Hard to diagnose from afar, but I assume your rear brakes are working properly? If you can only pull the hand brake a couple clicks, then it sounds like the cable is adjusted pretty tight or perhaps binding. The internal self adjusters in the calipers often stick or fail and require a strip down to repair. You have to turn the piston at a 45 degree angle to release the self adjusters and remove the piston.
That said the handbrake is marginal at the best of times.