Ruger LCP

phxtoad

phxtoad

Adventurer
Novice shooter here. Spent some firearms class time this last summer, and since then I have been practicing at the range with the wife's old .45 and .40. I recently purchased the little Ruger LCP .380 auto to add to our collection. I was looking for something a bit cheaper to shoot and specifically wanted a good pocket gun.

IMG_4866.jpg


The little bugger is fun to shoot. So far 100 rounds in and out, and I've only had a couple of jams. These were within the first 25 rounds. I have big hands, but it still fits nicely. I definitely recommend the clip grip extensions.

I'm still getting used to the double action trigger though. Still too 'jerky' with my pull. Still, I'm getting some good groupings out to 30' or so.

I really like the fact that it's an ARIZONA gun, too. :sombrero:

Todd
 
Lichen

Lichen

Explorer
I own 3 Ruger pistols and one Ruger carbine. My 9mm is double-action only on the first shot, then becomes single action. Is that how your .380 is?
 
barlowrs

barlowrs

Explorer
The LCP is a very nice peice, its nice to see someone finally get it right. Only downside is they are not for civilians in Cali (LEO only as they dont pass specific Ca drop test). But they are a blast to shoot, and the size is incredible!
 
BigAl

BigAl

Expedition Leader
I carried a .380 Bryco (el Cheapo) for 10 years. I found that if I left the clips loaded for weeks on end, i would get jams. You might do well to empty and reload the clips often to exercise the spring. I love the size, good choice. I switched to a hammerless revolver, but still like the little autos. Odds that you'll actually carry it are higher
 
phxtoad

phxtoad

Adventurer
Lichen - this pistol is double action all the time. Shooting sends the trigger to a half-cocked position only. There is no safety on the gun.

gary in ohio - I do have a DeSantis pocket holster that I use. It's great! I only wish it had a pouch for a second clip.
 
robert

robert

Expedition Leader
The LCP is a great pocket gun. Several things I'd point out (in no order).
  • Being as small as it is it seems to be susceptible to limp wristing; if you don't hold it tight it doesn't always cycle reliably.
  • Being as small as it is and more specifically as flat as it is I've found a lot of people, myself included (which is how I figured it out), let the pistol rotate laterally in their hand and their second shot tends to pull more right. The finger extension on the magazine helps this with most folks.
  • Make sure you clean your pockets before dropping the gun in there. A pocket holster helps, but even still, lint will build up in the gun. You need to check and clean/oil it periodically. I've got a Desantis Nemesis that works well enough but might be better if the muzzle end was closed instead of open.
  • There are several holster makers out there who make versions that will hold a spare mag. The downside to this is that your spare magazine is now in a pocket on the same side as your gun hand. Opposite side is faster so you don't have to move the pistol to the other hand or take it off target if your covering one.
  • The sights, such as they are, benefit from a drop of white paint (or any color that makes them stand out a bit). They tend to blend into the slide being as small as they are.
  • Don't shoot +P rounds in it. Technically there's no such thing as +P in .380, but Buffalo Bore for example makes some hot .380 loads that Ruger advises against due to the thin barrel. There are several instances of them being destroyed posted on the web- most involve the Kel-Tec, but the specs are all but the same between the two guns.
  • Anything worth shooting is worth shooting at least twice- handguns are notoriously poor stoppers and the smaller you go the worse they get. Take that how you will.
  • Make sure you put a couple hundred rounds through it before you rely on it. The Kel-Tecs usually need what they call a "Fluff and Buff" whereas the Rugers are generally much better finished out the box but it still needs to wear together. Being small makes this more critical as it doesn't have mass on its side to compensate like say a 1911. Mine has been extremely reliable out the box except for a friend having a couple of FTF when shooting it- he doesn't shoot handguns much other than a Ruger MKI and once I told him to try holding the gun tightly it shot fine for him (limp wristed it).
Have fun, they are great anywhere anytime type guns- so light and inconspicuous in your pocket you'll forget it's there and you'll be more likely to have it with you in the unfortunate event you need it.
 
barlowrs

barlowrs

Explorer
Also, my be obvious to most, but just to point it out, remember you need to get out of the habbit of pulling back the slide from the top using your whole hand and get in the habbit of reaching across and pulling the slide back from directly behind the slide. With the size of this gun, if you pull it back as you do larger handguns, it will put the fleshy part of your had right in front of the barrel...which would result in a bad day if the slide slips and it fires.
 
S

sorryaboutthestd

New member
FYI...
If you are in California you can obtain these through PPT. Check Calguns.net they appear there pretty often from LEO's getting rid of them. Just sayin'.
 
phxtoad

phxtoad

Adventurer
Here's an update: Aside from one or two jambs at first, the pistol shot well through 200 rounds. I gave it a thorough cleaning after 150 rounds and it worked fine afterwards. This week I went to a different shooting range and fed a different brand of ammo through it. 50 rounds. Unfortunately it started jambing every four or five rounds. Looks like it feeds fine, but something is amiss with the extraction cycle.

I've heard they can be finnicky with different ammo types. But the only thing through it has been two different manufacturer's FMJ training rounds.

I did some research and decided to gently polish the feed ramp, and to really clean around the extractor. I then reassembled it and hand-racked it through approximately 50 cycles/rounds. I still had a bunch of jambs. Again I think it's an extraction issue.

Looks like I'm going to send it in to Ruger to have them diagnose/repair it.

Kinda bumbed. :(
 
H

Hill Bill E.

Oath Keeper
My mother in law has a LCP .380 and loves it. My wife is looking at the new S&W bodyguard.

I like both, as they have the finger extensions on the mags, makes it fit my big mitts better:coffeedrink:
 
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