Ruger LCP 380?

[eagl]

Anyone have any experience with the Ruger LCP 380?

I haven't had a chance to shoot it but I handled the LCP and a sig P238 today.  I liked how the Ruger felt but I've heard that the recoil is brutal.  The ruger is half the price of the sig.  I don't plan on shooting it much, just enough to get accustomed to it and figure out where the bullets go when I pull the trigger.

Also, anyone use the recluse pocket holsters?  If so, which one do you use and which one would you recommend?

[saggs]

I've shot the LCP.  Didn't like it.

I wouldn't describe the recoil as brutal, just difficult to manage; or put another way, hard to hold onto.  I found myself having to re-fix my grip after every shot, and I don't have large hands either, more on the small side to be honest.

I have also shot the Diamondback .380 it's nearly as small as the Ruger but has a "meatier" grip which I found it to be a bit more manageable but still difficult for me.  Also the DB has better sights IMO.  You should check it out if you can.  I decided that neither was the gun for me... just too small.



Personally, I'd like to try the Springfield XDs .45 but haven't had a chance to yet.

[5anders]

It does have a little kick to it.  It's not a range gun that you'll want to be shooting all the time.  They have a terrible trigger IMO, with a  long pull that I dont like (even though that's the only safety).  Comes with almost non existent sights.  A good friend of mine has one though and is love with it, and carries it everyday.  I'm with saggs though it isn't for me.

Personally, I'd like to try the Springfield XDs .45 but haven't had a chance to yet.

You'll fall in love and end up spending the money on one...  Or that's what I did anyway.  As soon as it hit my hand I had to have one.  It's now my main carry.  I believe Springfield is coming out with a  9mm and a .40 s&w version of the XDs soon if they aren't out already.

[RngFndr]

Try a Makarov, in 380 or 9x18, nifty little pistol, without being TOO small..

[ap1102]

Try a taurus pt738. Trigger pull is ok. recoil is very controllable. Remember this caliber is a short range, last ditch effort of self protection. its not meant to have a 4 or 5 inch barrel. its strictly up close and personal. i carry it because its small and fits in my waistband nicely. Remember your best defense is being aware of your surroundings and having a mental plan of what you will do in a certain situation.   

[Oldman731]

Anyone have any experience with the Ruger LCP 380?

I've had one for a few years (bought one right after the initial recall).  Even though it's only a .380, it's quite unpleasant to shoot because it weighs so little.  Important to use your first finger joint on the trigger, else you'll get pinched during the recoil.  It's double action only, so it has a long trigger pull.  It isn't meant for shooting at anything much beyond ten or fifteen yards, and at those distances it will keep a respectable group (not that I'm capable of shooting a respectable group, you understand, but the problem is me and not the weapon).  If I was looking for a fun gun to take to the range and shoot, this would not be my pick.

However, you don't buy an LCP as a shooter, you buy it so that you're carrying something (marginally) more lethal than your pen.  And for that I highly recommend the LCP.  It fits very neatly in my right hip pocket and I literally carry it everywhere.   Sitting on it all day is not uncomfortable for either me or the gun, it weighs less than my wallet, and Blackhawk (and probably others, by now) makes an effective little sheath that keeps it from sliding out of my pocket and holds back the lint.  Size 2.

Long ago a law enforcement man I respected said that if you were going to carry, it was important to carry all the time.  I agree with that.  I carry the LCP all the time, because even my Kimber Ultra Carry .45 is too big to cart around every day.

- oldman

[VonMessa]

I've had one for a few years (bought one right after the initial recall).  Even though it's only a .380, it's quite unpleasant to shoot because it weighs so little.  Important to use your first finger joint on the trigger, else you'll get pinched during the recoil.  It's double action only, so it has a long trigger pull.  It isn't meant for shooting at anything much beyond ten or fifteen yards, and at those distances it will keep a respectable group (not that I'm capable of shooting a respectable group, you understand, but the problem is me and not the weapon).  If I was looking for a fun gun to take to the range and shoot, this would not be my pick.

However, you don't buy an LCP as a shooter, you buy it so that you're carrying something (marginally) more lethal than your pen.  And for that I highly recommend the LCP.  It fits very neatly in my right hip pocket and I literally carry it everywhere.   Sitting on it all day is not uncomfortable for either me or the gun, it weighs less than my wallet, and Blackhawk (and probably others, by now) makes an effective little sheath that keeps it from sliding out of my pocket and holds back the lint.  Size 2.

Long ago a law enforcement man I respected said that if you were going to carry, it was important to carry all the time.  I agree with that.  I carry the LCP all the time, because even my Kimber Ultra Carry .45 is too big to cart around every day.

- oldman

What he said.

My wife loves hers and keeps it in one of these https://www.guntotenmamas.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=GTM0070

I don't have a problem with it (small hands, here) after attaching the optional floor plate for the magazine that it came with, but all of my friends with larger hands hate it. 

When I got it for her, it had a reasonable price tag.  It feels like a cell phone in your pocket.  The sights are lacking, but it is not a target pistol.  They do offer a laser sight, however, if you are into that kinda thing.

[Triton28]

Ruger LCR in .38 +P is a fine pocket gun.

Not the most pleasant to shoot, but it's not unbearable.  I also have an inherent mistrust of micro semi-auto's so for me, light frame revolvers will always have an edge.

[VonMessa]

Ruger LCR in .38 +P is a fine pocket gun.

Not the most pleasant to shoot, but it's not unbearable.  I also have an inherent mistrust of micro semi-auto's so for me, light frame revolvers will always have an edge.

I agree.

Perhaps I am old-fashioned, or I listened to my grandfather too often.

I offered my S&W .32 to the wife, but she claimed it was still too big.
 
Rule #1, if you don't like it, you won't carry it.  I got her what she liked.   

[eagl]

Thanks for the words.  Yea, the issue for me is that if it doesn't fit into a pocket I probably won't carry it.

The Blackhawk pocket holster is a simplified version of the recluse pocket holsters.  I really like how the recluse ones look but they're like $50-$60.  Not terrible for something I'd carry around all day but still a lot.

[Maverick]

Old man and others pretty much covered it. I consider it a belly gun. Good for arms reach and a little more but not much more because of the really poor sights and terrible trigger. The only really good redeeming feature is the light weight and size. The pocket wallet style holsters are good to keep it from "printing". Recoil wasn't that bad to me especially when compared to an airweight revolver and +p loads or a 357 in it.

To me this is a true pocket gun for times when how you are dressed won't really conceal anything larger. Better to have this than nothing but it's a real bugger to shoot well at anything over 15 yards.

[smoe]

I believe Springfield is coming out with a  9mm and a .40 s&w version of the XDs soon if they aren't out already.

Check out the youtube videos first before buying a XDS. A few video's have reported problems with bolt not kicking all the way back.

[5anders]

Check out the youtube videos first before buying a XDS. A few video's have reported problems with bolt not kicking all the way back.

Yes, even mine has this so called "issue".  When you have a round in the chamber and a full magazine if you bump the front of the slide on anything or pull it back some, it comes out of battery and will not return with out a slight push on the back of the slide.  It will cause the firing pin to strike off center, with a light strike and will not fire.  That being said I've never had the issue come up with out me first instigating it (manually pulling the slide back a touch before the shot).  I've never had a fail to fire or eject with the little gun otherwise. I think the biggest problem with them are the pansies shooting them don't know how to hold on to a pistol, and the slide isn't going fully back into battery on the second shot.

[bmwgs]

The LCP-380 is a pocket gun.  Pocket guns are designed to be easy to conceal and comfortable to carry, everything else is secondary.  

I have the LCP and it does what it is expected to do.  It fits in my pocket with very little weight, it shoots a little better than crap, and to my surprise is fairly accurate for short distance.  I know some use their middle finger to pull the trigger, but I found I don't need to because I have had no trouble hanging on to it with a two finger hold.

If you are looking for a pocket gun for personal protection then I think it is one of the best out there.  If you are looking for something to take to the range and shoot a bunch rounds, or for home defense, then you need to get another gun.  

My Opinion

Fred

[saggs]

Check out the youtube videos first before buying a XDS. A few video's have reported problems with bolt not kicking all the way back.

The only video I saw of an XDs failure was 100% attributable to limp-wristing.  It was a small-framed girl that was having failure to go into battery on the last round of every mag.  The guy filming picked it up and fired of 5-6 mags with no issue at all. 

All that tells me is it's not a gun for small people... and I am definitely not a small people.   

I've been carrying the XDm compact 3.8 in .45 (IWB in a White Hat Holster) for a a couple months now.  It conceals well, is super comfortable, and I've put over 1,000 rds through with 0 failures.  So while I am intrigued by the XDs, (a pocketable .45 is just cool) I think I will just stick with it's "big" brother for now.