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Larry, my wife has this model and racking is medium effort and she has no issues. Recoil is standard for a compact handgun of this size. It is very tolerable and just takes a little practice to get used too. Cheers and stay safe!

Recoil on shorter barrels is usually a bit snappier, so muzzle rise and staying on target could be an issue, if she's new to shooting id start out with at least a 4" barrel to develope good fundamentals before going with a snappy compact. I have no experience with this particular pistol but have taught my mom 2 of my sisters and an ex girlfriend how to shoot, and is always easier with a full size or at very least a mid size

The recoil is snappy and racking is not super difficult...yet not easy either. If you are concern about recoil and racking, Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Shield EZ in .380 or 9mm is your best bet. You will not find anything that rack easier than this. ( https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/101525 ) I hope this helps

This is one of the easier to rack and shootable pistols for women. My 66 year old girlfriend loves hers. It is in stock too. The S&W Sheild EZ grip safety tends to hurt ladies hands from what I've seen. https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/108726/sig+sauer+9389spartani+p938+micro-compact+spartan+ii+9mm+single+3+7%2b1+black+spartan+ii+grip+distressed+coyote+aluminum+fr