Ruger LCPII Yea or Nay? Or what?

[Ziggidy]

I am in the market for a new carry piece and am considering the LCPII. I've been going back and forth for many months and have read allot online, but have not asked folks I would trust to give an honest answer....so here I am.

My left hand has some weakness so it must be easy to rack for me. I did rent one a few months back and it seemed ok, but renting it one time does not give me any long term confidence. RK sells them much less than any other place ($239) so that is a plus.

2 questions without having (another one of those debates):

1) 380 is not the best, but is it worth consideration - honestly. I have a revolver now (LCR 357) and carry with 38's. Are 380's sufficient?

2) Mechanically, how solid is the LCPII? For those who may've one, are you comfortable using it as a carry even after a couple of years?

OK - 3 questions

3) Anything to watch for or be concerned with?

I want something lightweight and small. I cannot afford a Sig, but would in a heartbeat - I have tried the P938 (9mm) and it's very nice.

Any suggestions? Anything to stay away from?

 

[tsm]

I carry the original LCP in an Uncle George’s pocket holster and it serves well when I can’t carry a larger gun for various reasons. The holster maker has some concerns about the LCPII as a carry piece and won’t make a holster for it. You might want to check his website and read what those are. I have no comment on whether his concerns are valid or not, but he’s obviously thought about it more than I have and you did ask for any concerns about it. Just FYI.

 

[Ziggidy]

Thanks TSM....that helps.

 

[red_zr24x4]

If you want small and 380 is a concern why not look into a Glock 43? Small package, 9mm, I carry mine IWB with a tucked in shirt you cant tell its there

 

[edwea]

I bought an lcp ii right when they first came out for my wife who has arthritis and can't rack most slides. I carried it and shot it and found it to be a very nice piece, especially for the price. I always shot it better than average and it disappears in an iwb holster. I sold it a month or so ago after making a late night bid on GunBroker that I didn't have the cash for. My opinion is buy with confidence if a .380 is what you want.

 

[Dean C.]

I would say go for it, with price being a factor I would honestly argue it is the best .380 on the market right now. My best friend has one and I have shot a couple hundred rounds through his and it shoots remarkably well for such as small gun with essentially gutter sights. Also 38SPL and .380acp are probably on par with each other "power-wise" the 38spl is not really the most efficient cartridge since it was originally designed for black powder.

 

[Ziggidy]

If you want small and 380 is a concern why not look into a Glock 43? Small package, 9mm, I carry mine IWB with a tucked in shirt you cant tell its there

I've never considered a Glock - I'll have to take a look before I buy.

 

[Ziggidy]

I bought an lcp ii right when they first came out for my wife who has arthritis and can't rack most slides. I carried it and shot it and found it to be a very nice piece, especially for the price. I always shot it better than average and it disappears in an iwb holster. I sold it a month or so ago after making a late night bid on GunBroker that I didn't have the cash for. My opinion is buy with confidence if a .380 is what you want.

I am not specifically looking for a .380, I just want something small, easy to rack and carry, reasonably priced and reasonably controlled. I really do not look forward to buying another caliber, but.....I will.

 

[Ziggidy]

I would say go for it, with price being a factor I would honestly argue it is the best .380 on the market right now. My best friend has one and I have shot a couple hundred rounds through his and it shoots remarkably well for such as small gun with essentially gutter sights. Also 38SPL and .380acp are probably on par with each other "power-wise" the 38spl is not really the most efficient cartridge since it was originally designed for black powder.

I agree with the price being decent; much cheaper than all the other stores I've looked at - even online.

 

[snorko]

I carry a gen II LCP 1 with a hogue fitted grip daily. I have found it to be reliable and accurate. They can be found for well under $200 now and I think it is the better value.

 

[Voldemort]

Get it. Put on a rubber grip and its an all day shooter. Great trigger and accurate. Gold dots or Critical defense and you are good to go.

 

[halfmileharry]

You're getting into S&W Body Guard money range now.
A used BodyGuard is about the same money as the LCP.
Ruger is a good choice and I've got one. I've also got a BodyGuard I bought used off an INGO Member.
Since I have both and I shoot and carry both as back up guns I say.... Get the S&W...
Wait for a good deal since money seems to be a major factor for your purchase. You already have a capable wheel gun.
As far as the .380 goes.... I'd feel naked carrying less caliber especially this time of year with heavier coats and jackets in the mix. NOTHING less than .380. Just my uneducated and biased opinion.
Bigger is better and more is always best. Don't take a knife to a gun fight.

 

[SAILORGOLF46]

I carry a LCPll when nothing else hides, summer mostly. Forget the sights it is a up close point and shoot gun and is very accurate at that. Nice trigger but is a hand full to shoot. I also prefer an Uncle Mikes pocket holster to the one that comes with it, $10 at wally world. I do not think you will be disappointed.

 

[jake 2000]

Ive had my lcp2 for about a year now my only complaint would be the sights i had to put a little white paint on the front sight to hit anything past 5 yards and still for me 15 yards is about the max to to keep on a 10" plate but in its defense it's kind of designed to be a up close kinda gun and those low profile sights are nice for pocket carry the only way ive carried it with it's supplied holster and as far as the 380 round itself there's tons of videos showing ballistics its plenty effective even with 8 layers of denim and theres my 2 cents

 

[BFR50-110]

I had a gen 2 LCP and it was good for what it was. I sold it and bought the LCP 2 after it had been out for a couple of months. Personally I think the LCP 2 is a vast improvement. It has a really nice trigger for the price and the last round slide lock is nice. For me it shoots like a much larger gun and is easy to make good hits with. Mine has been 100% reliable so far. 380 isn't my first choice for defense but I don't feel under gunned with it. Hornady XTP in 380 seems to do well in tests that I've seen. I hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[Ziggidy]

Thanks to everyone......it does help allot. Online (i.e. youtube) I never know who is patronizing a gun or really giving a true review. It's good to know from real users.

99% certain.

Thanks

 

[Cameramonkey]

Wife carried a LCP for a while. I own a 42 and recommend against it if you need a pocket pistol. The 42 is a tad bit too big.

Yes, sights are crap, but for a deep conceal bad breath distance gun, they are great.

 

[wtburnette]

I would say go for it, with price being a factor I would honestly argue it is the best .380 on the market right now. My best friend has one and I have shot a couple hundred rounds through his and it shoots remarkably well for such as small gun with essentially gutter sights. Also 38SPL and .380acp are probably on par with each other "power-wise" the 38spl is not really the most efficient cartridge since it was originally designed for black powder.

I agree with this. We have three of them. One for me, one for the wife and a stash gun. Great guns. We had bought two G42's for the wife (primary and backup) and both ran poorly for her, especially with certain ammo. Tried the LCPII and have not had any issues. For the price they're phenomenal IMO and disappears easily when carried, whether carried IWB, OWB or in a pocket. If you're looking for a subcompact .380, I recommend it. That said, as mentioned by Dean, a small 38spl might fit your needs as well or better. Also, are you sure you can't stretch your budget for a Sig 938 or P365? Both are a bit bigger, but fit your needs and use a better caliber. Better for stopping threats and cheaper ammo. Since Black Friday is near, look for deals. I've seen the low end Sig 938 for ~$450 before and I've seen the P365 as low as $499. I believe they've addressed the issues the early P365 models had. If I had to pick a small sub gun to carry today that would be my choice. Small like the LCPII (not as small, but still small) great sights and the possibility of 10+1 or 12+1 rounds of 9mm. Good deal for the price.

 

[minuteman32]

I have an LCP, LCP Custom & an LCP II. The Custom is the most comfortable to shoot, but not made any more. The LCP II is what is in my pocket almost every day as a backup. It functions well & is accurate enough. I did have to put one of the Hogue grips on it to be comfortable to shoot. It just hits in the wrong place of my hand but may not for you.
I would recommend shooting it a few hundred rounds of ball ammo & then loading it w/ Speer God Dots or Lehigh Extreme Defender ammo. The former has good test results & is cheaper. The later has outstanding test results but is outrageously expensive. I carry the Lehigh in mine.

 

[rtfisher1]

I concur with Snorko. I have an original LCP (gen 2 with slightly better sights and trigger) and like it better than the LCPII. It is slightly thinner and still hammer fired which I like better for pocket carry. The gun is completely controllable being so small and you will be shocked at how tight your groups are at 5-10 yards. They are more acccurate than you can imagine, at least for me. And yes, 7-8 rds of 380 will do just fine. I carry flat point Sig Sauer high performance or flat point Browning bpx hard ball. Plus its about $50 cheaper than the LCP 2 and you can purchase a couple extra mags. Ruger's 7 rd extended mag is great.