Review: Ruger LCP

[OnPointFirearms]

There has been a lot of talk about the new Ruger LCP. Some good, some bad. However, I couldn't comment either way until I fired the little .380acp for myself. Well I finally did, so here's my short and sweet report:

After a quick field strip and lube job courtesy of CLP, the LCP was ready for its breakfast. On the menu: Speer Lawman 95gr TMJs. 50-rounds went down range and the only thing that malfunctioned was the palm of my hand. This pocket pistol packs a punch! It's definitely not a range gun that you would want to shoot hundreds of rounds with. Just shoot it enough to remain proficient and you'll be good to go!



Accuracy was as I expected: fair. At 7 yards, I held an eight inch group for an entire box of Lawman .380acp. That was slow fire, off hand-- with a mixture of one-handed and both-handed grips. I even ran a mag and intentionally limp-wristed the LCP. It still ran like a Champ Burger with cheese.

Zero malfunctions. Quality fit and finish. Low price point. Ruger has a winner that will be around for decades. At $250 dealer cost, the LCP will fly off the shelves for many years to come. Don't be price-gouged just to be the first kid of your block to own one. Rest assured, Ruger is working on boosting production and satisfying demand for this little mouse gun. I recommend it-- highly.





Have a good one and stay On Point.

-- Evan

 

[19-3Ben]

Very nice. Thanks for the report.

 

[Tribal]

Has anyone done a head-to-head of this versus the P-3AT? Especially once the PM380 comes out, it'll be nice to have a comparison of the Kel-Tec, Ruger, Kahr, Seecamp, Rohrbaugh, and NAA offerings.

 

[legion3]

I concur...

The vast majority of reports has been positive.

Mine has a flawless 600 rounds down range, 50 rounds of Remington Golden Saber was tested today.

The following ammo has also been flawless
Fiocchi FMJ
Fiocchi JHP
Winchester WB
Winchester SXT
Speer Gold dots
Corbon DPX
PMC Bronze
Santa Barbara JSP - this packs quite a wallop!!!

The only remaining ammo I am looking to try out is Corbon PP

But frankly I like the combination of Golden Sabers and Santa Barbara for SD.

$280 OTD with an extra mag too - worth every penny.

 

[scuba-man]

Totally reliable so far.

 

[Quiet]

only bad things I've heard about the Ruger LCP

Don't use reloads or it can kaboom.

Don't dry fire without snap caps or you'll break your firing pin.

 

[moooose102]

[


Join Date: 04-29-07
Location: the 909
Posts: 678 only bad things I've heard about the Ruger LCP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't use reloads or it can kaboom.

Don't dry fire without snap caps or you'll break your firing pin.
/QUOTE]

WHAT! any gun subjucted to to much pressure can go "kaboom" reloading with normal pressures is not going to harm this, or any gun.
dont fire without snap caps, well, in years past, that was the way, but now, i am not so sure. i guess i wouldnt make a habit of doing it extensively with any gun, but i really dont think that a couple here and there dry firing is going to break the firing pin. JMO

 

[jocko]

OnPointfirearms

nice photos and yes these little pocket rockets are well made and very reliable.

My friend who owns a shootin range has a lcp that as of yesterday had a total of 7900 rounds through his lcp, an not one breakage. He just replaced the recoil springs, as he stated the factory springs were worn out. He lets anyone at his range shoot it and he even feels it has far more rounds than 7900 but he can confirm that. His was one of the first ones out without the frame mod even. His wife is a LEO and carrys it in her ankle rig.

My sons lcp has 1000 rounds through it and it has never malfunctioned with any brand of ammo that I shoot through it.

For those who might be interested. I have had on order for well over a month a couple sets of replacement recoil springs from Ruger. to this day I have heard nothing. The Ruger recoil springs are 9# rated ( according to cramer from Ruger). I had in my parts box a new set of wolffs 13# recoil springs that I had ordered a few years back for my kt32 auto. They drop right in, they fit perfectly in the lcp, as I knew they would and IMO they work super. My brass doesn't fly out of site as before, so i know the heavier springs are just kinder to the over all wear and tear on the weapon. And certainly if wolffs designed them for the kt32 auto they can't be to heavy for the 380 lcp. I used those springs in my kt 380 all the time even. For some reason wolffs never made heavier recoil springs for the 380 kt but most kt owners just went with the 13 # wolffs kt32 springs.

My son and I when we shoot those little pocket rockets, just wear a pair of those cheap ass wal-mart finglerless bicycle riding gloves. The palms are padded even and give a better grip feel even and really makes shootin these little rockets a fun shoot.

wolffsgunsprings.com

 

[jocko]

moose

agree, dry firing according to Ruger even will not harm the lcp. There was one report of a broken pin with a photo even and the owner said he had dry fired it over a 100 times. Still could have been just a faulty firing pin to. I guess that is what they make snap caps for to. Without a slide lock and not counting rounds, one is going to dry fire every magazine. I am sure Ruger knows that and feels that is not even an issue.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

There was also one report of a KB with handloads in early May, and that has been circulating on the Internet almost as fast as photos of Brittney's bologna flaps. People like Quiet read reports of the same two failures thousands of times over on the Internet and assume it means that there are thousands of failures. Then they repeat it in posts like this and further impart the impression that there are endemic problems. It's a bit like the gossip transmitted by old ladies in a sewing circle.

 

[jocko]

loboboy

+10 on that, especially on the internet. One incident reported is then repated on every tom, dick and harry forum a 1000 times and it ends up being an incident that happened a 1000 times intead of once or twice. Worse than gossip...

 

[romeo212000]

Looks like my Kel-Tec with a slide lock.

 

[Tribal]

Looks like my Kel-Tec with a slide lock.

There are some who think that it is a Kel-Tec with a slide lock. I'm inclined to agree.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

It has a lot of similarities to a Kel-Tec, but it seems like it's made of better stuff.

 

[jocko]

lobo

+10 on that, most all seem to go bang right out of the box, something that until lately kt's had alot of trouble doing..

 

[nitestocker]

i have the ruger lcp i like the little gun my friend he has the kel tek we took it a part there almost idenical i paid about 10.00 dollers more than he did this one most likely has a better value if i sold it becouse every one wants one but they both shoot and look the same to m except one says ruger and the other says keltec my .2 cents worth

 

[dirtyharry]

Ruger LCP

I was unimpressed after my initial trip to the range with my new Ruger LCP.380. Out of 100 rds. of Remington UMC, it failed to feed approx. 10 times.

However, I just shot 25 rds. of Corbon and 25 rds. of Remington Golden Sabre, and not a single glitch.

I'm going to give white box Winchester USA a try. I've heard some people say they do fine.

As far as a carry gun, this thing fits in a pocket like you won't believe. You literally forget it's there. The fit and finish far outshine the KelTec.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

Dirtyharry, I'm glad to see you're liking your LCP.

 

[krs]

The fit and finish far outshine the KelTec

The fit is exactly the same, but they do look better.

Seems a lot of kiddies like their little guns to look..........better than a Keltec.

 

[Craig M. Arnold]

I would have to agree that the Ruger LCP "looks" better than the KelTecs. However, the one that I bought certainly does not shoot better than my KelTecs. After only 120 rounds, the LCP has a trigger bar problem and is going back to the factory. My two KelTec P3ATs have been perfect. One has over 1,300 rounds through it. The other one has about 800 rounds through it.
Once I get the LCP back, I'll see if it is really worth keeping. Until then, I'll just continue to carry one of my KelTecs.

Best regards.

 

[VPLthrneck]

Thanks for the all the reports. You all have made up my mind for me. I'm going to purchase mine tomorrow after the race.

 

[alamo]

I would have to agree that the Ruger LCP "looks" better than the KelTecs

I think most of that has to do with the smooth polymer grip of the Ruger vs. the rougher looking KT grip. It certainly looks nicer and it causes some to say that it "feels" better. I'm not convinced though that it is a better pistol than the P-3AT based on feedback from owners.

 

[Craig M. Arnold]

I can only comment on the LCP that I have. I can tell you that my LCP is certainly not better than my KelTec P3ATs.

Best regards.

 

[cowssurf]

Craig, if your Kel-Tecs have always been so great, and the Ruger is so similar, why did you buy the Ruger?

 

[Craig M. Arnold]

cowsurf;

I have multiples of most all my guns. For example, I have about eight 1911s, three J-frame Smith revolvers, two Ruger 10/22 rifles, three SKS rifles, etc.

The same week I bought the LCP, I also bought a CZ75B Single Action. I already had about a dozen CZ pistols. More is better.

Best regards.