Ruger LC380...viable BUG option?

[Casual Friday]

Not the LCP but the LC380. I have an opportunity to pick one up for a song. It hasn't had experienced any malfunctions or stoppages, the trigger pull is just too heavy for the gentleman because of his age and arthritis. I was thinking I could use it as a bug or for a carry gun for Mrs. Casual Friday. We're gonna get to shoot it on saturday morning before we decide to buy it or not.

Anyone have anything good, bad, or ugly to share?

[feudist]

Interested in these myself.

I've read that recoil is much less. Seems like you'd not be so close to the ragged edge of performance/reliability as with the elsie pea.

Ditto LC9

[WDW]

Given the size of the LC380, would you not be better served with a S&W Shield or Walther PPS? They're roughly the same size, have a thin profile, fire a more powerful/less expensive round & are probably substantially higher in quality. The specs are nearly identical. So why go with a .380 from a company known to produce questionable autos?

LC 380:
Length 6"
Width 0.9"
Height 4.5"
Weight Empty 17.2 oz

S&W Shield
Length 6.1"
Width 0.95"
Height 4.6"
Weight Empty 19.0 oz

Walther PPS
Length 6.3"
Width 0.9"
Height 4.4"
Weight Empty 1.3 lbs

[Casual Friday]

Given the size of the LC380, would you not be better served with a S&W Shield or Walther PPS? They're roughly the same size, have a thin profile, fire a more powerful/less expensive round & are probably substantially higher in quality. The specs are nearly identical. So why go with a .380 from a company known to produce questionable autos?

LC 380:
Length 6"
Width 0.9"
Height 4.5"
Weight Empty 17.2 oz

S&W Shield
Length 6.1"
Width 0.95"
Height 4.6"
Weight Empty 19.0 oz

Walther PPS
Length 6.3"
Width 0.9"
Height 4.4"
Weight Empty 1.3 lbs

I'm aware of the downfalls of the .380. But like I said, I'm getting it at a very, very low price from a family friend. It wouldn't be my first choice either, but my wife likes it and if a small .380 is what it takes to get her to carry, I'll cope. We're gonna shoot it tomorrow morning to see if she likes it or not.

[Chuck Haggard]

Might actually be a decent solution for your needs. I'm curious how that works out for you.

[Casual Friday]

First impressions after getting home with it is the trigger is no where near as bad as the internet claims. It's no light LEM, but it's workable. It has the ergonomics of a deck of playing cards, the thumb safety is nearly impossible to engage with the thumb but it sweeps off nicely. We'll see how it does in the morning on the range.

[TGS]

First impressions after getting home with it is the trigger is no where near as bad as the internet claims. It's no light LEM, but it's workable. It has the ergonomics of a deck of playing cards, the thumb safety is nearly impossible to engage with the thumb but it sweeps off nicely. We'll see how it does in the morning on the range.

If Mrs. Casual likes it and ends up enjoying shooting it, I think you may have a winner.

While 380 has its limitations, the Buffalo Bore Barnes SCHP (https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=87) or FMJ-FP (https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=217) ammo should be a good choice. The Barnes SCHP in 380 should be edging the 12" minimum...similar Barnes loads about 100fps slower get 10-11".

[Casual Friday]

Well it looks like we are going to pass. 6 failure to feeds in 64 rounds fired. Oh well. On a positive note, my wife asked me to build her an AR-15 because she likes shooting mine so much.:cool:

[Totem Polar]

Well it looks like we are going to pass. 6 failure to feeds in 64 rounds fired. Oh well.

Other than that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?
:p

I am no where near the gun expert that many P-F members are, but I can say that I have owned or borrowed most of the micro .380 options out there (ie. taken courses with Sig P238, shot quals with Kahr p380, owned and run numerous others at lesser price points; many usual suspects). My opinion is that they all malf sooner rather than later. But that still seems like a lot, even in the days of "200 round break-ins", unless you were using Amerc ammo, or something.

I do have a 40s-era mod 34 that is rock solid, but not much of a candidate for CCW from a features perspective.

Tough bill to fill, that niche.

[feudist]

Well it looks like we are going to pass. 6 failure to feeds in 64 rounds fired. Oh well. On a positive note, my wife asked me to build her an AR-15 because she likes shooting mine so much.:cool:

Hah! Sounds like Mrs.Casual just ran the table on you.

"Too bad the 300.00 gun didn't work, honeybunch. But I do like that 2000.00 gun..." Eye bat.:rolleyes:

[Casual Friday]

Hah! Sounds like Mrs.Casual just ran the table on you.

"Too bad the 300.00 gun didn't work, honeybunch. But I do like that 2000.00 gun..." Eye bat.:rolleyes:

Nah she still wants a pistol, just not that pistol. I don't mind building her an AR though. Hawt women with guns is hawt.

The failure to feeds that we were getting were different than the typical FTF. The spent case was being ejected properly, the live round was being stripped from the mag but it would hit the feed ramp and the nose of the round would be sticking up out of the ejection port, similar to a FTE stovepipe but with a live round.

[feudist]

Too bad.

Sounded like an interesting piece.

[Drang]

sidetrack
Meanwhile, Mrs. Drang being frustrated in her search for a Star PD, is now contemplating an XD/s in .45 ACP... :cool:
/sidetrack

[BN]

sidetrack
Meanwhile, Mrs. Drang being frustrated in her search for a Star PD, is now contemplating an XD/s in .45 ACP... :cool:
/sidetrack

Is Mrs. Drang aware that parts are very hard to find for a Star PD. I have one that I used to carry a lot back in the day. I keep it for the nostalgia factor now and shoot it once in a while just because I can. :)

Mrs Casual Friday will need a new purse to carry that AR. ;)

[Drang]

Is Mrs. Drang aware that parts are very hard to find for a Star PD. I have one that I used to carry a lot back in the day. I keep it for the nostalgia factor now and shoot it once in a while just because I can. :)

Mrs Casual Friday will need a new purse to carry that AR. ;)

Trust me, she got tired of hearing me talk about the search for parts. (As mentioned here (http://thecluemeter.blogspot.com/2013/11/fun-show-aar-11232013.html).)
There's a guy in Orygun selling replacement buffers, which are probably the most necessary part.

[BN]

Trust me, she got tired of hearing me talk about the search for parts. (As mentioned here (http://thecluemeter.blogspot.com/2013/11/fun-show-aar-11232013.html).)
There's a guy in Orygun selling replacement buffers, which are probably the most necessary part.

What sidelined my PD was the time I went out to shoot it in practice and found it had a broken firing pin. :(

It was long enough ago that I found a replacement, but it is no longer for serious duty.

[JAD]

So why go with a .380 from a company known to produce questionable autos?"
Take it easy on post-Bill Ruger, man. Every gun company I can think of is "known to produce questionable autos." Ruger hasn't exactly knocked the modern service pistol out of the park yet, but as bodies of work go they've got a better resume than most.

[will_1400]

Take it easy on post-Bill Ruger, man. Every gun company I can think of is "known to produce questionable autos." Ruger hasn't exactly knocked the modern service pistol out of the park yet, but as bodies of work go they've got a better resume than most.

Agreed. From what I've seen -with my limited experience compared to many of the posters here- , Ruger is that company that makes stuff that isn't exactly pretty but is serviceable. Considering the street price of many Ruger autos is close to what most Taurus junk goes for and the Rugers generally work, I wouldn't blast them too hard.

[Chuck Haggard]

The new LCPs seem to be working well.

I know of two with the improved sights and trigger that are several hundred rounds into being shot with zero stoppages.

Sample of two, but better than what I have seen in the past, which was that not a single LCP I have met would run right, even with ball ammo.