Ruger LCP - Pocket Full of Jam

[Solitaire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjCzR-GjFrE&feature=youtu.be

Anyone else have similar experiences with one of these?

Against my better judgment, I went ahead and bought one of these little things to serve as a pocket gun instead of my little S&W Model 36 J frame. I like the weight and size, but after my experience, I don't think I'd like it so much in a defensive situation. I had multiple failures to extract with both Winchester White Box FMJ and PPU (Prvi Partizan) FMJ ammo. No limp wristing or other shooter errors.

I'm sure there are some fairly reliable pocket .380s floating around out there, but I think this pretty much makes up my mind in the .38 snub vs. pocket .380 debate. Despite the added bulk and weight of the .38, there's a lot to be said for "five for sure."

 

[SERparacord]

LCP's are known not to be ammo friendly, There are spring kits and all sorts of aftermarket parts out there to make them function reliably. I traded mine off and got a Colt Mustang, solved the problem.

 

[bobbittle]

How many rounds through it total?

How did it function with hollow points?

 

[gunman41mag]

RETURN IT TO RUGER

 

[SERparacord]

Ruger has great service. People who have sent their gun back multiple times swear by them. I find it's better to have a gun that doesn't need sent back.

 

[Solitaire]

How many rounds through it total?

How did it function with hollow points?

I ran 50 rounds through it, all FMJ. I didn't plan on carrying hollow points in a gun of this caliber with that short of a barrel, due to potential lack of penetration. FMJ ammo will penetrate reliably, and that is a heck of a lot more important than a little bit of potential expansion that you might get with the low energy and light bullet of a .380.

 

[Fawkes]

my kel tec p3at feeds like a champ, jes sayin

 

[bobbittle]

I ran 50 rounds through it, all FMJ. I didn't plan on carrying hollow points in a gun of this caliber with that short of a barrel, due to potential lack of penetration. FMJ ammo will penetrate reliably, and that is a heck of a lot more important than a little bit of potential expansion that you might get with the low energy and light bullet of a .380.

Fair enough. I carry Hornady Critical Defense in mine, but typically only carry it in the summer anyway. Winter offers more choices for concealing a larger firearm.

My suggestion is to run some more rounds through it. Another 100+. Just like the Kel Tec P3AT the LCP benefits from a good 150-200rnd break in period.

 

[Solitaire]

RETURN IT TO RUGER

I think I will. Send it back, and then swap it for something else when I get it back. I love the smooth trigger and feel of my model 36, but it's a little hefty in the pocket. I've never cared a whole lot for the hammerless snubs, but I might go ahead and trade for a no-lock 442 or 642 when I get the LCP back. Something light for the pocket, for the rare occasion when I do pocket carry.

Had a Ruger LCR for a while, but I found that if I short stroked the trigger, it could advance the cylinder and skip a live round. I really didn't like that. Not down on Ruger or anything, I have an SP101, GP100 and 10/22 that I'll never get rid of.

 

[XDLover]

I had a LCP and never had a issue. Only time it didn't function properly was my buddy who swore he wasn't limp wristing and sure enough was limp wristing it. I used lots of wwb and various brands. I never had a single issue.
I've also have friends that have them with no issues.

Sorry you got a Bad one. That it hold it different YMMv

 

[Fawkes]

You might just need a fluff and buff

 

[Solitaire]

I had a LCP and never had a issue. Only time it didn't function properly was my buddy who swore he wasn't limp wristing and sure enough was limp wristing it. I used lots of wwb and various brands. I never had a single issue.
I've also have friends that have them with no issues.

Sorry you got a Bad one. That it hold it different YMMv

I don't think I was limp wristing it (see the video), but maybe it needs a little firmer hold. Anyway, not an issue with a snub. I'll just have to get used to the stiffer trigger on the Airweights, I haven't found one yet that holds a candle to my circa 1970's Chief's Special.

 

[gglass]

Fluff and buff... Kel-Tec P-3AT owners have needed it for years, and you will find the occasional LCP that does too. Look it up. You can do it yourself or send it in to Ruger for free. Either way, you will have a very reliable pistol in the end.

Don't judge all LCP's or even pocket .380's from your one experience. Would you judge all pocket .38's as untrustworthy if you shot one with the cylinder out of time?

My 100% reliable LCP...

 

[Walt_Jabsco]

LCP's are known not to be ammo friendly, There are spring kits and all sorts of aftermarket parts out there to make them function reliably. I traded mine off and got a Colt Mustang, solved the problem.

>Has trouble with an LCP, decides a Colt Mustang is the right choice for reliability.

 

[Solitaire]

Fluff and buff... Kel-Tec P-3AT owners have needed it for years, and you will find the occasional LCP that does too. Look it up. You can do it yourself or send it in to Ruger for free. Either way, you will have a very reliable pistol in the end.

Don't judge all LCP's or even pocket .380's from your one experience. Would you judge all pocket .38's as untrustworthy if you shot one with the cylinder out of time?

My 100% reliable LCP...

You've got a point, but really, an out of time revolver is much less common than a semiauto with an extraction issue. How does a fluff and buff affect extraction? It's not a feeding problem, the empty casings aren't getting pulled out of the chamber every couple of shots.

 

[Regionnus Rattis]

I ran 50 rounds through it, all FMJ. I didn't plan on carrying hollow points in a gun of this caliber with that short of a barrel, due to potential lack of penetration. FMJ ammo will penetrate reliably, and that is a heck of a lot more important than a little bit of potential expansion that you might get with the low energy and light bullet of a .380.

Definitely use FMJs...penetration is much more important, especially in cold weather and more clothing. Mine is my pocket gun bicycle riding and when I go to church

 

[Slapstick]

I have 2 LPC's one's a Jam-o-matic and the other has never failed. Watching the video I will bet the frame is miss cut for the extractor. When I put both of the slides next to each other you can see that one the jams is a few hundreds off. As a little experiment I changed the slide on the frames and the frame that jammed function flawlessly with the slide from the good one but using the frame of the good one with the bad slide resulted in several jams per mag. I did try replacing the extractor, spring and plunger but it didn't do a bit of good, the one that jams, still jams.

Unfortunately when I got a round to calling Ruger about it they said I only had a year warranty so they would have to charge me to fix it. I asked if could just buy the slide and was told that I would have to send the old one back to them with a $107.00 and they would ship a new one. Right now the Jam-o-matic is project on the workbench. I've been slowly filing and sanding the extractor cut out on the slide and have it to where it will go a mag or 2 without jamming. (Figured it isn't going to hurt since I would have to send it back to get a new one. Good practice on basic gunmithing skills).

An easy check is to field strip it, turn the slide upside down and slide an empty case against the face of the slide and under the extractor. If it's lose in any way that's most likely your problem.

In any case, my advice is to send it back to Ruger ASAP and have them fix it.

 

[SubicWarrior1988]

Get rid of that LCP, chasing down mouse gun gremlins is expensive. I've owned 2 LCPs that were flawless out of the box, they exist. Sorry.

 

[Hookeye]

What other ammo have you tried?
I've only shot a couple of LCPs, both were new and ran like champs, right off the bat.
Could be a bad extractor or a bit of foreign material affecting function. Could be something more involved, but have seen Rugers and others with grit or a burr down in someplace it shouldn't be.

 

[XDLover]

If there is an issue send it back and have them fix it. My thought is you are a revolver fan and there is nothing wrong with it. I honestly believe there are handling differences and couple that in with a fickle gun and you get negative results.