Frank, you just have to rack it once. After racking the slide and firing the slide resets everything and it's ready to be fired again. So you won't have to rack it every time like a revolver, just once to chamber the round. Hope this helps and you're very welcome.

Don’t use a Kel-Tec hand gun, ever, there’s ur answer, solution. And until recently I would suggest (to glock owners) the Sub 2000 carbine so u (if ur state allows ) a car/truck firearm to defend urself, others, and take out any active shooters, no matter their gender…that moment

Hi Frank, single action simply means the trigger performs a single action — it releases the hammer or striker. In a semi-automatic pistol, you c0ck the hammer when you pull the slide back, and the slide recocks the hammer or striker as it reciprocates on each subsequent shot. You do not need to rack the slide for each shot.
Stay safe & have a great day!

no

The P17’s operating system is one feature on this gun that is conventional. It is a straight blowback design that uses energy from the fired cartridge to move the slide rearward, and then uses the compressed spring’s pressure to slow the slide and return it to battery. This same system has worked on guns ranging from the venerable Colt Woodsman to the Ruger Mark series, among others.

Hi Frank and welcome. It a Single Action meaning the first round has to be racked and subsequent rounds will cycle the slide with each trigger pull so it is a Semi-Auto function. Cheers and stay safe!