How good is the Ruger LCP .380?

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usmarine0352_2005

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I just bought my gf the new Ruger LCP Enhanced (better sights, lighter and shorter trigger pull). I then heard that it wasn't a great gun from a friend who worked at Gander Mountain who said they used to always get them in for repair. He said the plastic is cheaper, the barrel is not as high quality, and they broke a lot. He said the SW Bodyguard was a better gun.


I thought the Ruger LCP was a good gun. Which one is it, good or bad?
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I dunno, mine shoots well (ex-gf hit little metal critters at 25 yards). Mine is still going strong.
 
It is small and light. It is not a range gun designed to shoot thousands of rounds. Put a couple humdo of your carry ammo through it to check function, and a box or two a year to stay familiar.

Did your gf choose the gun or did you? If the latter, probable mistake...
 
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She shot the SW Bodyguard .380 and a SW .38 revolver. She didn't like the long, hard trigger pull on the revolver and really like the Bodyguard and shot it well. She said she wanted to get a semi-auto .380 after that. I surprised hee with the LCP.



Why do you think it's a mistake?
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I think he means it was possibly a mistake if you chose the gun for her as opposed to letting her choose one herself. Not the the LCP itself was a mistake. I have one for summer carry and let my wife carry it when she wants, we both love it.
 
I own the original LCP. A friend recently picked up the enhanced model and, I can tell you that it is a HUGE improvement.

I bought the LCP to pocket carry and got used to the long trigger pull and pretty awful sights. I realized that it was never going to be a pleasure shooting range gun. With the new sights and the lighter shorter trigger pull I actually do borrow it at the range from time to time.

As far as durability, I am not sure they have been in circulation long enough to tell. Ruger seems to always stand behind their stuff though.
 
Mine was junk, Ruger finally gave up on it after going back to the factory three times and sent me a refund. Has been replaced by a Colt Mustang Pocketlite .380, a much better gun IMHO.
 
While I haven't seen one of the new "enhanced" LCP's yet, I've seen the older version doing fine in the hands of several owners.

I waited a bit after their introduction, so any teething pains could be identified and addressed, and bought one in '12 (after the earlier safety notice & recall for the hammer mechanism - http://www.ruger.com/LCPRecall/ ).

Mine initially had a walking takedown pin (3-4 times within 100+ rounds). I replaced the pin with another one Ruger sent me, and the new pin hasn't walked.

Handy little .380 pistol. Being a long time revolver shooter (who still owns & carries a variety of J-frames) I was acclimated to the trigger pull within less than a magazine load.

The accuracy is very surprising for the size, caliber and budget cost.

Felt recoil can be brisk. The trigger guard rises and hits my index finger's knuckle much like my Airweights when using +P loads, which becomes a little annoying after several magazine loads.

Mine has reliably fed, fired, extracted & ejected 4 different JHP's and a standard FMJFP load from 3 of the major American manufacturers.

Now that S&W has decided to (wisely) offer their little Bodyguard .380 without the integral laser, under the M&P line and with an extra magazine, I'd think it will very favorably compare with the LCP for folks looking for a diminutive pocket pistol. (S&W seems to have identified & addressed their own teething pains with the initial Bodyguard .380 offerings.)

I'd buy the LCP again ... but I may take a hard look at the new M&P Bodyguard .380 (to supplement my LCP). ;)
 
usmarine0352_2005 said:
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I just bought my gf the new Ruger LCP Enhanced (better sights, lighter and shorter trigger pull). I then heard that it wasn't a great gun from a friend who worked at Gander Mountain who said they used to always get them in for repair. He said the plastic is cheaper, the barrel is not as high quality, and they broke a lot. He said the SW Bodyguard was a better gun.


I thought the Ruger LCP was a good gun. Which one is it, good or bad?
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Click to expand...
Seriously? Your "friend" would tell you this? Working at Gander Mountain does not qualify him as an expert. Pick a gun, any gun, and, trust me, I can find a whole lot of negative things to say.

Bottom line: the LCP is a fine pistol, there are better, there are much better, and there are worse. Respect it for what it is, an up-close-and-personal defense weapon. Its certainly not an all-day range gun, nor is it a long distance shooter.
 
Mine is pretty much my daily EDC and it has been 100 per cent flawless in it's functions.
I liked my LCP so much I bought a second one in case anything ever happens to my daily carry.
Put 82 rounds thru the back up LCP using all sorts of fmj as well as Gold Dots and Critical Defense...Flawless as my EDC.
 
I've had one for a little over two years and have found it to a good little pocket pistol. I did have some feeding issues with steel cased ammo, but other than that, no problems at all.
 
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Sig228: Seriously? Your "friend" would tell you this? Working at Gander Mountain does not qualify him as an expert. Pick a gun, any gun, and, trust me, I can find a whole lot of negative things to say.

Bottom line: the LCP is a fine pistol, there are better, there are much better, and there are worse. Respect it for what it is, an up-close-and-personal defense weapon. Its certainly not an all-day range gun, nor is it a long distance shooter.
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Click to expand...




What small pocket pistols are better?
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I like my LCP and its been reliable, but I've lost confidence in it for pocket carry after finding the magazine released in my pocket a couple of times.

So I use the slightly larger Bodyguard 380 in this role now.
 
I carry mine daily in my right front pocket in a quality leather pocket holster and my magazine has never released on the gun.
Perhaps the magazine catch needs to be replaced?
 
"What small pocket pistols are better?" [usmarine0352 2005]

My 2 favorite pocket pistols are the outstanding Sig P238 and Walther PPK, both will hit the target out to 50 yards. They are also capable of accurate rapid-fire.
 
lcp

I have a lcp around 4 yrs old with around 750 rounds through it and at least 6-7 different kinds of ammo and never one jam of any kind.
sights on a lcp? please.
 
Of my 5 guns, the LCP is my least favorite. It is also my most carried. I trust it to get the job done, it's just my hands don't appreciate the beating that little 9 oz pistol gives me.
 
I personally find its locked-breech design more pleasant to shoot than the blowback-operated .380s, even those that are much heavier. Pretty much the only thing I wish it had is better sights, even though I shoot it fairly well with the originals. I may buy the new "enhanced" model if I ever wear this one out... which is doubtful. Fantastic little pistol.
 
Can Ruger take an older LCP and put the "enhanced" trigger into it? I don't care too much about the sights as its intent is not to use it for long range target shooting, but modifying the trigger might be nice.
 
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