LCP Max. First impressions.

[franco45]

I've had mine since they came out. It is definitely my most carried gun and I have plenty to choose from. I pocket carry it in an RKBA leather pocket holster and have not had a problem with the sights snagging. I also have an LCP Custom that I carry when I wear gym shorts or sweats. The extra weight of the Max will pull the knickers down if you're not wearing a belt.

 

[Buckeye63]

I like mine

 

[Pistolay]

I shot my LCP MAX today for the second time since my thumb arthritis surgery in January. The first time at the end of April, it was only 50 rounds on orders from my occupational therapist. Today, it was 189 rounds. The gun performed flawlessly with 5 different brands of ammo, but my hand clearly has a long way to go. The recoil was definitely bothering me, to the tune of 6-8 inch groups at 25 feet. My P365-380 is much softer shooting, and as a result, much more accurate. I have 2 MAXs though, and I like them, so I'll keep working on it.

 

[SteadyD]

I wish they offered this in a true DAO.

 

[Pistolay]

I wish they offered this in a true DAO.

If it had a good DAO trigger (like my late, great SIG P290RS), I'd be in complete agreement except for one thing. It takes time, practice and familiarity to be really good with a DAO trigger, and for me at least, going back and forth between different triggers is a problem. My P365-380 is my EDC, and the MAX is my max-conceal pistol. If I could have a good DAO trigger on both, I'd be happier than a pig in slop, but not a different trigger for each.

 

[SteadyD]

If it had a good DAO trigger (like my late, great SIG P290RS), I'd be in complete agreement except for one thing. It takes time, practice and familiarity to be really good with a DAO trigger, and for me at least, going back and forth between different triggers is a problem. My P365-380 is my EDC, and the MAX is my max-conceal pistol. If I could have a good DAO trigger on both, I'd be happier than a pig in ****, but not a different trigger for each.

Since every manufacturer seems to be out of the DAO game I just stick with a revolver.

 

[ontarget]

Ok, put another 100 rds through it today.
50 more S&B and 50 Blazer. Still not a single malfunction after 370 rounds of various weights and brands. Trigger is getting much better. That crunchy feeling is gone now.
Still haven't cleaned it. Just a q-tip down the slide rails and the bottom of the slide today after shooting. Tiny bit of Mobil1 grease on the rails.
Honestly guys, I really enjoy shooting this small pistol. Still haven't experienced the trigger slap I've heard about. I wonder if that issue has more to do with technique than the gun itself?

 

[dickydalton]

I had trigger "pinch" not slap. But, put a different trigger in and now it's fine.

 

[Smaug]

… but think it is a foul on Ruger to sell with just the 10 round and have to pay $40 for the 12 round mag, but it is what it is and I bought one.

For the price they get, I think it’s fair. It’s a pocket pistol for self defense and will likely never shoot more than one mag in actual self defense use. More likely just a shot or two.

The fact that WE like to have multiple mags for every gun doesn’t means it’s necessary.

 

[Tallball]

Darn. Y'all are hardcore enablers. If I see one at a decent price I will be very tempted.

 

[ontarget]

For the price they get, I think it’s fair. It’s a pocket pistol for self defense and will likely never shoot more than one mag in actual self defense use. More likely just a shot or two.

The fact that WE like to have multiple mags for every gun doesn’t means it’s necessary.

The problem with only having one mag is that most semi auto failures are mag related. I personally won't carry a semi auto without also carrying a spare mag. Not so much for a reload, but for the ability to drop a bad mag and replace it when my life depends on it.

 

[Buzznrose]

For the price they get, I think it’s fair. It’s a pocket pistol for self defense and will likely never shoot more than one mag in actual self defense use. More likely just a shot or two.

The fact that WE like to have multiple mags for every gun doesn’t means it’s necessary.

I respectfully disagree. While the gun may be reasonably priced, their mags are not. I suspect the margin on a Ruger magazine is much higher (by percentage) than the margin on their guns…the least they could do is add in their cost for the second mag and throw it in, like S&W did with the Shield (at least the earlier ones…not sure what they provide today).

 

[SDGlock23]

I really like my LCP MAX, I have owned just about every LCP made at one point in time or another and was looking for a very small gun with good capacity. I will admit that I don't love the 380, but I will say that I do like the LCP MAX. The trigger is not bad for the size of gun it is, the sights are very usable and recoil isn't too bad. I've found mine to be very accurate, enough to easily ring 8" plates at 25 yds.

 

[Smaug]

I respectfully disagree. While the gun may be reasonably priced, their mags are not. I suspect the margin on a Ruger magazine is much higher (by percentage) than the margin on their guns…the least they could do is add in their cost for the second mag and throw it in, like S&W did with the Shield (at least the earlier ones…not sure what they provide today).

A good point. I like how S&W includes several mags in some packages.

 

[unclenunzie]

Picked mine up today. Field stripped and inspected. Machine work and finish look good. Barrel had residue from factory test firing. I like the ears on the slide, and the pinned extractor. I like to place a bit of address label on the back of a snap cap and dry fire to see the firing pin strike. Perfectly good. The slide to frame fit is looser than my LCP II. Ran the slide on the rails without barrel or recoil springs to check for any binding, none. The magazine locks back every time after ejecting a snap cap manually. The grip is slightly longer and obviously wider than my LCP II, a distinct handling improvement. I'm getting more hand surface contact and a little more of my ring finger on it.

Quirks - the mag follower is at the edge of functional tolerances in my opinion. If I lock the slide back, pull and re-insert the empty mag, the follower moves up enough to catch on the slide lock so it will not drop free. Pressing the follower down makes it drop free again. I do not consider this a defect or problem. Even setting up a type-III malfunction (doublefeed) with an empty case in the chamber does not prevent immediate action. Just for fun I tried and it feeds empty cases from the magazine.

I think the LCP MAX is a winner in the value priced good quality pocket pistol area. I have more mags (10 and 12) and 500 rounds of ball on the way. Gonna be fun wringing it out.

 

[ontarget]

Picked mine up today. Field stripped and inspected. Machine work and finish look good. Barrel had residue from factory test firing. I like the ears on the slide, and the pinned extractor. I like to place a bit of address label on the back of a snap cap and dry fire to see the firing pin strike. Perfectly good. The slide to frame fit is looser than my LCP II. Ran the slide on the rails without barrel or recoil springs to check for any binding, none. The magazine locks back every time after ejecting a snap cap manually. The grip is slightly longer and obviously wider than my LCP II, a distinct handling improvement. I'm getting more hand surface contact and a little more of my ring finger on it.

Quirks - the mag follower is at the edge of functional tolerances in my opinion. If I lock the slide back, pull and re-insert the empty mag, the follower moves up enough to catch on the slide lock so it will not drop free. Pressing the follower down makes it drop free again. I do not consider this a defect or problem. Even setting up a type-III malfunction (doublefeed) with an empty case in the chamber does not prevent immediate action. Just for fun I tried and it feeds empty cases from the magazine.

I think the LCP MAX is a winner in the value priced good quality pocket pistol area. I have more mags (10 and 12) and 500 rounds of ball on the way. Gonna be fun wringing it out.

370 mixed rounds through mine without a malfunction. Let us know how yours fares.
I'm guessing you will like it.

 

[unclenunzie]

Looked at it closer - there's light rust on the slide and barrel. They are sending me a complete upper and I'll send them back the original. Better to take care of it now than to wait until I have rounds through it. Should have it in a week or so, then I'll run it though it's paces.

 

[ontarget]

Looked at it closer - there's light rust on the slide and barrel. They are sending me a complete upper and I'll send them back the original. Better to take care of it now than to wait until I have rounds through it. Should have it in a week or so, then I'll run it though it's paces.

Bad deal on the rust. Great that they are taking care of you. I can't wait for you to shoot it and give your thoughts.

 

[Autodidactic]

The recoil isn't bad IMO. That said, I'm a decent size guy, and have never been bothered by most recoil. After 170 rounds in about 20 min yesterday, I had no discomfort in my hand at all. Wish I could have fired 170 more, but it started raining too hard.
I find the felt recoil of the Max to be less than the Bersa Thunder I have, and the Bersa is a heavier gun, and it's a single stack.

One day I might take the leap. As far as recoil, little .380’s are snappy especially to new shooters but honestly I think it’s over exaggerated. My 642 with .38 special is more.

 

[Pistolay]

My 642 with .38 special is more.

I'll buy that. Those featherweight .38s are snappy as hell because they have no action to absorb any of the recoil.

 

[unclenunzie]

Received my complete slide assembly (replacement) today. The new one is much better finished but still exhibits a little red color in the serrations. I'll live with it. The new barrel has similar reddish color on the exterior, and to my disappointment was rusty inside the bore in the last half inch at the muzzle. I was able to clean that up and I think it was just surface rust.

The fit of barrel to slide is very good at the muzzle, and typically loose at the breach side to side. Slide to frame is loose enough not to worry about any crud binding it. Seems to shoot straight enough and I had no malfunctions running a box of Federal American Eagle FMJ through the supplied magazine. It has no real recoil to speak of, and the trigger is pretty well the same as the LCP II.

My overall impression is my two Prescott models were better made (LCP gen 1 and LCP II). But the MAX offers better capacity, better sights and better handling. For the price paid I think it's a fair deal. I would gladly pay Ruger more (mine was about $350) for a version that was nitrided and better fit.

After I few more boxes of FMJ I'll give some of my defensive rounds a go and see how it likes them. Precision one XTP, Hornady CD. I think this will work well as a pocket protector

 

[ontarget]

Received my complete slide assembly (replacement) today. The new one is much better finished but still exhibits a little red color in the serrations. I'll live with it. The new barrel has similar reddish color on the exterior, and to my disappointment was rusty inside the bore in the last half inch at the muzzle. I was able to clean that up and I think it was just surface rust.

The fit of barrel to slide is very good at the muzzle, and typically loose at the breach side to side. Slide to frame is loose enough not to worry about any crud binding it. Seems to shoot straight enough and I had no malfunctions running a box of Federal American Eagle FMJ through the supplied magazine. It has no real recoil to speak of, and the trigger is pretty well the same as the LCP II.

My overall impression is my two Prescott models were better made (LCP gen 1 and LCP II). But the MAX offers better capacity, better sights and better handling. For the price paid I think it's a fair deal. I would gladly pay Ruger more (mine was about $350) for a version that was nitrided and better fit.

After I few more boxes of FMJ I'll give some of my defensive rounds a go and see how it likes them. Precision one XTP, Hornady CD. I think this will work well as a pocket protector

I carry mine IWB. Light as a feather, and great capacity. What's not to love?