Ruger LCR Question

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Bob79

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Ruger LCR Endshake Question

I just picked up a LCR today, and when I put it in full lock up by pulling the trigger and keeping it held back, there is some front to back play in the cylinder. Surely it can't have end shake already, I haven't even fired it.

Is this normal? Can you other LCR owners, especially those with new, or guns with a low round count check, and post here. There isn't a lot of play, but maybe this is normal.

I know my J-frames have no end shake at all, and even after numerous rounds fired.

Thanks
 
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I stand corrected. It does have a bit of front-to-back movement. But, on mine, it's the same amount at rest as at full lock-up. So, I'm not going to sweat it at all.

Besides, I have several hundred rounds through the gun plus several hundred dry-fires and no hitch.

My only suggestion to you is make sure you allow the trigger to reset fully forward or you'll think you have problems.

Q
 
Thanks Q.

Mine has slightly less front/back play when in full lock up (vs at rest). I need to get some feeler gauges and check it. The gauges would be handy to buy anyways.

I always say when it comes that you need a specific tool, just buy it then you'll have it. Unless its something really expensive you will only need once or twice in a lifetime.

But, I welcome any more input from other LCR owners.

Thanks
 
Got the gauge today.

The barrel/cylinder gap is .007

And with the cylinder pushed forward it is .0015, so that is endshake in the amount of .0055.

Is that too much?

**Also measurements were taken with the gun in full lock up, although when not in lock up I got the same figures, even though the fit was a little tighter with the gauges when the cylinder was locked up.
 
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For a B/C gap, .007 is about perfect. You don't want too little or the cylinder can heat and bind up in rapid fire. I wouldn't worry about that endshake.

Let's be honest here, folks. The Ruger LCR and LCP are intended as limited use, short range defense guns, not 10,000+ round service pistols or 50 yard bullseye guns. They are not precision guns, but they will work and do the job they were designed to do.

Jim
 
Called Ruger today, they said up to .010 of b/c gap is OK. She didn't know what was acceptable for endshake, and said I could send it in if I wanted. So I'm sending it in.
 
I can tell you my RG40's cylinder has a good amount of foward back play at full lockup, atleast 5-10 thousands, and while it puts a decent amount of flame out of the sides, it seems to have no problem throwing lead at enough velocity to do its job.

If you get your LCR back from Ruger and it still has some forward-backwards play, I wouldn't sweat it too much.
 
Let's be honest here, folks. The Ruger LCR and LCP are intended as limited use, short range defense guns, not 10,000+ round service pistols or 50 yard bullseye guns. They are not precision guns, but they will work and do the job they were designed to do.
Click to expand...

Good God and little fishies! Somebody besides me finally spoke the simple truth concerning this class of sidearm. They're not range beaters and they're not target guns...and they're not designed or intended to be used for that. They're small, portable, last-ditch lifesaving tools that are used at powder burn distances when one finds himself...or herself...up to their crotch in crocodiles. 25 yard accuracy isn't a concern. Even 10 yard accuracy isn't really an issue. Velocity loss from the short barrel isn't a concern. Much more important is that they're there and that they work.

Rant off/LCR observation:

When I first heard of these new offerings from Ruger, my initial response was a thinly stifled yawn. Yesterday...while addressing a functional problem that a friend was having with a Colt CCO...I got my hands on one for the first time. I was mightly impressed with the little gun. Not only was it a well thought out package, it appeared to be of good quality, and it had the smoothest out-of-box DA trigger that I've ever felt.

So, Bob...Keep its limitations in mind and treat it kindly. It'll serve you well.
 
I realize that the LCR and LCP are not "range" guns, and will not last being shot 100-200 rounds every single month, for years and years. I personally don't expect that of them, nor do I imagine anyone who knows anything about guns would. I also don't think most people shoot these little guns that often, I personally am lucky if I get to shoot 50 rounds every other month. But at the same time I don't think the LCR has a lifespan of only a couple thousand rounds, especially with standard pressure ammo. When I go to the range with my S&W J-frame Airweight I shoot only standard pressure 130 grain ammo, and at most a cylinder or two of +P.

The endshake issue I have is that i haven't even fired the gun yet, and it has more endshake than any other revolver I have ever owned. It just seems that .0055+ of endshake should be too much for any revolver maker, no matter which company. And I realize you can't mass produce thousands of guns, and not have a few come out of the factory with issues. I did drop off the gun this afternoon to be shipped out tomorrow from the store where I got it. I will report back what they did, or did not do with it at the factory.
 
Rugers to me have always felt a little looser than comparable Smiths. With the exception of the LCR though, they have also been more robust. (SP101 vs. SW 60)
 
Rugers to me have always felt a little looser than comparable Smiths. With the exception of the LCR though, they have also been more robust. (SP101 vs. SW 60)
Click to expand...

The SP101 is a little larger than the M36/60. It has to be in order to make up for the reduced strength of the investment cast frame vs the machined barstock frame. As to that...the J-framed Smiths were never really meant to be hard use beaters, either.

LCR. Light Carry Revolver? That a hint?

It weighs less than a pound. Who'd wanna shoot it a lot? Ouch?

Anyway...

This thread kinda reminds me of the time that I walked up on what was evidently a meeting of the Holy Shrine of the Blackhawk. About a half-dozen shooters at the range, and all of'em had Ruger Blackhawks or Super Blackhawks. During the course of the conversation...after seeing one of the shooters' load data...which was a trifle scary...I mentioned casually that I'd once shot a SBH loose with similar loads, and Ruger offered me a replacement at their cost rather than try to adjust the endshake. The frame had stretched that much. So much that the gun was misfiring occasionally.

You'd have thought that I'd slandered Mother Teresa at a Catholic Mass. I thought I was gonna hafta fight one of'em...all because I said that their big Rugers weren't as indestructible as they thought. Good thing I didn;'t mention the .357 NM Blackhawk that I saw blow the topstrap and half the cylinder out of. They'd have probably skinned me alive.

Ah well. Onward...
 
I remember the original Guns & Hunting magazine did a blow-up comparison between a SBH and a Model 29 about 40 years ago and the Ruger let go first.
 
Picked up my LCR today. The sheet from Ruger says they replaced the barrel, cylinder, firing pin, trigger, and hammer. There is no endshake at all now. I haven't got my gauges to measure the b/c gap but I will. Now I have to shoot it.

Just weird they would replace on that stuff on a brand new gun.
 
I'm sorry to hear the LCR has such a short life span. Mine gets shot 200 +/-rounds every weekend and has since purchased late last summer. Does this mean I have to warn everyone else on the range that there may or may not be a catastrophic failure at any time killing all innocents within a 50 yd radius?
FWIW, I've had many fellow shooters come over and ask to look at the LCR, to a person they were impressed with the quality and trigger pull. All of the shooters that took me up on my offer to shoot the gun were shocked at how pleasant the gun was to fire. Until a few months ago I was old school on revolvers needing to be steel to be quality, the LCR has completely changed my thinking.
 
O.K. I' new to this forum, not to others. It is nice to see 1911 Tuner here because he speaks so clearly. I had to go grab my LCR, empty it and give it a shake. It might move(there is a little noise) about .001. It will not fall apart with many rounds down range(I think) and I couldn't shoot that many through it any way. I do believe if I need it, it will do it's part if I do mine. A sweet little gun.
 
Gentlemen / ladies, I admit it: I'm a dinosaur.

I practice religiously with my carry pieces because I do not ever want to be in a gunfight and miss the goblin I'm shooting at, and hit an innocent bystander or the "human shield" the goblin may have grabbed. I easily put 200 rounds a month through my carry snubbies in the attempt to be unquestionably proficient. That means I shoot solid metal framed Smith and Ruger snubbies. I don't think the featherweight LCRs could stand up to such a shooting regimen. Maybe the LCR as a "holy crap, I need a gun NOW" tertiary back-up, but only maybe. I'd still rather have an M642...

I have to admit that the LCR certainly appears to be very portable and with the Ruger name behind it, probably a decent piece, but, for MY application, it just ain't there.

Some will disagree with me and others will agree. The key is whether or not it meets one's requirements. If so, then buy one and carry it. If not, then don't and don't. That's the beauty of America and being a lawful citizen......so many choices for carry guns..........

Just my opinion....................
 
My LCR has movement almost undetectable. Cylinder gap is the thickness of typing paper. Obviously not made for 100 rounds without cooling.

Of course, my hand isn’t made for 100 rounds through it without resting every 10 rounds—for about a day.

It’s made for what it does and does what it’s made for.
 
I measured the B/C gap and the .008 fit in there very tightly. .008 is certainly just fine, and I'm happy that Ruger "fixed" the gun. The B/C gap was never a big concern for me like the endshake was. I have never owned a gun with as much endshake as my LCR had before I sent it out.

I have confidence that the gun will shoot fine, and hold up just fine. As long as the gun proves reliable, I envision it will certainly replace my S&W 442 for carry. I feel that as far as trigger pull, the LCR is superior. I have a pre lock/MIM 442 that has a trigger pull that is just as smooth/light as the LCR, but it cost me a pretty penny for shipping to/from Clark Custom Guns, plus the work it's self. Not to mention the pinned from sight of the LCR vs the Airweights. And the cylinder is a hair more narrower, and its just a tad lighter also. But I don't plan on getting rid of that 442 either, its a sweet gun.
 
Mine had the same kind of wiggle and relatively large gap when I bought it as well, but other than the trigger smoothing out and my grouping getting tighter I've noticed no change.
 
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