LCP vs LCP II

Is the difference between the original LCP and the LCP II just that the trigger on the LCP II is lighter and preset after being racked and the trigger on the LCP original model takes a long draw to fire the gun?

I had a Taurus 738TCP and thats how the trigger was on that gun. A long trigger pull and then the gun fired. I am guessing the trigger on the new LCP II is like the trigger on my EC9s in that the striker is preset so that the actuall trigger pull is short and light. Is that correct?

I know the sights on the original LCP are small and the newer gun has better sights.

 

Above from American Rifleman https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/tested-ruger-lcp-ii-handgun/

I carry a Ruger Security 9 Compact. It has the same type trigger mechanism as the LCP II, which I also once had. The triggers are crisp and break clean.

 

I've owned both of them (and the precursor P3AT as well).

There may be other things I'm not remembering, but ThomasT has mentioned the two main things that I noticed.

The LCPII has a light crisp trigger and sights that are more useable than the other LCP's or the P3AT... oh, and it stays open after the final round.

That's why it's the one I carry and the others I gave as gifts or traded away.

If it doesn't hurt your hand and if you are accurate with it, it's something you can carry when it's hard to carry anything else.

Ruger LCPII 380acp by Tallball posted Aug 3, 2018 at 12:05 PM

 

All LCPs have a partially precocked trigger. Just, the II is more so.

They didn't really need to do anything with the trigger on the original. I have one of the original LCPs, and its trigger is perfectly fine for what the gun is intended for.

The LCP Max has better sights. One variant of the LCP, the "Custom", I think, also does. The rest have little nubs that aren't much use.

 

The sights on the Taurus TCP 738 I had were pretty much useless too. It was just a point and shoot gun. But it sure rode well in a pocket. I was looking at the Max last night and saw it had much bigger sights.

 

I have an EC9s and I supposed its the same trigger system and its nice. Much better than the long trigger on the TCP 380. I shot it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and me and my bud both triggered off an accidental round when the gun was recoiling in the hand. I had removed the extended base plate but put it back on when I got home. You really need to hold on to this gun even though the recoil was less than I was expecting from such a light weight gun.

 

^^^^^
THIS!

 

The LCP MAX makes both slim LCPs feel like dog crap... great trigger and sights and 13 rounds or .380

 

I like the sights on the Max. You should be able to see those easy. The 10 round magazine is standard with the gun. That should be plenty for a gun of this type.
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I still have both. I retired my first-year LCP, after carrying it for many years, once I tried the LCP II. The “sights” are better, the slightly wider grip makes the recoil a bit less abusive to the palm, it locks open on the last shot fired and there is no doubt the LCP II has a much better trigger. (I respectfully disagree that the LCP trigger is good in any way. IMHO it has one of the mushiest, heaviest, most useless triggers put in a modern production handgun.)



I did paint the front sights white then blaze orange with model paint to make them more obvious to the eye. Obviously these aren’t target guns but being able to use the sights is something that could come in handy.

If you have a choice, and don’t want the slightly larger MAX version with double the magazine capacity, I’ll recommend you go with the LCP II.

Stay safe.

 

Good pics, Riomouse. You show the improvement in the sights very clearly.

We mildly disagree about the trigger on the original. I thought it was merely bad.

 

Lol. Mine took a full first-knuckle trigger finger wrap to get past the stack at the end. It made my off duty gun quals every four months rather challenging.

Stay safe.

 

I still have both too...

It is bad...beyond bad. I agree however that it's ok for its purpose. I shoot mine quite a bit and it's gotten 'better' or maybe I'm just use to it.

I also have the lcp2...better all the way around.

 

I have the original LCP .380 and it is my deep concealment "church gun" - the one you carry when you want to be sure you don't flash while carrying. Pocket holster and front pocket, or jacket pocket.

Trigger is long and a little mushy, but, there is no external safety on this gun other than the trigger, so, I kind of like the long trigger, I know, some of you will say your finger is your safety, and I agree, but I like having an external safety on a gun I might carry and need to get out of a front pocket, whether I choose to engage it or not and I often don't.

I have also carried the lc9s, I like the trigger, I shoot it well, some hate the platform, I fell in love with the lcp II trigger group, have it on my security 9 and security 9 compact (my current bedside and soon to be new carry gun once I prove it).

Wife saw an LCP II in .22 last night, picking one up today for her. She has a p365 she usually carries, but, for those times when she needs "deep concealment" and can't carry the sig, a .22 is better than nothing and she can't really control the lcp in .380.

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I have both, or I should say had. I gave my LCP to my Daughter and bought an LCPII to replace it. Strictly a back up gun for me, not a primary. Both guns will do their job which is point and shoot at close range. I would say the maximum range for me with the gun is 10 yards. The original trigger is fine as are the sights for the intended purpose, It's pretty easy to keep shots in the CNS area at 7 yards with o ne of these guns.

 

Thanks for all the replies. It was a big help.

 

The LCPII is a lot bigger. I like the regular LCP more.

 

The original LCP trigger is safer for everyday carry.

 

I'm no judge of trigger feel, but the striker-fired system of EC9s have found the new home in Ruger MAX 9. The hammer-fired system that debuted on LCP II is now in use at LCP MAX, Security 9, and Ruger-57. It can be tuned to provide a short and light trigger pull, but Ruger ships it set up with an about 5 lbs pull, more suitable for a self-defense gun.

 

I very nearly bought an LCPII for pocket carry about a year ago, but for the way I wanted to carry it (loose in a cargo pocket) the light trigger actually worried me a lot. I wound up skipping it and getting an LCP instead and feel a lot more confident with it. This is coming from someone who normally hates anything but hair triggers. The LCP series are meant to perform a certain kind of task, and I think the LCP edges out the II at fulfilling that specific duty.

 

From what I understand, the thin trigger, combined with a heavy trigger pull on the LCP, made firing a bit unpleasant. Later Ruger offered the LCP Custom. Again, from what I understand, the weight of the trigger pull did not change. But the "custom" trigger has a wider face, so it's a more comfortable pull. If you decide on the LCP, maybe look for a "custom".
That thing on the side of the frame is a laser I added.

 

Not only that but the original has a longer history.

 

I do suspect that some folks fail to understand what a range gun is, and what is not.

 

I have the original it’s an EDC for me. No problem with the trigger, I quite like the gun, 100% reliable. I would like the sights of the II though.

 

Perhaps a little paint on the front sight would help.