Ruger LCP - First Range Visit

[Chris B.]

I took my new LCP to the range yesterday and I am not sure if I like it...did it take anyone a long time to get use to it? I could only stand to put 50 round through it and I had to quit. It was very uncomfortable for me to shoot. The firearm functioned flawlessly, but I would not feel comfortable trying to defend myself with it at the moment.

[Keith B]

These small pistols are designed for one thing, and that is a compact concealable self defense weapon. They are NOT a target gun, and are very rough on recoil due to the light weight and compact size. It is not uncommon for 50 rounds to be a limit. I have seen ladies that will shoot a Glock 19 all day be done with a KelTec P3AT or Ruger LCP after one magazine.

Also, remember that most self defense situations are face-to-face at less than 7 yards, so if you can hit consistently with it at that range, you should be OK. If not, it may take several range visits for you to be competent with it to your expectations.

[Divided Attention]

Sorry to hear about your LCP - this was my biggest fear when I went to try out my P238. I; however, was pleasantly surprised. My 50 rounds went WAY too fast, and I could have easily put 200 through without a problem - it was fun to shoot! Easier on the hands than my 38 6 shooter, and in my opinion not much different than my 9C.

I am not saavy enough to know the differences in the two weapons (LCP vs. P238) but I do know that I liked the weight and feel of mine better when I was trying them on. To me they are kinda like cars, saddles and recliners.. gotta find one that fits your needs, your budget and you are comfortable using.

JMPHO

[jframe.38]

I just got an LCP for a running gun. It is the first gun that I can comfortably carry while I run. I ran 3 miles at a super fast pace with it and forgot that it was there.

I am not much of a fan of the .380 cartridge. I prefer full sized 9x19mm. I particularly don't like .380 after reading about Ayoob's pig slaughter house test.

I do however like the .380 lcp because it is small enough to carry with me when I run. For a gun of a size small enough to forget about while running, I think that .380 is the most powerful weapon I can carry while running. It is the weapons that allows me to carry all of the time. Running was previously the one time that I did not carry when I could legally do so. The LCP allows me to bridge the final frontier of concealed carry.

I have limited range experience with it. When I reaaaaaallly focus hard, i can make rounds touch at 7 meters. Practically accuracy is somewhat lacking on account of the really annoyingly small sights. At regular cadence though it is very difficult to fire as accurately as other handguns.

All and all, I wish I could carry a larger more, powerful gun with more practical accuracy while running. The reality is that the LCP lets me carry where no runner could carry before. I like it. It lets me penetrate the final frontier of CHL.

[AddyLO]

You're not alone. Here's my LCP range report. I had the same feelings about my first experience.

I regularly carry a 9mm so I look at the LCP simply as a BUG. I wouldn't want to rely on it as my primary carry but it sure is easy to slip into a pocket. Take a look at the DeSantis pocket holster.

[texjames]

I carried a LCP for a while but hated to shoot the thing.Painful ain't it. I demoted it to safe gun and
now carry a Kahr PM9...i don't plink with it since the break was completed on it but its a joy to shoot.

[SpringerFan]

The LCP is what it is: a last-ditch, belly to belly lifesaver that is light enough and small enough to have on you at all times when a carrying a larger gun is impossible. Is a .380 the hammer of Thor? Absolutely not, but I will take it over a knife every day of the week. Mine has been nothing but reliable. It is not a range gun and whenever possible I will still carry a caliber that starts with "4". The LCP does still serve a valuable purpose for me and I won't be getting rid of mine anytime soon.

[blackdog8200]

I can't stand to shoot mine. But I do carry it all the time in a pocket holster.

I also figure that at close range, in an emergency, it will be better than a fist. Between the adrenaline, auditory exclusion and fear, I'll bet I hit slide lock long before I remember I can't stand to shoot the thing

[NcongruNt]

This is a really subjective thing. I have relatively large hands, and I like shooting my LCP. Target pistol it ain't, but I can get pretty respectable groups out of mine, and it feels great in my hand. I only know 2 other shooters who feel this way about their LCP. The rest have opinions like everyone else in this thread.

From what I've ready and heard from acquaintances, the P238 is much more universally comfortable to shoot. It's also twice the price, and some people have issues with pocket carrying a SA pistol cocked and locked.

[havoc]

I also had my first trip to the range with my new LCP last Friday. I shot about 60 rounds through it and had no issues. I am an average sized guy with average sized hands and did not find the LCP to be hard to shoot. True, it isn't a gun I would take to the range to shoot all day with, but 6o rounds did not cause me any pain or discomfort. I was pleased with the way the LCP felt and accuracy was pretty good. As said many, many times, the sights are practically non existent, but okay for what the gun is. I've read that most self defense shootings are very close range and Elsie should fit the bill nicely for when something else is too big to carry.

[Embalmo]

The LCP is a journey and the more proficient you get with it, the more secure you'll feel. I've always been attracted to Derringers because I wanted something that I could carry all the time, but they never have any round capacity or a reasonable range. I believe that the LCP answers the question, "What if they could make a Derringer that held 7 real defensive rounds and could be relied on to hit a target at 7 yards?"

Embalmo

[zero4o3]

I just got an LCP for a running gun. It is the first gun that I can comfortably carry while I run. I ran 3 miles at a super fast pace with it and forgot that it was there.

I am not much of a fan of the .380 cartridge. I prefer full sized 9x19mm. I particularly don't like .380 after reading about Ayoob's pig slaughter house test.

what do you use to hold it while your running?I have been looking into the lcp or somethign of similar size for a few different reasons one of them running / going to the gym. but I was not sure how I would carry it.

[Chris B.]

Thanks for all the replies! I bought it so I could have an every day carry during the summer here in Houston. It is hard to beat a firearm that fits in your front pocket and looks like a wallet... I am really interested in the Kahr PM9. A guy at work has one and I really like it. Now I just need to convince the wife that I need to add another to my collection...

[Grokked]

I made the mistake of putting 100 rounds through my LCP during my first range trip with it. I normally put 200-300 rounds through my 9mm and thought I would do the same with the LCP. But it just isn't a gun you can comfortably shoot a ton! After the first range trip, I had a small blister on my thumb near where it met the back part of the grip. Since then I have only planned to shoot 3 or 4 magazines full each trip just to keep in practice and have had no problems. And I can easily get 2" groups at 7 yards, which I'm satisfied with considering the very limited sights. And I can't image a gun more comfortable to carry.

[woodsong]

I had the same experience -- really painful to shoot.

I made two changes -- first, added a +1 grip extender (http://www.impactguns.com/store/IMP-LCP+1.html. That let me get two fingers completely around the grip rather than a finger and a half.

Next, swapped the spring out (Wolff) for a slightly stronger spring (forget the weight). Both changes totalled about $25.00.

Much smoother to shoot now. I don't know if the spring made the difference -- I suspect it was actually the more secure grip provided by the grip extender (plus I don't mind the extra round!) that helped.

I can now run through a 50 round box without feeling any "hurt" -- could hardly get through two magazines prior to the changes.