Severely Disappointed : Ruger LCP

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

Maybe about 5 years ago, I wanted a lightweight micro .380 to be a backup for my .44 I carried at the time, I did a private sale for a Ruger LCP first gen and thought I got a deal, Came with three mags and a box of ammo, Took it to the range and found out it would not run reliably with any brand of ammo, premium or junk ammo, I ended up selling it. In the interim I rarely had a micro .380 I had snub .38s fill that void for awhile, Well here we go again I wanted a small .380 for backup as I was feeling the snub .38 getting a bit heavy in the pocket, So I heard that Ruger improved the original LCP with bigger sights and a better trigger so I bit the bullet so to speak and ordered a dark earth model from Buds Gun Shop for 190, It came with one mag, I took it to the range yesterday and put in 56 rounds of ammo through it, 50 rounds of tula steel and 6 rounds of Sig V-Crown, not even with the V crown was the gun reliable we had 15 stoppages out of the 56 rounds all of them failures to feed, Ive heard of severa. stories like this so I suspect the story is not just "you got a lemon" for every person that says theirs are reliable I see one that says the opposite, Now I will be putting more ammo through it to see how it does but man twice in a row the same gun and brand let me down, Maybe Im destined to carry .38s for backups. Anyone else have the same issues?

 

[greg_r]

My dad carried, and both of my brothers carry a Gen1 LCP, I carry a LCP II. None of us has had any reliability issues.

 

[Wanderling]

Maybe about 5 years ago, I wanted a lightweight micro .380 to be a backup for my .44 I carried at the time, I did a private sale for a Ruger LCP first gen and thought I got a deal, Came with three mags and a box of ammo, Took it to the range and found out it would not run reliably with any brand of ammo, premium or junk ammo, I ended up selling it. In the interim I rarely had a micro .380 I had snub .38s fill that void for awhile, Well here we go again I wanted a small .380 for backup as I was feeling the snub .38 getting a bit heavy in the pocket, So I heard that Ruger improved the original LCP with bigger sights and a better trigger so I bit the bullet so to speak and ordered a dark earth model from Buds Gun Shop for 190, It came with one mag, I took it to the range yesterday and put in 56 rounds of ammo through it, 50 rounds of tula steel and 6 rounds of Sig V-Crown, not even with the V crown was the gun reliable we had 15 stoppages out of the 56 rounds all of them failures to feed, Ive heard of severa. stories like this so I suspect the story is not just "you got a lemon" for every person that says theirs are reliable I see one that says the opposite, Now I will be putting more ammo through it to see how it does but man twice in a row the same gun and brand let me down, Maybe Im destined to carry .38s for backups. Anyone else have the same issues?

I just had the same exact problem with a brand new LCP - one to two failures to feed per mag on 100 rds of WWB flatnose FMJ. I sent it to Ruger and they replaced the slide, the hammer catch, and I am pretty sure the barrel too (not on the paperwork, but when I received the gun the finish on top of the barrel didn't show any wear and I am 100% sure there were skid marks from shooting when I sent it in).

I shot over 70 rounds, mixing WWB Flatnose, Remington UMC Roundnose, and Federal Hydra Shok JHP, and not a single problem.

From my door to Ruger and back in 10 days.

So, send it to them - they will fix it.

(That said, I don't know if I would try any steel cased ammo in it...)

And yes, the sights are usable and the trigger is fine, as far as I am concerned. I have a 2nd generation LCP (not LCP II which looks a bit larger).

As long as it functions reliably, I love this gun. It's so small I forget I have it in my pocket, and it's more accurate than I expected it to be.

 

[Wisco]

I had a Gen1 and a Gen2 that were both 100% with any ammo.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

I just had the same exact problem with a brand new LCP - one to two failures to feed per mag on 100 rds of WWB flatnose FMJ. I sent it to Ruger and they replaced the slide, the hammer catch, and I am pretty sure the barrel too (not on the paperwork, but when I received the gun the finish on top of the barrel didn't show any wear and I am 100% sure there were skid marks from shooting when I sent it in).

I shot over 70 rounds, mixing WWB Flatnose, Remington UMC Roundnose, and Federal Hydra Shok JHP, and not a single problem.

From my door to Ruger and back in 10 days.

So, send it to them - they will fix it.

(That said, I don't know if I would try any steel cased ammo in it...)

And yes, the sights are usable and the trigger is fine, as far as I am concerned. I have a 2nd generation LCP (not LCP II which looks a bit larger).

As long as it functions reliably, I love this gun. It's so small I forget I have it in my pocket, and it's more accurate than I expected it to be.

Im going to shoot some more before I send it it, but I contact them if it persists.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

I had a Gen1 and a Gen2 that were both 100% with any ammo.

I had a gen 1 and a gen 2 that are/were 50% lol, I read these all the time, I see it frequently that the LCP is just not going to be as reliable as others.

 

[Wanderling]

Im going to shoot some more before I send it it, but I contact them if it persists.

I'd just save myself some aggravation and send it in. Two weeks is nothing.

 

[Quiet]

My experience with the Ruger LCP series...
LCP Gen 1 = no-go. would get at least one failure-to-feed stoppage per magazine.
LCP Gen 2 = good to go. no stoppages/malfunctions.
LCP II Gen 1 = good to go. no stoppages/malfunctions. seemed more accurate than the LCP Gen 1 & LCP Gen 2.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

LCP = Little Crappy Pistol.

 

[larryh1108]

I have the original issue LCP and love it. 2500+ rounds with many types of flat top ammo and several hundred RN reloads and not 1 failure. I guess I got lucky. I usually read how reliable these guns are. I don't see many complaints.

 

[sabbfan]

Never had an issue with my Gen 2, if yours persists in giving you issues I’m sure Ruger will get it sorted for free and quickly.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

LCP = Little Crappy Pistol.

Im inclined to agree with you, I will give it another chance, I will put 200 rounds more through it and if it doesnt work the way it needs to its getting sent to the factory then sold off.

 

[Tallball]

I have the original, the Kel-Tec P3AT. The Ruger is a copy of it. Mine is slightly smaller and has had zero malfunctions in several years. YMMV.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend and a neighbor's daughter have LCPs that do just fine (except for kicking unpleasantly.) I don't know which alphabet soup variants.

I bypassed the dwarf .380s and went from Keltec .32 to subcompact 9mm.
The Ruger LC9S may be the best.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

I honestly don't know what value others' experiences are in cases like this. I can't count how many times I've read criticisms of the PPK for being choosy about ammo. But my PPK has never once jammed no matter what I fed it*, including hollow points (mainly admittedly old-fashioned Silver Tips). So I guess the lesson is, ignore people like me and use your own good judgement.

*Oops I almost forgot. It won't feed CCI aluminum cases. Too much friction, I guess.

 

[sparkyv]

Im going to shoot some more before I send it it, but I contact them if it persists.

When I first got my 1st Gen LCP, I recall reading that 200 rounds were generally needed for LCP break in, however I don't recall having so many issues with it at all other than a broken take down pin. Definitely not 15 stoppages out of 56 rounds! I shot mostly brass ball ammo for the break in, not steel. I definitely did not shoot top end defense ammo for the break in period (too pricy) until I was confident of no feeding issues. It continues to be a reliable handgun. If further range time results are not improved, perhaps a trip to the mothership is in order.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

All of them I have fired or seen buddies fire were 100%.

I would not put steel cased ammo in a tiny new pistol and blame the pistol.

May want to let someone else shoot it to make sure you're not limp wristing it.

 

[Fiv3r]

My lcp wouldn't feel steel case ammo to save its life. Also, my experience with SIG ammo has been spotty. Ironically the only ammo that my 320 won't feed reliably is SIG brand

The lcp II has needed a bit of a break-in, but it's been about as reliable as any micro .380 I have had. It shoots better as well.

Really, when it comes to tiny hide aways, I find the mini rimfire revolvers to be the most reliable. I've never had a stoppage or misfire with a .22 mag.

If your lcp keeps giving you fits, Ruger will make it right. I will concur that the lc9s/ec9s packs almost as well as the lcp and seems more reliable. However, I still like the lcp when I can't carry anything bigger without having to go with a .22 mini revolver.

 

[Theohazard]

It’s possible you got two lemons, but since this is happening with two different pistols I’d guess there’s a strong possibility you’re limp-wristing it.

A large percentage of semi-auto handgun owners use a poor grip technique. They get away with this since they’re usually men and they’re shooting larger guns: Men are stronger and larger guns have more mass, both of which can help compensate for a bad grip. But take a tiny, snappy gun like an LCP and there’s a lot less of a margin for error.

I can’t count how many times over the years I’ve had customers come over to the shop side after shooting their small gun at the range and tell us they were having stoppages and they wanted to check the gun in for smithing. And 9 times out of 10, if one of us had time to go shoot it on the spot, it wouldn’t have a single stoppage.

 

[TN Outlaw]

You may very well have a lemon or it could be limp wristing. It sounds like the tiny pistols don't agree with you so it really could be either one.

I wouldn't fire steel or aluminum cased ammo just yet as that will just add to the problem. Shoot brass only and lean into it while you shoot. Those little pistols can be finicky in several aspects and being sensitive to not providing enough resistance during recoil is one. I'm not saying it is you, just pointing out the possibility.

Good luck, it sure is handy to have a tiny pistol in your pocket that you don't hardly notice being there.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

All of them I have fired or seen buddies fire were 100%.

I would not put steel cased ammo in a tiny new pistol and blame the pistol.

May want to let someone else shoot it to make sure you're not limp wristing it.

Had three people shoot it, pretty sure its not limp wristing, I have found tula ammo to be pretty dependable for range work, It was the cheapest thing and this was a function test which Im glad I did, I will run federal or remington next bout and see if that changes anything.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

It’s possible you got two lemons, but since this is happening with two different pistols I’d guess there’s a strong possibility you’re limp-wristing it.

A large percentage of semi-auto handgun owners use a poor grip technique. They get away with this since they’re usually men and they’re shooting larger guns: Men are stronger and larger guns have more mass, both of which can help compensate for a bad grip. But take a tiny, snappy gun like an LCP and there’s a lot less of a margin for error.

I can’t count how many times over the years I’ve had customers come over to the shop side after shooting their small gun at the range and tell us they were having stoppages and they wanted to check the gun in for smithing. And 9 times out of 10, if one of us had time to go shoot it on the spot, it wouldn’t have a single stoppage.

In that interim of 5 years since the first LCP, I had a smith bodyguard that never malfunctioned, my brother has the TCP from Taurus and same thing, I know its not limp wristing it, not when 3 different people shoot it.

 

[Theohazard]

In that interim of 5 years since the first LCP, I had a smith bodyguard that never malfunctioned, my brother has the TCP from Taurus and same thing, I know its not limp wristing it, not when 3 different people shoot it.

That does make it less likely that it’s limp wristing, but it doesn’t rule it out completely. What type of grip are all three of you using?

Also, keep in mind that lower-powered range ammo can make a gun way more sensitive to limp-wristing.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I honestly don't know what value others' experiences are in cases like this. I can't count how many times I've read criticisms of the PPK for being choosy about ammo. But my PPK has never once jammed no matter what I fed it*, including hollow points (mainly admittedly old-fashioned Silver Tips). So I guess the lesson is, ignore people like me and use your own good judgement.

*Oops I almost forgot. It won't feed CCI aluminum cases. Too much friction, I guess.

Sadly, I have not had great luck with .380 pocket autos, and my Interarms/Ranger PPK was the worst for feeding. My 1908 Colt ran a little better, but not great and my Mustang, P238, and .380 Govt all ran about 90% but still had the occasional stoppage.

My 92-year old 380 Rem.Mod.51 has yet to jam on me, but then I've only run a couple hundred rounds through it.

I truly believe the .32 is a more reliable round for mouse guns, but I can't explain why. Of the 3 I have now, I have never experienced a malfunction with any of them.

I'm on the fence with the LCP......seems like you either got a good one or you don't. I'm leaning toward the Beretta Pico at this point- I have yet to read of anyone experiencing a functional issue with one....

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Sadly, I have not had great luck with .380 pocket autos, and my Interarms/Ranger PPK was the worst for feeding. My 1908 Colt ran a little better, but not great and my Mustang, P238, and .380 Govt all ran about 90% but still had the occasional stoppage.

My 92-year old 380 Rem.Mod.51 has yet to jam on me, but then I've only run a couple hundred rounds through it.

I truly believe the .32 is a more reliable round for mouse guns, but I can't explain why. Of the 3 I have now, I have never experienced a malfunction with any of them.

I'm on the fence with the LCP......seems like you either got a good one or you don't. I'm leaning toward the Beretta Pico at this point- I have yet to read of anyone experiencing a functional issue with one....

I think I probably know more about the Ruger LCP than most average shooters. Shooting Pocket guns has been a niche type of shooting I do and I am a range rat. I have many post about them as I have shot thousands of rounds through 4 of them. I remember when I first bought my first one about a decade ago. The LGS Manager was a good friend and Ex Marine retired. I remember his words to this day. "They are throw away guns". You should em, then throw them away. Lol, I was a little perturbed about this, but later would understand what he meant. First of all you have one heck of a explosion going on in a diminutive little gun. They take a beating. No way around it. They serve a purpose, but if you are a avid shooter of pocket guns the LCP is not the gun to get. They just do not last long. And it is my belief that if you own a pocket gun you have to shoot often. They are hard to shoot and require a certain skill set. It takes time and money.
I would wear them out, Ruger with their great customer service would repair them over an over and over then just send me a new one which I would wear out and the process would be repeated. (I bet Ruger hates me). During those years there really was not much to choose from. Keltc and Tauaus and others seemed to me to be about in the same class so I stuck with it.
The good part is they shot very reliably with most ammo. They do not like flat nose bullets for the most case. Crazy as it was, the gun I owned love Tula Steel cased ammo. Very accurate with that ammo. Tula does have some hard primers and I would get a bad primer strike about 1 per box of 50. And contrary to some of the internet crap going on back then, they never broke a extractor. 380 ammo during a lot of those years was very expensive. And very hard to get.

I WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE LATER. JUST REALIZED I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK. HOPEFULLY WILL SHOW SOME PICTURES.