I'm getting old and can no longer rack the slide on several of my semi autos (Colt officers model and Kahr 380). I've tried all the You Tube techniques without success. I don't really care about the Kahr (replaced by an LCP) but I'd like to shoot the Colt. Obviously I need to improve my hand strength. Any suggestions on what kind of exercises I need to do to accomplish that? Exercise gadgets?
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Hand strength improvement
- Thread starter ammodave
- Start date
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This can be made from a broomstick and rope
and any weight you can handle or they sell on amazon for $20. Build your forearms and grip strength. Roll it up left right left right and down the same. Or if you have something to grab above head just grip it even with your feet on the ground and hang your body weight as long and often as you can.
Seems to me the best way to do that is in a way you can do it all day long as you do other things.
I would try getting some really thick leather gloves, or several layers of rubber gloves etc maybe. Something that takes extra strength to close you hands would be the idea.
Wear them for long periods as ya do other things and later when ya take them off it'll make other tasks seem easy I would think.
I would try getting some really thick leather gloves, or several layers of rubber gloves etc maybe. Something that takes extra strength to close you hands would be the idea.
Wear them for long periods as ya do other things and later when ya take them off it'll make other tasks seem easy I would think.
I have traumatic arthritis in both hands that would make Fred Sanford proud... and that's not all... so, I grab my slides with my fingertips pointed towards the rear... gripping at the serrations near the rear sight... have you tried that?
I'm right-handed, so my left thumb goes on the left side of the slide... also helps to keep the pistol close to the body while manipulating it. Instead of pointing the pistol straight ahead to manipulate, it's usually pointed down and to the left.
If your fingertips are pointed towards the front of the slide, the pulling action is trying to force your finger and thumb-tips apart, while pushing with finger and thumb-tips pointed to the rear tends to force them together.
Other than that, squeezing a soft "gel" block is good for grip strength especially if you have arthritis pain.
And how about something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YZHN9YH/
I'm right-handed, so my left thumb goes on the left side of the slide... also helps to keep the pistol close to the body while manipulating it. Instead of pointing the pistol straight ahead to manipulate, it's usually pointed down and to the left.
If your fingertips are pointed towards the front of the slide, the pulling action is trying to force your finger and thumb-tips apart, while pushing with finger and thumb-tips pointed to the rear tends to force them together.
Other than that, squeezing a soft "gel" block is good for grip strength especially if you have arthritis pain.
And how about something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YZHN9YH/
BluesBrother
Master
Have you tried this method? This is a 2 minute YouTube demonstration. It also helps to cock the hammer first. If you don't you have to overcome two springs, the main spring and the recoil spring.
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ABlaster
Marksman
I have seen a lot of publicity about the benefits of grabbing rice in a bucket for hand strength.
I tried to link a video from YT, but I couldn’t figure out how to on my iPad, but a search for “rice bucket exercise” should take you where you want to go.
Personally I use the captains of crush hand grippers. They are brutal.
I tried to link a video from YT, but I couldn’t figure out how to on my iPad, but a search for “rice bucket exercise” should take you where you want to go.
Personally I use the captains of crush hand grippers. They are brutal.
How I'll do it if I ever lose my thumb
Just checked, and it's probably the optics that now force me to use the "push back with my left thumb on the left side of the slide" method, instead of the "palm" method... actually, the thumb and opposing forefinger are pushing on the front edge of the optic at the joint between optic and slide.
BluesBrother
Master
ABlaster
Marksman
It wasn’t that one specifically, but really any of them will do.
I got a couple of those lol. Beats a shake weight.
ABlaster
Marksman
If folks are interested in traditional grippers like that one, I really do recommend the Capts of Crush. They build serious hand/forearm strength. I'm just a regular dude in his 50's for the most part but my hand strength is about 75% of an NFL player's based on a video I recently saw.
Recondo 101
Expert
Just like the car stop place in the garage, the survey string and a yellow tennis ball to touch the windshield. You use the extra tennis ball in the tube to squeeze, easy and cheep. The 1 pound string roll up on PVC with elbow ar a 90 degree, or using a short piece of a broom stick is easy and the repetition improves muscle tone and grip.
