal though as some designs do allow the safety to be applied if the action is uncocked. Never assume and always check)
Rob
Awesome! Once again, Erin Palette furthers the idea that normal people buy guns in ways no "tactical guru" can.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm still unclear as to why this is. Can you explain it to me in simple to understand terms?
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else, I've got the "Little old lady" review niche locked down. ;)
ReplyDeleteArticle amended after a phone conversation with McAninch
ReplyDeleteLooks at the amended post. That makes sense. And a better package illustration would help.
ReplyDeleteThat fits in with your original estimation Erin, it's a workbench tool. So having it mounted on a table or the like makes sense.
And physical difficulty with racking the slide is not that uncommon. I knew someone mid-twenties without any infirmity in her arms who had difficulty racking any slide with a spring stronger than a full frame 1911.
This is a tool that has a purpose, and can be used without violating any of the four rules.
The whole point of firearms is to enable people to go beyond their physical limitations.
An outstanding review! I have had people ask me why in some old photos I'm wearing a glove on one hand. I have one weapon with magazines that just tore the heck out of my hand when I first got them. So the glove. As it got broken in a little and my hand got stronger, I was fairly new to shooting, I didn't need it. You nailed it. It's a tool. Use what you can to learn what you must. And I second Kathy's guidance, it's the best out there.
ReplyDeleteOne reason is that, mechanically, there is no real reason to design a safety that can be engaged when the weapon (pistol or rifle or shotgun) is uncocked. If the weapon is not cocked, it cannot fire, and a manual safety is not really needed at that point. Conversely, if the weapon does have a manual safety, obviously you want to be able to apply the safety while the weapon is cocked. That's the whole point.
ReplyDeleteA side benefit of only being able to apply the safety when the weapon is cocked is that, for those designs, if you can NOT apply the safety, you then realize the weapon is not actually cocked (and, most likely) you forget to chamber a round in the first place.
Some safeties, like the thumb safety on the 1911, actually prevent you from working the action totally when the safety is applied. If the safety is "ON" the pistol is essentially locked and you can't chamber or unload a round without first removing the safety. Again, this makes it obvious as to the weapon status.
There are designs that allow the user to load or unload the chamber when the safety is engaged. The theory is that this is safer as having the safety engaged can prevent an accidental discharge if the finger enters the trigger guard while loading/unloading the weapon. (I'm not an engineer, but I believe that it is slightly more complicated or requires more parts to design it this way as opposed to having a safety that can only be applied when the weapon is cocked.)
This is my general understanding. If anyone has better info, please share.
Rob
oFr years I woud stop by my grandmoters house on Friday night and clean her Bauer .25 after she fired a clip into a phone book.I would then clean the pistol and re-chamber a round for her- her arthritis was terrible. I was so happy when she bought a tilt barrel Beratta. I still had to clean the gun every week when she fired it, but knew if she ever needed more than one magazine that she could chamber the first round herself.
ReplyDelete"Some safeties, like the thumb safety on the 1911, actually prevent you
ReplyDeletefrom working the action totally when the safety is applied. If the
safety is "ON" the pistol is essentially locked and you can't chamber or
unload a round without first removing the safety. Again, this makes it
obvious as to the weapon status."
Er, not quite in the case of the 1911: the safety being on only tells you that the hammer is back. The status of the chamber is still an open question - it may or may not have a round loaded.