USA – The Ruger LCP (Lightweight Compact Pistol) represents Ruger’s first major attempt at making a lightweight concealed carry pistol in 380 ACP.
Long noted for their “sporting designs”, Ruger built this pistol with self-defense in mind.
When it first hit the market, the LCP delivered a firestorm of controversy as many gun owners felt it was too close of a copy of Kel-Tec’s successful 380 pocket pistol, the P-3AT.
On a casual inspection, the two handguns look remarkably alike, with the Ruger gaining better points on final fit and finish.
Very few of Ruger’s ideas are completely original as they often hearken back to older designs with improvements in materials, sights and execution. The late founder, Bill Ruger, was noted for bringing to market the firearms that shooters actually wanted.
The main gripe here may have been that the Kel-Tec was a fairly recent design unlike the M14 (Mini-14), Japanese Nambu (Mk1, Mk2, and Mk3), Colt Single Action Army (Single-Six, Blackhawk, Vaquero), Colt New Service (Redhawk), or M1 Carbine (10/22).
Ruger offers dealer-exclusive LCPs in a plethora of finishes from basic black to hot pink and various shades of camo in between. Our Ruger LCP is a special edition, an exclusive made for TALO, a firearms distributor which commissions many special versions of common factory handguns and rifles. In this case, the stainless steel slide is laser engraved and features an inlay of the Ruger eagle in gold.
Like most embellishments of this type, it does not make for a more accurate pistol, but lends a touch of class.
Live Inventory Price Checker
RUGER LCP Max 380 ACP 2.8" 10rd Pistol - Black / Sapphire PVD / TALO Exclusive KYGUNCO $ 418.72 
Ruger LCP II Talo Edition Turquoise / Silver 22LR 2.75 Barrel 10-Rounds GrabAGun $ 345.99 
DESANTIS Pocket Shot Kahr P380; Ruger LCP, LCP Custom; LCP KYGUNCO $ 32.45 
Ruger OEM Magazine .380 ACP 6-Rounds Value Pack for Ruger LCP / LCP II GrabAGun $ 37.99
Ruger LCP Handgun – The Good
At 9 ounces unloaded, the Ruger LCP lives up to its name of being lightweight and compact. A pistol this small tends to be carried more often than not, which is what we want in a CCW pistol.
Equally important are the external surfaces. There are no sharp edges, protrusions or areas prone to snag or otherwise impede the draw of the Ruger LCP.
This is not just with the special edition we purchased, but something we have seen on hundreds of LCPs over the past few years.
Aftermarket support in the way of extended magazines, lasers, holsters and even a pocket clip is very strong for the LCP. The author is not a fan of lasers on handguns but can see their merit and there are several out there that work well with the LCP.
Finally, Ruger offers outstanding customer service should anything befall the pistol at the range or while maintaining it. Ruger literally treats their customers like royalty.
Ruger LCP Handgun – The Bad
The Ruger LCP uses very crude sights with the front being integral to the slide and the rear as a fixed notch. This is definitely not a handgun you would use for any serious target shooting but it is intended for distances within reach of bad breath.
Squeezing the trigger is not much better and yields a long pull with a longer reset. Not quite as bad as a kick start on a Harley Davidson, but nowhere close to what you would find on a 1911.
Ruger LCP Handgun – The Reality
Aside from the inherent flaws with regard to the trigger or the sights, the LCP’s accuracy is satisfactory. We were able to obtain a group of 3” at 25 feet while using the sights; moving closer at 5 and 10 feet did not seem to reduce the group sizes at all.
In a sense, the trigger may be ideal for this type of firearm as the shooter will be firing it under extreme stress if it fulfills its duty as a self-defense piece. That long deliberate trigger pull is to compensate for the lack of an external safety and for some shooters, this seems to fit the bill perfectly.
The Ruger LCP is not the pistol that you want to leave in your range bag for when you run out of 22s and want to enjoy the rest of your afternoon shooting.
On the other hand, this is the one you want to leave in a pocket holster or an IWB holster and can easily forget that it is there so that you will have it, should you ever need it.
About Mike Searson
Mike Searson’s career as a shooter began as a Marine Rifleman at age 17. He has worked in the firearms industry his entire adult life as a Gunsmith, Ballistician, Consultant, Salesman, Author and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1989.
Mike has written over 2000 articles for a number of magazines, websites, and newsletters including Blade, RECOIL, OFF-GRID, Tactical Officer, SWAT, Tactical World, Gun Digest, Examiner.com and the US Concealed Carry Association as well as AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.
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