Your opinions of the Ruger LCP

[Shift Zombie]

Im looking into getting my wife a carry license and a gun for christmas. At a gun show today she picked up the Ruger LCP and absolutely live the feel of it. From some reviews that I read, it's an accurate and reliable gun. However, others have said they experienced too many jams to make it a carry weapon. I also know that Ruger had a recall do to some issues in 2009. My point being, would you recommend this gun for potential carry?

 

[dice dealer]

My wife carries one . I have one for my bug gun .

Love them , for what they are .

Both our are pre 2009 ....Both sent back for the recall .
Ruger I might add has probably THE best customer service in the industry .

Never had any issues what so ever with either gun .

I would suggest, if you buy one, break it in with good ammo .

At first it may or may not feed Hollow point ammo well .

After a break in ( 100 rds or so ) this will get MUCH better .

 

[armedindy]

i own one, and ummmmmm...yaaaaaa. i suppose i would....though to be honest, im with the crowd in that i HATE that trigger pull (its that guns only "form" of "safety" i guess...i think that depending on how shes gonna carry it and how much shes willing to practice it could be a good choice. but i think its more of a "mans" gun...lol and i only mean that in the sense that i dont carry a purse, so when i want to be strapped and not have a bulky obvious weapon the lcp shines...its so perfect for concealment and lightweight comfort...but as comfort in shooting goes it sucks. i think i would check out the sig p238, a kahr, possibly 9mm....just something with a better trigger and maybe a little heavier

 

[sartwell]

I have 200 rds. through mine without any problems.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I have it and the Kel-Tec P3AT which is almost exactly like it with a few minor differences. I have 200-300 rounds through the LCP and for what it is I like it fine. I had one or two FTF within the first 50 rounds and haven't had any troubles since. It doesn't rust as easily as my GFs P3AT (mine is chrome slide), but I still have to watch it as it will get rust spots in the summer from sweat. People with smaller hands will like how it handles, though like any pocket gun the recoil is stout for its size.

What surprised me was how well I could shoot it. At 50' I was only a little less accurate than with my normal EDC guns, and that is with what can only be described as minimal sights.

 

[J_Wales]

I wasn't aware of the recall and I have never had a single jam with mine through hundreds of rounds... even the Hornady Critical Defense hollow points I carry with feed with no issues.

The LCP is a great pistol for a pocket gun and I carry as such on a routine basis.

Like any pocket gun in .380 or higher, it is "snappy" when fired. That said, keep in mind it is not meant as a range gun... it is an up close personal defense weapon.

Within 25 feet it is dead on balls accurate.

Many will take the position that that a .380 is too small a round for defense, but I have yet to find somebody that takes that position to take me up on an offer to let me shoot them with it at 25 feet to test their assertion.

If your wife decides to carry, you may suggest that she do so in some place other than her purse since that is often the first thing pos thugs go for. Heck, the LCP is small enough for a woman to palm as she is walking through a parking lot with no trouble.... and it works better than mace.

Good luck and Merry Christmas!

 

[Mad Man]

I've put close to 1K rounds through mine. A few FTF early on but I believe they were due to limp wristing as it happened at the end of range times. It's not a target/range gun by any means. I've had mine for a few years now and it gets 100% carry duty during summer months. Resides in an Uncle George's wallet holster. When the weather cools off and I wear sweatshirts and jackets ( as do the BG's) then it's .40 S&W or .38 special depending on where I'm going. Miss Elsie (LCP) is a handful and takes a little practice especially for a new shooter.
YMMV

 

[rdg]

I wasn't aware of the recall and I have never had a single jam with mine through hundreds of rounds... even the Hornady Critical Defense hollow points I carry with feed with no issues.

The LCP is a great pistol for a pocket gun and I carry as such on a routine basis.

Like any pocket gun in .380 or higher, it is "snappy" when fired. That said, keep in mind it is not meant as a range gun... it is an up close personal defense weapon.

Within 25 feet it is dead on balls accurate.

Many will take the position that that a .380 is too small a round for defense, but I have yet to find somebody that takes that position to take me up on an offer to let me shoot them with it at 25 feet to test their assertion.

If your wife decides to carry, you may suggest that she do so in some place other than her purse since that is often the first thing pos thugs go for. Heck, the LCP is small enough for a woman to palm as she is walking through a parking lot with no trouble.... and it works better than mace.

Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Agree with this completely! Gun is a good close quarters weapon. Have a hard time with 50' accuracy claims above, but maybe that is just me. All in all, a decent gun that has great lines and performs adequately.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Agree with this completely! Gun is a good close quarters weapon. Have a hard time with 50' accuracy claims above, but maybe that is just me. All in all, a decent gun that has great lines and performs adequately.

I can hold a 3-4" 10 round group at 50' with any of my primary EDC weapons (Glock 20, 29, or 36), and with the LCP I can do a magazine in a 5-6" group at 50'. I consider that very acceptable for a pocket gun. Possibly just the way it fits my hand that it points very well. I also shoot pistol of some sort almost daily. And if you doubt me, you are welcome out to my range to see.

 

[45fan]

The LCP is very capable of decent accuracy, in the right hands. I can turn out acceptable accuracy with mine ( fist sized groups @ 7 yrds) but my little sister can bust clay pigeons with the same pistol at 15 yds or so. It just depends on the person, and how it fits their hand.
My wife decided on a Bodyguard .380 for her pocket gun, and honestly I like the sights on it much better. Might be worth a look at them also, if that is the size she is looking at.

 

[sidewinder27]

I just sold mine today to Bradis. My thoughts on the LCR are.

1. Don't buy it. Get a steel frame.
2. After 100 rounds if you shook the gun while it was unloaded you could hear that something had come loose, and was making a noise.
3. I always shot high from where I was aiming due to the frame being light and nothing but myself to absorb the recoil.
4. Didn't like the heavy trigger pull weight.
5. Black sights on a black gun are not easy to see. I put a piece of white medical tape just wide enough to cover the top of the front sight.
6. Don't waste your money on the one with the Crimson Trace.

Ignore post I misread the LCP and read LCR. Mods please feel free to delete this post.

 

[finnegan]

I have very large hands (xl gloves are snug), so this gun doesn't work for me at all. I barely hit the target at 7 yards, and my grouping was measured in feet, not inches. There just isnt enough gun for me to be able to control the weapon with any proficiency, and I don't have the budget/ desire to learn how to do so.

My girlfriend with her smaller hands gets very good groupings with the weapon. She got a decent deal on it and loves it. After approx. 75 rounds through it (including Hornady Critical Defense, which shouldn't be shot through it regularly as the weapon isn't really conceived with high-pressure rounds in mind from what I've read) we've had zero malfunctions.

 

[crispy]

Like any pocket gun in .380 or higher, it is "snappy" when fired.

... except for the Sig P-238.

 

[Theslab1]

LCP

I purchased an LCP about 2 years ago and love it. Small and sleek with a good solid feel in the hand. About the same size as an iPhone in an Otterbox case.
Light enough to put in pocket and carry.

It is a close range weapon, IMO. Not much for sights. Shoots as an extension of your hand. Plenty of power and capacity to get a bad guys attention, if needed.

I experienced no loading/firing issues within the first 200 rounds.

Hard to beat for $300...

 

[Shift Zombie]

Ahhhh, Shibumiseeker, i forgot about the offer. I'll have to come out there soon. I've got a PPQ coming I on Monday that demands range time.

Overall, it sounds like everyone is satisfied by the LCP. Would you rather use a CZ-83 if you had the option?

 

[ralphb72]

I think your gift idea is great, but if at all possible, have her shoot the gun or one like it before you buy it! I have bought my wife 3 guns now and still don't have one that she is completely happy with.

I have an LCP and I like it. I can carry it in a inside the waistband holster, a pocket holster, or an ankle holster, depending on what I am wearing and where I am going that day. I can hit what I want to shoot fairly easily, but my wife does NOT like the way it feels or the way it shoots. She can't hold on to it well and just doesn't like it. I showed her the LC9 and she doesn't like it either.

 

[jamstutz]

I showed her the LC9 and she doesn't like it either.

I was just going to recommend that she consider the LC9--

[1] It's the same shape but a little bit larger and easier to hold onto.
[2] It's a 9mm so the ammo is a bit cheaper, easier to find, as well as being a bit more powerful.
[3] The sights are much better than the LCP.
[4] Felt recoil is close to being the same as the LCP.

 

[buckstopshere]

Your wife and mine must have been talking. I just went through this whole scenario with her the last couple of days. I was out of town, she saw a break in on the news and said, I'm finally ready to start carrying but I won't carry anything big. I took her out and she manipulated an LCP, p3at, lc9, and g26. She decided on the LCP. That was Friday, bought one Saturday off a fellow INGOer.

She could easily rack the slide and she has small hands so she can get a rim grip on it. She's a small woman and, unlike me (for now), doesn't want to OC. The LCP seemed to fit the bill.

Too small for me. I think the only way I could really shoot it would be with one hand. Need to get out to the range and try it out.

Congrats to your wife on making a good decision to start carrying! That is great news for all of us.

 

[andfc]

I think it's great for what it is, especially for the price. It's light, easy to carry, and about as reliable as a small pistol can be expected to be. I haven't had any malfunctions through a few hundred rounds with Hornady XTP and all kinds of FMJ, as long as the shooter kept a solid grip. There are a lot of good holster and accessories available, so there's going to be something out there that works for her, as far as carrying goes.

The downsides are intentional compromises - tiny sights in order to be snag-free, a long, heavy trigger in order to avoid manual safeties, and harsh recoil because of its light weight. It wouldn't be a great choice for someone with weak hands. How is your wife with recoil? It's not too harsh to get used to, but I wouldn't want someone to carry one without really being comfortable with the kick. Limp-wristing just about guarantees a jam.


I'd much rather shoot a CZ-83, but it's a double stack and lot bigger and heavier. The LCP is in a different class, more tailored to ease of carry - but maybe the CZ-83 class is a better choice for your wife.

 

[gglass]

Im looking into getting my wife a carry license and a gun for christmas. At a gun show today she picked up the Ruger LCP and absolutely live the feel of it. From some reviews that I read, it's an accurate and reliable gun. However, others have said they experienced too many jams to make it a carry weapon. I also know that Ruger had a recall do to some issues in 2009. My point being, would you recommend this gun for potential carry?

The LCP is an extremely reliable small framed semi-auto. Mine has never had an issue, and I have several friends who have had similar experiences with theirs.

The recall you speak of was announced immediately after the introduction of the LCP, and had absolutely nothing to do with reliability. The recall addressed a potential issue with the LCP firing if dropped on its muzzle. This is the exact same potential problem found in the 1st generation Kel-Tec P3-AT's that it so closely resembles. The difference between Ruger and Kel-Tec with regard to this issue, is that Ruger paid for a very expensive recall to fix a potential safety issue, and Kel-Tec simply engineered a 2nd gen pistol and left the 1st gens on the street.

I would highly recommend the LCP as a BUG or deep concealment main gun, but I cannot say that you will enjoy it much at the range... That is not its purpose.

No matter which of my larger hanguns I may or may not be carrying, I ALWAYS have my LCP somewhere on my person.

LCP eye candy: