Ruger LCR in depth Review

[asherico]

re. Dpris

I have not put a micrometer to the gun or rechecked tolerances. The sidearm has not loosened up nor is there any change in performance or visual wear.
Asherico

 

[DPris]

If you'd done measurements before & after you'd find some stretching.
As far as "loosened up" goes, you may want to get your B/C gap checked to see if it's still within specs.
Have you run a light down the bore to look at the rifling?

I can believe the grips wore out, there was quite a bit of wear on the sample's grip after I did my 5000 round run.
At the end, that gun shot better than it did in the beginning.
Denis

 

[k4nh]

Seems like my LCR is more easy to short stroke the trigger than my Smith's and it grinds when it happens. Like people have said, "you can short stroke most double action revolvers" which is true. I'd like to see a company like Ruger or Smith solve or mitigate the issue. I would hate to have my wife use my LCR with the nice trigger pull and have a serious issue (no bang) if she short stroked the trigger. Sounds like an Engineering issue. Get to work Ruger! I have great hope. Love Rugers.

 

[DPris]

It's not an "engineering" issue, it's a fact of life with revolvers.
Those of us who grew up with revolvers also grew up understanding that they require a full trigger return travel for best results. Some more so than others.

The LCR needs a slightly longer return travel. It's inherent to the design. Some revolvers (and some DAO pistols) need a longer return, some use a shorter return.
Ruger isn't going to change that on the LCR, it's up to the user to understand & learn it.

Your wife just needs to let the trigger go fully forward on each pull return.
It's an operator error, not an engineering issue, and it's not hard to learn.
Different guns require different handling, if someone can't adapt, someone should move on to another gun.
Denis

 

[jad0110]

But, it's not for everyone and some might have more confidence in the lightweight Smith 442 or 642. But I think Ruger has done a great job with this revolver, and over time it will prove itself a very reliable and versatile weapon.

I do greatly respect the design, and I always recommend it (and the J Frame) to those interested in a revolver for pocket carry. As for the LCR, I have 2 issues with it:

1. The Hogue monogrips (they just don't work for me)
2. The trigger reset.

Seems like my LCR is more easy to short stroke the trigger than my Smith's and it grinds when it happens

The trigger reset/return on the LCR is too mushy for my preferences. I find that in rapid fire, where I'm running my trigger finger and the trigger at a steady, fast pace that I tend to "out run" the reset on my 2 long action S&Ws that have a soft reset. In doing so, my finger either looses firm contact with the trigger during the reset, or I tend to "short stroke" by squeezing too soon. I do this once in a while (maybe every 300 trigger cycles) on my Ruger Police Service Six, as the return isn't quite as firm as I like.

Is it the guns fault? No. Is it mine (a training issue)? Yes. But I guess that's why I prefer triggers with a firm, positive reset such as those found on stock S&Ws. But to each his own. Actually, I'm in the minority in that most seem to prefer a softer reset. Look at everyone here speaking about swapping out the rebound spring for a lighter one in their Smiths. If anything, I might even go firmer.

Revolvers are notorius for having a long, inconsisent pull, that is often staged. The Ruger LCR is honestly the smoothest trigger I have ever felt, out of the box, on any revolver. It feels a lot like a good semi-auto trigger. Ruger incorporated a cam design in the trigger system, to "smooth" it out." Ruger also used polymer in the trigger housing, which undoubtedly got rid of those nasty burrs most are used to on metal revolvers. The cam design and lack of burrs, makes this trigger ultra smooth.

I don't mean to sound nasty, but what other revolvers have you been shooting? Rohms?

Everyone of my S&Ws, except for my J Frame, have a smooth consisent pull from start to finish. No stacking. Some are of course smoother than others. But even my "roughest", a 686+, is still pretty good. Now, the J frame 642 I own actually does the opposite of stacking, it tends to lighten up slightly in the last 50% of the trigger's travel. It's a little stiffer than my K, L and N Frames, but it is just as slick.

In fact, the only revolvers I own with noticeable stacking in the DA trigger are my Taurus 431, Ruger Police Service Six and my Redhawk. But they aren't excessive. OTH, the Colt Detective Special, though smooth, stacks more than I prefer.

To each his own.

 

[Magnumite]

Major manufacturers' revolvers have always had very consistant pulls, both double and single action, in my experience. Never heard anyone say the pull was inconsistant, creepy or heavy maybe, but not inconsistant. It is what it is. As with trigger return. It is what it is. Commit to the training required to overcome your short stroking the trigger. Its call dry fire and does wonders.