Wife's hands

[jg rider]

Well it's the time in our lives when our hands have grown weaker. Wife now has arthritic hands so she now has a hard time cycling her K9 or her PM9. She's had surgery done and is now going for therapy. She's tried different other pistols like a Glock 43, Ruger LC9 and some others. They all have a stiffer recoil spring then her K9. I think that's because she may have a Lady Kahr recoil spring, no longer sold by Kahr in her K9. She's carried hers since 1998. I've ordered a lighter spring from Wolf but it wont be here for about 30 days (pandemic)
I don't think this will do the trick but we'll try.
Has anyone here suffer from the same hand issues and have come up with a solution. Cutting coils, another after market brand etc.

Thanks for reading this, John

[BirdsThaWord]

My friend is going through the same thing. Hard to get him to the range anymore as it is not a fun experience for him anymore. He has now gone to a snubby and a poly judge to avoid racking a slide. Best wishes to your wife on her recovery/therapy.

[finpro]

A recoil spring with much less strength is likely to transmit a lot more recoil to the shooter's hand, especially in a light, short grip PM9. Have you considered a LakeLine charging handle? (https://lakelinellc.com/shop/kahr-9mm-charging-handle/) Kahr sells similar units. (https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/ka...arging-handle/) I have never seen one, but it is vaguely similar to charging ears that come on HK VP9s. I have one and I think this would help someone whose problem is gripping the thin slide, but who has the basic strength to retract the slide for loading. If you try this, let us know how it works for you.

[Bawanna]

I've wondered about those Beretta's with the tip up barrel. A little different program but saves the slide racking. I don't recall now the caliber options, if a 9 is available or not.

[getsome]

Another option might be a S&W Shield EZ…..Picked up one recently and it really is very easy to rack and the magazine has that thumb thing like a .22 to make mag loading much easier…..Never shot one and have no idea how the light spring effects recoil but shouldn’t be too bad with 9mm…….

[Bawanna]

I've been hankering to fondle one of them Shield EZ's myself. My wife can't rack a slide on hardly anything. Not sure I want an auto in her purse anyhow, her little 638 snubbie should be plenty.

[jg rider]

A recoil spring with much less strength is likely to transmit a lot more recoil to the shooter's hand, especially in a light, short grip PM9. Have you considered a LakeLine charging handle? (https://lakelinellc.com/shop/kahr-9mm-charging-handle/) Kahr sells similar units. (https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/ka...arging-handle/) I have never seen one, but it is vaguely similar to charging ears that come on HK VP9s. I have one and I think this would help someone whose problem is gripping the thin slide, but who has the basic strength to retract the slide for loading. If you try this, let us know how it works for you.

I didn't know there was such a thing for Kahrs. My question is since wife carries iwb appendix carry, will the wing dig in to her skin. On the the S&W Shield, I haven't been able to locate one to look at. I think it may be bigger then a standard Shield because of the EZ internal hammer and spring vs. the shield striker system

[finpro]

I didn't know there was such a thing for Kahrs. My question is since wife carries iwb appendix carry, will the wing dig in to her skin. On the the S&W Shield, I haven't been able to locate one to look at. I think it may be bigger then a standard Shield because of the EZ internal hammer and spring vs. the shield striker system

If the inside of the charging handle is a problem for her, there are holsters that have a layer of material between the rear of the slide and the body. It would also be possible to diminish and smooth the body side edge of the charging handle. On a VP9 the wings are separate units and I removed the body side wing, leaving the outside wing, because I thought it would be better for carrying. When I decided that a VP9 was too big for carrying compared to a smaller double stack, I replaced the inside wing and it now serves as a house gun. At about $40 for the Kahr charging handle, if this works for her, it is the cheap way to go. I think I may be talking myself into getting one for my MP9.

[jg rider]

There's a company out there called Tandem Kross that makes a cocker for Ruger. 22s and Browning .22s. It fits around the slides and has a loop in the back to insert a finger to cock the slide. I wonder if someone makes something like that for a Kahr. Doesn't Glocks have something like that ?

It's gonna be hard to pull the wife away from her kahrs. K9 for winter carry and PM9 for summers

https://youtu.be/qMsNjn82BmI

https://youtu.be/aTqtx3d-pfk

https://youtu.be/5vvwq8miWww

[wyntrout]

My wife isn't arthritic, but she's 65 now and never could rack the Kahrs. I bought her a P9, a P380, and then a G-19 gen. 3, and then a gen. 4 to no avail. After the G-43 came out I tried one of those and then bought a Blue Label one for her. Fortunately Glock had improved the connector by then and gotten the 5.5 pound or so trigger pull correct. She could cock the Glocks but they were too big. The G-43 was kind of like the Goldilocks "just right".

She hasn't shot it since the first range trip after I bought it, but it is ready at the head of her side of the bed. I haven't been to the range much in the last two years, but she's not interested in going with me. She's retired USAF and not unused to guns, but doesn't want to practice much.

There are replacement "toggles" for the rear back plate of the Kahrs. I favor teaching to use the support hand and placing the fingers over the slide with the thumb along the slide and simultaneous racking by holding the gun close to the chest and pushing the gun away while pulling the slide to the rear with the support hand. Avoid getting the fingers in the way of the ejection support and pull the support hand clear quickly to allow the slide to cleanly go forward... no "riding" the slide as that could lead to incomplete chambering, especially with Kahrs.

Another biggie is gripping the Kahr firmly. A loose or weak grip causes loss of momentum to the slide and incomplete chamberings... something you don't want in a possible fight to the death!