Experiences with Ruger LCRX .38?

[FergusonTO35]

My S&W 637 needs a pal, so I'm thinking about the Ruger LCRX .38 Special with 2" barrel. Having examined them at the shop I really like the trigger pull and the sights, more grip options are finally starting to show up too. Anybody have alot of experience with this revolver? Do they seem to prefer a particular boolit weight? I'm planning to feed it a 150 grain LSWC at around 750 fps.

[3leggedturtle]

Hickcock45 and Jeff Quinn of gunblast has reviews on YouTube. Looks like a nice easy carrying pistol I'd like to hear people's experiences to of real world shooting and accuracy. Todd/3leg

[FergusonTO35]

Only thing I'm concerned about is how well it shoots with traditional loads using boolits. Ruger probably expects that most people are going to feed it $1.00 a shot lightweight JHP's. My S&W 637 shoots boolits great, and it would be a huge bummer if the LCRx did not also.

[DerekP Houston]

I have the LCR 357, but not the X version. Mine shoots cast just fine, both magnum and 38 spec rounds. I used a 158gr GC variety for my magnum loads.

[Schreck5]

I shoot 158 gr boolits very accurately. Fresh cow pies explode at approx. 50 yrds.:bigsmyl2: That's about a 10" target. Pretty good for for the knucklehead pressing the bang switch. Lots of fun to see the **** fly! You definitely don't want to shoot them at close range!!:bigsmyl2:

[FergusonTO35]

Yep. Shot bunches of them with my .22 and .410 when I was a kid!

[Thomas Traddles]

My LCR (not X) 38+P shoots cast well. It is all I feed it. It has shot well pretty much everything I have fed it from 140 grain WC to 200 grain RN. I don't shoot +Ps out of the gun much. It is a very light gun as you know. But the standard loads at the upper end of the loading data work just fine and the recoil is much more manageable and less painful. YMMV

[str8wal]

I find 158 +P's to be slightly unpleasant for extended shooting. I load 125's in mine.

[jmort]

I got one for my daughter. She is petite, 5'1" 90 lbs, and racking a slide, no go. We were at a gun show and the best DA trigger, in her opinion for her, was the LCR or LCRx. I have owned many J frames and the J Frame trigger is around 15 lbs, what a joke. Had a gunsmith get my wife"s J Frame down to 12 lbs. anyway, I bought a bunch of ammunition. My daughter tried it all. She settled on a 148 grain DEWC. It will shoot through a man even at anemic levels. I know that at 650 FPS, it will shoot through 16" of ballistic gelatin., in the front and out the back.

[9.3X62AL]

J Mort points out one of the best-kept secrets this line of revolvers keeps to itself--how NICE the DAO triggers are in all of the examples I have tried out. I have gone "hands-on" with 5 of these little jewels now, and all had good trigger squeeze dynamics. Most of the ammo I fired through these guns was either Lyman #358429 or #358477 sized @ .358". I was able to hit pretty well to 25 yards with standard or +P loadings in 38 Special. Like most handguns of this size range, my gun hand's little finger was out of the equation, and I REALLY don't like that--but I managed the short little handles well enough to hit things. Ruger will sell a zillion of these affordable little rollers.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks, that's what I needed to know. I feed the Lyman 358429 at 712 fps to my 637. I think it is the best possible combination of accuracy, ease of shooting, and penetration for this little gun. I'll try to make an LCRx happen after Christmas.

[Harry O]

I tried a rental at a gun range. Being a rental, I had to buy their factory ammunition to use in it. That was the most difficult part of the test. I haven't bought factory ammunition in years and the cost just about gave me a heart attack. I tried some 125gr +P 38 Special. The trigger pull was unusually good. The gun was accurate.

I have a couple of Airweight S&W's to compare it to. The S&W's did not have as nice a trigger pull right out of the box. However, some Wolff Springs cured that. I don't really see any real difference between the two, now.

[GhostHawk]

Neighbor has an LCR that I shot with both .38 special and fairly warm .357 mag loads.

Good trigger, reasonably priced, whats not to like?

[9.3X62AL]

The Ruger LCR series seem to be the Glock Of Revolvers. Not elegant, eminently practical, and likely the Shape Of The Future. An LCR in 22 LR or 327 Federal with 4" barrel and adjustable sights would make a very fine "Kit Gun". I suspect such things are in the cards.

[18Bravo]

I have one of the earlier LCRx with the 3 inch barrel. Candidly, it shoots remarkable well for its diminutive weight. the trigger is better than expected and with the adjustable sights, it shoots to POA. I've feed it a little of everything but it really likes 148 DEWC and 158 LSWC. It's a nice addition to my tackle box for taking care of things that slither and crawl.

[JBinMN]

Bought the missus a .357 LCR. Not an LCRx. If they had had the "X" with the exposed hammer, that is likely what I would have bought for her.

It is a surprising accurate & fun to shoot revolver.

I would expect that the "X" would be as accurate & fun to shoot.

We changed the grips to some , IIRC, Pachmayr ones with the added little finger groove for more comfort & to get rid of the feeling that it wanted to flip out of your hand. ( She has smaller hands , but both carpal tunnel wrists so she wanted more grip, and for me... I have larger hands, without much hand/wrist issues to speak of, but do not like little grip pistols. The aftermarket grips with the little finger indent fixed the issues for both. ;) )

G'Luck if ya decide to buy one.
:)

[sawinredneck]

I’d suggest getting the .357 version, it’s a bit heavier and the frame is less likely to flame cut, just my opinion.
I have the LCR in .357, I wanted a powerful pocket gun in SS that was snag free. The Ruger was around $200 less than a S&W equivalent and about the same money as the Tarus offerings.
Mine has had the sticky cylinder issue with .357 loads, I think I’ve gotten it taken care of by polishing the cylinder.
For an 1 7/8” barrel, it’s scary accurate! I can hit beer cans at 15yds all day long stacking the trigger, and I’m normally a pretty lousy shot with small guns.
I’ve got some cast loads worked up, 148grn SWC and wadcutters, but I just haven’t had a chance to shoot them yet to see how they work.

[thegatman]

LCRx shoots great with 130 grain factory loads. Shoots to point of aim. Very little recoil. Easy to carry.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

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[Ilwil]

I'm with 18 Bravo. I have the same piece, a 3" with adjustable sights. I have believed in 3" as a minimal (for me) length in a small frame revolver since my cop days in the 70s and 80's. This gun is about ideal; very light, conceals in a front pants pocket. I shoot 158 gr reloads in it with no trouble, and it groups nicely on a 25 yd silhouette.

[FergusonTO35]

The LCRx is going to be my constant front pocket carry when working outside. It looks like it would stand up to the expected scrapes and bumps of farm and car work than most revolvers would, not that the 637 is fragile or anything. I like the replaceable front sight which gives a very clear picture, unlike that of most snubbies. The reports of the LCR's accuracy are encouraging too, given that I would be far more likely to use it against a threat on four legs than two.

[Warhawk]

I got one for my daughter. She is petite, 5'1" 90 lbs, and racking a slide, no go. We were at a gun show and the best DA trigger, in her opinion for her, was the LCR or LCRx. I have owned many J frames and the J Frame trigger is around 15 lbs, what a joke. Had a gunsmith get my wife"s J Frame down to 12 lbs. anyway, I bought a bunch of ammunition. My daughter tried it all. She settled on a 148 grain DEWC. It will shoot through a man even at anemic levels. I know that at 650 FPS, it will shoot through 16" of ballistic gelatin., in the front and out the back.

My wife is tiny, only 5’. She has a hard time with racking the slide on an auto, that is until we tried the Walther CCP. She has a combo light/Laser on it, and loves it.

She also has a 3” LCRx in 38 Special. J frame triggers were too hard for her, but the LCRx has a great trigger. It’s also got some recoil with +P loads, so she shoots wadcutters in it.

[JBinMN]

The LCRx is going to be my constant front pocket carry when working outside. It looks like it would stand up to the expected scrapes and bumps of farm and car work than most revolvers would, not that the 637 is fragile or anything. I like the replaceable front sight which gives a very clear picture, unlike that of most snubbies. The reports of the LCR's accuracy are encouraging too, given that I would be far more likely to use it against a threat on four legs than two.

I am curious if you did get one or not, & what ya think.
:)

P.S. - changing to the Pachmyr grips as mentioned by some of us is "the ticket" for this type of revolver & really makes a difference for bigger hands & a more comfortable grip for those of us who like that little finger to have a "nest" to sit in when gripping a pistol. Or, at least a longer grip to push against the heel of ones hand. The pics Three Fifty Seven shared are a great example of the difference, but that bottom one really makes the comparison well defined & easily seen... This one:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=210015&d=1513978048

I think it was about 20-25 frogskins when we got our grip set last Summer & worth every penny.
;)

GLuck! regardless of what ya decide, but it would be great to know, if ya please & have the time.
:)

[FergusonTO35]

I had to eat an HVAC repair day before Christmas so it will be awhile. I will post here when I get one, it's in the plans. And, Ruger rolled out a new 9mm carbine so that is competing for my dollars too!

[JBinMN]

I had to eat an HVAC repair day before Christmas so it will be awhile. I will post here when I get one, it's in the plans. And, Ruger rolled out a new 9mm carbine so that is competing for my dollars too!

Bummer to hear about the HVAV issue.
:(

Thanks for the update, though! Hope ya end up getting both firearms when ya can!
:)

and a Happy New Year! to you & yours as well!
:)

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. I'm planning to acquire the two Rugers and a single stack 9mm this year. I'll probably get them in whatever order I find the best deal!

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

I keep rereading this thread and thinking to myself that I am probably going to buy a .38 LCRX that my mother had purchased for herself while living alone for protection. She feels she doesn't need it anymore, and wants me to sell it for her.

Even though I would prefer the .357 model for the caliber, I think I can work well with the heavier boolits in a .38 given the smaller frame and weight of the Ruger.