Ruger LCP & LC9 ???

[eagle359]

Several weeks ago I bought my wife a Ruger LCP. I had bought her a Glock 19 last year. She cannot rack the slide on the G19 so I thought I would give the LCP a try. No joy-she does not like it either. She just wants her Smith 642. I liked it. Saturday I picked up a LC9. Ruger must be pushing these things like crazy. The spent case that came with the LC9 was dated Oct 5, 2011. It made it from AZ to me in three weeks. I am still not real sure about the LCP/LC9 concept. I have not had a great deal of joy with mouse guns. I tried the PP & PPK/S series in the late 70s but I never could get them to run well. A G21 or some various 1911 is what I leave the house with. I pick up a J frame when I just want something in my pocket. The internet seems to love the LCP/LC9 guns. Is anybody shooting one? How do you like it? Any idea on service life?


Thanks,
John

 

[Guate_shooter]

Not to hijack this

But I am YET to see a female who cannot rack the slide on a G19, are you sure its not a "training issue" rather than strenght ?????

I have shot the LC9 and it felt OK IMO, I was not impressed by it and the trigger did not have a WOW sensation. Its a great competitor to the Taurus line of smaller 9mm. It just makes me wish one of the big companies would actually put some dedication to a single stack 9mm that simply blows your mind away like they do with the full size guns, seems all of them suck and either have feeding issues or poorly designed triggers mechanism

 

[Danny Abear]

I have both and have NO problems with either; they both have a place and purpose. They both are like a firecracker going off in your hand with SD loads in them, and I wouldn't recomend either of them to teach someone with.

 

[bayoupirate]

Have you considered using a slightly lighter weight main spring on the G19?

 

[eagle359]

Training or hand strength-I have no idea. It may be as simple as she likes her 642 and does not really want to "upgrade".

PS-Hijack away if you think that it spur on a discussion.

 

[Globallyoff]

Nothing at all wrong with the 642. The small 9mm autos are subject to "limp wristing" malfunctions. This is not a problem with the revolvers. FWIW, i just ordered a Kel Tec PF9 for carry, but I have a 642 and a G19.

 

[Sin-ster]

My favorite of this line of pistols is the PF9. I actually enjoy shooting the thing, in small-ish doses (100 rounds or so). I haven't had much time behind the LC9, but it definitely doesn't wow me.

But... I carry an M&P 45 FS. So I'm far from unbiased in regards to pocket pistols.

As to the slide manipulation problem-- it's rarely a matter of strength. People who struggle with it have one (or more) of several problems.

1) Slack gun hand wrist, allowing the pistol to tip.
2) Improper grip on the slide.
3) Attempting to hold the pistol stationary while working the slide, instead of a push-pull combination.

My ex was by no means a power house, and she never struggled with any pistol of mine. Even a bone-stock 70 Series 1911, with the world's stiffest spring-- no problem, with the proper technique. It doesn't have to be a pretty process-- just get a round chamber and get the thing in battery!

 

[Tim67]

My LC9 happily gobbles anything I run through it, but my fingers are close enough to the blast to feel the heat and the gun is just big enough that it takes my deepest pocketed pants or a jacket to qualify it as a pocket pistol-jeans require a waist holster of one kind or another. It is slim enough to be comfortable IWB and light enough for a belly band or ankle holster.

 

[johnnyj28]

let the high jacking continue... i Have a 10 year old son.. just curious.. how old do younsters have to be before being able to rack a Glock 19 or other full sized pistol??
Im not leaving it out on counter top... I was just curious... My 10 year old has not been introduced to gun safety.. YET! I know I am late,,
but I dont feel qualified teaching...

 

[Xenon]

My son is eight and has already been introduced to gun safety. I do not think he would be able to rack my G19/G21 if he wanted to, but they aren't anywhere he could get to them either.

He's shot shotguns, rifles (in 223/22) and a handgun in 22 with no problem. He's pretty darn safe too. The "keep your booger picker off the bang button" line, gave him kicks and reminds him not to put his finger near the trigger unless intending to fire.

Depending on the strength of your son, he can either rack a 19 (which isn't a full size) now, or will be able to do so very soon. I suggest enrolling him in a hunters safety course (even if he will not be a hunter). They teach a lot of the basics which should be instilled if he will be around firearms going forward.

 

[Sin-ster]

let the high jacking continue... i Have a 10 year old son.. just curious.. how old do younsters have to be before being able to rack a Glock 19 or other full sized pistol??
Im not leaving it out on counter top... I was just curious... My 10 year old has not been introduced to gun safety.. YET! I know I am late,,
but I dont feel qualified teaching...

The spring on your 19 is quoted at 17 pounds. We'll take the manufacturers word for that, and assume that's the actual rate.

If your son can generate 17 pounds of force with both hands, he can work the slide. However, chances are that he won't have the proper technique/go about the process the right way, and that's what keeps even grown folks (especially women) from doing the job. Furthermore, there's the factor of hand strength-- you can generate plenty of force with your arms, but if your grip and/or wrists are not up to the task, it's going to be a problem.

Properly instructed, I am fairly certain your 10 year old would have no problem chambering a round from the pistol. If you just handed it to him to try without giving advice, he'd probably have a hard time.

 

[johnnyj28]

thanks for the info guys...
about the giving no advice and being able to rack a slide...
there is one problem with that...
he has toy guns that have working slides...
and moth my boys know how to rack a slide on a toy gun...
so that may or may not help him figure it out on his own..
no worries.. gun is put away/hidden/locked up/ no ammo around either.. ha

 

[rrussotwo]

My son is eight and has already been introduced to gun safety. I do not think he would be able to rack my G19/G21 if he wanted to, but they aren't anywhere he could get to them either.

He's shot shotguns, rifles (in 223/22) and a handgun in 22 with no problem. He's pretty darn safe too. The "keep your booger picker off the bang button" line, gave him kicks and reminds him not to put his finger near the trigger unless intending to fire.

Depending on the strength of your son, he can either rack a 19 (which isn't a full size) now, or will be able to do so very soon. I suggest enrolling him in a hunters safety course (even if he will not be a hunter). They teach a lot of the basics which should be instilled if he will be around firearms going forward.

Wow. I have my four year old handling guns already. He's had his own airsoft guns since three and we discuss gun safety almost daily.

He's always been fascinated by them and I wanted to remove the mystique as soon as possible. Now he treats his airsoft as if it were a real gun and will point it down when walking and never muzzles anyone.

I would get your son a paintball gun and a .22rifle and go from there. Make sure you encourage him to PLAY paintball, the pain is helpul.

 

[Btl_Rkt_Sci]

Father-in-law has an LCP. Everytime you rack the slide you have to "assist" it all the way forward. It racks itself fine while shooting, but that first round takes some elbow grease. Fishy if you ask me...especially for carry.

 

[Renegade]

When my son was 10, he was racking the bolt on my AK... the slide on a semi-auto pistol was no problem at all. He's an average sized kid and starting shooting when he was 5.

 

[Sin-ster]

Father-in-law has an LCP. Everytime you rack the slide you have to "assist" it all the way forward. It racks itself fine while shooting, but that first round takes some elbox greas. Fishy if you ask me...especially for carry.

That's abnormal. All 3 of the LCP's I've handled "hot" certainly had a jump before going into battery, but they locked up under spring pressure every time.

What ammo is he running? Could be a huge cup of a JHP will bite on that feedramp until it's worn in a bit better.

 

[Btl_Rkt_Sci]

That's abnormal. All 3 of the LCP's I've handled "hot" certainly had a jump before going into battery, but they locked up under spring pressure every time.

What ammo is he running? Could be a huge cup of a JHP will bite on that feedramp until it's worn in a bit better.

It is JHP, not sure of the brand.

 

[03protege]

Father-in-law has an LCP. Everytime you rack the slide you have to "assist" it all the way forward. It racks itself fine while shooting, but that first round takes some elbow grease. Fishy if you ask me...especially for carry.

My guess would be he is doing something wrong when racking it. There is no more force when the gun returns to battery while shooting than if you pull the slide all the way back and release it.

The only other thing I could think of is if there is too much spring tension in the magazine and the first round is too hard to strip out.

If it was ammo related I don't see why it would not do it everytime.

 

[Not4Hire]

I have both. 350 rounds through the LCP, no issues. 500 rounds through the LC9, No issues either. The LC9 is a lot smoother with the break in. LCP is still a little tight. Love it for a inside suit pocket gun, but is not my every day carry. LC9 is great for summer and any other time that I don't carry my regular 9 (which is an XD9).