Ruger LCR vs LCP? concealed carry newbie

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35Remfan

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I am going to get my concealed carry permit within the month. I have narrowed my choice to either a Ruger LCR 38 special or LCP in 380.

Initially I was very interested in the LCP due to the size and that I can carry it without a holster. Front pocket carry is important to me. However, after a visit to Cabelas I think I have fallen for the revolver in the classic 38 special.

What should I get? I have plenty of 38 special ammo(few hundred rounds loaded, tons of brass and powder and bullets, and the dies to reload). Right now with the ammo crunch and high prices this is a big plus for me and really makes me LEAN toward the LCR.

So what do you think High Roaders? Why?

P.S. I believe both choices should be easily concealed in a front pocket of my pants.
 
I owned an LCP and was very happy to trade it for a Taurus model 65 in .357. The trigger pull is so long that it takes a long time to become accurate with it as you have a tendency to pull it up and left (with a right handed shooter)

I have only shot the LCR a few times but the trigger is sweet though there is some recoil due to its lite weight. Overall, it is much easier to shoot than the LCP.

The .38 round is better in a self defense situation than the .380, though you get an extra 2 rounds with the LCP if you carry one in the chamber.

What the LCP gets you is easy to carry. It easily fit in a cargo pants pocket but the LCR is not much bigger. If you carry an extra magazine (which you have to buy separate), it is easier to re-load the LCP but with a speed loader, it is not much better.

I carry a SW Model 36 and I am much happier and feel much better armed with that than the LCP. I just felt it was a hard to shoot piece of plastic.
 
The LCR/KLCR (.357 version) is my idea of the ultimate CCW gun. I have a KLCR with Crimson Trace grips that is be far my most carried and used gun. Two thumbs up from me!
 
The LCP is more flexible for concealment than the LCR due to its smaller and thinner size.

I have never shot an LCR, but my Smith 642 kicks like a mule with 38 Special +P. It is down right unpleasant to me. The lighter Ruger would be a bit worse. But, this is personal things.

Of course, my opinion and $5 will get you an over priced designer coffee.
 
The LCR is easy to carry in a pocket. I strongly recommend getting a holster for it though; even one of the cheap nylon holsters is much safer than carrying loose in a pocket. I use a Blackhawk! size 4 and it keeps the gun quite stable even in a big cargo pocket where it would otherwise move around. The holster also allows me to safely carry a speedstrip in the same pocket with the gun.

Recoil is subjective; lots of folks think the LCP is worse than the LCR. I've never fired an LCP but find .357 loads acceptable in my LCR. My wife doesn't go in for recoil and blast, so she has a .380 (SIG P238.)

Anyway, it sounds like you really want the LCR, and I think it's a solid choice. Go for it.
 
I have carried both and like the LCR much better. Both have double action only triggers but I find the grip on the LCP too small for my hands (I have pretty small hands too). The trigger pull is, at least for me, smoother on the LCR.
 
Since you load for .38 I'd day its an easy choice. Nice thing about revolvers, if it doesn't go off you just pull the trigger again.

I carry an LCR myself.
 
I regularly pocket carry a S&W J frame. Very similar to the LCR. People seem to love the LCR trigger and hate the LCP trigger. I'd go LCR.
 
LCR in a pocket holster in the front pocket. Great setup. Definitely use a pocket holster.

Best carry ammo is either the Speer 135 +P short barrel, or the Rem. 125+P Golden Saber. Carry an extra 5 rounds in a speed strip.

I love mine. Perfect with shorts and t-shirt, or a suit.
 
I have both, and love both. Go with whatever your heart tells you.

I have never shot an LCR, but my Smith 642 kicks like a mule with 38 Special +P. It is down right unpleasant to me. The lighter Ruger would be a bit worse. But, this is personal things.
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I had a 642. I hated it, because of its recoil and sold it. The LCR does recoil, but it's more pleasant to me for some reason, than the 642. I can tolerate the LCR's recoil. I think Hogue did a great job with that fancy-pants "Tamer" grip.
 
Which are you more comfortable shooting? What clothing do you wear most of the time (jeans-dress pants)? Which gun are you more accurate with? Regardless, get a good holster not just something that your gun lays in.
A sloppy holster will either allow your gun to fall out when you sit down, or pull out with your gun on the draw stroke. 90% of new gun owners have no idea how important it is to own a good holster/gun belt.
 
I have an LCP and daughter has an LCR both are excellent pocket guns, for you I'd say the LCR is the way to go because it's all about Ammo, ammo, AMMO nowadays.
 
Initially I was very interested in the LCP due to the size and that I can carry it without a holster.
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Carry it with a holster or risk taking a bullet in a place you do not want one.
 
What about the LC9?

Here in Calif. the LCP is only available to law enforcement. I looked at the LCR and LC9, tough choice. The LC9 is thinner, slightly smaller profile and 8 round capacity (7 + 1 ) compared to 5 rounds. The LC9 has better sights. The LCR is lighter by about 4oz. and has a better trigger and I already have .38/.357, getting 9mm meant adding another caliber/cartridge for me.
The trigger on the LC9 isn't all that bad, it's smooth but long. When they become available again I may get a Galloway trigger bar and shorten the pull by 35%. The trigger bar cost $40.00.
I like the LC9. it is far thinner and lighter than my SP101 or M&P40c ,those 2 are very similar in size and weight.
 
Initially I was very interested in the LCP due to the size and that I can carry it without a holster.
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Pocket carry does not eliminate the need for a holster. Pocket holsters help break up the outline of the gun, keep it oriented for quick presentation, and help keep lint and other pocket debris out of the works. I would never pocket carry any gun without a holster.

What should I get?
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Given what you say in your post, I'd go with the LCR. Even in normal conditions, .380 ammo tends to be expensive and if you go with +P loads in your LCR you've got a bit more power and arguably a more effective round.
 
BTW, good pocket holsters for the LCR are the #3 Uncle Mike's and the Galco Nemesis. Blackhawk makes a holster virtually identical to the Uncle Mike's.
 
The only thing better than an LCR/KLCR is two of them!! I carry a KLCR in a CrossBreed OWB SnapSlide holster every day and sometimes carry two with the other in a Renegade Cozy Partner ankle holster. I've tried many firearms and many holsters but have finally found the ultimate system for me since the KLCR is sooooo easy to carry. :D These are awesome revolvers!! By the way, I've been using a Galco belt for the past 18 months but recently ordered a pair of Ares Ranger belts which are supposed to be the bees knees.

ruger_klcr_13.jpg
 
I have both the LCP, and .38 and .357 LCRs.

I carry the LCP in the weak (left) side front side of my Dockers style pants about 2 to 1 over the LCR .38, due to its flatness and smaller size. But the LCR .38 isn't bad.

They are just backup to something bigger, never carried as primary weapon.

I call the seven .380 90 grain Gold Dots of the LCP and the five .38 +P 125 grain Gold Dots about a wash. One has a little more capacity, one a little more power.

The LCP does reload faster. And carry easier. For me.

I find the .357 LCR too heavy for pocket carry. A great pistol, but I carry it other than pocket mostly. On a rare occasion I'll pocket carry it, but I feel those extra 3 or 4 ounces pretty quickly.

I think you should consider putting whichever you chose in a pocket holster. They protect both the pockets and the pistol. The pockets from wear and the pistol from lint.

Edited to add: I have the boot grip on the .38 LCR to enhance the pocket carry aspect of it.
 
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35remfan...do you shoot right handed or left handed? I am right handed, left eye dominant and found that when I gripped the LC9 (and I assume the LCP) in my left hand I would inadvertently hit the mag release causing the mag to drop a little, as that gun has a mag disconnect "safety" I ended up holding nothing more than a very poor club in my hand. I ended up buying a 357 LCR and couldn't be happier. It is very recoil friendly and carries very nice in a Desantis Nemasis.
 
Probably not the answer you are looking for but I carried an LCP daily for a couple years and then swapped it for an almost as compact Kahr PM40. The PM40 fits all my pants (sizes 32-34) except the dress slacks I wear to church, is more accurate, has a much better trigger, has the option of an extended mag to be a 2-finger or a 3-finger-grip gun, and has really mild recoil even with heavy 180 grain loads due to the dual springs. I own only one other pair of pants where I use the standard mag and not the extended. Unlike the LCP it does not rotate in my pocket.

.380 to .40 is a huge step up in effectiveness for a slight increase in size. I was never comfortable carrying a .380 for defense (carried +p ammo and in FMJ for penetration). I'm much more comfortable carrying heavy .40 hollow points.

The pictures below are a CM40 but the PM40 is a higher grade of the same gun and the same size:
DSC03901.jpg
DSC03902.jpg
DSC03903.jpg

The CM9/PM9 is a little smaller but much thinner, almost as thin as the LCP. I'd be much more comfortable with a 9mm than a .380.
073333b2.jpg

Mike
 
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Khar's and Rugers

I looked at the Khar PM9, at $800.00 vs $400.00 I bought a Ruger LC9. I liked the Khar a little better but not $400.00 better.
 
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