Palette's Product Reviews: the Handi-Racker

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.

Step 1: Place

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.

I emailed the gentleman who makes the Handi-Racker -- a gunsmith from Iowa named Chris McAninch -- explaining that I was a reviewer and that I wanted to buy his product, but I didn't know which size racker would fit the PMR-30. Mr. McAninch promptly replied that if I bought one and reviewed it, he'd send me the other two for free.

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:

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. 

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:

1. No one's hands or fingers go in front of the muzzle. 
2. Users can utilize their full body weight to rack the slide. 
3. 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. 

The Handi-Racker retails for $29.99 with free shipping. It is 100% American-made, and your purchase supports a small business.


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.