Ruger LCP in .380
- Thread starter TPAW
- Start date
RetiredMajor
New member
TPAW.....I bought one about a year and a half ago. I paid $279, plus tax. It has been very reliable and is no problem to shoot. Because it's small...it has fairly stout recoil, even though it's only 380 Auto. It's not my main carry gun, but a nice back-up. It disappears in a pocket or a Galco Stow-n-Go holster. It's made for close up work...like a snubby......and I'll keep mine for sure. One thing I did was put white nail polish on the front and rear sight so I could find them easily. The sights are all black and very small, and the nail polish gives me a quick point of reference.
Best of luck,
Major
Best of luck,
Major
Mine is less than a week old and only has 100 rounds through it. But it had zero malfunctions in the 100 rounds. It is more accurate than what I had expected. After another 100 or so rounds I will be carrying it. (that or the PPK I just bought) For $324 OTD it is worth every penny. (The all black may be even cheaper)
Any reason not to buy one? No.
Recommend one? Yes. so far
Any reason not to buy one? No.
Recommend one? Yes. so far
orionengnr
New member
I have had two--one pre-recall (370-series) and one post recall (371 series).
I put about 150 rounds (FMJ and JHP) through the 370 and another 100 since it returned.
I actually picked up the 371 while the 370 was back at Prescott (Nov 08). The price was right and I couldn't resist. I put 100 through it with no problems.
When the 370 got back, I stuck with it and sold the 371 to a friend who has since put many more rounds through it. He also carries it regularly (which I do not, due to my marginal faith in the .380 cartridge).
I was (and am) very impressed by the LCP. Having owned no less than four Kel-Tecs (two of them P3ATs) and given my negative experiences with each of them (well-documented in several other posts) the LCP was a breath of fresh air.
I cannot bring myself to sell it, because it is such an impressive little package.
Kel-Tec designed the mini-380.
Ruger made it work.
I put about 150 rounds (FMJ and JHP) through the 370 and another 100 since it returned.
I actually picked up the 371 while the 370 was back at Prescott (Nov 08). The price was right and I couldn't resist. I put 100 through it with no problems.
When the 370 got back, I stuck with it and sold the 371 to a friend who has since put many more rounds through it. He also carries it regularly (which I do not, due to my marginal faith in the .380 cartridge).
I was (and am) very impressed by the LCP. Having owned no less than four Kel-Tecs (two of them P3ATs) and given my negative experiences with each of them (well-documented in several other posts) the LCP was a breath of fresh air.
I cannot bring myself to sell it, because it is such an impressive little package.
Kel-Tec designed the mini-380.
Ruger made it work.
varoadking
New member
Wait for the 9mm...
sonnycrockett
Moderator
great lil gun,like mine allot........
zombieslayer
New member
I have two. They're comfortable to carry and reliable.
30-30remchester
New member
A friend and I both have one that we carry in ankle holsters. Both of ours are very finiky about being clean and oiled to make them function reliably. Mine is carried every day and is subject to a great deal of lint, dirt, dust and water. It will usually have a failure to feed at least once with every clip if not kept spotless, which I cant do in my profession. Most however dont go through the severe conditions I put mine through.
Nice gun. Technically it's still dad's, but his CWP hasn't arrived yet (And the Sheriff's office keeps saying "The machine" whatever that is, is broke....), so I'm using it.
Nice gun, about 300 flawless rounds through it and can keep stuff on a torso pretty easily out to about 20 yards.
One thing to note: After chambering a round four times, I had BAD bullet setback (First gun I've seen it on). So I chamber twice and fire (Swap between HP for carry and FMJ for practice/use).
Can't find any better HP ammo so I'm using PMC Starfire's right now....
Only con I can think of: Ruger ripped off Kel-tec.....
Nice gun, about 300 flawless rounds through it and can keep stuff on a torso pretty easily out to about 20 yards.
One thing to note: After chambering a round four times, I had BAD bullet setback (First gun I've seen it on). So I chamber twice and fire (Swap between HP for carry and FMJ for practice/use).
Can't find any better HP ammo so I'm using PMC Starfire's right now....
Only con I can think of: Ruger ripped off Kel-tec.....
^ Yea, it may be a mechanical knock-off, but Ruger's mold work and fit/finish is vastly better than KelTec.
The KT looks (and feels) absolutely horrible side-by-side with the LCP.
I love my LCP. Great little carry gun.
~500 rounds through it, no misfire/misfeed whatsoever.
Fun to shoot for a few minutes, not so much after that.
Super easy to carry.
Mine eats Speer Gold Dots just fine.
Check your favorite "gun" store for ammo selection - a 9mm may be a better pick if 380 is rare around you.
The KT looks (and feels) absolutely horrible side-by-side with the LCP.
I love my LCP. Great little carry gun.
~500 rounds through it, no misfire/misfeed whatsoever.
Fun to shoot for a few minutes, not so much after that.
Super easy to carry.
Mine eats Speer Gold Dots just fine.
Check your favorite "gun" store for ammo selection - a 9mm may be a better pick if 380 is rare around you.
Go shoot one, if possible.
I've put 150 rounds through a rental LCP (50 on the first visit and 100 on the second). No malfunctions of any kind with WWB and Federal FMJ ammo. The guns are said to be generally reliable feeders with HP ammo as well.
The gun felt well-built to me. The slide-to-frame fit was tight. Many people have remarked that the recoil is snappy and unpleasant, but that wasn't my experience. I was surprised that the recoil wasn't considerably stronger, based on the reports I had read before shooting. (However, I was a bit of a recoil junkie in my teenage years, so my views probably aren't representative.) The sights are tiny, so they won't snag in your pocket, and that makes it tough to aim the gun with great precision. Nevertheless, with a little practice I was able to hit 3-4" groups consistently at 10 yards (two hands, standing) and 7-9" groups at 20 yards, which is probably better than I would ever need from such a gun.
The real downside to this gun is the trigger pull. It's just too long. I have larger than average hands, and I felt that I had to rotate my grip clockwise with my right hand to get the trigger to break more comfortably. The other major drawback is lack of an automatic slide lock-back.
I really prefer the features of the Taurus 738 TCP -- namely, the much better trigger and the auto slide lock-back -- along with how the gun feels in my hand. Unfortunately, I've read far too many complaints about quality control problems in this gun to feel very comfortable in buying one over the Ruger. (One feature I strongly prefer in the Ruger, I should add, is the rounded rear portion of the slide. The Taurus is squared off, and thus much more likely to snag in your pocket.)
I've put 150 rounds through a rental LCP (50 on the first visit and 100 on the second). No malfunctions of any kind with WWB and Federal FMJ ammo. The guns are said to be generally reliable feeders with HP ammo as well.
The gun felt well-built to me. The slide-to-frame fit was tight. Many people have remarked that the recoil is snappy and unpleasant, but that wasn't my experience. I was surprised that the recoil wasn't considerably stronger, based on the reports I had read before shooting. (However, I was a bit of a recoil junkie in my teenage years, so my views probably aren't representative.) The sights are tiny, so they won't snag in your pocket, and that makes it tough to aim the gun with great precision. Nevertheless, with a little practice I was able to hit 3-4" groups consistently at 10 yards (two hands, standing) and 7-9" groups at 20 yards, which is probably better than I would ever need from such a gun.
The real downside to this gun is the trigger pull. It's just too long. I have larger than average hands, and I felt that I had to rotate my grip clockwise with my right hand to get the trigger to break more comfortably. The other major drawback is lack of an automatic slide lock-back.
I really prefer the features of the Taurus 738 TCP -- namely, the much better trigger and the auto slide lock-back -- along with how the gun feels in my hand. Unfortunately, I've read far too many complaints about quality control problems in this gun to feel very comfortable in buying one over the Ruger. (One feature I strongly prefer in the Ruger, I should add, is the rounded rear portion of the slide. The Taurus is squared off, and thus much more likely to snag in your pocket.)
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Kreyzhorse
New member
The Ruger LCP is a great gun. Mine was a pre-recall model and and I've had zero issues and zero FTF or FTE either pre or post recall work. The gun is small and easy to carry and has pretty much replaced my S&W 637 as my summer carry gun.
There are two drawbacks to the gun but they are really one and the same. First, the gun is small and if you've got large hands, it makes it difficult to control because the recoil can be pretty stout.
Is the recoil too much or the gun too hard to control? No, it is a fun gun to shoot and even in rapid fire mode you can be very accurate with it.
There are two drawbacks to the gun but they are really one and the same. First, the gun is small and if you've got large hands, it makes it difficult to control because the recoil can be pretty stout.
Is the recoil too much or the gun too hard to control? No, it is a fun gun to shoot and even in rapid fire mode you can be very accurate with it.
LockedBreech
New member
Love mine. Uncle Mike's Sidekick holster in the right front pocket, with a crimson trace grip. It's my daily carry.
Problems
I just bought one and have had numerous "failure to eject". The extractor does not hold the rim (when dissambled) and there is about 1/32" space so the cartridge falls out. Also ejects straight back into my face about 30% of the time. Am sending it back to Ruger, as they agree it's probably a problem with the extractor.
The trigger pull is horrible and will take a lot of practice to get used to it. Put on CT laser and that really helps as the sights are too small to see very well. Even with white paint.
I just bought one and have had numerous "failure to eject". The extractor does not hold the rim (when dissambled) and there is about 1/32" space so the cartridge falls out. Also ejects straight back into my face about 30% of the time. Am sending it back to Ruger, as they agree it's probably a problem with the extractor.
The trigger pull is horrible and will take a lot of practice to get used to it. Put on CT laser and that really helps as the sights are too small to see very well. Even with white paint.