Pleasantly Surprised w/ New Ruger LCP

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Sulaco

New member
I had an LCP a while back and liked it a lot. I've always liked the Kel-Tec design/platform but wasn't crazy about the trigger or the sights.

I decided recently I could live with these issues to get the benefit of a gun this size (I have no problem with 380 for defensive use). Well, I picked it up yesterday and see that Ruger has improved the sights (made them a bit proud of the slide) and the trigger (seems the same but breaks sooner and cleaner somehow).

I'm very happy with the gun now, especially since the only two issues I had have both been resolved for me.

Awesome little pocket gun now!
 
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Dc777

New member
Have they made it where you can actually hit something with it without the target being 2 feet away? That's the reason I traded mine for another gun.
 
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Dragline45

New member
Have they made it where you can actually hit something with it without the target being 2 feet away?
Click to expand...

This is a problem with technique, not the gun. Pocket pistols can be shot accurately, it just takes a little practice.
 
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Sulaco

New member
I was able to shoot fist-sized 6-7 shot groups at ten or fifteen feet with my old one. I can only imagine the better trigger and more visible sights would make that even easier.
 
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CWKahrFan

New member
I'm still impressed with my LCP's accuracy after many years... Every time I get it out at the range I'm newly amazed that I can shoot such good groups with such a tiny gun with such minimal sights.

I hold it REALLY tightly with a VERY strong thumb especially... There's a knack to it... "Course the fact that I always shoot it with a ten-round ProMag gives a lot more "purchase". That's how I carry it too... (Don't knock it 'til you've tried it... 'Course I did a small mod to my magwell to make it fit really snug and strong too... so it serves as a very thin but effective extended grip.)
 
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oldcabin

New member
I really liked my lcp except I wasn't really effective with it. My hand was simply too big, forced me to change to an unnatural grip to fire correctly. The P380 was the fix for me, but I did like the Ruger.
 
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Kreyzhorse

New member
I have a first gen Ruger LCP and even with the slight sights, I am pleased with my accuracy with it from 7 yards in. The gun itself isn't what I'd consider a range gun but I'm sure better sights do help with practice time.

My only issue with it, like mentioned above, is that I have large hands and it is a small gun but I of course knew that when I bought it.

Overall, it's a great pocket gun that actually fits in your pocket.
 
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mk70ss

New member
I love my LCP. Never leave home without it. I added a KelTec carry clip so I have the option of pocket holster, belt holster, or inside the pants carry with no holster. These fit the Ruger exactly and makes the gun disappear inside the pants. Take out one pin, replace with clip and supplied screw, done.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/KEY-016
 
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Rifleman1776

New member
I consider it the perfect carry gun. The first requirement of a concealed carry pistol is it must be concealable. My LCP fits that bill perfectly. If sets in my hip pocket as comfortably and out of sight as my wallet.
I am luck, it fits my hand perfectly. I have no use for sights on a CC pistol, the target will be close and, with practice only pointing is required. The gun is very reliable and inexpensive compared to others on the markt.
 
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spacecoast

New member
I've done comparisons with my LCP and my Kahr P380 at 25 yards (fairly difficult for a DA pocket pistol) and the Kahr is definitely easier to shoot at that distance, even though the guns are basically the same size (LCP slightly longer slide, P380 a slightly longer grip). It's likely the fact that the trigger is much better on the Kahr, but overall it's a much more solid-feeling gun. I carry the Kahr when leaving home with a gun and keep the LCP in the car if I need to run in somewhere unexpectedly and just need a gun to throw in my pocket.
 
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mk70ss

New member
I had a Kahr P380, it had better sights and a better trigger. But it was substantially more expensive and mine was not reliable enough to carry for self defense. It had feeding malfunctions constantly, even after 250 rounds. Sold it and love my LCP.
 
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fastbolt

New member
My LCP is from last year, before the latest revisions.

I, too, was pleasantly surprised by the inherent accuracy of the little LCP using a variety of loads (Rem BJHP, Speer GDHP, Win T-Series & FMJFP). When I took the time to use the rudimentary sights, it could produce surprisingly tight little cloverleaf patterns to POA out to 7 yds, and fist-sized groups fired faster at 10-11 yds.

Then again, I'm a long time revolver shooter and I like shooting my collection of J-frames, so the trigger didn't bother me so much.

That, and I have medium-size hands (despite that most glove makers seem to think I have large hands). Folks with larger hands or really long fingers might find the gun difficult to hold & manipulate, and would have to try one.

I've found that the LCP will still fit (pocket-holstered) in some jeans front pockets that won't accommodate and conceal my J-frames, and it makes for a convenient retirement CCW choice when any of my larger guns aren't quite right for my choice of clothing & activities.

I just carried mine with me, along with one of my J's, as LEOSA weapons while on a trip out-of-state. Handy little .380, all things considered.

The last .380 I owned and carried was a Beretta M84 more than 25 years ago (which, oddly enough, wasn't nearly as reliable as my LCP, even with FMJ ball loads).

I thought about the S&W Bodyguard .380, but I didn't want the integral laser and the LCP was just enough smaller to make it seem more useful for my needs.
 
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Sulaco

New member
I much prefer a J-frame or snubby revolver also, but the cylinder makes them too wide for some of my pocket carry options whereas the LCP is so thin it works well.

The new trigger is better than the trigger on the P380. That and the gun being so much cheaper (and more reliable IMO), I think it's great.
 
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fastbolt

New member
Yep, the diminutive .380 category has really benefited from Ruger and S&W having gotten involved.

I've mentioned it elsewhere, but when I attended some in-service training last year (LEOKA & Street Tactics classes), I was pleased to hear that the venerable 5-shot .38 snub and the .380 has still been saving the lives of cops, on-duty (secondary weapons) and off-duty.

I used to travel with larger guns, but during our recent driving trip out-of-state I took along one of my J's and my LCP, both of which served fine for easily carried LEOSA weapons.
 
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Clark

New member
I have the Ruger 380 LCP, and like the laser.
I have the Kel-Tec 380 P3AT and like the pocket clip.
I have the Kahr 380 P380 and like the nite sights and hotter hand loadings possible with the better case support.

But I carry the P3AT every day, and even in my dreams.
 
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1stmar

New member
The two I have shot (1 I own) are very accurate. Consistent shooters to 10-15 yards, 2-3" groups. If you are shooting for accuracy it's more then what you need for a pp.
 
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Sulaco

New member
I did some reading up on ammo (wow, what's with 380 being so hard to find for so long now? That much demand I guess?) and found some Fiocchi Extrema using Hornady's XTP bullet and picked up a few boxes. I plan to take it to the range soon and see how it does. The gun has no problems feeding and extracting the ammo from the magazine with me manually racking the slide. We'll see soon enough!

Anyone know where to get spare mags?
 
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fastbolt

New member
I just grabbed a couple extra mags at a local cop shop (1 for spare carry & 1 for repair/replacement, if needed). Ruger sells them on the website, too, though.
 
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Coach Z

New member
Love mine

I have had a couple of them over the years (bad habit of selling and rebuying same guns!) Mine have eaten any ammo I toss in them accurate enough even with my giant hands and I carry mine in a pocket holster made to go with the crimson trace laser on it. Great gun and hard to beat.
 
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