LCR 9mm = good news

Carmady · January 2, 2019, 02:00 PM

First range trip with the LCR 9mm, and I'm happy, very happy. I shot a box of Rem/UMC 115gr FMJ followed by a box of American Eagle 124gr FMJ. I also shot a box of reloads through another 38 revolver, so 150 rounds total.

Not a lot, but there was no chewing of the trigger finger by the trigger guard, no irritation in the web, no soreness at all. Soon into the box of 124gr bullets the white insert in the front sight disappeared, but that's nit-picking. I was so happy I didn't care.

The increase from 13.5 oz to 17.2 oz, the Hogue grip, the low cost of 9mm ammo, and the increased ballistics over the 38 make the LCR 9mm the one to have, imo.

This was also my first experience with moon clips. No issues there either. I did take along one of those things to unlock privacy doorknobs (on the left in pic), and it worked fine for removing the empty casings from the clips without bending them.

rock185 · January 2, 2019, 05:01 PM

Glad to hear you're happy with the performance of your 9mm revolver. I'm always interested to hear of other's experiences with revolvers using cartridges designed for semi-autos. I've enjoyed several revolvers utilizing 9mm, 10mm and 45 ACP cartridges. I don't mind moon clips, and have not had any issues with them. But, I realize many or most shooters hate moon clips, and/or the idea of cartridges traditionally used in semi-auto being used in revolvers. I see dislike of 9mm in revolvers mentioned most often. FWIW, I use those inexpensive Ranch Products bent metal "extractor" tools to remove empties.

bjw741 · January 2, 2019, 05:22 PM

Before I got my LCRx 9mm, I had a S&W 638. I rarely shot that "snubbie" because I didn't want to have to keep a sufficient stock of .38 Special ammo on hand. Now every time I go to the range, my "snubbie" goes along and gets some range time along with the 9mm pistol(s) I'm using that day. I keep a sufficient stock of 9mm ammo on hand for the "snubbie" now too.

I also shoot the LCRx in 9mm better than the S&W 638 but maybe that's because I get more practice with it.

Winny · January 4, 2019, 11:00 AM

Thanks for the review. Been eying one myself as of late.

It seems I always have several hundred rounds of 9mm on hand, as its my caliber of choice, and have been toying with the 9mm LCR for a little while now...

May have to take that leap.

FITASC · January 4, 2019, 11:06 AM

How would rate the performance, recoil, etc. of the 9mm revolver to a J frame 38?

rock185 · January 5, 2019, 04:11 AM

FITASC, Recoil is more with the 9mm than with any 38+P I have used. The reason for this is easy to understand when 38+P and 9mm are chronographed in guns of similar configuration and weight. Standard pressure 9mm produces more velocity in short barreled revolvers than does 38+P of similar bullet weight. Some 38+P loaded by the smaller "Boutique" ammunition manufacturers reportedly exceeds major manufacturer ballistics, but I've not had the opportunity to test it to this point. Using 9mm+P in the little revolvers does produce more recoil than might be assumed. Not 357 level recoil, or blast thankfully, but definitely more recoil than any major manufacturer's 38+P I've used. In fact, 9mm+P fired in the steel farmed S&W 940 has more perceived recoil, to me at least, than 38+P fired in the lighter alloy framed S&W 642. I doubt any pistol cartridge has been the recipient of more R & D than 9mm, but some current 38 Spcl. ammunition has also benefited from the latest bullet technology. Much as I like he J-Frame 9mm, I usually carry the model 642 because it is several ounces lighter than the steel framed 9mm J-frame.........ymmv

Brit · January 5, 2019, 08:16 AM

Was there a revolver that had spring loaded pieces, that were part of the crown, held the 9mm cartridge by fitting into the base of the cartridge?
Therefore negating the use of moon clips?
I personally have never seen one.

dannyb · January 5, 2019, 10:57 AM

The 9mm S&W revolver that did not require moon clips was the model 547. It was modified so that the case was hooked by part of the star in order to facilitate extraction and also had a device to prevent the case from backing out while being fired.

I do have one and have fired it a couple of times just to see how it works. After that it has remained in my safe as a collector's item. More on the 547 can be found here:

http://www.vintagepistols.com/range_report_S&W_547.html

bjw741 · January 5, 2019, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brit

Was there a revolver that had spring loaded pieces, that were part of the crown, held the 9mm cartridge by fitting into the base of the cartridge?
Therefore negating the use of moon clips?
I personally have never seen one.

There is still a 9mm revolver being sold today that negates the use of moon clips with its rimless cartridge extractor assembly . . . the Charter Arms Pitbull.

https://charterfirearms.com/products...mless-revolver

Don P · January 5, 2019, 12:58 PM

was also my first experience with moon clips. No issues there either. I did take along one of those things to unlock privacy doorknobs (on the left in pic), and it worked fine for removing the empty casings from the clips without bending them

You know the make tools for unloading and loading moon clips

Carmady · January 5, 2019, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Was there a revolver that had spring loaded pieces, that were part of the crown, held the 9mm cartridge by fitting into the base of the cartridge?

You might be thinking of the Charter Arms 9mm Pitbull, still in production. It's also available in .40 S&W and .45 ACP.

Carmady · January 5, 2019, 08:46 PM

Quote:

How would rate the performance, recoil, etc. of the 9mm revolver to a J frame 38?

Superior, IF that particular gun is issue free.

I can't make a fair comparison because the S&W J's were either Airweight (3 oz +/- lighter) or steel (5 oz +/- heavier), and I only shot 158gr bullets.

I've had four different LCR 38s, and none was close to issue free. Protruding firing pin bushing, bad timing (new replacement #1), .005" endshake (new replacement #2), etc.

Another bonus with the 9mm I forgot to mention was the short cases bypass the want/need of a longer ejector rod because there's only about 1/16" of casing left in the cylinder when the rod is bottomed out.

I'd like to see one with a 3" barrel, that would add about 100fps.

Buckeye! · January 5, 2019, 09:31 PM

They are so many self defense 9mm offerings that perform out of shorter barrels on the market today .,, standard pressure, +P , +P+ , different weights 115gr to 150gr ..

TruthTellers · January 8, 2019, 01:50 AM

I like the 9mm LCR. IMO, with it existing, there's no reason in getting a .357 LCR at all.

FITASC · January 8, 2019, 07:09 AM

Especially true if you have mostly 9mm semi to go along with it; which would be nce for those times when pocket carry might be the ticket.

Carmady · January 8, 2019, 08:44 PM

The first time out I shot it 100 times, and back home I noticed the cylinder release set screw had backed out. I tightened it up.

Today I shot another 100 rounds and it backed out again. This time I put a tiny bit of blue Loctite on it. I'll be keeping an eye on it.

These were reloads using lead 95gr 380 bullets. I have a feeling the groove diameter is tad too generous to be lead friendly.

KyJim · January 9, 2019, 12:35 PM

I've been pleased with my LCR 9mm. Trigger is good and the gun is very shootable in comparison to a SW J-frame. Production 9mm ammo will normally out perform production .38 special when it comes to terminal ballistics. You have to be really careful in selecting a .38 spl round with good terminal ballistics. There are several good 9mm loads commercially available.

I have carried mine mostly in a Mitch Rosen OWB holster I purchased from Ruger's website. It appears to be made to Rosen's "Express Line" standards; i.e., top quality all the way around, only skipping the hand boning on their more expensive holsters. I've also carried it in the same DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster I use for J-frames. It fits a large pocket very well but may be too large for smaller pockets (because of the grip frame).

I do have one caveat --- those moon clips are easy to bend. This is not a problem for me because I generally don't carry a reload anyway. If I want higher capacity, I'll carry a semi-auto.

TruthTellers · January 9, 2019, 12:58 PM

Quote:

I do have one caveat --- those moon clips are easy to bend. This is not a problem for me because I generally don't carry a reload anyway. If I want higher capacity, I'll carry a semi-auto.

You can shoot the LCR without moon clips. I'd carry it with a moon clip in the cylinder, but would use a speed strip or speedloader for the reload.

KyJim · January 9, 2019, 02:40 PM

Yeah, that's what I'm doing; carrying without a moon clip. It doesn't bother me because I never carried a reload when carrying a J-frame. As I mentioned, if I want more capacity or a reload, I'm carrying a semi-auto.

jwise · January 10, 2019, 05:45 PM

I like the ballistics of 9mm over .38 and even .357mag out of a 1.8” barrel, so I picked up a LCR in 9mm. I like it, but it may be requiring a bit of break in, as the cylinder doesn’t pop out easily but requires a bit of force to run it.

Carmady · January 10, 2019, 06:07 PM

This is the #1 reason for my interest in the LCR 9mm. Impressive results with Sig Sauer Elite Performance 124gr HP, about $12 for 20...and you don't need to run a few boxes through your revolver to be sure they'll feed, cycle, eject...

Cue it up to 18:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIsy9gg1S58&t=2s

KyJim · January 11, 2019, 12:41 PM

I know individual guns will vary, but most of the tests I have seen show premium defensive 9mm rounds out of a short barrel like the LCR's (two inches rounded off) will generally be close to the velocity from a three-inch semi-auto. For example, take a look at the table about halfway down the page at Pocket Guns and Gear where the LCR mostly exceeds the velocities from three-inch Kahr just a bit. Some other gel tests from a three-inch semi-auto show slightly higher velocities out of a semi-auto; for example here and here from ShootingtheBull410.

My point is that there should be several commercially available loads that give good penetration and expansion from the LCR 9mm. That was a big reason I have put my .38 spl J-frames in semi-retirement. I do leave open the possibility of carrying my Model 38 in a pocket holster because it is lighter and has that small grip frame that conceals better.

Carmady · January 12, 2019, 09:24 PM

Quote:

tests I have seen show premium defensive 9mm rounds out of a short barrel like the LCR's (two inches rounded off) will generally be close to the velocity from a three-inch semi-auto.

Thanks for those links.

In another Paul Harrell video he compared the LCR 9mm to the LC9 (3.1" barrel, original hammer fired version), and the difference between chrony averages was 4fps.

And in yet another (I think) he was comparing 9mm semi-autos, the S&W M&P Compact with a 3.5" barrel chronied 86fps faster than the same LC9 (3.1"). Then off camera he shot a Beretta with a 4.75" barrel, and the extra 1.25" only increased velocity by 45fps over the 3.5" barrel. That's why I'd like to see a 3" LCR 9mm, but I'm really pleased with the regular LCR so far.

TruthTellers · January 12, 2019, 11:45 PM

You'll more than likely see a 3 inch LCR 9mm. The barrels for the .357 and 9mm LCR's are the same there's little that needs doing to make it a possibility. I was almost convinced that Ruger wasn't going to make the 3 inch LCR's in the steel frame, but they did and makes me wonder if I should have held off buying the SP101 in .327.

Carmady · January 13, 2019, 10:34 PM

Quote:

I have a feeling the groove diameter is tad too generous to be lead friendly.

I never slugged a barrel before, and slugged the LCR 9mm today. There was a bit of a learning curve and I'll do it again, but I think I found the culprit of the leading from shooting the 380 95gr LRN bullets, and that would be oversized cylinder throats, NOT oversized groove diameter.

From what I could tell the groove diameter is somewhere just shy of .355", closer to .354". That surprised me, but that's about where it should be.

The slug would just about swish through the cylinder throats, and a .358" 38/357 LSWC bullet would pass through with light pressure, and the cylinder wasn't super clean.

Maybe the lack of the bullet sealing in the cylinder allows some lead to be blown around the bullet and into the barrel. And/or maybe enough lead is also removed to prevent the bullet from sealing in the barrel.

I'm going to try some MO Bullet Co's 124gr LRN with the "Hi-Tek" coating, and see if they eliminate the leading.

January 4, 2019, 11:06 AM	#5
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	How would rate the performance, recoil, etc. of the 9mm revolver to a J frame 38? __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

January 5, 2019, 04:11 AM	#6
rock185 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2001 Location: Out West in Rim Country Posts: 1,093	FITASC, Recoil is more with the 9mm than with any 38+P I have used. The reason for this is easy to understand when 38+P and 9mm are chronographed in guns of similar configuration and weight. Standard pressure 9mm produces more velocity in short barreled revolvers than does 38+P of similar bullet weight. Some 38+P loaded by the smaller "Boutique" ammunition manufacturers reportedly exceeds major manufacturer ballistics, but I've not had the opportunity to test it to this point. Using 9mm+P in the little revolvers does produce more recoil than might be assumed. Not 357 level recoil, or blast thankfully, but definitely more recoil than any major manufacturer's 38+P I've used. In fact, 9mm+P fired in the steel farmed S&W 940 has more perceived recoil, to me at least, than 38+P fired in the lighter alloy framed S&W 642. I doubt any pistol cartridge has been the recipient of more R & D than 9mm, but some current 38 Spcl. ammunition has also benefited from the latest bullet technology. Much as I like he J-Frame 9mm, I usually carry the model 642 because it is several ounces lighter than the steel framed 9mm J-frame.........ymmv __________________ COTEP 640, NRA Life

January 5, 2019, 10:57 AM	#8
dannyb Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2008 Location: SE PA Posts: 336	no moon 9 mm revolver The 9mm S&W revolver that did not require moon clips was the model 547. It was modified so that the case was hooked by part of the star in order to facilitate extraction and also had a device to prevent the case from backing out while being fired. I do have one and have fired it a couple of times just to see how it works. After that it has remained in my safe as a collector's item. More on the 547 can be found here: http://www.vintagepistols.com/range_report_S&W_547.html __________________ Moron Lave (send a Congressman through the car wash)

January 5, 2019, 12:58 PM	#10
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,187	was also my first experience with moon clips. No issues there either. I did take along one of those things to unlock privacy doorknobs (on the left in pic), and it worked fine for removing the empty casings from the clips without bending them You know the make tools for unloading and loading moon clips __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

January 8, 2019, 01:50 AM	#14
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,888	I like the 9mm LCR. IMO, with it existing, there's no reason in getting a .357 LCR at all. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

January 2, 2019, 05:01 PM	#2
rock185 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2001 Location: Out West in Rim Country Posts: 1,093	Glad to hear you're happy with the performance of your 9mm revolver. I'm always interested to hear of other's experiences with revolvers using cartridges designed for semi-autos. I've enjoyed several revolvers utilizing 9mm, 10mm and 45 ACP cartridges. I don't mind moon clips, and have not had any issues with them. But, I realize many or most shooters hate moon clips, and/or the idea of cartridges traditionally used in semi-auto being used in revolvers. I see dislike of 9mm in revolvers mentioned most often. FWIW, I use those inexpensive Ranch Products bent metal "extractor" tools to remove empties. __________________ COTEP 640, NRA Life

January 2, 2019, 05:22 PM	#3
bjw741 Member Join Date: March 24, 2011 Location: Bella Vista, AR Posts: 73	Before I got my LCRx 9mm, I had a S&W 638. I rarely shot that "snubbie" because I didn't want to have to keep a sufficient stock of .38 Special ammo on hand. Now every time I go to the range, my "snubbie" goes along and gets some range time along with the 9mm pistol(s) I'm using that day. I keep a sufficient stock of 9mm ammo on hand for the "snubbie" now too. I also shoot the LCRx in 9mm better than the S&W 638 but maybe that's because I get more practice with it.

January 4, 2019, 11:00 AM	#4
Winny Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2018 Location: SC, USA Posts: 136	Thanks for the review. Been eying one myself as of late. It seems I always have several hundred rounds of 9mm on hand, as its my caliber of choice, and have been toying with the 9mm LCR for a little while now... May have to take that leap.

January 5, 2019, 08:16 AM	#7
Brit Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 1,934	Was there a revolver that had spring loaded pieces, that were part of the crown, held the 9mm cartridge by fitting into the base of the cartridge? Therefore negating the use of moon clips? I personally have never seen one.

January 5, 2019, 09:31 PM	#13
Buckeye! Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2008 Posts: 849	They are so many self defense 9mm offerings that perform out of shorter barrels on the market today .,, standard pressure, +P , +P+ , different weights 115gr to 150gr ..

January 8, 2019, 07:09 AM	#15
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Especially true if you have mostly 9mm semi to go along with it; which would be nce for those times when pocket carry might be the ticket. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

January 8, 2019, 08:44 PM	#16
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	The first time out I shot it 100 times, and back home I noticed the cylinder release set screw had backed out. I tightened it up. Today I shot another 100 rounds and it backed out again. This time I put a tiny bit of blue Loctite on it. I'll be keeping an eye on it. These were reloads using lead 95gr 380 bullets. I have a feeling the groove diameter is tad too generous to be lead friendly.

January 9, 2019, 12:35 PM	#17
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	I've been pleased with my LCR 9mm. Trigger is good and the gun is very shootable in comparison to a SW J-frame. Production 9mm ammo will normally out perform production .38 special when it comes to terminal ballistics. You have to be really careful in selecting a .38 spl round with good terminal ballistics. There are several good 9mm loads commercially available. I have carried mine mostly in a Mitch Rosen OWB holster I purchased from Ruger's website. It appears to be made to Rosen's "Express Line" standards; i.e., top quality all the way around, only skipping the hand boning on their more expensive holsters. I've also carried it in the same DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster I use for J-frames. It fits a large pocket very well but may be too large for smaller pockets (because of the grip frame). I do have one caveat --- those moon clips are easy to bend. This is not a problem for me because I generally don't carry a reload anyway. If I want higher capacity, I'll carry a semi-auto.

January 9, 2019, 02:40 PM	#19
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	Yeah, that's what I'm doing; carrying without a moon clip. It doesn't bother me because I never carried a reload when carrying a J-frame. As I mentioned, if I want more capacity or a reload, I'm carrying a semi-auto.

January 10, 2019, 05:45 PM	#20
jwise Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 677	I like the ballistics of 9mm over .38 and even .357mag out of a 1.8” barrel, so I picked up a LCR in 9mm. I like it, but it may be requiring a bit of break in, as the cylinder doesn’t pop out easily but requires a bit of force to run it.

January 10, 2019, 06:07 PM	#21
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	This is the #1 reason for my interest in the LCR 9mm. Impressive results with Sig Sauer Elite Performance 124gr HP, about $12 for 20...and you don't need to run a few boxes through your revolver to be sure they'll feed, cycle, eject... Cue it up to 18:30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIsy9gg1S58&t=2s

January 11, 2019, 12:41 PM	#22
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	I know individual guns will vary, but most of the tests I have seen show premium defensive 9mm rounds out of a short barrel like the LCR's (two inches rounded off) will generally be close to the velocity from a three-inch semi-auto. For example, take a look at the table about halfway down the page at Pocket Guns and Gear where the LCR mostly exceeds the velocities from three-inch Kahr just a bit. Some other gel tests from a three-inch semi-auto show slightly higher velocities out of a semi-auto; for example here and here from ShootingtheBull410. My point is that there should be several commercially available loads that give good penetration and expansion from the LCR 9mm. That was a big reason I have put my .38 spl J-frames in semi-retirement. I do leave open the possibility of carrying my Model 38 in a pocket holster because it is lighter and has that small grip frame that conceals better.

January 12, 2019, 11:45 PM	#24
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,888	You'll more than likely see a 3 inch LCR 9mm. The barrels for the .357 and 9mm LCR's are the same there's little that needs doing to make it a possibility. I was almost convinced that Ruger wasn't going to make the 3 inch LCR's in the steel frame, but they did and makes me wonder if I should have held off buying the SP101 in .327. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."