OP, I also picked up an LCP to complement my G19 and G26, but mostly for primary carry while running. I broke it in with several boxes of FMJ and JHP. Sure, it’s not a high round count, but so far, no malfs of any kind.
I’d hate to shoot a class with it due to the small grip frame and rudimentary sights, but I spend several hours a week running and I am delighted that I now have something more than an IWB Spyderco during these times. (yeah, I’ve read all the posts where they run marathons with their full-size duty gun, but this hasn’t worked for me when I’ve tried it). The rest of the time, I clip it under my driver’s seat with the belt clip. I wipe it down after running but so far it has not rusted from sweat.
The trigger is actually not horrible. Subjectively, I found the recoil not nearly as snappy or unpleasant as I had read. Although I keep it clean, as an experiment I have shot it pretty linty and it functions fine. I should get around to shooting it sweaty – I need to plan to park 5 miles short of the cinder pit and bring my running clothes.
OP, the 340 looks like a great little piece, though you are more of a man than I am for checking out a .357mag lightweight snubbie. :eek: Good for you for checking out the LCP in person.
I’ve owned both (and sold both) and they’re decent pistols. I bought the P3AT first, and although it was reliable with Cor-Bon, Mag-Tech and Golder Saber JHP ammo, it was a bit picky with FMJ’s (which is because we have limited options for .380 ammo here in the Philippines).
I gave up of the P3AT because it has a bad finish, that coupled with tropical heat and sweat caused a lot of rust. Also, the frame felt a bit flimsy for me, and when it got deformed slightly and I was instructed to fix it with an industrial strength hairdryer I decided that it was time to sell the damn thing.
The LCP is a much better pistol than the P3AT IMO, the pistol feels solid, the slide stop is a big help, and the finish is an improvement. Sights are still so-so, painting certainly helps though.
I sold the LCP when I discovered that although the slide had a nice rust resistant finish, the barrel did not.
Come on markm, that is a rather weak post, and really provides the OP with no relevant info. Do you have any real experience with the LCP to call it “unreliable junk?” If so, just tell us. And if you find the caliber to be underpowered, that’s fine but citing your old hillbilly balistic testing provides no value. A big reason that that everybody and their brother is now producing a new .380 is because of some of the gains made with the new defensive load offerings.
I have never had a failure of any sort with my LCP, and I am not aware of any widespread failure issues. The sights suck, but remember this gun is inteded to be used at extrememly close ranges (stick in the guy’s gut and pull the trigger). It’s not supposed to shoot accuratley at 25 yards. I practice with mine at 7 yards, and it groups just fine.
Anytime I overhear someone making a general statement about the .380 or 9mm being “underpowered” for a defensive load, I lose all ability to attribute any credibility to that individual. Determining the proper caliber for the intended purpose is much too complex to just make an off-the-cuff blanket statement like that.
When confronted directly by an individual who suggests that the .380 is worthless, my general response is to inquire as to whether the individual would be comfortable taking a round in order to validate their assertion. I’ve never had any takers.
It’s not a freaking elephant gun, people. But it can serve a purpose, and it can knock someone down.
You said it. YOU would never use one of those trinkets but to each his own, this is America last time I checked. This place is full of opinions lately. I don’t own one of these pistols and don’t want one, but I don’t think they’re junk so to speak. Some people refuse to carry a full size pistol with them everywhere so I would much rather see somone carrying one of these than nothing at all. While I don’t consider the .380 to be the cat’s ass, it is better than NOTHING right?
I carry my LCP when I absolutely cannot carry my M&P FS. Otherwise its always been the M&P as my main carry with the lcp as an occasional bug. I would say though that the pearce grip extension helps alot yet still conceal the gun pretty well.
I have had my LCP for about a little over a year. It is a great gun, if you consider the following:
It isn’t a range gun. It isn’t exactly fun to shoot, but it isn’t meant as a range gun.
It’s sights suck. Then again, it isn’t a range gun. It is meant for up-close & personal situations. I can hit a target with every round in it at 7 yards, and I am not the best shot in the world.
It doesn’t fit most hands well. Again, it is meant for deep concealment, which means you have sacrifices to make. The benefit of this gun is also a negative factor in some ways. A grip extension helps in this area.
I get a kick out of the “not enough gun” comments. A .380 is a decent defensive round, albeit, not the best. Every gun that is carried is a compromise in some way. With the LCP, you can carry it with you, regardless of the attire you are wearing or where you are going. And even though it is “just a .380”, I still don’t know anybody that wants to be shot by one.
I feel fine carrying the LCP with an extra mag in my pocket. I am not ready for “everything”, but at least I have something.
My wife has an LCP for formal occasions where a G-19 won’t work because there’s nowhere to put it. She has a small purse that can hold a makeup mirror and a tube of lipstick. Also happens to hold an LCP pretty well. Ideal? No. But the best gun to have is the gun you can have with you and I like looking at her in cocktail dresses.
Let’s hear it for suit jackets, sport coats and the armament you can stash underneath them.
Yea I agree MarkM, no less than a .50 cal desert eagle w/ 100 rds. Should be carried…seriously, what’s scary is when people make ignorant statements dissrespecting ANY caliber, I don’t want a dome shot from any! Albeit they were designed for one thing only. Besides what did you expect? Stellar results from some backyard ballistics with some shit ass ammo from years ago? Some .380 ammo today has ballistics up around 38 special territory…but, that caliber suck too huh? Ok, besides that I love my LCP…its better than my P3AT in fit & finish and very reliable plus if 6 or 7 rounds aren’t enough(if not then you got a big problem) Promag make 10 rd. Mags. its perfect for summer garments cause it doesn’t have a big obvious print in your pocket for the public to see. Which is the whole point, for the element of suprise…besides when the perp. Can See that you have a firearm on you that’s the first thing he/she is going for…or counter attack. But if winter time comes and the clothing I’m wearing alowes it, I carry my 45M&P.
I have my LCP on me everyday, everywhere I go. I’ve had the no problems with either factory or my reloads through it but I haven’t been able to decide on a carry ammo yet. I am caught between Gold Dot’s and Hornady CD rounds.
I carry FMJs in my LCP during the winter months. I’m worried about lack of penetration through heavy winter clothes. During the rest of the year I use hollow points–Gold Dots are what I can get locally and they have worked quite well in the gun.
Corbon Powerball and Hornady Critical Defense rounds work well in my LCP. Remington Golden Sabres jam up in it.
As others have said, it is good for carrying but not a gun you’d want to shoot much. PPKs and clones, like the Bersa, are better for shooting. Makarovs are nice too, but ammo for them is less common in local stores.
If you are serious about getting a good SMALL pocket pistol, I would highly consider getting the SIG P238. I have shot multiple Ruger LCP’s and I just didn’t like they way they shot and the sights etc.
The P238 is just as small, but MUCH better quality! It shoots much smoother and is more accurate with much better sights. It is built with a 1911 style frame and, for a pocket pistol, it’s a dream to shoot.
I have put over 500 rounds (of multiple types of ammo) through mine without a single misfire, ftf, stovepipe, etc. I’ve never had a single problem.
I carry my P238 loaded with Hornady Critical Defense ammo, and usually only carry it as a BUG. But it is a great gun, very small, and I would trust my life with it. IMO, it’s definitely one to highly consider if you want to get a good pocket pistol.
Most of the comments so far that have been negative seem to emphasize the “inadequate” caliber, the small grip, and the small sights.
No reasonable handgun caliber is a death ray. Even the .44 magnum has been known to fail to stop with one solidly placed hit. I want a small grip so that it will not print. When you have a ccw (“hero’s license”?) you are required to keep the gun concealed to prevent public alarm. The small sights aid greatly in a snag free draw and are adequate for the short ranges these pistols are generally used.
To me, in order of their importance, the most desirable features are: 1) light weight, 2) small size with good ergonomics, and 3) a caliber that gives adequate reliability of function and penetration.(avoid .22s)
Also, I wonder about the comments concerning reliability when many here would not trust a Colt 1911 out of the box. One of the few autos I would trust out of the box is a Glock, and even they sometimes have problems.
The LCP is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to be able to protect themselves from unexpected aggression in ordinary every day life. I prefer a KT .32 though, but that is just me.
Unless you are a cop why are you going some place where you think you may need a “real” weapon? If you think that you might be involved in a gun fight, get away from there!
When I bought mine it had problems feeding. Every 10-15 rounds the slide would not return 100%.
My chamber rim had a bur in it so I took a dremmel tool and polished the chamber mouth and feed ramp to a mirror shine along with removing that bur. I also ordered an 11 lb. recoil spring* from Wolf and I have had about 400 flawless rounds since then.
*I believe they only come stock with a 9 lb. spring.
I carry Remington Golden Sabers and they work fine.
People say .380 is weak, and it is, but it’s better than no gun at all. I carry it like I carry my wallet, cell, knife.
I have owned a P238. I had a LCP first but moved to the P238 because of the 1911 “style”, the better trigger, the real Night Sights, etc. It was fantastic to shoot. However, it was NOT what I would call “just as small”. Dimensions aren’t that far off but the P238 felt MUCH wider, partly due to the controls. It was also MUCH heavier. These to things alone … weight & width/shape difference made it less desirable as a pocket gun. My philosophy is this … if you have to put it in a IWB or OWB rig you might as well carry your primary weapon. I sold my P238 and went back to pocket carrying a LCP. YMMV.
I second this for the Smith and Wesson 5 Shot especially for a LEO BUG…If a LEO needs his BUG it is a bad day…it better go bang and you better have trained with it. That is my choice and it works for me. I do know guys with the LCP and love it. It serves it’s purpose for what it is designed to do. It is just not for me.
The .380 has earned a rather dismal reputation as a fight stopper. Even with the advances in ammunition available to us today it’s not much improved. Today there are some very light, very small pistols available in .380 which has made for a resurgence in the popularity of the caliber because light and small will always be popular in handguns.
Note that right and popular are two different concepts.
Weapons like the LCP are extremely limited tools that frankly most people will never learn to use properly. I often hear “shot placement!” being screamed in discussions about mouseguns, generally by people who couldn’t place an acceptable shot with a full-sized service pistol under ideal range conditions. They somehow believe that under extreme stress suddenly they are going to use this tiny pistol in an anemic caliber to place shots into a bad guy’s vital organs with laser-like precision. Magic 8 ball says: Outlook not good.
Equally true is that everyone on the planet does not have the ability to pack a service grade handgun on them everywhere they go at all times. It’s difficult to carry my typical loadout in a pair of track pants at the gym. I can keep the LCP in my pocket when I’m on the treadmill with the S&W 442 hanging on the treadmill inside the fanny pack. By no means the world’s most ideal loadout should someone decide to start a gunfight with me while I’m on the treadmill…but it’s far better than harsh language.
That’s ultimately the point of guns like the LCP…they are extremely limited tools, but they’re better than a sharp stick. A .380 isn’t a fight stopper as far as physics go, but whipping out a firearm of any sort generally tends to make most bad guys try and seek an easier target.
The danger is complacency. The majority of us do not find ourselves needing to shoot someone on a regular basis. As such you often see that when people have the light, small, extremely limited tool that they gravitate toward it in their daily carry because a real gun is “too big” and “too heavy” and besides, it’s not like they’re going to need more than a couple of shots anyway. That is when it gets exceptionally stupid. Leaving the Glock 19 at home and picking the LCP simply because you don’t want to bother with the real gun is a supremely bad decision if you actually find yourself needing to use the weapon.
…and that is why we’re carrying a gun in the first place. To have an effective means of making a bad guy’s hostile actions stop before we’re killed or seriously injured. If in a given situation the LCP is the best you can do, so be it…but the majority of people who moan that they can’t carry anything bigger aren’t even close to being correct.
