Looks like I'm buying an LCP,,,

aarondhgraham · February 26, 2014, 05:35 PM

Looks like I'm buying an LCP,,,
It's not something I was out looking for,,,
But it's an unusual situation that I feel I should deal with.

About a year and a half ago a lady acquaintance of mine said,,,
I'm getting my carry permit so what gun should I buy,,,
I loaned her my Bersa Thunder 22 for the class,,,
So she could wait a bit before buying a gun.

She took the class and passed the written and shooting test,,,
We talked a bit and she was adamant she wanted a small semi-auto,,,
I talked calibers and such with her and I eventually recommended a Ruger LCP.

So taking me on my word she promptly went out and bought a new one,,,
I haven't seen her in well over a year but ran into her this past week,,,
I asked her if she was carrying and how she liked her little Ruger.

She said she was carrying a .38 Charter Arms revolver now,,,
The Ruger was just too snappy on recoil for her arthritic hands,,,
She also stated that she was never able to hit anything with the LCP.

Dang! said I.

I really felt bad about that recommendation,,,
And in all honesty there are things about the gun that I didn't know then.

I asked her how much she had fired the gun,,,
She still had one of the two boxes of rounds she originally purchased,,,
The LCP was just sitting in it's original box on a shelf in her bedroom clothes closet.

Anyways, I offered to buy it from her,,,
I remember she bought it at The Evil Pawn Shop,,,
More so I remember the exact amount that she paid for it.

She thought about it for a few minutes and said yes,,,
So now I am going to be the proud owner of a slightly used Elsie-Pea.

This isn't really a burden for me,,,
I'll probably turn around and sell it to someone,,,
But then again I might shoot it a few times and decide to keep it.

I think I did learn a lesson here,,,
Be a bit more careful about tossing out recommendations like that.

What I should have done is offer to take her to a rental range in Ok City,,,
It would have been a fun outing and she could have made a more informed decision.

Oh well,,,
Easy come easy go.

Aarond

.

Wishoot · February 26, 2014, 05:42 PM

There's worse things in the world than owning an LCP. You may even come to like it. It's certainly had to beat when it comes to concealment. Put a Hogue grip on it and you may actually enjoy shooting it too.

vostracker · February 26, 2014, 05:53 PM

You are definetly one of the most honorable men I know. Not many would do what you've done. It does highlight what can happen when one gives out advice on gun and caliber choice. I try and have the person who asks for advice to handle and shoot what they are interested in or what I may recommend.

aarondhgraham · February 26, 2014, 05:57 PM

I've read many times in this forum,,,
That the Hogue grip sleeve makes a world of difference.

But in any event I'll give it a good trial shooting,,,
I do have a natural affinity for small things in general,,,
So I'm not feeling too terribly bad about becoming a LCP owner.

Besides, one can't own too many handguns.

Aarond

.

DaleA · February 26, 2014, 06:05 PM

You probably know this but when they eliminated the dash in the serial number in 2013 (and later models) the sights got a little better and the trigger pull improved too. I guess the easy way to tell is look at the sights-bigger is 'better'. If yours is the later version you might get a little more for it if you decide to sell it.

I was amazed at how compact the thing was. You could literally put it in your front jeans pocket and almost forget it was there...but of course you should use a holster.

In another thread Cheapshooter posted a couple of videos of the .380 being shot thru windshield glass and a car door and I must say was impressed with the .380 round.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhfKSXWLNxg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79CodjHFwVI

k Squared · February 26, 2014, 06:05 PM

Ditto on the grip sleeve. I'd also suggest an extended magazine base for a better grip.
Less concealable, but much easier to shoot.

HawkeyeNRAlifer · February 26, 2014, 06:10 PM

It's not always easy to get a novice out to the range to try a variety of handguns, but it's the only real way for them to get an idea of what will work.
About three years back I bought a LCP and it took about two boxes of ammo to get to shoot it well. I'd been away from small automatics for awhile because they didn't fit my big mitts very well. Still carry and shoot it, it just takes some extra practice for me to shoot it decently.

CWKahrFan · February 26, 2014, 06:37 PM

I haven't written about mine in a few months so here goes once again... (Skip if you've read it before.)

I always carry my LCP with a ten-round ProMag. I epoxied a thin square of plastic onto the back of the magwell so that the mag fits nice and tight and also acts as a thin extended grip. This makes it easy for my big mitts to grasp, and the added weight of the extra rounds also mitigates the snappy recoil.

I carry it at the appendix position in a fabric holster with the (longer) grip/mag resting on the top of my belt, all concealed by an overhanging shirt. Very handy. It's a little unorthodox but works great for me... 14 oz. loaded... hardly know it's there, yet I have 11 rounds at the ready.

No reliability glitches... It's my most-carried rig.

Mastrogiacomo · February 26, 2014, 06:52 PM

Yet more proof that light weight guns are not everyone's dream choice. Ladies, in a gun, weight is your friend....

Laura

Joe_Pike · February 26, 2014, 08:36 PM

About the only .380 I feel comfortable recommending to a lady that is not a shooter is the Bersa. Relatively easy slide pull and a heavier gun to help tame recoil.

Kreyzhorse · February 26, 2014, 09:27 PM

Aarond, despite your love of pink guns, you are a hell of an ambassador for firearms.

The LCP by the way is a great gun for what it is. Shoot it a few times and you might very well decide to keep it.

oldcabin · February 26, 2014, 10:16 PM

I was excited about the Hogue grip. I installed it properly using the longer pin to hold it. Maybe it's my hand size or placement, but it seemed to move around on the gun way more than I would want. I think I was death gripping it and the thing just wasnt staying put. I think had I used a tack spray like 3m77 maybe. Or mabye a Talon grip between them. Anyway, the hogue came off soon after.
It is a great gun for what it is.

aarondhgraham · February 27, 2014, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Aarond, despite your love lf pink guns,

Pink?,,,
I don't own a pink gun,,,
My colorful guns are Raspberry and Lilac.

Quote:

You probably know this but,,,

Actually I wasn't aware of that at all,,,
I did visit Ruger's website to look at the instruction manual,,,
I found a "Safety Notice" concerning the hammer mechanism retrofit.

In a way I hope this one falls in that range,,,
They cover free shipping to their factory with approximately 7-10 day turnaround,,,
I wouldn't mind doing that because they will give me a free magazine for my trouble in sending it in.

They also said:

Quote:

We will install the new hammer mechanism, plus some other functional upgrades that we added since the LCP’s introduction, and return your LCP to you, all FREE of charge.

Maybe those other functional upgrades will include the improved sights,,,
Anyways I'll get my hands on the pistol this weekend,,,
Then I'll determine what to do with it.

Oh, thanks for those links,,,
They were very interesting to watch.

Quote:

About the only .380 I feel comfortable recommending to a lady that is not a shooter is the Bersa.

I have a Bersa Thunder 380 that I'll offer to let her try out,,,
I too feel it's a very nice handgun,,,
Especially for the price.

But to tell the truth,,,
I think she's happy with that Charter Arms .38 Snubbie.

Aarond

.

Rifleman1776 · February 27, 2014, 11:38 AM

I am an LCP fan, that is my carry gun.
But, my wife cannot pull the trigger or rack the slide. She also cannot on my Walther style PX22 or her Beretta 21A. To shoot the Beretta she must (remember to) cock the hammer first. Not good but it is what it is. A revolver might be a better solution for her.

Wishoot · February 27, 2014, 11:41 AM

Quote:

I've read many times in this forum,,,
That the Hogue grip sleeve makes a world of difference.

A night and day difference IMO. It's worth the small investment to give it a try.

lee n. field · February 27, 2014, 02:36 PM

Quote:

She said she was carrying a .38 Charter Arms revolver now,,,
The Ruger was just too snappy on recoil for her arthritic hands,,,
She also stated that she was never able to hit anything with the L

Ha! That's pretty much were I ended up, and why.

I got an LCP. I found that perceived recoil was a bit over the comfort level, and that I was not particularly accurate with it.

And, the next gun I got was a Charter Undercover.

I have come to think the LCP's niche is strictly for when something larger simply will not do. I'm much better with guns that are a little bit bigger and heavier, with non-vestigal sights.

Powdersmoke · February 27, 2014, 08:38 PM

There are worse things than owning an LCP. I have one and like it. Mine is 100% reliable with the 4 different jhp loads. I don't carry it much, it's what I carry when absolutely nothing bigger will do. As the saying goes "it's what I carry when I'm not carrying a gun". lol

Carmady · February 27, 2014, 08:42 PM

"As the saying goes 'it's what I carry when I'm not carrying a gun'."

I can't help but wonder how many people who say that have been shot with one.

Powdersmoke · February 27, 2014, 08:48 PM

True but anyone who's sane and sober isn't going to force you to shoot them in the first place. Psychotics, drunks and drug users on the other hand may not be slowed down alot by a .380.

aarondhgraham · March 18, 2014, 10:18 AM

Well, I picked up the little Ruger yesterday evening,,,
Man I had forgotten just how small they are,,,
It's barely bigger than my 22-PLY.

So now my friend isn't stuck with a pistol she doesn't like,,,
And I have a new "set" of pistols to encase.

Meet Ruth the LC9, Idgie the SR22, and Evelyn the LCP.

I barely had time to run to the range and pop off a quick 21 rounds,,,
I will definitely be buying one of those Hogue grip sleeves,,,
The recoil of the LCP is "snappy" to say the least,,,
And no, I won't be buying the pink sleeve.

Aarond

.

oldcabin · March 18, 2014, 11:08 PM

Well, it looks awfully plain next to the others in that box. You may have to paint the finger extension on it, just to liven it up a bit.

aarondhgraham · March 20, 2014, 12:05 PM

Quote:

You may have to paint the finger extension on it, just to liven it up a bit.

I am buying a Hogue grip sleeve for it,,,
I've been told by many LCP owners they really cushion the recoil.

I was hoping that they would have some colored grip sleeves,,,
But the only colors they have it in are black and pink.

Now you might say,,,
"He has a lilac gun so what's bad about pink?",,,
Well, that particular pink is very yucky and not attractive at all.

If I could find someone with the OD Green LCP,,,
I would offer them a trade plus a box of ammo as a deal sweetener.

Aarond

.

biohazard313 · March 20, 2014, 04:58 PM

my BUG is a LC380. love it

aarondhgraham · March 21, 2014, 08:50 AM

Quote:

my BUG is a LC380. love it

I have the LC9,,,
Which is essentially the same gun.

If it were SA/DA with a decocker instead of DAO,,,
I would consider it a perfect handgun,,,
It's a near ideal fit to my hand.

Aarond

.

mukwah · March 21, 2014, 08:58 AM

I have owned both the LCP and the LC9 since they first came out. They are my main EDC weapons from the half dozen or so other handguns I own. Light, thin, and soooo.... easy to carry!

February 26, 2014, 05:35 PM	#1
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Looks like I'm buying an LCP,,, Looks like I'm buying an LCP,,, It's not something I was out looking for,,, But it's an unusual situation that I feel I should deal with. About a year and a half ago a lady acquaintance of mine said,,, I'm getting my carry permit so what gun should I buy,,, I loaned her my Bersa Thunder 22 for the class,,, So she could wait a bit before buying a gun. She took the class and passed the written and shooting test,,, We talked a bit and she was adamant she wanted a small semi-auto,,, I talked calibers and such with her and I eventually recommended a Ruger LCP. So taking me on my word she promptly went out and bought a new one,,, I haven't seen her in well over a year but ran into her this past week,,, I asked her if she was carrying and how she liked her little Ruger. She said she was carrying a .38 Charter Arms revolver now,,, The Ruger was just too snappy on recoil for her arthritic hands,,, She also stated that she was never able to hit anything with the LCP. Dang! said I. I really felt bad about that recommendation,,, And in all honesty there are things about the gun that I didn't know then. I asked her how much she had fired the gun,,, She still had one of the two boxes of rounds she originally purchased,,, The LCP was just sitting in it's original box on a shelf in her bedroom clothes closet. Anyways, I offered to buy it from her,,, I remember she bought it at The Evil Pawn Shop,,, More so I remember the exact amount that she paid for it. She thought about it for a few minutes and said yes,,, So now I am going to be the proud owner of a slightly used Elsie-Pea. This isn't really a burden for me,,, I'll probably turn around and sell it to someone,,, But then again I might shoot it a few times and decide to keep it. I think I did learn a lesson here,,, Be a bit more careful about tossing out recommendations like that. What I should have done is offer to take her to a rental range in Ok City,,, It would have been a fun outing and she could have made a more informed decision. Oh well,,, Easy come easy go. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

February 26, 2014, 05:53 PM	#3
vostracker Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 416	Lip You are definetly one of the most honorable men I know. Not many would do what you've done. It does highlight what can happen when one gives out advice on gun and caliber choice. I try and have the person who asks for advice to handle and shoot what they are interested in or what I may recommend.

February 26, 2014, 05:57 PM	#4
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Hello Wishoot,,, I've read many times in this forum,,, That the Hogue grip sleeve makes a world of difference. But in any event I'll give it a good trial shooting,,, I do have a natural affinity for small things in general,,, So I'm not feeling too terribly bad about becoming a LCP owner. Besides, one can't own too many handguns. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

February 26, 2014, 06:05 PM	#6
k Squared Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 238	Ditto on the grip sleeve Ditto on the grip sleeve. I'd also suggest an extended magazine base for a better grip. Less concealable, but much easier to shoot. __________________ K Squared

February 26, 2014, 06:37 PM	#8
CWKahrFan Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2010 Posts: 2,016	I haven't written about mine in a few months so here goes once again... (Skip if you've read it before.) I always carry my LCP with a ten-round ProMag. I epoxied a thin square of plastic onto the back of the magwell so that the mag fits nice and tight and also acts as a thin extended grip. This makes it easy for my big mitts to grasp, and the added weight of the extra rounds also mitigates the snappy recoil. I carry it at the appendix position in a fabric holster with the (longer) grip/mag resting on the top of my belt, all concealed by an overhanging shirt. Very handy. It's a little unorthodox but works great for me... 14 oz. loaded... hardly know it's there, yet I have 11 rounds at the ready. No reliability glitches... It's my most-carried rig. __________________ What did Mrs. Bullet say to Mr. Bullet? ... "We're having a BeeBee!"... IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT!... IF THE GUN FITS, SHOOT IT! "Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it."

February 26, 2014, 05:42 PM	#2
Wishoot Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2009 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,093	There's worse things in the world than owning an LCP. You may even come to like it. It's certainly had to beat when it comes to concealment. Put a Hogue grip on it and you may actually enjoy shooting it too.

February 26, 2014, 06:05 PM	#5
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	You probably know this but when they eliminated the dash in the serial number in 2013 (and later models) the sights got a little better and the trigger pull improved too. I guess the easy way to tell is look at the sights-bigger is 'better'. If yours is the later version you might get a little more for it if you decide to sell it. I was amazed at how compact the thing was. You could literally put it in your front jeans pocket and almost forget it was there...but of course you should use a holster. In another thread Cheapshooter posted a couple of videos of the .380 being shot thru windshield glass and a car door and I must say was impressed with the .380 round. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhfKSXWLNxg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79CodjHFwVI

February 26, 2014, 06:10 PM	#7
HawkeyeNRAlifer Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 316	It's not always easy to get a novice out to the range to try a variety of handguns, but it's the only real way for them to get an idea of what will work. About three years back I bought a LCP and it took about two boxes of ammo to get to shoot it well. I'd been away from small automatics for awhile because they didn't fit my big mitts very well. Still carry and shoot it, it just takes some extra practice for me to shoot it decently.

February 26, 2014, 06:52 PM	#9
Mastrogiacomo Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,297	Yet more proof that light weight guns are not everyone's dream choice. Ladies, in a gun, weight is your friend.... Laura __________________ "Luctor et Emergo" - Struggle and Emerge

February 26, 2014, 08:36 PM	#10
Joe_Pike Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2010 Posts: 1,581	About the only .380 I feel comfortable recommending to a lady that is not a shooter is the Bersa. Relatively easy slide pull and a heavier gun to help tame recoil. __________________ Stay Groovy

February 26, 2014, 09:27 PM	#11
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Aarond, despite your love of pink guns, you are a hell of an ambassador for firearms. The LCP by the way is a great gun for what it is. Shoot it a few times and you might very well decide to keep it. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson Last edited by Kreyzhorse; February 28, 2014 at 06:27 PM.

February 26, 2014, 10:16 PM	#12
oldcabin Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2013 Location: st louis Posts: 235	I was excited about the Hogue grip. I installed it properly using the longer pin to hold it. Maybe it's my hand size or placement, but it seemed to move around on the gun way more than I would want. I think I was death gripping it and the thing just wasnt staying put. I think had I used a tack spray like 3m77 maybe. Or mabye a Talon grip between them. Anyway, the hogue came off soon after. It is a great gun for what it is.

February 27, 2014, 11:38 AM	#14
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	I am an LCP fan, that is my carry gun. But, my wife cannot pull the trigger or rack the slide. She also cannot on my Walther style PX22 or her Beretta 21A. To shoot the Beretta she must (remember to) cock the hammer first. Not good but it is what it is. A revolver might be a better solution for her.

February 27, 2014, 08:38 PM	#17
Powdersmoke Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Park Rapids, Minnesota Posts: 109	There are worse things than owning an LCP. I have one and like it. Mine is 100% reliable with the 4 different jhp loads. I don't carry it much, it's what I carry when absolutely nothing bigger will do. As the saying goes "it's what I carry when I'm not carrying a gun". lol

February 27, 2014, 08:42 PM	#18
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	"As the saying goes 'it's what I carry when I'm not carrying a gun'." I can't help but wonder how many people who say that have been shot with one.

February 27, 2014, 08:48 PM	#19
Powdersmoke Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Park Rapids, Minnesota Posts: 109	True but anyone who's sane and sober isn't going to force you to shoot them in the first place. Psychotics, drunks and drug users on the other hand may not be slowed down alot by a .380.

March 18, 2014, 10:18 AM	#20
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Well, I picked up the little Ruger yesterday evening,,, Well, I picked up the little Ruger yesterday evening,,, Man I had forgotten just how small they are,,, It's barely bigger than my 22-PLY. So now my friend isn't stuck with a pistol she doesn't like,,, And I have a new "set" of pistols to encase. Meet Ruth the LC9, Idgie the SR22, and Evelyn the LCP. I barely had time to run to the range and pop off a quick 21 rounds,,, I will definitely be buying one of those Hogue grip sleeves,,, The recoil of the LCP is "snappy" to say the least,,, And no, I won't be buying the pink sleeve. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time) Last edited by aarondhgraham; March 18, 2014 at 10:40 AM.

March 18, 2014, 11:08 PM	#21
oldcabin Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2013 Location: st louis Posts: 235	Well, it looks awfully plain next to the others in that box. You may have to paint the finger extension on it, just to liven it up a bit.

March 20, 2014, 04:58 PM	#23
biohazard313 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2013 Posts: 128	my BUG is a LC380. love it

March 21, 2014, 08:58 AM	#25
mukwah Member Join Date: August 30, 2012 Posts: 92	I have owned both the LCP and the LC9 since they first came out. They are my main EDC weapons from the half dozen or so other handguns I own. Light, thin, and soooo.... easy to carry!