Ruger LCR Durability

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

USBP1969

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
132
Howdy.

Searched this forum, but wasn't able to find any threads / posts in regards to this subject.

I know it's a new design, so there probably hasn't been a lot of ammunition shot through them yet.

I have been carrying Air Weight S&W's since I retired in 2004, but practice at the range is not what I would call fun. (Yeah I know - your getting a reading on the "Wimpometer.")

The Hogue "Tamer" grips on the LCR look like they would be a great asset in reduction of perceived recoil, so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks
-kent
 
The Hogue grips are nice. The recoil on my LCR 357 with full house loads stings my hand. Recoil on less powerful rounds is light.

I can't speak personally to the durability. I have shot about 400 rounds total of 38, 38 +p, and 357 through it. My research before purchasing the LCR led me to believe the gun would be durable over its lifetime.
 
I shot mine for the first time today. I couldn't find any .357s in my small town, so all I had were regular .38s and a few +Ps. I really wanted to see how the recoil was with full power rounds because I plan on carrying it with them. I don't know if it was all in my mind but the +Ps seemed to have less recoil than the regular pressure ones. Compared to the S&W 642, the recoil seemed minimal. I'm really liking the hogue grips.

Before I traded for the LCR, I did my share of research. I haven't seen it myself but I read that some magazine (American Rifleman I think it was) put 10,000+ rounds through a .38 LCR and it still locked up tight and was like straight out of the box. I doubt I'll ever put 5,000 let alone 10,000 rounds through mine but it's nice to know the polymer can stand up to it. I just need to find a good owb cross draw holster for it so if anyone has any recommendations...
 
Last edited:
That's one good looking holster. That's definitely going on my list. Gonna have to sell another gun to finance it though. :)
 
I'm very happy with my LCR, Mine is a .38+P only, as I did not care for the .357 recoil. It's very comfortable to shoot with the +P loads and pretty accurate for a snubbie I might add. I also got the nightsite model, I've put a few hundred rounds throug it with no issues, the hogue tamer grips are great!
 
I've shot close to 5,000 rounds from my LCR in the past 12 months w/o any issues. IIRC there was a "torture test" done with an LCR firing several thousand rounds and no reported problems. I don't remember the exact round count, it was substantial.
 
I've put around 400 rounds through my LCR (.357) in the last two months. No issues so far. Be aware that the .357 model is made of slightly different materials than the .38 special model. I bought the .357 model because of the monolithic frame is made of steel rather than aluminum. It tacks on a few ounces because of it, but it's still a reasonable 17 ounces.

I have shot the 642 and my LCR side by side before, and I will say that .38+Ps in my LCR feel like regular .38s out of the 642. I also think the trigger is better on the LCR than on the 642.
 
Thanks for the info gentlemen. Five thousand is a goodly amount and now I know why there is a difference in the two LCR's weight.

How does the point of impact compare to the point of aim for most loads with the LCR?

-kent
 
All of this is just my opinion. I'm not exactly an expert marksman. The manual says to hold at six o'clock. At seven yards, that was way too low for me. Holding dead on, I was shooting about four inches low in about a four inch group. Like I said, I need some practice. I wouldn't doubt I was anticipating the recoil. I only had a box and some extras to shoot and I had to split them with my buddy who was wanting to shoot it. So I didn't get near as much trigger time as I wanted or needed.

I'm going to sit down this week and dryfire it until my finger bleeds to get that trigger control down. I'm also thinking about looking into the bigger front night sight for it. I hear that's the way to go.
 
Pegwedge - Please do yourself a favor and put on a 1" Bandaid on your trigger finger in the area where it will come into contact with the trigger. I know it's a good trigger and smooth, but it'll help as you build both strength and smoothness. "No Pain - No Gain" is not a good saying when it comes to practicing one's shooting.

Also, it's best to dry fire while aiming at a light colored blank wall. That way you can focus on the front sight easily. A good drill is to focus on the wall, then transfer that focus to your front sight as you start the trigger pull.

Another very helpful exercise is to imagine that you are pulling the front sight through the rear sight with the trigger. That accomplishes three things with one visualization.
1) Front Sight focus
2) Pulling straight back on the trigger, and;
3) (During Live Fire) Your concentration will be on the task at hand. That is, pulling the trigger straight back while focusing on the front sight.

Grip Pressure: As you aim at the wall (I do hope that the LCR is empty) max out your grip until you hand(s) tremble. Then, back off just a little until the trembling stops and then pull the front sight through the rear as outlined above. This accomplishes several things:
1) It simulates a true gunfight firing grip. (You will be practicing for reality.)
2) It's an isometric exercise and you will become stronger as time goes on. Then, your shake thresh hold will increase. (You will be holding the weapon with a stronger grip without trembling.)
3) (Live Fire) This grip pressure will allow the fastest recoil recovery possible, and will get better (faster) as you become stronger.

Just some old Instructor's thoughts,
-kent
 
Thanks USBP. That looks like some pretty sound advice. I'll use that advice this week and hopefully get to hit the range again next weekend and put it into practice.
 
At self-defense distances (10ish yards), my LCR shoots point of aim with pretty much everything.
 
Ruger lcr reliability

USBP1969's advise ought to be a stickie for all learning shooters.
 
The frame design, the materials used as well as the Hogues contribute to relatively mild recoil in both calibers. LCR'S have the best out of the box triggers i've ever seen. Ruger seems to be taking the lead as far as overall quality goes.

The LCR is a fine carry gun IWB or on the belt, it shoots self defense POA for me and hasn't shown any appreciable wear through a case or so rounds. I'm an older fellow and can't remember ever wearing out a quality firearm of any configuration. That's not to say none of my guns hasn't broke a part or two, that's not all that uncommon.

I'm of the opinion that for the money the LCR is hard to beat, and if you do have a problem with any Ruger firearm their customer service seem to be very good. Of course it's your money and your decision to make, so take what I say for what it's worth. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Thanks Utah.

I taught full-time for 15 years of my 33 in the US Border Patrol.

I'm still learning and love to see someone "blossom" from spraying and praying to drilling the target.

-kent
 
No magazine that I'm aware of has put 10,000 rounds through an LCR.
I did see the article most people refer to when they quote that figure, but it only refered to a 10,000-round test, did not say anywhere that they'd done it themselves.

I did a 5300-round .38 test, mostly +P.
The gun held up, but did show frame stretching & barrel/cylinder gap increase at the end.
Still in specs, still shot fine. Sights were off, but at 15 yards (Ruger considers it a 15-yard gun) they weren't TOO far off.
Going beyond that would have increased the stretch. How much & how fast, dunno.
Depends largely on what you shoot in it.

Ruger told me THEY'D done 10,000 through a sample & only wore the rifling.
Denis
 
The local gun store has one for rental, but...it has CT grips so there's no way to compare the recoil characteristics, but the POA / POI should be the same as the factory grip.

Trivia: Lately I have been getting a 2 1/2" - 3 1/2" left print at 25 yards with everything I shoot that's fixed sighted. Nothing has changed except my vision (age 69) were my right eye has started to loose it's visual acuity. Had not worn glasses, except for safety and now the best they can correct the master eye is to 20/25.

My left eye has been trying to take over (can't have that), so I'll have to start shooting with prescription glasses. Another variable is that the nearest outdoor range is too far for me to go as a full-time caregiver for my wife. That leaves an indoor range which seems to be getting darker. (probably smoke residue on the lights.)

My agency used to test four of each bid submission (they get ten total of each) with 10,350 rounds. 350 were for breakin and then the 10,000 round test started. Don't know what they do now. (been a while) If the four weapons of that make / model pass, then they are drop tested with a chambered primed casing from six different attitudes on to concrete from 48 inches. If a primed casing fired, they failed.

-kent
 
DPris said:
No magazine that I'm aware of has put 10,000 rounds through an LCR.
I did see the article most people refer to when they quote that figure, but it only refered to a 10,000-round test, did not say anywhere that they'd done it themselves.

I did a 5300-round .38 test, mostly +P.
The gun held up, but did show frame stretching & barrel/cylinder gap increase at the end.
Still in specs, still shot fine. Sights were off, but at 15 yards (Ruger considers it a 15-yard gun) they weren't TOO far off.
Going beyond that would have increased the stretch. How much & how fast, dunno.
Depends largely on what you shoot in it.

Ruger told me THEY'D done 10,000 through a sample & only wore the rifling.
Denis
Click to expand...
I'm always wary of aluminum framed guns, mostly because of how they wear through high-round counts. I went with the LCR in .357 primarily for that reason.
 
And, in my hand, the rubber grip tore skin & tore a shooting glove.
I had to change to a thumb-on-top-of-frame point & shoot hold for the bulk of the testing.
Not highly accurate, but I could do reasonably well at 7 yards.

Recoil seems to vary from shooter to shooter, with +Ps it just flat tore up my hand.
And, I'm not particularly recoil sensitive, I've fired a .460 Mag S&W snub one-handed without either losing the gun or drawing blood :)
Denis
 
Ruger didn't build the .38 LCR for regular IPSC use, it was intended to be carried much more than fired.
Given that, its lifespan depends on how much you fire it & what you run through it.

Low-pressured lead will obviously cause less wear & frame stretch than hi-pressured jacketed loads.

I was actually surprised the test sample held up, I honestly had expected it to fail.
While I wouldn't shoot one regularly, I also would not dismiss the gun out of hand as a backup or occasional primary defensive piece.

Fired occasionally, and/or with low-pressure loads, it should hold up for many years.
5,000 rounds a year with +Ps, nope. Not what it was designed for.
Denis
 
This is a great thread guys, I have been tossing around the idea of an LCR crossdraw as a BUG when I carry my SP101 - especially since it uses the same, (J-Frame) speed loaders. I see it as as a gun that is little loved for aesthetics but highly functional.
 
The LCR is the best carry firearm I know of for a novice woman shooter. Wonderful light trigger pull, no slide to pull back, no safety lever to have to manipulate, no not knowing if there's on in the chamber.....and very very light to carry. I'm not a Ruger man, but Ruger hit a homer with the LCR.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

K
  • Locked
What gives with Ruger?
Replies
23
Views
2K
KenW.
K
G
  • Locked
Ruger LCR .38 recoil
Replies
15
Views
4K
bsms
B
N
  • Locked
Ruger LCR in depth Review
2 3 4
Replies
80
Views
41K
Magnumite
M
H
  • Locked
Ruger LCR (vs. LCP?)
Replies
10
Views
1K
spotch
S
U
  • Locked
442 / 642 Durability
Replies
10
Views
842
USBP1969
U
Back
Top