I pulled the trigger on my LCP to fire another round and nothing happened. That was cuz the slide was laying on the ground 6 feet in front of me ! The take down pin had walked out and the last round blew the slide off. No damage and I have a spare pin. BUT I was ******. I wish there was an aftermarket anti-walk pin for LCP's.
LCP Take Down Pin
- Thread starter KROIL
- Start date
I haven't fired mine a lot, but I confess I can't see how that pin can "walk". The pin has an abrupt step in it and the spring is pretty strong. In fact, it is a bit hard to remove the pin when I want to.
Just FWIW, on the right side of the pistol there is a tiny (why?) hole into which a thin wire can be inserted to push the pin out. Why they didn't make the hole bigger, I sure don't know.
Jim
Just FWIW, on the right side of the pistol there is a tiny (why?) hole into which a thin wire can be inserted to push the pin out. Why they didn't make the hole bigger, I sure don't know.
Jim
Cheapshooter
New member
Certainly a problem that is puzzling.
1. As mentioned earlier, the pin in my older, well used Elsie Pea has been a bear to get out from the get go.. Even with many rounds fired, and many removals of the pin for cleaning, it still fits very tight.
2. We're you playing some sort of rattle battle, Mall Ninja "shoot as fast as I can" game when you tried to shoot a pistol without noticing the slide was gone?
As far as #1, are you sure the pin was properly installed when you began shooting?
1. As mentioned earlier, the pin in my older, well used Elsie Pea has been a bear to get out from the get go.. Even with many rounds fired, and many removals of the pin for cleaning, it still fits very tight.
2. We're you playing some sort of rattle battle, Mall Ninja "shoot as fast as I can" game when you tried to shoot a pistol without noticing the slide was gone?
As far as #1, are you sure the pin was properly installed when you began shooting?
Captains1911
New member
The first time I took my LCP to the range the pin started walking on me, but I noticed it before it was able to come all the way out. Since then I have made certain that the pin is installed properly, and it has not walked since. I can't confirm it was installed properly or not the first time I shot it because I wasn't really paying close attention to it.
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Maybe I did not push the pin in all the way in over the retaining wire/spring the last time I cleaned it. That could be the reason it took a hike. After I picked up the slide I looked all over for the pin with no luck so I cant say if it broke. I have read that the pin head get snapped off upon removal if one is not careful , and thats the reason I had a spare.
LockedBreech
New member
In my 800-1000 rounds with Elsie, my pin has never budged. I'd call Ruger.
I agree with LockedBreech, and I would call Ruger.
Granted my LCP only has about 700-800 rounds through it, but it gets taken down monthly for an inspection and cleaning as it is one my carry guns. The pin has not only not come out, but is kind of a pain to remove compared to other take down pins/levers.
Granted my LCP only has about 700-800 rounds through it, but it gets taken down monthly for an inspection and cleaning as it is one my carry guns. The pin has not only not come out, but is kind of a pain to remove compared to other take down pins/levers.
Since it appears this is not a rare occurrence, for those of you who have experienced it, how old is the gun? Maybe a partial serial number? I wonder if it something that has to do with a particular run of them since it is not just one guy with the problem...
For what it's worth, mine has no problems. Serial # 375-38XXX Manufactured in November of 2010
For what it's worth, mine has no problems. Serial # 375-38XXX Manufactured in November of 2010
I agree it's not a rare occurrence. Mine's "walked out" a couple of times (I always catch it before firing the gun), and I've had the head break off. Bought a couple of replacement pins from Brownell's. I think they cost $1.50.
I like my LCP, and it's my usual carry gun (don't live in a dangerous neighborhood), but it's a cheap gun.
I like my LCP, and it's my usual carry gun (don't live in a dangerous neighborhood), but it's a cheap gun.
The original takedown pin that came in my LCP repeatedly walked halfway out during the first range session. Ammo was a mix of standard JHP's from some of the major makers, too, no hot-rodded or ".380 +P" stuff.
I called Ruger and they sent me another pin. That one hasn't exhibited the same problem over more rounds than it took for the first one to exhibit the problem.
Out of curiosity, I ordered one of those aftermarket takedown pins advertised to make takedown easier. It basically traps the wire spring in a short (but deep) machined groove on one side of the pin. A slot screwdriver can be used to turn the pin so the wire spring is freed from the groove, making it easier to pull the pin from the frame for field-stripping.
I didn't order it to make takedown easier, but was wondering if the deep machined groove might better retain the wire spring (compared to the shallow recessed shoulder of the factory pin).
Again using a mix of some different major American factory loads, the pin walked hallway out of the frame after approx 50 rounds. It appeared the pin had rotated under recoil, which would have turned the pin and released the wire, at which time the wire spring wouldn't have any resistance to prevent slippage of the pin.
I reinstalled the second factory (replacement) takedown pin in the gun and fired more rounds, with the pin once again remaining in the frame. I'll continue to use that second factory pin.
Maybe there's a reason the Ruger engineers designed the shallow shoulder to extend all the way around the takedown pin's body, after all? If the pin normally rotates under constant recoil, the shallow shoulder would still continue to provide resistance against the wire spring.
So, the aftermarket takedown pin will get put into the box of widgets on which I've wasted money over the years.
FWIW, Ruger had no explanation for my first pin walking under recoil. Seeing how shallow the shoulder edge is compared to the diameter of the wire spring, though, I could see how maybe the odd pin just might not have enough shoulder edge to hold the round wire spring and keep it from slipping over & by, under recoil.
My LCP was made in mid-2012, BTW.
I called Ruger and they sent me another pin. That one hasn't exhibited the same problem over more rounds than it took for the first one to exhibit the problem.
Out of curiosity, I ordered one of those aftermarket takedown pins advertised to make takedown easier. It basically traps the wire spring in a short (but deep) machined groove on one side of the pin. A slot screwdriver can be used to turn the pin so the wire spring is freed from the groove, making it easier to pull the pin from the frame for field-stripping.
I didn't order it to make takedown easier, but was wondering if the deep machined groove might better retain the wire spring (compared to the shallow recessed shoulder of the factory pin).
Again using a mix of some different major American factory loads, the pin walked hallway out of the frame after approx 50 rounds. It appeared the pin had rotated under recoil, which would have turned the pin and released the wire, at which time the wire spring wouldn't have any resistance to prevent slippage of the pin.
I reinstalled the second factory (replacement) takedown pin in the gun and fired more rounds, with the pin once again remaining in the frame. I'll continue to use that second factory pin.
Maybe there's a reason the Ruger engineers designed the shallow shoulder to extend all the way around the takedown pin's body, after all?
If the pin normally rotates under constant recoil, the shallow shoulder would still continue to provide resistance against the wire spring.So, the aftermarket takedown pin will get put into the box of widgets on which I've wasted money over the years.
FWIW, Ruger had no explanation for my first pin walking under recoil. Seeing how shallow the shoulder edge is compared to the diameter of the wire spring, though, I could see how maybe the odd pin just might not have enough shoulder edge to hold the round wire spring and keep it from slipping over & by, under recoil.
My LCP was made in mid-2012, BTW.
Kreyzhorse
New member
I just don't see a pin walking unless the retaining wire spring thing is messed up or it was inserted all the way in to begin with.
Might be worth a call to Ruger either way.