You got to love the little Ruger LCP. If you are unable to carry something larger, or need a backup pistol, the “Elsie Pea” will do the trick. I had a good work out with my LCP at the gun club and this video features some discussion about the LCP with shooting and functional accuracy demonstrations. Terrific little guy.
How many of you guys carry an LCP? What’s your favorite range ammo and carry ammo? Mine performed flawlessly with Critical Defense, but had a few fail to extracts with Blazer brass.
My wife carries one, but periodically i will carry it if i need something smaller than my g19…i love it, fun lil gun and surprisingly accurate for its form factor.
We had some issues with FTEs with speer gold dot at the beginning, but i guess it broke in or something as it runs flawless now. It eats blazer brass/wwb like candy.
sent from my overcompensation tool known as the galaxy note
I have certain reservations about the LCP, namely the fact that it seems to be pushed on females because of its small frame and the fact that it’s a .380. I hate dealing with first time shooters who come over saying that they’re going to take the CCW class and carry their LCP in their monster huge handbag, because that’s what the gun dept. recommended. Great gun, but not for the 90% of people that buy them.
I wanna love the LCP but can’t get over the .380 cartridge. It would be a perfect throw around gun if it weren’t for the anemic .380. Not trying to crap on your thread either. If I was to carry a deep cover pistol, it’d have to be 9mm or .38.
I’m pleased to report that my fail to extact issues were ammo related. My Elsie Pea does NOT like Blazer Brass, but she ate up over 100 rounds of WallyWorld WhiteBox .380 Auto like candy this morning, without incident. Phew.
Oh, and to reiterate a point I made in the video. I think the LCP is well worth considering if you keep these three points in mind.
(1) This is a close range weapon (20/30 feet max);
(2) It is purely self-defense/last resort; and, most importantly;
(3) It is a good choice when you simply can not carry anything larger.
If you have to live with (3), and some of us do, then you need to keep in mind 1 and 2. When I can carry larger, I do. My preference is my G26 with a Crimson Trace laser grip and JHP +p with a pierce extension on my magazine, giving me 13+1 capacity and with my back up mag I carry a load out of 27 rounds, and 13 more if I feel like carrying my other magazine.
The .380 auto is an effective self-defense round at close range. Some choose to carry FMJ only for more penetraction, while others go for Critical Defense JHP and other similar loads. There are some good tests on the Internet demonstrating various .380Auto rounds.
Ptmcain, I feel your sentiments, but can’t get comfortable defending myself and the family with a .380 when other small autos will do the trick. For this reason I bought a LC9 for backup at work and often carry it off duty when the weather gets miserable hot. 9mm is my lowest caliber I feel good about for SD. Others will disagree. I’ve never had issues carrying my G27 either, and these two larger guns keep me well armed in minimal clothing. Several guys at work have the LCPs and all have brought them to my range for a workout. Every single one has choked at some point. Maybe it’s only the ones in my region, but I wouldn’t bet my life on those pistols. My LC9 has never hiccuped once and is surprisingly accurate.
Sir, with respect, I again would direct you to the points I made in my previous comments. I would NOT choose a .380 auto to defend myself or my family. However, there ARE situations where a person can not carry anything larger.
I’m sure you would agree that a .380 auto is better than nothing at all.
May God bless and protect you in your service!
I am interested in the LC9. I definitely see one in my future.
Thanks, it is a heavy trigger, to be sure, but with a little practice, it is an effective self-defense weapon at close range. I’ll be posting a follow up video, probably tomorrow, and you can see how I did with it at even further distances.
Bottom line: at 10-15-21 feet it will definitely provide a good self-defense tool.
I’m not trashing your choice McCain, I’m simply stating that I agree with most of your observations and for ME, the LC9 is a great middle ground between the LCP and a full sized pistol. Yes it’s bigger, but not by much. For me it disappears under shorts and a T shirt. I agree that a .380 is better than nothing, but when I find challenging dress situations (recently a tuxedo) I like to take my base line gun and find a way for it to work. I applaud anyone who is such an ardent CCW practitioner that they will go as low as a tiny .380. I’m glad 24-hour gun carriers are out there. Just saying that for ME, I would only feel safe with a 9 or better. In fact I rarely go below my .45 and 10mm Glocks for EDC. To each his own. The important thing is that we are carrying and that we are the observant ones.