Slide serrations should help you rack your pistol—not send you searching for Band-Aids. Some guns go overboard with aggressive cuts, deep ridges, or weird angles that turn routine manipulation into a painful task. These pistols might run fine, but they don’t play nice with bare hands. If you’ve ever racked the slide and winced after, you know the kind of serrations we’re talking about. These are the guns that’ll leave you with scraped knuckles or chewed-up skin if you’re not careful.
SIG Sauer Legion Series
The Legion series has deep, sharp serrations that look great but feel like cheese graters. Rack the slide a few times without gloves, and your fingertips will notice. It’s functional, sure—but not forgiving.
Springfield Armory XD-M Elite
The XD-M Elite’s slide serrations are cut deep and wide. They offer a solid grip, but they can tear into your skin fast if you’re clearing malfunctions or doing press checks repeatedly. It’s aggressive, maybe too aggressive.
CZ P-10C
CZ’s P-10C is known for its solid ergonomics, but the slide serrations are brutally sharp. The forward cuts are especially gnarly. If you’ve got dry hands or use this gun for drills, you’ll probably end up with some scrapes.
Walther Q4 SF
The Q4 SF looks great with its angular cuts, but those rear serrations are sharp enough to leave marks. They’re easy to grab, but not gentle on skin. You’ll want gloves or careful technique when running this one hard.
Canik TP9 Elite Combat
The TP9 Elite Combat comes with forward and rear serrations that are super grippy—but they come at a price. They’re squared off and not beveled, which means your hands might pay the toll after a long session.
Glock 17 Gen 5 MOS
Glock’s front serrations on the Gen 5 MOS models are a welcome addition, but they’re not rounded at all. They’ll do the job, but they’re rough on skin when you’ve got to work the slide fast or repeatedly.
IWI Masada
The Masada offers a solid platform, but those angular serrations feel more like tiny saw blades. They grip well enough, but they’ll bite back if you rack it with a little too much speed and pressure.
FN 509 Tactical
The FN 509 Tactical is feature-packed, but its slide serrations don’t mess around. They’re deep and grabby, which sounds good—until you’re doing reps and your fingers start feeling raw. It’s a trade-off for traction.
Beretta APX
Beretta’s APX has the most visually aggressive serrations on this list—and they feel just as sharp as they look. The slide almost feels like it has fins, and if your hand slips, you’re going to feel it.
Ruger American Pistol
The Ruger American Pistol was built with a duty mindset, and the slide serrations reflect that. They’re blocky and edged, offering a firm grip—but they’ll leave your fingers worse for wear with frequent use.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
