LC9 Review

I have always said I would not buy any of the LC series pistols for various reasons, but this week I proved myself wrong. In true fashion, a deal on a gun is a deal on a gun. A good friend of mine decided to purchase a P238 and I must say this is a fine pistol. As a result this left the owners LC9 falling short of anything she wanted to ever shoot again. Also, being she is very practical and not a gun enthusiast, the idea of two weapons with different yet similar ammo was foreign to her. I was looking for something to carry that I frankly cared nothing about. A small cheap light gun that is accurate and reliable with none of the anxiety associated with putting a value destroying battle scare on a 1911. So after some horse trading I got into a slightly used LC9 for well . . . nothing. Trade for trade I am somewhere in the 2 bill range, but only if I put the effort into selling the stuff I traded.

I have never been an LC fan, but thought this was a chance to really tear into one and see what it was about. The LC9 like most new Ruger semi autos is a joy to hold . . . notice I didn't say shoot, but we will get to that. Its grip is ergonomic and proper and points well. Upon inspection I noticed the gun was loose and cheaply made. The external design is OK and parts are rough in finish, except for the barrel and slide, springs appear cheap but do the job. The one aspect of this gun that should make it have a very good fit, but doesn't, is the machined aluminum insert in the frame the slide rides on. Both it and the slide are well machined and finished, but tolerances are more like a WWI 1911 that was reissued in Vietnam. Currently this gun has about 300rds on it. I guess I should expect this as every Ruger I have owned has never had a tight slide to frame or slide barrel fit.
The most interesting, but not in a good way aspect of this gun is the take down. A little door that must be opened and a tiny pin pushed out. This little door is my issue. With no tension on the pin this door is it.
The guide rod is very thin plastic and the recoil spring looks like two tangled bic pen springs. Spring is a bit too weak for heavy loads, but fine for 115FMJ. Galloway recommends changing the stock 16 for their 20lb to help tame recoil. I believe this would help as this gun bounces like a Mexican jumping been with high power self defense ammo. I don't fear the plastic piece, all my glocks performed for decades with the stock plastic rod.
Sights are standard Ruger three dot fair, although this gun like most new Rugers has a poor rear sight dovetail fit. Dovetail is way too small for the cut and the set screw lifts it. Sight is raised off the slide enough to see light under it. In a short sight radius gun this will has a POA vs POI effect. Both of my P345s had this issue.

However, not all is bad. I like safeties and this gun has one. It manipulates off easily and looks like a mini 1911 safety lever. It does not go back on as easily, but the most important aspect of the safety in self defense is getting it clicked off. Nice slide release that can be used unlike some "coughglockcough"
The internal mechanics is where this gun fails. The trigger . . . well it is one. Too long, too heavy and too much reset. None of this is needed with a safety lever pistol. This gun should have been a concealed hammer single action pistol. I don't understand Rugers engineers on this one. Kinda SA, kinda DA but really neither, half cock bullsh!t. Dry firing reminds me of why I didn't buy this gun retail. I will add that the trigger is long but smooth and after about 200 dry fires I got a pretty good read on it despite having a cup of coffee while waiting for the trigger to commute from one end of the frame to the other. My biggest trigger complaint is the same with the P345. The trigger breaks as it hits the frame so you always get an incorrect read on trigger pull. Maybe this is OK for small handed folks, but I am 6'2" with large hands. My hands are big enough to where I could not physically hold and fire a North American Arms mini revolver.

So after reassemble and a little oil . . . off to the range. After all no gun is fun on the kitchen table. At first I was wondering if I could even get this gun on paper, being I couldn't figure out where it was hitting to adjust to shoot beer cans (in all seriousness they were soda cans, never drink and use firearms). The long trigger on a light pistol makes it hard to be consistent and as a defense weapon you need quick follow up shots. There is no double tap with this gun. It's a .357 revolver hidden in a tiny automatic body. Rapid fire was a disaster . . . no since in talking groups here. I was disgusted and went to the house. That night I really focused on the trigger and practiced a few hundred more times, drawing and firing. Next day . . . off to the range again with a box of WWB and Blazer 115FMJ as well as a box of 147JHP. This time I brought targets instead of cans and a rest.
Top of rear to top of front on target at 15 feet . . . 6 inches high. I thought . . . what is this. Then I looked at the dots and it became clear. All three dots lined up, on target . . . bulls eye!
So then for some off-hand shooting. Pulled all my shots but a few to the left and all were high. This is me and the trigger not getting along. After a little work, groups were pretty good, but high. It is my conclusion that without the aid of the rest, my hand action is lifting the gun. I even adjusted sight picture and was pulling high so I know it is me.

It feed 115 FMJ from both mags with no issue although some 147 hydro shocks I had were a bit of an issue on the first round. The long flat bullet and the steep feed angle is not ideal. I currently have it loaded with these after I put several mags through with no failures but I still think hummm . . . that first shot maybe all I get.

So after all this work, I feel I could carry the gun and be OK, but this gun takes work. More than the average gun. Would I buy this gun at retail . . . not a chance, but at the current market range around $300? Sure. For the money it is a good weapon . . . for the money. At my price it is great. Don't hate me if you don't agree, just remember I am a gun person. I have no loyality to a brand. The LC9 is a tool and I evaluated it as a tool.

I admit if I had paid cash money for this gun I would be selling it and never looking back, but since I didn't, maybe it's time to make it what it should have been in the first place. A quick call to Galloway gave me some hope. I have heard about their trigger parts . . . some like them, some hate them. Their new LC9 kit contains a new trigger bar springs and a trigger with adjustment screw. These parts reduce pull length by approx. 50%. A quick measure puts release right about where it should be for someone my size. Reduced power springs and corrected geometry reduce the trigger pull weigh by 1.5lbs as well as delete the magazine disconnect. I say corrected, because I have to think the Ruger engineers made a mistake somewhere. Complete kit is only $99 with your choice of trigger color. Of course this is no barbeque gun so good ole black will do.
I think I will also look at swapping the sights, recoil spring and steel guiderod. I hate stock Ruger sights, but I also hate Glock sights. I grew up with plain black sights. This is one of my favorite things about my Kimber Custom II . . . plain sights. No dots, no fiber, no tritium and maybe an occasional gold bead or white or orange front. Also I can't help but wonder if that sight being raised off the slide is causing my POI to be a bit high. And I hear Novak has some nice sights for this little guy.

Stay tuned as I will give a full run down once the new parts are installed.

modrifle3 said:

So after all this work, I feel I could carry the gun and be OK, but this gun takes work.

Click to expand...

Considering you hate everything about the LC9 I'd say that's a pretty high recommendation. :wink:

The LC9 isn't my favorite either. But it fits rather nicely a niche I needed filled. Same for the LCP.

My problem is I am a sucker for the little guy. I love the feel and the look . . . and I never said I hate everything. I really like the chasis in the frame concept. Beretta and Sig did the same thing.

I think with a bit of work this will be a winner. The Galloway parts seem to be the way to go.

And you are right . . . it fills a need I have. Its thin, light and carries well.

Keep in mind my first handgun was a High Standard Military .22 with a SA 2lb trigger that I have yet to feel a gun that beats.

Its always great to read these type Reviews after a month of reading watching countless videos and reading the Manual along with dissecting the LC-9 and shooting one before I purchased it, IMO for the Money which is usually a factor for most of Us This is one of the top 5 EDC Firearms You can Purchase ,I'm glad everything about life for the most part is Subjective.

Update...I noticed peening on the barrel so back to Ruger next week. I am requesting a new barrel and slide due to the earlier issues noted.

I will retest and report once it comes back.

Good, very honest review. You'll never see anything like that in a gun rag!

Well most of the big publications are paid to give good reviews. The guys at Truth About Guns give the most honest reviews in my opinion.

Nice write up and thanks for your input.

I bought one about a year ago and have only one major issue with it. Occasionally the magazine would disengage itself and protrude about 3/16" from the handle. This was when it was virtually new and had almost no rounds through it.

One day I was reholstering it in my IWB using the pinkie purchase extended base plate and the mag just popped out the locked position from pressure of my pinkie on it.

I know I could have returned it to Ruger, but I went ahead and just ordered a replacement mag catch to save myself the grief of waiting for turnaround. Though the original catch did not appear to have any significant wear, replacing it did seem to stop the unwanted mag disengagement problem, at least for now.

However I still don't know if I can trust it. I bought a S&W Shield after watching Julie Golob on "Impossible Shots" hit balloons at 100 and 150 yards offhand with it! Of course it took something like 3 or 4 shots for her to hit that 150 yard balloon after dialing in but I was still amazed. I probably couldn't do that with a box of 9mm, but with that LC9 trigger I think it would be more like 2 boxes.

I haven't wrung out the Shield yet but intend to make it my EDC if all goes well, while the LC9 is now my nightstand pistol. I don't intend to get rid of it so long as it gives me no additional reason to.

Ruger really should have given the LC9 prototype to experienced pistoleros and gotten their feedback before going full production. I would have told them one of the most essential requirements of a defensive pistol is that it be able to reliably discharge all the ammunition it holds. To do so in a deep concealment design like these micro 9's are, requires that the mag release be suitably recessed or otherwise properly designed to prevent inadvertent disengagement. I can live with the "shark fin" LCI, but even that could have been more subtle, no need for it to protrude above the top of the slide like the Empire State building.

Everyone I know hates the trigger, but I view it no differently than a DA/SA snubbie that would be deployed DA 99.5% of time if not more. Still though, there is nothing about the LC9 that says "I'm easy to hit with".

The LC9 is literally festooned with safeties, which is no doubt a byproduct of today's litigious society, particularly when taking into consideration a pistol people will pocket carry, stuff in their shorts, pocket books, etc. Ruger appears to want to take no chances someone is going to take them to court because the pistol was not "safe enough". No biggie for me so long as none of that gets in the way of a smooth draw and the pistol goes bang until empty should that be needed.

Ruger does a fantastic job with revolvers, but I've just never been impressed to the same extend with their autos, save for the SR1911 CMD I have, which I truly love. It's my #1 full size holster pistol.

Thanks again for the report and please keep us updated if anything else good or bad rears up.

modrifle3; I appreciate your evaluation. Very well presented.
I purchased my LC9 when Ruger introduced the engraved slide…not because I needed the engraving, but because that was the last one my LGS had.
I've carried my LC9 for a couple years now, with well over 3000 rounds through it, and have found it very reliable and trouble free. Initially I too was baffled by the LOOOONG trigger pull, but found it manageable after a lot of practice shooting.
The ease of carry was my motive for buying this gun and it fills the need nicely.
I've not felt the need to modify the trigger, pin or anything else about this gun, except to add a rubber sleeve over the grip and the pinky extension.
I have the needed confidence to EDC this gun and don't find the need to look else where for a different gun.
Of course I think everyone will agree that everyone will never agree on everything, especially something as subjective as a carry handgun.
I'd like to thank modrifle3 for an excellent review. I enjoy reading un-sponsored reviews like these on this site and look forward to more.

Thanks for the positive responses. Although not a Ruger, I am going to post a review of the 9mm Range Officer after I do another review of the LC9. Although a fine firearm, I was shocked by some of the findings.

I believe I am going to request Williams Fire Sights be installed on the LC9. Although not a huge fan of the sight as a whole, the ability to get on target with Fiber Optic sights can't be denied.

Like the LCP, I find the LC9 is just what it was designed to be - a defensive pistol made to save your life in an arm's length encounter. Which is actually the only type of encounter in which you're likely to be able to defend your self in a court anyway.

I am sometimes baffled by reviews - professional and amateur - that try to shoot little groups on paper at tens of yards-distances. The sights are superfluous at belly-gun range and the long-ish trigger pull is a safety factor by design. 'Nuff said.

Reliability and consistency are paramount of course. A gun that won't shoot every shot with every trigger pull needs to be returned to the factory, pronto.

But for persons who can admit to themselves that they may well need to press, nay, jam their weapon into the gut or neck or face of an attacker, that they will be yanking the trigger repeatedly, not pressing tenderly for aimed shots; the guns tend to be exactly adequate. They are well-designed for this purpose.

The only thing they need IMHO is a brass catcher, but that's another topic... and we'd be talking about an LCR. :wink:

My only major gripe with the LC9 is the magazine release is not recessed sufficiently to prevent an inadvertent actuation in certain carry situations.

Also with mine, I encountered a problem with wear on either the mag catch or mag catch cut (and not heavy wear, the pistol was still fairly new with low rounds count) where pressure of my small finger on the extended magazine base pad during reholstering caused the magazine to release from the handle.

We all want our duty size autos to have convenient controls for a rapid mag change, but in a deep concealment pistol, its primary function should be to ensure all the ammunition in its magazine is available first and foremost, should it be needed.

In remedy to the above situation, I ordered a replacement magazine catch (the original one looked a bit shiny, but nothing I would consider to be heavy wear) and that did seem to remedy the problem of pulling the mag out of locked position with my pinkie. But in the meantime I admit my confidence with the piece in it is not what I would want it to be.

I also had the LC9 magazine disengage while pocket carrying it one day as I went up and down a ladder to the roof of my house to clean the gutters. I attributed that mainly to the mag catch being positioned such that it is the highest point on that side of the frame and susceptible to being unintentionally bumped:



The only other subcompact 9 I own is the Shield, and S&W did a much better job of positioning the mag release button. On the Shield, the mag catch is angled forward and below the highest point of the grip surface, minimizing the opportunity for it to be inadvertently depressed in some carry situations.

The LC9's biggest weakness IMHO, is the magazine retention arrangement. Ruger should re-engineer its approach here and offer a release that is positive, durable, limits potential for inadvertent actuation and not as affected by moderate wear to its interactive components.

In retrospect, I now better understand why some European autos incorporated a heel clip magazine retention system. Positive magazine retention throughout a host of less than optimal carry conditions and situations is of paramount importance. I believe if Ruger addresses this in future updates of this model it will be all for the better.

Very well written and informative.

I sold my LC9 for all these very same reasons.
If I can't shot the gun well at a range, what chance do I stand when under pressure?

I had enough problems with the magazine popping out that I took the disconnect safety out so I would at least get one shot! If I consciously avoided the release the magazine would stay in. I don't think my release was worn, I think the button sticks out to far and in a bad place. I also found that the magazine really moves around a lot with the pinky extension in place. It puts too much leverage on a sloppy fitting magazine.

I already had a Galloway 20lb spring and steel guide rod in the gun. I didn't do anything to the trigger, and gave up on the gun before trying. I found the gun unnecessarily hard to shoot.

I bought a S&W Shield 9mm and liked it so much it replaced my LCR as my EDC at work.
It is so easy to shoot, it's hard to believe it's the same class of gun as the LC9. Very reliable too! Feels amazing in the hand.

I will say the LC9 was reliable when the magazine stayed in place. Never had a FTF, or FTE. I didn't shoot it much though since it was no joy to fire.

It's the only Ruger I've ever sold, and I don't hold it against the company....just a little disappointed.