New From Ruger: LCP II Pistol

1. I really like the slide hold-open upgrade.

   But they changed the trigger … ugh. I really like the double-action trigger on the LCP. It is extremely light for a double-action trigger and yet it is heavy enough that it isn’t likely to engage on foreign objects that happen to work their way into the trigger guard … which is an important design element for a handgun that will frequently ride in people’s pockets.

   Let’s be honest: all micro-pistols — including the LCP — are optimized for engagements at 6 feet or less. The original sights and double-action trigger are absolutely fine for such engagements and in no way degrade accuracy. Going to a single-action trigger, apparently in an attempt to improve long-range accuracy, is not a good trade-off.

   • I like bolt hold open as well, but the trigger reset on my current model sucks. It clicks at one position, then fully resets at another.

     • Do you have a Custom (red trigger) or standard model?

   • Carrying a firearm in your pocket without a pocket holster or a kydex trigger guard protector is a Negligent Discharge waiting to happen. The subsequent interview with the local press usually follows something like, “I don’t know what happened, IT just went off”! No! It didn’t just go off. Some moron failed to take the appropriate action to ensure that things couldn’t wiggle their way into the trigger guard….

     • “Carrying a firearm in your pocket without a pocket holster or a kydex trigger guard protector is a Negligent Discharge waiting to happen.”

       That really depends on the gun. Striker-fired like a Glock, hell yes.

       Looooong, heavy trigger like a Ruger LCR, not so much.

       It would take serious effort to ND that one…

       • I second what Geoff PR said.

       • Article *says* this gun is single-action. While I doubt that, it would sure change-up the whole genre.

       • The length of travel on a GLOCK 42, also a slimline subcompact in .380ACP, is .50″. The trigger travel of the LCP is .49″. You’re characterizing a .01″ difference as “Looooong” and yielding a substantially different risk of negligent discharge if carried unholstered? That doesn’t sound right to me.

         Now, it’s also true that the trigger pull on the GLOCK is 5.5 lbs., compared to the LCP’s 6.5 lb. trigger pull. That’s one pound more and would help, marginally, prevent negligent discharge, in theory. Still, it depends on what magnitudes of force are typically applied to the triggers of unholstered firearms in cases of negligent discharges.

         If the typical force applied is, say, 8 lbs., then does the LCP’s extra one pound of trigger pull help? Yes, I suppose, but it makes no practical difference as the force still exceeds the trigger pull weight, trigger still gets pulled, and the firearm still negligently discharges.

         I’d bet that the typical force applied in such cases exceeds the puny one pound margin and .01 inch margins of error that you’re betting your life on. Play it safe and holster that sidearm.

       • Sooner or later you’ll slip up wrt your key discipline, and your house key will do it’s prybar thing….

         That being said, most sane people almost always use a pocket holster/trigger protector. But it is still bad design to make even the very occasional relaxation of that rule pretty much a no-no. A POCKET pistol should be reasonably safe to occasionally carry in the POCKET, those few times when a holster for some reason is not available.

         And besides, like others have mentioned, the LCP, like the LCR, already had a perfectly good trigger, for anything anyone would realistically need a pocket gun for. That it may not hang with a G42 or 238 in some mousegun IDPA match or internet shootout, is nothing more than a great big who cares. It was a very well thought out, functional, user friendly land idiot proof ast ditch gun, for when anything bigger, like an LCR, was too big. With what I presume will be an LC9s type trigger, the idiot proofness (and everyone is an idiot sometimes, while the LCP is supposed to be there ALL the time, not just when one is “armed”) takes a big dive.

       • Jonathan-Huston –

         Perhaps I wasn’t clear.

         I was referring to the Ruger LCR revolver having a “Looooong”, heavy trigger pull, and being personally comfortable with the LCR revolver in my pocket without a holster.

         I wasn’t comparing the LCP to a Glock.

         No way in Hell would I carry a striker-fired weapon with one in the pipe in my pocket without a holster. Or appendix carry for that matter…

   • Partially agree on the first model’s trigger, but only on post-2012 models. I owned a 2009ish model and it’s trigger was terribly heavy, creepy, and had around 18 fake reset points on release. After around 2010 or so, they smoothed it out considerably.

   • Single action trigger? I don’t see any hammer to cock! I’m assuming “striker-fired” was meant, but not having one to disassemble, I can only guess it’s POOR Product Description (I’m not familiar with LCPs, she never lets me shoot it. But having several Ruger rev.s, I’m sure the improvements on the improvements are effective).

     • The hammer is concealed inside the frame, just like a pocket revolver. I have an original LCP, and you can clearly see the it move through the slot in the back of the slide. I’m guessing the motion of the slide on the new model fully cocks it, 1911 style.

     • No, it is a hammer fired gun, like all LCP’s have been–my LCP Custom has a partially cocked hammer with a fantastic trigger–no where to try the LCP II yet, so I do not know how it compares–my Custom is fantastically accurate with a great trigger & I am going to keep it–LCP’s since 2012 or so were reworked & do have way better triggers than the earlier ones & for some reason I can not figure out way less recoil bite–I would even describe the Custom as pleasant or mild

   • I’m with you man. I got excited about the hold-open, but then read about the trigger. This version is probably not going in my pocket.

     I have a feeling this new version is a response to the Taurus TCP which has the hold-open feature, a better trigger, and has been stealing market share from Ruger in this segment.

   • You rarely get to choose your engagement distance, that is often decided by how close the other party is willing to get.

     OTOH I like to back up to 70 yards to make hits with on a B/C sized steel target with my just after the recall Ruger LCP. The best I’ve gotten in 5/6, but I typically get 4/6.

   • Right? The rush to “better” triggers. A better trigger for what? I have read about the LCP II and it seems there is not drop safety on this SA trigger. I’ll pass on the better trigger.

     I like my original LCP and can hit a pie plate one handed at 7 yards; good enough!

     • For myself I prefer the LCP Custom (have two) to the newer LCP II also. However, like all Rugers since 1973, all are ‘drop safe’. The extra lever in the trigger is part of the drop safety system.

2. TTAG, you guys are only a couple days late with this news. TFB broke this story several days ago.

   🙂

   This gun does look interesting.

3. One of the best values in modern pocket pistols. Definitely getting the new one.

4. Gee I pulled the trigger on a LCP Custom last week. It seemed pretty good for 20 bucks more than a regular one. THIS seems like a direct competitor to GLOCK. Which is cool to me…

   • Just tried to find the LCP Custom on Ruger’s website. It says page not found. Ruger may have discontinued the LCP Custom.

5. Amped up the ugliness and amped up the price, I guess to be more like the American Pistol.

   I don’t like what they’re doing, it’s all aesthetics and dumb designs. And the aesthetic they’re going for is “hideous cancerous growth.”

   • I do like the looks of the LCP, LC9S, & the SR Series of pistols better my self & I own all of the them–however, people seem to want the more ‘military’ look today & Ruger is responding to the market

   • I kinda like the look of the american, especially the compact. But the first thing I thought on this thing was that it is a ugly as sin.

6. Powerful 380…roflol

   • I guess you have not tried modern .380 ACP ammo–you WILL be way surprised–resisted getting a LCP until I saw what modern ammo is capable of

     • The .380 pushes a 90 grain bullet at 1000 FPS or less from small handguns. My Winchester Ranger RA40T .40 Smith pushes a 180 grain bullet at an honest 1000 FPS from my duty gun. I don’t consider that a powerful round, either. It’s decent, though, and goes through auto windshield glass pretty well for a combat handgun caliber.

       I’d say “powerful” handguns start at full power .357 or 10mm. The .380 is capable, but I wouldn’t consider it powerful. I carry it as a backup or for max concealment. Then again, I don’t get paid to advertise handguns.

7. I don’t see the point in making this trigger a single action with a lighter pull. The LCP is a close range gun, you’re likely not going to be shooting past 15 yards with it, but taller sights that are easier to see help with making that kind of shot. That’s a good upgrade, but the LCP Custom already has that including a drift adjustable rear sight. Also, since this is supposed to be a close range gun, what’s the point of a last round hold open when an attacker would already be on top of you? It saves maybe a second of time not having to rack the slide back… not useful.

   To me, it’s not better than the LCP Custom.

   • I agree–I have a Custom & it is remarkable–the tall sights, which I used bright white appliance paint on, enable amazing accuracy–also I think that the trigger on the Custom is beyond reproach–I want to try the ‘II’ when I find one just to compare, but I will be keeping the Custom

8. Hey everyone, I just tried to find the LCP Custom on Ruger’s website. It says page not found. Is this possibly because Ruger has discontinued the LCP Custom? Can anyone confirm this?

   • Wish I knew, this is surprising–Ruger is moving production of the LCP to a different plant (which I will not divulge)–maybe this is why–going to check on it

9. I rather like the updated styling on the new model. I pocket carry the gen 1 LCP often and I’m sure I’ll give this new gun a look when it becomes available.

10. Admit it folks, In general for pistols… Ruger is better than the still good Glock.

    • Ruger has spoiled me for their guns in general–I have a lot of experience with a lot of makes because of all the private shooting ranges (me too) in my area where we share firing weapons–I find the Rugers to be the best running guns–I also do maintenance & repair on guns for friends–this includes Glocks that have failures–to each their own, but I do not care for them–except for a couple of shotguns that Ruger does not make, I got sick of the problems with several other makes of guns that I had & sold everything off that did not say Ruger on it

11. I just looked at one today …. and brought it home. It is a darned nice little gun. It now looks, feels and operates like a real gun, not a toy. The trigger is very nice. The stippling is very fine and upscale looking, and feels almost like velvet, in a good way. The grip is significantly thicker at the rear, to spread recoil better. It feels good and I hope I will not need a rubber sleeve. The racking effort is low. I will try to shoot it soon to see if that part is as good as the rest of the package.

    I don’t normally like to buy a brand new model, but sometimes the gun just reaches out and says take me home….

    I paid $299, one other shop here in a Spokane WA lists it for $265. There is no reason to pay MSRP.

    It only has one mag, and I will have to order a spare online, but the box has a 20% off coupon so that will cut the cost a little. Mags are $34.

    It fits in my Desantis pocket holster, no problem, but it does come with a similar one in the box.

    NEAT little mouse gun!

12. The LCP already had a horribly weak recoil spring rated at 9 lb. Custom replacement helped reduce the awful recoil caused by this with 12 lb springs.

    My Taurus TCP 380 / 738 PT come stock with a 14LB recoil spring.

    Did hear right, they are making their super light recoil spring even weaker?

    Apparently Ruger originally did this to target the female audience who purchase many of the sub-compact 380s (note the abundance of pink and purple LCPs in gun stores), and have a horrible time cocking such a small slide if the recoil spring is normal strength… but that is a sacrifice that makes recoil hit much harder. Force = mass * acceleration. In recoil (and things like car collisions) the force comes from the rate of deceleration or simply negative acceleration. So the stronger the spring, the longer it takes for the slide to slam back, and thus hits with less force if the spring is strong and the time is longer (less deceleration).

    Taurus, who gets needlessly bad rep, instead of sacrificing performance and accuracy from harsher recoil, left their 14lb recoil spring (which I verified the strength of, when I ordered a replacement from Taurus USA.. Before that I had ordered an “improved” spring from a company called Galloway Precision that actually made the recoil way worse, because they must have assumed Taurus’ TCP used the same spring as the Ruger LCP, and sells a 12 lb spring as an upgrade spring when it was a terrible downgrade)

    Taurus now offers a version of the PT738 / TCP 380 that has “wings” that fold out on the back of the slide so women and people with handicaps, can more easily cock/rack the slide on their 380.

    My other huge concern… a Pocket 380 with no manual safety that is single action (After a round is loaded when the slide is racked)??? This is seriously a scary proposition for something that will mostly kept in pockets. a Trigger safety can very easily be pulled by accident, if seen too many negligent discharges on single action handguns, to ever have one in a pocket without a engageable safety of some kind. Maybe one of those rubber trigger stops would be good.

    • Taurus deserves all the bad rap that they get–I have personally witnessed every class of firearm they make malfunction, even a revolver–my LCP Custom has very moderate, even mild recoil–also, whoever pocket carries any gun without a pocket holster is inviting eventual trouble

      • I second that observation. Seen too many fail to ever buy a Taurus. On par with keltec, but keltec keeps pumping out such cool designs I can’t say no…I’ve got a problem.

        • I will say I’ve never had an issue with Keltec. Are they built with the best refinement? No, but I’ve never had one fail or jam. Had an issue with my PF9 throwing the firing pin into my forehead, but that was a reassembly mistake, made by me, after I Duracoated.

          +1 on the inventive designs, wish other gun companies (with better manufacturing output) would take a risk and step outside the box.

          Can’t say the same for Taurus. Never personally owned one, but have witnessed the issues two friends have had with theirs.

          • I tend to lump Taurus and Kel-Tec in the same category. They both have interesting designs, but questionable quality issues.

            And just to throw in a balancing anecdote, I’ve never witnessed problems with Taurus.

13. An “Inner trigger ‘safety’ “‘s degree of safetyness, depends on how wide the trigger guard is, and how small (how closely it encloses the trigger) is is. On a wide, double stack Glock, with a small trigger guard cut almost as wide as the double stack frame, it actually makes lots of sense. On a paper thin gun like the LCP, not so much.

14. Well great. Naturally I bought an LCP not even a week ago….

    Not too sure about the new trigger though. I like the idea of single stage but the double-stage of the LCP isn’t bad in the slightest for me though. Really would like the last round hold open though. That alone almost swung me to the Taurus offering….if it wasn’t a Taurus and the two weren’t within $20 of each other.

    • Why do you need a last round hold open for a pocket .380? You think if you need to reload that you’re gonna have time to do it in an engagement and that hold open will save you half a second?

      • Why not is the better question? If it can be integrated with little to no size/weight penalty I don’t see the reason not to include it.

        You can argue the merits of it in a defensive situation but the fact remains that the particulars of said defensive shooting (if it even occurs) are unknown. No point in speculating how useful the feature may or may not be. That split second difference may matter, and it equally may not. That’s no reason not to include a last round hold open feature.

        Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be rushing to trade in my LCP for the new version. The LCP is perfect for what I needed, a small gun I can throw in a pocket coming to and from work without the need for a gun belt….I wear scrubs btw. It’s not my usual carry piece. All I’m saying is it would’ve been nice to have the option between the two.

        • You won’t be rushing to trade in your LCP because it has no trade in value anymore 🙂

    • The Taurus will let you down when you need it the most–not having the last shot hold open surprising has not bothered me at all–no where here yet to try the II, but the trigger is so good on the LCP from around 2012 up it can not matter–for where I carry my LCP Custom I like the trigger the way it is

      • Yeah I avoid Taurus like the plague. I honestly prefer last round hold open solely for the visible reminder and the familiarity of it. Again, we can argue the necessity of it, but that’s a mess waiting to happen. I can also argue the necessity of hi-cap mags, cars that go over a certain speed, and 200+ channel satellite tv but someone would get chapped over it if I suggested none of them should be offered.

        It’s not so much that it’s necessary, but why not throw it in there? It doesn’t bother me anymore than the lack of the feature on my AK bothers me but it’s something you immediately notice when shoot it after a gun with it. I can’t think of any excuse why a modern gun wouldn’t offer it honestly.

        I will agree the trigger is superb given the limitations of a double-action pull. When I first tried it in-store I was quite impressed. I didn’t go for the custom, and I didn’t even know they had offered one, but if it’s better than the stock version it must be something indeed.

        Either way, barring the new trigger which I have my reservations about, and the questionable aesthetics, Ruger has got a big seller on their hands here. Now just waiting for their Precision rifle to become more commonplace and obtainable…..

15. Brilliant. Put a crisp single stage trigger on a tiny little pocket 380. So you can now shoot for groups at the range like an Olympian with your tiny little pocket 380! Friggin Stupid.

    On the bright side, the price of the LCP Custom should probably come down even lower. Heck, I only paid 239 for mine a while back too. Put the Hogue LCP Hybrid grip on it and slap it a Recluse holster and it is an awesome little pocket 380. And I HATED my first LCP. Trigger blew, sights blew, grip blew. But the LCP Custom and the Hogue hybrid made up for all that in spades. Last round hold open? Yeah, cool there. But honestly, with this little pistol and the reality of what an actual DGU is most likely to be, it’s almost irrelevant. We’re not talking about a service sidearm here, and that appears to be what they are trying to make the LCP. Bah hah hah. Just something ‘new’ to market I guess. Ruger are the masters at that for sure.

    • LCP Custom appears to have been discontinued.

      • oh man, no shit LOL. I just checked Gbroker too and there are only 2 listed and their starting at 280 now! hahaha, Guess there wasn’t enough profit margin to sustain that model. Oh well, guess the value of mine just went up.

      • Custom might return in Nov or Dec–Ruger is moving the LCP line from Prescot, but I will not let you know where yet–I hope it does stay in the line & looks like it might

16. set the standard? ahead of the P3AT?

17. This is what George should’ve done to P-3AT years ago. And it officially makes LCP not merely a clone of Kel-Tec’s gun anymore.

18. Really wish they would have left the double action trigger.
    A pocket gun that is carried full time and handled a lot really should have the longer DA pull. (although I haven’t actually handled the LCP II yet)

    Just my opinion.

    I do like the slide hold-open addition.

    I have an original LCP and love it. It goes with me everywhere.

19. Yawn. Still not DAO with restrike capability. Guarantee something inside changes state with one in the pipe. That’s why my BUG is a S&W Bodyguard 380.

20. I never understood the whole “looks” thing with guns. I agree that certain guns “look” better than others. I would never buy a gun for that reason. Does it functionally meet my need. That’s my only concern.

21. Part of this article is incorrect. I have the LCP II, and I can use the Gen 1 7 round extended mag in it. So yes, the mag is compatible. The only thing that doesn’t function is the slide lock with the Gen 1 mag.

22. I bought an LCP II. Took it to the range today and bought some Remington FMJ. It fired the first five rounds and then got a jam on the sixth. Did it about five times. I changed the ammo to Hornady Critical Defense and did not failed once. What is the issue?

    • Very odd for FMJ to cause problems. Since the Hornaday is JHP and works correctly, I would presume that the Rem ammo you have is somehow out of spec. Happened a few years ago with them with some 9mm FMJ, if I remember correctly. Use a lot of Rem ammo, but have not used in .380 ACP; have not had any issues. My LCP Custom will run anything, even flat nose Winchester FMJ. Also make sure you gun is correctly lubricated, not too dry or too much lube, which collects dirt. Have fun, you got a great gun.

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