LCP II Troubles

[40Gravity]

Took a friend to the range today. She had a brand new LCP II (.22 LR). She experienced a number of FTF even though there was a pronounced firing pin mark on the case. I wrote this off as an ammo problem. She also experienced way too many failure to feed issues. The most concerning issue was the slide stop engaging itself before the magazine was empty. We both fired the gun and both had the same issues. The range session was pretty much a disappointment. I'm looking for input/suggestions as to what the issue(s) may be. Is this model prone to problems? Can this pistol be expected to ever function correctly? I need to add as well that at least 6 different brands of ammunition were tried. One brand being subsonic and one being hyper velocity. The other 4 were various standard velocity offerings. Please don't beat me up too badly.
Thank you in advance for your time and your replies!

 

[recumbent]

Was it cleaned and lubed before shooting it?
It should have been.

 

[40Gravity]

Yes sir. Cleaned and lightly lubed before our range session per the manual provided with the pistol.

 

[Fox Mike]

^ my question too. I stripped mine and wiped it down then oiled it. Never a firing failure and LOTS of rounds have been through it

 

[hittman]

Is this model prone to problems?

Yes

Can this pistol be expected to ever function correctly?

No …. At least in my experience.
Others claim theirs work fine.

 

[40Gravity]

Thank you all for your replies. The pistol will be stripped and cleaned again, if the problems persist it will be sent back to Ruger. I'm sure if it can be made right, they will. If not it'll go down the road and be replaced probably not with a Ruger. Still perplexed by the fact that the slide will occasionally lock itself open with rounds remaining in the magazine.

 

[hittman]

Facts are that 22LR ammo can be real finicky.
22LR micro semi auto's are too.
A double whammy.

In the slide locking open problem, I'd try different mags and if no help, stark tweaking the "lips" on the mags,

The older I get the less patience I have with having to work on and experiment with fixing a new gun,

 

[40Gravity]

After looking at other older threads, most folks seem to be very happy with this pistol. The magazine seems to be the logical culprit. The lips may be a little "proud" and allowing the pistol to be sensitive to locking open even with the presence of rounds still being in the magazine. I just wanna shoot. I hate being a gunsmith.
This pistol belongs to a friend. My interest is in Ruger firearms from 1968 and earlier. If William B. Ruger would have known where things would end up with his company, he'd never allowed his last name to be on any of this stuff.

 

[arfmel]

I'm curious about the ammunition used. You say you tried subsonic, hyper velocity, and standard velocity. Did you try any "high velocity" like CCI Mini Mag?
I've found that plated HV ammo like Mini Mag generally has a pretty decent chance of functioning in my semiautomatic .22 pistols when other types give trouble. Waxed plain lead bullet ammo can be problematic.

 

[Pál_K]

Sorry to hear the range trip was a disappointment - when we take out a new shooter, we all want it to be a fun experience.

Is there any chance you're inadvertently pushing up on the slide lock while shooting it ... while the slide is recoiling back?

This is a friend's gun? What does he say about its reliability?

I also agree on CCI Mini Mag - nearly 5000 rounds without any failure (but in a MK II).

 

[jav]

I have a lcp2 I only just mini mag 36 no issues what so ever what kind of ammo are you using?

 

[rammerjammer]

I have 5850 rounds of bulk ammo through mine with a handful of malfunctions, mostly ammo related.

Yes, this gun can work well.

 

[Actnbill]

My guess is a bad recoil spring.....or it might be too stiff/new......

I would consider putting the recoil spring in a vise or something to Lightly compress it and leave it overnite....

Might do the trick.....if not...back to Ruger for FREE repairs

 

[jav]

I know I put a stiff heavy duty recoil spring in mine nothing but trouble went back to the ome and now it's runs flawlessly

 

[WAYNO]

We all make excuses and have solutions to firearms that don't operate as they should. I own and have fired two different .22 LCP's, and I don't think I've ever had a malfunction of any kind.

In the old days, .22 semi pistols were prone to malfunctions. When so, I would run a batch of hyper velocity thru a pistol, and sometimes that would loosen things up. And sometimes not. But some of these pistols of mine I knew I could run Stinger's and nothing else.

In the OP's case, I think it's time to contact the Mother Ship, and let them provide a replacement magazine, and/or send the pistol back.




.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Yes

No …. At least in my experience.
Others claim theirs work fine.

I have a couple. Dependable as hell and never a problem- unless not maintained properly of incorrect ammo ( low velocity subsonics or Quiets for instance) is used. So far no problems with CCI Blazer, Aguila Super Extra ( Range ammo) or even Federal Punch Defensive ( and I'm no big Federal fan). Then again, I always use higher than standard velocity .22 LR in a semi. Even standards may not have enough blowback to re-cock properly. I avoid them in Semis.

 

[MHtractorguy]

Can you borrow a magazine or buy a new one to try before you send it back? I am pointing my uneducated finger at your magazine as the problem.

 

[3manfan]

After looking at other older threads, most folks seem to be very happy with this pistol. The magazine seems to be the logical culprit. The lips may be a little "proud" and allowing the pistol to be sensitive to locking open even with the presence of rounds still being in the magazine. I just wanna shoot. I hate being a gunsmith.

 

[jav]

.22 pistols are about the most finicky, especially the little ones, when it comes to what ammo they will work well with. Before you or she give up hope & start the 'send it back to Ruger' train of thought, buy 5 or more different brands, velocities & weights of ammo then shoot them. At least a full box of 50 per brand. Take a cleaning kit with you & feild strip & clean when it (if) becomes to fouled to be sure that isn't causing stoppages. Pain the ass? Sure. But that will for sure rule in or out the most common issue small .22 auto loaders have with reliability. She prob thinks 'ammo is ammo' because she doesn't know any better. It's not, particularly when it comes to .22 ammo.

What he said is so true about 22 especially the small I have a Walter p22 and a lcp2 both are very ammo finicky it use to like Aguila and fed match now it only likes cci mini mags 36 shoot them all day no issues

 

[3manfan]

What he said is so true about 22 especially the small I have a Walter p22 and a lcp2 both are very ammo finicky it use to like Aguila and fed match now it only likes cci mini mags 36 shoot them all day no issues

I originally read his o.p. too fast & missed the part where he related that he already tried 6 different brands of ammo, so I rescinded my comment.