Thanks for posting the question. I have that problem too. I have never been able to pull the slide on a gun. I tried a revolver and I could actually shoot it and I liked it, but somebody talked me out of it. I would also like to hear input from other folks here.
You shot it, and liked it. The person who talked you out of it was foolish. If you can, and still want to have a gun handy, I'd go back to the revolver. .38/.357 seems to be the most popular choice for self-defense; but the best gun is the one you're comfortable with and can shoot accurately.