Insulting the Ruger LCP II 22LR

[flyboy]

I liked this pistol for it's size and lack of recoil, since after years of gun ownership I still do not consider myself a crack shot and ready to handle any problem while carrie a gun.

I have a carry license now and went through the course qualified on the range with a 9mm and even passed the written with a required over 80% mark.

So I walk a round with a Rugar 8 shoot 22 revolver with a sticky holster and can pull /it in 5 seconds and start pulling the trigger if need be……

However I also have a Rugar LCP 2 LR 22. I had problems with feed and learned that the ammo could be a problem. To be sure I sent it back the Rugar and they changed the internal springs and shoot 100 rounds with no failure, as their report said!

Great I though and I took it to the range and it did really well but still had a few feed problems.

So, I just bought a 100 rounds of the hottest CCI 36 grain bullet with a rating of over 1600 FPS …… (rifle)

I really like the the little 22LR pistol want to pocket carry it…..

Lastly the reason I am writing this is because I was literally insulted by a range employee, who is an expert in his field that the LR 22 is literally garbage and it is dumb to carry it or even own it.

Now I never will be as proficient and experienced as this fellow but I really like the gun and want to work out the problems.

I am not new to shooting but I am getting older and re-coil is a problem when under a self defense situation……

BTW I dislike people that look down on others with less experience and this is one reason I am writhing this rather lengthy story…..

Thanks
flyboy

 

[Dave P.]

You will find a "mixed" reception to using .22 rimfire for self defense. It or possibly a .25 are the worst of
possible choices. That said, if it's what you own and can handle it's way better than the proverbial
"sharp stick"....OK depending on the stick and who's poking you with it, maybe not.
It's better than not carrying and I doubt you'll find too many people wanting to be shot with it.
Don't worry about what other's think !!!

 

[kmoore]

If we look at a firearm as a tool as most on this forum use. It's the wrong tool for Self Defense. But's that your choice, not mine. I won't even try to list the number of different handguns by style, size, caliber etc, on the market right now that would work better as a SD handgun. That takes time and money to maybe get the best.
In my world I have seen people use the wrong tool in all aspects of life, like the wrong pickup to carry to move something, a motorcycle too small to safely ride on the freeway, motorcycles too big for the rider. Boats too small or too big for the water there used in. Using the wrong hand tools for the job. I admit to being in that group at some point for many reasons, mainly time and money.
Good news, few will ever fire a handgun to defend themselves. So how much does it really matter to anyone what you or I carry. No reason to try to justify the firearm you carry. Unless you ask for opinions.
Another thread that is open has this same subject. It comes up often. It was posted that a man shot and killed a bear charging him with a .22lr. I replied something like this: did all the guides dump their large bore handguns or other firearms and decide to carry a .22lr to defend themselves and their clients from charging bears or moose. I really doubt that incident changed one hunting guides idea of what firearm is needed if that happens to them. One event trying to prove a point is silly.

 

[eveled]

Nice of you to give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't think he deserves it. Don't assume a range employee knows everything.

I've never met one I thought was even close to an expert.

If you can handle the .22 and are comfortable carrying it. That is all that matters.

 

[gnappi]

There are probably many assassins who effectively use a .22 and many more hunters that kill game for the table who would debate whether the .22 is garbage or not

I may be generalizing a bit here, but many range employees I met are plastic 9 owners that can't focus on anything else, and add to that their knowledge of firearms didn't start till they left a burger joint flipping burgers.

 

[Pál_K]

Flyboy, if you like the gun, then that is all that matters.

Someone at a shooting range insulting a fellow gun owner just shows he himself is lousy person.

 

[hittman]

Yeah, if you like the gun, are comfortable with it, shoot it well and it's 100% reliable …. Carry it all you wish!

Everybody's got an opinion and they're not one size fits all,

 

[RoninPA]

My opinion only. If you are happy with it and can shoot it well, it's your choice. A woman carrying a .22 auto shopping late at night, feels funny and notices a man following her. He gets closer and not in a good way and she pulls the gun (and it happens to have a laser on it) and points it at him. Does he look at it and say "Oh, it's just a .22". Nope, he says "SH^T, she has a GUN" And when he sees a red dot on his chest he is going to probably crap his pants and run. My wife carries a laser equipped SR-22 and knows how to use it. If someone wants to do something to her, they will regret it.

 

[kmoore]

Point that laser dot at their eyes.

 

[contender]

First off,, despite the manners of my friends above,, "Welcome to the Forum!"

Now,, listen to my friends above. The .22 can be an effective self defense tool. The first rule of self defense is to have a means of self defense. Or as put another way,, be sure to have a gun for a gunfight.

The "lowly .22" can do more damage than many think. I know,, I took a .22 LR to my left upper thigh. I have a daily reminder of how effective it can be.

As for the gun itself,, keep working with it. All guns can fail at some time or another. Personally, I prefer to carry a gun that has fewer controls to make it operate for a stressful situation. This is where a DA handgun shines. It has the fewest mechanical items necessary to make it work. Or,, as often shared; "Use the KISS method, Keep It Simple Stupid."
Again,, after seeing my mom after her physical attack in her store,, being pepper sprayed, then attacked,, she wasn't able to get her small Colt .22 into use. It was in a holster, chamber empty, and the safety on. Never got into use.

I teach folks to find what fits THEM, and to become very familiar with that gun for SD.

Your "expert" sounds as if he's exactly the opposite.

 

[Sam Summey]

Discounting the ultra-cheap inexpensive semiautos of the past with tainted mechanical heritage, in my humble opinion, the ammunition reliability is the major drawback in self-defense. Rarely will you buy a box of 100 rounds of premium ammunition where you will have 100 percent reliability. Usually, if you retrieve the errant round and load it into the chamber with the primer strike in a different position, it will discharge. Rimfire ammunition manufacture is kind of a "black art" compounded by the factories trying to operate in a "lean manufacturing" mode. They are NOT going to deposit more priming compound than is minimally needed, tolerance variation being what it is, sometime not quite enough is deposited.

 

[flyboy]

Sam

I have to say I learned the hard way the 22LR ammo has problems. There is a big difference between a primer and an igniter.

I would pay what ever it takes to have ammo as reliable as the higher calipers have.

Is it possible to improve the 22LR ammo?…..maybe even manufacture it with an igniter.

I can see the primer problems and rarely have I had a problem with the 9mm and 38 special ammo I shoot….

Thanks

 

[Fox Mike]

Ignore the 'nay sayers'. If you are comfortable with it and can effectively shoot it then carry it.

 

[gnappi]

I've seen very few ignition problems with .22's and most of those I have seen were on guns that were dry fired which did not have a "High Standard" type of relief where the firing pin would come to rest in air not strike metal without a cartridge in the chamber. The solutions are don't dry fire, keep proper springs in the gun, keep it clean and replace the firing pin if the gun doesn't have a relief rest for the firing pin.

Obviously keeping a gun clean with proper springs goes a long way to assuring ignition.

 

[jav]

Flyboy I pocket carry a lcp2 and love it only use cci mini mags 36gr

 

[the_leper_colony]

...I really like the the little 22LR pistol want to pocket carry it…..

Lastly the reason I am writing this is because I was literally insulted by a range employee, who is an expert in his field that the LR 22 is literally garbage and it is dumb to carry it or even own it...

...BTW I dislike people that look down on others with less experience and this is one reason I am writhing this rather lengthy story…..

I've learned over the years that, if you listen to enough gun owners, every firearm ever made is "garbage". Some 1911 fans will tell you "plastic guns" are garbage; many Glock owners will insist steel-framed guns are no better than "boat anchors" (i.e., "garbage"); Smith owners hate Colts & vice versa, AK owners detest "Mattel poodle shooters", AR fans hate "communist crap", etc., etc., ETC.

I pretty much just ignore people like the guy you met at the range (who obviously was doing his employer no favors by talking to a paying customer that way), and go with what suits me. Everyone's budget, physical capabilities, legal requirements, and other limitations (not to mention personal preferences) are different - one size never, ever fits all.

FWIW, the following 'rules of carry' (courtesy of a guy known as "KY Jim" :^) seem pretty dang true as far as I'm concerned:

1) Any gun is better than no gun.
2) A reliable gun is better than an unreliable one.
3) A hole where you want it is better than a hole someplace else.
4) A bigger hole is a better hole.

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Flyboy, The LPC II is my absolute favorite handgun, and yes, I do have others. Once I learned to use only high velocity QUALITY ammo I have had no problems. ( The ONLY time I had a problem was trying to shoot subsonic ammo with it). It's very light- not a belt dragger- and easy to conceal and in my case VERY reliable. In my opinion you made a terrific choice. If you don't mind my saying so, it may be an addition to it's capabilities if you used defensive specific ammo such as CCI Uppercut, Federal Punch, or even Aguila Interceptors. I'm sure that ammo you are using would do the job, just thinking of a little extra "oomph".

 

[Pál_K]

Maybe I am just extremely lucky, but I have put over 4700 rounds of CCI Mini Mag through my Ruger Mk II (bought new in 1988) without any single failure to feed, fire, extract, or eject. Until two years ago, I used just the single magazine it came with. Then I thought I should buy two more. They work equally well. Also, I've never disassembled the pistol: I've just cleaned it as best as I can while it's assembled.

I have had issues with Remington .22LR rounds that a friend shared with me.

 

[flyboy]

Thanks for all the replies and I know when one commits to carry that we take on a lot of responsibility and own all rounds coming out of the gun.

The other part of the story is carrying with one in the chamber. During my required NY training it was drummed into us that one in the chamber is the only way . I have to say, i was uncomfortable and again the instructor stressed in the chamber is the only way.

The range qualification required us the draw from a holster to qualify. There were numerous dry runs until we all had the commands down pat. The high accredited instructor was nice but stern with years of training mentioned that a friend of his accidentally shot himself in the leg drawing his pistol. It got my attention. The training went well, but i could see how pulling the trigger at the wrong time was possible. I also practiced a lot pulling and racking the slide over and over until I could do it pretty good. There was even information that the Israeli Defense force carried with no round in the chamber?

So until I am comfortable, I carry the Rugar 8 shoot 22LR revolver with a pocket sticky holster. I practice drawing it and firing at the range. RIght now I am comfortable with it. I can draw it and with the heavy trigger pull fire close range fairly well.

Thanks again and I to add to the story I have a Rugar 10/22 breakdown rifle on order…..Using the best 22LR ammo and the 15/25 round clips makes it a viable weapon and plinker !

Thanks again all
Flyboy

 

[flyboy]

Flyboy I pocket carry a lcp2 and love it only use cci mini mags 36gr View attachment 41255

Jav

what do you use for Ammo….

I had my three year old pistol sent back to Rugar for an inspection and they changed all the springs out and test fired it with no issues.

I did have slide back failures to eject before sending….

Thanks

flyboy