Happy to report an update to my wife's problem working the slide on my Shield 9mm. The other night during "happy hour" we were talking about taking a look at the 380 EZ and I told her I couldn't imagine why she had trouble with the 9. I got the 9 thinking it would be a bit tamer rather than the 40 M&P Shield I was looking at. I pulled it out and dropped the mag, cleared the chamber and handed it to her and told her to rack the slide. I focused on her grip and the pressure she was putting in the slide. I suggested a different push pull approach and she pulled it right back. I had her do that for a while and then had her put the mag back in and rack a live round into the chamber. Click- click and it was done. She looked at me in amazement and did it again and again until the mag was empty. She still has trouble getting the last couple of rounds locked in while filling the magazine but now at least she can operate the gun and clear it if she ever got a FTF. Progress is great. Perhaps now I'll pick up that .40.