The Ruger LCP is a FAILURE!

[PuddleMonkey]

Ok so that's not true, the Ruger LCP is a great little firearm.

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Now that your blood pressure has returned normal elevated state, I would like to warn LCP users of using Federal Premium Hydra-Shok JHP's. I usually run Hornady's Critical Defense, but they were sold out so I opted for a couple boxes of the Federal in its place. While testing the Federal I could not get a single round to chamber correctly, or at all really. The hollow point is so wide it would catch on the feed ramp every time.

Thinking something might be wrong with my LCP, I ran a mag worth of Blazer ball through it, flawless. Then another round, perfect. A friend I was with had some Critical Defense, I popped off 6 of those with not a hiccup.



Here's what the Federal comes out looking like each time one attempts to feed:

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[safetyman]

That IS a wide hollow point. I'm glad you recognized the incompatibility before you needed it in any real life situation.

 

[jmurray192]

Return to manufactor.

 

[sheepdip]

good to know, thanks

 

[BillM]

Weird. Mine sucks up Federal Hydra-Shok and spits it out like it was FMJ. No problems at all.
Try a different magazine---it looks like maybe the feed lips are spread and the round is
flipping into the top of the chamber.

 

[Bigfoot]

I noticed for the first time today how bad my pistol mangles Gold Dots. I was almost done shooting and I had a light strike so I pulled the cartridge and it was all beat up and so was the one at the top of the mag, looks like the recoil is beating the noses up. Something to watch for. The worry with 380 is the bullets overexpand and fail to penetrate, I'm shooting already deformed bullets. These bullets have to be soft to expand at 380 velocity and these small, light blowback guns recoil hard.

Something else to keep in mind is 380 Gold Dot bullets are oversized. The increased pressure is why they recoil so much and are so hard on pistols. So you have an oversized bullet that might be getting setback in the mag. Bad combination. Seecamp says to avoid using them in their pistols so save them for emergencies.

Mine also likes Hydra-Shoks, I'll have to start examining them too.

 

[Burt Gummer]

I have read a lot about how hard the LCP is to control, but I don't have that problem. I don't have exceptionally strong hands either. My accuracy at 15 yards is pretty damn good considering it really doesn't have any sights to speak of at all.

Will put that to the test with some Buffalo Bore ammo.

What do people think about Hard Cast bullets in +P for a .380? Deep penetration vs expansion.

Also, just found out about the 10-round extended Promags - that looks interesting/fun. May really help the control with the more powerful rounds.

 

[jordanvraptor]

I use Critical Defense in my LCP for this reason and because I think the design would enhance expansion at the low velocity the .380 generates. I have seen some remarks about using FMJ to go for reliability versus limited expansion of most hollowpoints. Given the power of the .380 I dont think you would get over penetration like a .45 or 9mm FMJ.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I did a makeshift test of corbon DPX in my P3AT (same barrel length as the LCP) into soaked phone books and couldn't get a single bullet to expand to .355" , let alone the nice pedal of death they show on the ads. Hydrashoks did ok and fed fine, about on par with gold dots. I don't think the 380 gets enough velocity to make the JHP do what it needs to do. I've heard about folks using FMJ in the 380 since they don't expand reliably and you are lucky to get penetration on par with a JHP 9mm out of a 380. I don't think overpenetration is ever going to be a concern in a 380.
Makes the kahr pm9/cm9 more appealing all the time.

By the way, I found the thread with pics and initial thoughts if anyone is interested.
Cor-Bon DPX disappointment - THR

 

[PuddleMonkey]

Try a different magazine---it looks like maybe the feed lips are spread and the round is
flipping into the top of the chamber.

I'll give it a go next time I'm out, but this current magazine has less than 150 rounds through it, and feeds everything else just fine.

 

[drscoles]

I have two of these with the laser. Has anyone done any successful triggerwork on them? I have a sig 238, hard to shoot the LCP after shooting the sig. I can shoot the close to the same size groups as my larger pistols, the LCP is a giant guess as to when its going to go off...lol