LCP on the way

[FergusonTO35]

I put a Ruger LCP on layaway, an all black standard version for $209.95. I've been planning to get one for awhile now. The LCP is most certainly a Kel-Tec copy, but I will say that Ruger made some definite improvements. The sights are larger and easier to use but still low profile. The trigger is a more comfortable shape and size and the pull is not as long. The extractor is a robust big gun design that is not secured by a screw that has a habit of backing out. Overall, it feels more well thought out than the Kel-Tec original and the fact that it actually costs $30.00 less certainly doesn't hurt.


I'm planning to feed this pistol the Lee 356-102-2R at 800-850 fps, which should be accurate and easy to shoot. Stay tuned!

[dubber123]

Let us know how it works out for you. I have been thinking of picking one up to throw in a back pocket when it's appropriate. I keep looking at other pocket pistols, but it is really hard to find someone who doesn't like the LCP after they bought it.

[birch]

I certainly love my lcp. It is my primary carry gun. I have shot about 500 rounds with zero malfunctions. I got the crimson trace laser which cost about as much as the pistol, but it is worth the money.

[Shuz]

I have an early LCP and I carried it all the time, putting up with it's long hard trigger pull. On a whim I tried a Taurus TCP and fell in love with it, and now carry it instead of the Ruger. The trigger pull is much better than my LCP, and I like the fact that the slide stays open after the last round has been fired. So..............I bought another TCP, this time for my wife(yeah, right). Well, it has a trigger that is worse than the LCP!! Moral of this story....If trigger pull is important, dry fire the exact gun you are about to buy!

[Boaz]

I have carried an LCP daily for about 5 years . Trigger pull is a problem starting out . It's a mean little gun to put back on target with the heavy recoil because of it's super light weight . In conclusion I wouldn't take for it , Range time will fix the trigger pull and recoil problem . I have ran a lot of rounds through mine with no problems at all . I like it , fits in a pocket and no excuse to leave it home .

[Schrag4]

For a gun like this, I wouldn't get too hung up on trigger pull. It's supposed to be long and heavy. It's also supposed to be used within a few yards, more than likely without even using the sights. The regular LCP my wife got has a little over 100 rounds through it so far, about half shot by me, and I like it. Despite the long heavy trigger, and the minimal sights (low and completely black, no markings to help find them), I find that I can easily make head shots at 5 yards, and fairly quickly. It probably helps that the one my wife got has a smooth trigger that breaks cleanly. I dry fired the Custom model in the store a few weeks after she got hers, and that "improved" trigger did not break cleanly at all. Maybe that one was a lemon.

[mjwcaster]

Ruger redid the lcp triggers in 2013.

First gen had extremely long and heavy trigger pull.
Dash in detail number and almost no sights.

Second gen much shorter trigger pull and slightly taller sights.
Feels like a completely different gun.
No dash in serial number.

I just ordered a custom this morning.
SS guide rod, wide red trigger and almost real sights are the only difference from a standard lcp.
Could care less about the guide rod, but a wider trigger and better sights sounded good to me, for only a few dollars more.


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[FergusonTO35]

I dry fired mine a couple of times before it went into layaway jail. The pull felt good; heavy but short and smooth. I love the sights, they are even better than most fixed sight revolvers. A great example of small sights that work well that other makes should take notice of.

[Shuz]

I dry fired mine a couple of times before it went into layaway jail. The pull felt good; heavy but short and smooth. I love the sights, they are even better than most fixed sight revolvers. A great example of small sights that work well that other makes should take notice of.

Is yours the newer model with the red trigger?

[FergusonTO35]

No, it's the standard model with the black trigger.

[beezapilot]

Mine's been in my back pocket for years now, feel lopsided without it- RCBS 38-090RN for practice- never had a misfeed nor problem. My wife liked it as it was very small and carries one most of the time in a "Flash-Bang" holster.

[Lefty Red]

I never liked the LCP.........until I shoot one, and then it took me a few hundred rounds and a Hogue Wrap to like it. The trigger smoothed up and it's deadly within 1-3 yards, like any pocket pistol should be. Waiting to get a LC380......just because.

The Pro model is worth the extra $, IMHO.

Jerry

[mjwcaster]

Picked up my lcp custom Saturday at work.
Saturday night I cleaned it, did some dry fire work and plunk tested some dummy rounds.

Loaded up 100 test rounds with commercial hitek coated 95gr round nose/win231 and headed to the range Sunday.

The wider trigger of the custom is nice, no sign of trigger bite at all, which the standard lcp and TCP do to me.

The taller sights are nice also, but I didn't try it out any further than 5yds. Next outing I will try breaking some clays at 23 yds (club didn't quite get 25yds on new pistol range).
Rear sights do have some sharp edges, front inside I think. Caught them when racking the slide quickly.
I will smooth them out a little.

The gun does seem to bite my hand more than my Taurus TCP does.
I have a set of talon grips for it, but wanted to try it naked first.
Plus didn't want to waste time before heading out to the range.
They will go on before the next outing.

Shot 50 rounds at girst, this is not a gun for long range sessions.
Then tried out my new to me 9mm lone wolf conversion barrel in my glock 22.
So much easier and fun to shoot a full size gun.
But much easier to carry the lcp, especially in shorts than my xd45 that's been riding on my hip over the winter and at work.

Ran a little over 100 rounds through the lcp in total, including some factory rounds.
No failures at all.

This was just a quick range trip, had several things to play with and work to do.
Hoping for another trip Wednesday if I can get some reloading done.

Now I just need a few more mags, more 380 brass, a 380 mold, and a lot more trigger time with this pocket rocket.
A lot more trigger time to become as proficient as I want to.

Slow fire with these little guns isn't bad, but rapid fire they move in my hand too much.




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[FergusonTO35]

I'm going to find the strongest load I can shoot in the LCP with good accuracy and without the gun repositioning itself after each shot. I believe there is a point of diminishing returns with strong ammo in these small guns. In my S&W 637 I carry a 150 grain SWC at 675 fps, basically .38 S&W/standard .380 Auto power level. Reason being, I can shoot it quickly with very good accuracy. Yes, I could roll some +P's which the 637 is certainly capable of handling but this would come at the expense of much slower follow up shots due to muzzle jump and my grip shifting, not to mention a greater possibility of developing a flinch. Nope, I'll stick with the ammo that gives me the best chance of placing the boolits where they need to go, more than once if needed. I think a 95 or 100 grain boolit at 800-850 fps out of the LCP would accomplish the same thing.

[contender1]

Before Ruger built the LCP, I had a discussion with the CEO, about just such a pistol. I used the issues with a Kel-tec as a starting point to have Ruger build a better one. They did,, with building the LCP. And later on,,, they have addressed a few of their own issues.
My first one, (we have more than one) is one of the early ones & yes, the trigger was long & harder to pull. By design for safety,,, against accidental shootings. But out of the box, at 15 yds, my first one shot 5 out of 6 steel plates in the very first magazine of ammo. Accuracy is good beyond the 1-5 yds many "accept" ad SD ranges.
The Ruger was designed to be more robust & out last many other similar guns. But when you design something like that,, there can be other issues hard to "fix." I think Ruger has done a good job of trying to appease the folks who felt "it could be better."
Get the LCP, shoot it, learn it, and carry with confidence.

[Outpost75]

Hogue Grip Sleeve on LCP cures the repositioning problem with heavy loads.

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[Bonz]

I have had a Ruger LCP for about 2 years now but was never happy about the hammer being pre-cocked. Because of that, I would never carry it with a round in the chamber. After it locked up on me and could not fire it, I upgraded it to an aftermarket stainless steel guide rod and a new spring kit.

Recently, I bought the new generation of S&W Bodyguard 380 without laser. It's a tad bigger than the LCP, trigger pull is not as good as the LCP but it doesn't pre-cock the hammer so thats what I carry when I need to deep conceal. And yes, I carry it with a round in the chamber.

[fecmech]

I have had a Ruger LCP for about 2 years now but was never happy about the hammer being pre-cocked.
I'm not aware of the Ruger LCP being pre-cocked. It is slightly preloaded with spring tension but you cock the hammer as you pull the trigger same as a DA revolver.

[Bonz]

I'm not aware of the Ruger LCP being pre-cocked. It is slightly preloaded with spring tension but you cock the hammer as you pull the trigger same as a DA revolver.

Yep, when you chamber a round, it pre-cocks the hammer. Probably not enough to fire the round if the hammer fell... The other feature that makes me prefer the newer version of the S&W Bodyguard 380 is the re-strike capability. 380's are the only rounds that I have ever had an issue with on "light primer strikes". With the LCP, you would need to rack the slide to clear the unfired round whereas on the Bodyguard, you would just need to pull the trigger a second time.

[Shuz]

Bonz--A few years back I had a .380 Smith Bodyguard when they first came out. It had the factory laser sight. I sent mine back to the factory 3 times for FTF or FTE, and each time it came back with the problem not fixed. I'm sure glad it was shipped "on their dime". On the 4th trip, I told them to keep the gun and refund my money, including sales tax, and they did. I liked the gun when it did go bang, for many of the features you have mentioned, but I have found my Ruger LCP and Taurus TCP's are much more reliable. My whole point is this: Fire any gun that you plan to use for self-protection enuf times to make sure it is trustworthy. People would be surprised at the number of folks who come to my range, only to find out that their favorite self-protection gun had "issues".

[warboar_21]

Is the new model +P rated like the Kel-Tec is or is it still not rated? Hopefully the trigger has been improved as well.

I bought one of the first ones after the recall. I had intended the wife to use it since she is a small frame woman and would be limited to what she can conceal. She hated the trigger so much that after one magazine she handed me the gun and said she had zero interest in it. I tried to like the little gun but could never warm up to the trigger either. I put around 500 rounds through it and then threw it into the back of the safe. A coworker and I were at a gun store looking at mouse guns for an inexpensive CCW for him and he grabbed a hold of the LCP. He liked it so I took him over to the house and off loaded the LCP and the few boxes of Remington Golden Sabers as well as the Winchester White box practice ammo I had picked up. He has carried it ever since.

[mjwcaster]

Just ran another 200 rounds through the custom this weekend.
My only issue is that i did not bring enough 380 with me.
Gun is starting to have issues with closing the slide on a full mag, needs a little persuasion.
Gun has not been cleaned or oiled since initial cleaning before being shot.
So 300 trouble free rounds so far.
If I had brought more ammo I would see how much further it would go without cleaning, but I will probably clean it tonight.
Getting used to it and liking it very much.
Just need a few more mags and to load up a bunch more ammo.


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[lightload]

I have two trouble free ones. For me, replacing the factory recoil with a Wolfe 13 lb spring reduced felt recoil and permitted firing of the hot Buffalo bore ammo. Also, it made certain that the slide would always go in battery.

[35remington]

mjw, leave the magazines fully loaded and locked into the pistol overnight. The strong magazine springs may need to take a set. Too much magazine spring strength may reduce the ability of the gun to strip a round off a fully loaded magazine and drive it into battery. See if it goes away after you let the magazine springs set.....and they take a set quicker if they are left fully loaded in the gun overnight, as this fully compresses the spring stack to its maximum and holds it there for a while.

[mjwcaster]

I will give it a try.
At first the slide was releasing and going into battery when a loaded mag was slammed home.
Them after 1-200 rounds that stopped, and even sling shorting the slide would only result in the slide unlocking, but not really moving. A light tap would get it moving and it would then go into battery on its own.
No failures when firing, only on initial loading.
Also I only have a total of just under 300 rounds through it, counted remaining ammo when I got home.

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[FergusonTO35]

Bailed out the LCP and took it for a test drive yesterday. Right off the bat it was eating boolits like candy. The LCP really likes the Lee 356-102 over 2.7 grains Bullseye. Recoil is mild and I can shoot it just as accurately as my S&W 637. Ruger did a really good job with the trigger, it feels similar to a Glock trigger with some creep rather than DAO. The bore of this pistol is super smooth, in fact I see no need at all to use a brush on it when cleaning. Brass ejection is not too bad, most cases land within 10 feet. I'm going to add a Wolff extra power recoil spring to see if I can calm it down more.

The LCP is not an original design, as are most guns today. Ruger made a solid improvement on the Kel Tec original and then even lowered the price. Way to go Ruger, A+!

[Shuz]

FergusonTO35--Now if we could only convince Lee to offer the 356-102 in a 6C, we could eat more candy faster!

[Outpost75]

This is latest offering 35-120H from Accurate is suited as heavy bullet for .380 pistols and can be used in .38 snubbies. Here have been using 35-122T, but the "H" profile we recently came up with as a work-around for some pistols having very tight bores and short throats in which the T-profile bullet was resisting complete slide closure.

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[FergusonTO35]

Good looking slugs. I would like to see Lee offer the 356-95-RF with conventional lube grooves. Or, a 105-110 grain version of the 356-102-2R with a big flat point.

[FergusonTO35]

Still enjoying the LCP. I got a Wolff recoil spring kit for it, currently using the 11 pound spring. It seems to keep the brass from going as far and chambers rounds with a bit more authority. I will say that I get the best accuracy by present the trigger quickly as if in a defensive situation. Staging it or being slow just pulls it off target. Great pistol, might end up with a stainless one also.

[GONRA]

GONRA's LCP Custom is a joy to shoot and handload for.
Feeds really blunt bullet profiles - No Problem.
Nice PRACTICAL sights too!

[hoosierlogger]

I bought one 3 years ago. I've shot over 300 rounds thru it without a hiccup. I installed the laserlyte laser on the side of the pistol. I liked the look of it better than the factory laser infront of the trigger guard. Also as a couple of others have done, the hogue over wrap is a must on the grip. I have the mag extension installed on mine to let the ring finger get a little better grip on the little firecracker. I carry it in a "sticky" brand pocket holster. It leaves no outline or noticeable print. Such a sweet little carry piece that is so easy to forget you have it. Every night the contents of my pockets go into my hat on the dresser, the next morning they go right into my pockets before the day starts.

The only thing I don't like about it is after carrying it for a couple years the bluing has rubbed off and it is getting alittle rust on it from pocket sweat. That's no fault of the gun though. Over a year ago I bought a can if brownel's baking laquer to put on it. But I don't want to leave it at home long enough to coat it. Lol

i reccomend LCP to anyone who is considering a pocket pistol purchase. My father carried mine for acouple days and promptly purchased one to carry in a wallet holster.

[FergusonTO35]

Ruger should have come out with a stainless LCP to begin with, given that these are carry guns first and foremost. The LCP has always sold well around here but since the price drop nobody can keep them in stock. I hope Ruger keeps it in the lineup for a long time to come.

[mjwcaster]

Broke down and actually cleaned my custom the other day.
It was filthy and dry, but still ran great.
I had it out a few more times, just ran a mag or two through it each time, and no failures at all.
While it hasn't hit my magic 500 round count yet, I have enough faith in it to carry it.
Only issue is the sights getting snagged on the sticky holster a little.


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