Ruger LCP Purchase

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loadedround

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I am strongly considering purchasing a Ruger LCP .380 for summer everyday carry(I'm a shorts and t-shirt guy) and would like all opinions pro and con on this little pistol. It will replace a Seecamp 32 ACP I'm now carrying, I just like the idea of a more powerful round and both pistols are the same size and much lighter and easier to carry than my Model 60. Help me out guys, especially those who own this little pistol. :)
 
I've had a few friends who had a .32 (Seecamp and Keltec), opt for the tiny 380 and go back to the .32. Much too snappy for them and one researched a bit and said he didn't believe that the practical difference in stopping power was enough to justify the pain of shooting the .380 out of a 10 oz gun. I have no experience with either but was actually thinking of getting a Keltec .32.
 
Yeah there is no weight to the LCP and recoil can be a pain in the gluteus. I prefer the Sig 232 with hogue grip. I own both and ammo isnt a problem if you live near Topeka, Kansas because our bail bondsman makes 380 ammo.
 
The recoil of an LCP is not bad at all to me.
The recoil in my S&W 637 with Double Taps are much worse, and even that is easily controllable.
The real problem isn't the recoil, it's keeping a grip on the gun.

With that said, I own an LCP and a P3AT and my main carry gun is a S&W 637.

IMO, the LCP's

Pros:
-extremely light and compact
-380 has more power than 32
-easy to draw from a pocket due to the shape of the slide and due to the smooth plastic and edges
-much nicer fit and finish than the P3AT

Cons:
-the smooth plastic makes it difficult to keep a consistent grip. The Kel-Tec P3AT has much more aggressive checkering that goes higher up on the grip. The P3AT is a little easier to shoot.
-the trigger feels like a staple gun. It feels weird at first, but you can learn it...assuming you find enough ammo to practice.

The LCP is a great gun. It's so easy to carry and it's a decent caliber.
But, it is what it is; a lightweight compact pistol. It shoots well as long as you're willing to learn how to shoot it.
I find that I can't grip it like most guns.
Normally I wrap my hand around the gun and squeeze my fingers all around. You will lose your grip if you hold it that way.
It's easier to keep a good grip if you squeeze the grip more front to back rather than on the sides. I also have to use the first section of my trigger finger when I normally use the first joint.
 
LCP is a good reliable little gun. Great for CCW. Buy it. Should you upgrade your CCW to a Kahr PM9 or .38 snubbie, carry the LCP as back-up.
 
People who think the KT P3AT and Ruger LCP has "harsh" recoil need to plug their noses and blow to drop their sack...
 
The LCP has snappy recoil but should be tolerable to anyone. It does make the webspace between my thumb and index finger a bit sore after 100 rounds or so, but nothing terrible. Its pretty accurate once you get used to the long trigger pull and small sights. I found it easy to put 5 rounds in a 3-4" circle at 7 yards slowfire. I haven't shot it at a farther distance than than, mainly because I don't want to use up the small stock of .380 ammo I have.
 
People who think the KT P3AT and Ruger LCP has "harsh" recoil need to plug their noses and blow to drop their sack...
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Scott, this kind of comment isn't appropriate.
It's okay to disagree with someone, but this is thehighroad.com
This is a site for intelligent conversation by people of all backgrounds, not a place to disrespect others.

Me neither... the steel-framed blowback operated Walther PPK seems much more harsh to me.
Click to expand...
I've never shot a PPK, but had a Bersa Thunder 380. It's much like the PPK but aluminum framed.
The back of the Bersa's frame hurt the web of my hand much more than the LCP (which still wasn't enough to worry about). Maybe it was due to the Bersa's blowback action and/or the way I gripped the gun or because the LCP is a breech lock and poly frame. Who knows.
I actually swapped the Bersa for a Taurus 85UL because the Bersa would hurt my wife's hand during long range sessions. She's shot the LCP and thinks it doesn't hurt as much as the bersa, but she says the LCP shifts around too much in her hand.
 
People who think the KT P3AT and Ruger LCP has "harsh" recoil need to plug their noses and blow to drop their sack...
Click to expand...

haven't heard that before, but I'll repeat it in some variation.
 
just bought an LCP

I just bought an LCP yesterday. I paid $400 for it, which is high, but other shops had a long and distinguished waiting list, so i snatched it when i found it. I also picked up an extra magazine.
Out of the box, i fired 50 rounds through it with no problem. I noticed a lot of factory grease/oil, but figured i'd give it a go anyways. I had no problems shooting the gun. Compared to 9mm and .40s I have shot, the recoil is nil. If you think this gun has a lot of recoil, perhaps you should carry a bow and arrow for protection. 380 is a smaller round, but i found i could keep the gun on target much easier. at 20 yards most rounds were center mass, with the only exceptions being a few rounds off center when i fired a magazine quickly just to see if i could keep it on point.
The gun is compact & light - but just big enough to not feel like i am going to shoot my fingers off. with a $10 magazine grip attachment, i could comfortably fit my middle and ring finger around the grip with my pinky hanging.
I then took it home and cleaned it. it needed a thorough cleaning to remove the factory grease, but after about 20 minutes it was looking good. Why is it such a big deal that you need a flathead screwdriver to take it down? It's not.

On to concealment - this gun can't be beat. I have a larger handgun that many have recommended for concealment, but i've found that in hot weather, i left the big gun at home because it just doesn't conceal well enough and is a burden to carry. not so with the LCP. with a IWB holster, unless i took my shirt off and pointed to my hip, the average person would have no idea it's there. very comfortable.

Pros: Concealment, reliability, weight, accuracy
Cons: Magazine release sticks just a bit and you need to hold the release in when the magazine is being inserted or removed. I have read many people critical of the sights. i don't understand that, the sights work perfectly well for close range. are these same people trying to hit and elk at 600yds or the guy who is kicking in your front door? if your target is too far away for these sights, then you have ample opportunity to escape to safety.

I think it's a great gun.

One question i have: does anyone have any insight into how many rounds can go through this gun before it gets worn out? i read 15k rounds somewhere, looking for some more opinion.

Thanks,
 
Herkyguy:
I certainly appreciated all your comments both pro and con from you and all the others. I would like to add that I have owned both a PPK and a PPK/S and got rid of them when I first bought my Seecamp 32. The Walthers were both too heavy for caliber and since I have big hands, ate my web of my right hand for lunch; although the recoil was minimal. I do have a LCP on order and should have in 30 days. BTW, 15K of rounds is probably 2 or 3 lifetimes of shooting. :)
 
I just picked up a Ruger LCP today for $338 total. Guess I just got lucky...then came the bad part...
Gun shop had ONLY reloads for sale at $22 a box of 50!
Anyone order 380 online?
 
I picked up my LCP in the beginning of July. 50rnd of Remington UMC. I had a couple of FTFs. I had 3 magazines, 1 had the finger extension....so its possible that it was jumping in my hand a little. I ordered more extenders from Ruger. I will mark my magazines on my next range session just incase it happens again to see if its the mag or just needs some breaking in. All-in-all. I like it! :)
 
I've had the LCP for a couple of months. I've only been able to put a hundred rounds of Prvi Partizan through it with no FTF's or FTE's. Pistol takes some getting used to because of the small size and almost non-existent sights, but after a few magazines, I was able to shoot some decent groups at 7 yards. It works exceptionally well when using it for what it was designed for...a pocket carry gun for close-in self defense. I wear shorts most of the year, weather permitting, and the LCP in a Desantis Nemesis is very comfortable to carry.
 
the LCP is a pretty nice gun... I just prefer the P3AT. Identical dementions, better trigger, more texture and a lifetime warranty... all for a bit cheaper than the LCP.... Just my opinion but it is a good gun nonetheless...

BTW it is .org not .com
 
I just picked up a second LCP

for my daughter yesterday. I loaded up 50 rounds of 380, the first in over 15 years, and headed to the range today. It fed every round flawlessly. I will be loading some more with XTP bullets in the morning and checking it out with those tomorrow afternoon. My round of choice for carry is the Fiocchi XTP round so, if it works with my XTP reloads, it should feed that ammo just fine. Once the Fiocchi becomes available again I will definitely feed it some to make sure that it works well. My other LCP gobbles it up. By the way I paid $275 for my first LCP and $265 for the new one. Both of them were purchased new.:D
 
CTD, lol

I overpaid for a box of blazers in .380 when I bought them for $24, CTD is getting ridiculous. $400 is pretty steep for a LCP, as a local place has had them for $279 (now $309).
 
I too am a T-shirt and Jeans or a T-shirt and shorts guy. 5'10 150 too so concealing a full size gun isn't comfortable for this bean pole this time of year (I still do it some depending on where I am).

I have had a couple mouse guns. I have carried them, and yes they are easy to carry. I also have a Kel-Tec PF-9. It is only slightly larger/heavier and obviously more potent. Recoil still sucks but I can at least get all my fingers on this one.:)

IWB or pocket carry (depending on tucked or untucked) I can do anything comfortably with this gun. Sit, Stand, Run, drive, play with the kiddo, doesn't matter.

I sold my .380's. They serve no purpose with a PF-9 around.
 
doc2rn said:
Yeah there is no weight to the LCP and recoil can be a pain in the gluteus. I prefer the Sig 232 with hogue grip. I own both and ammo isnt a problem if you live near Topeka, Kansas because our bail bondsman makes 380 ammo.
Click to expand...
We dont have a bail bondsman churning out any 380 down here...Ruger LCP is great
 
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