GaryT said:
I took mine out today for the first time. I've had it for a few weeks, just didn't have time before. When I brought it home I cleaned it and lubed with Slide Glide. I took it to the range today with 100 rounds of UMC 115-grain FMJ. I still only have the one mag that came with it, so it took awhile to get 100 rounds through it, but they were all flawless, and shot to point of aim at 7 and 10 yards. I didn't find the checkering abrasive at all, nor did I find the recoil to be a problem. If I'd had more ammo with me I'd have gladly put more rounds downrange. I don't believe in using the slide stop as a release, so that was a non-issue for me as well. Trigger pull was excellent for DAO.
I'm not a fan of the bill board loaded chamber indicator, but I can file that down so it's not so obtrusive. It doesn't affect the shootability at all, it's just...ugly. I also don't like the mag disconnect, and will probably remove that when I'm more comfortable with a detail strip, but it also doesn't affect how the gun shoots.
As reported, I shot 100 rounds through it today at 7 and 10 yards...all shots were on target, and, although this is by no means a tack driver, it is more than adequate for self defense purposes. I think the hundreds of dry-fires that I did before taking it out helped me with trigger control, as I had no problem with the trigger.
This one is a keeper...once I find "the right" holster, this will be my constant companion come November 1...
The LC9 definitely has a trigger pull that you NEED to practice with and get used to, the first ~100 rounds out of mine (with no dry-firing before) and i was all over the place @ ~15yds. (i like to shoot a bit farther distance than needed just for practice in accuracy, if you're accurate at distance, you're going to be even better at close range IMO) and just like you, looked like i shot the target with a couple rounds of buckshot from a shotgun :lol:
Anyways i took a break and let my friends shoot for a bit since i only had another ~20---40 rounds, half of them were 124gr+P HP, the rest were Federal 115gr. FMJs. I practiced just dry-firing the gun at the target (i use A-Zoom snap caps just to be safe) and noticed that with the position of my finger on the trigger i was really jerking the gun when the trigger broke, since i was already past the point of pulling straight back with my finger (using the pad like i do with all other pistols). I put more finger on the trigger, about to the joint almost and positioned my finger a bit lower than i normally would on the trigger, and did some more dry-firing. Just that simple change improved my shooting with this gun TREMENDOUSLY!! I went from jerking the gun to the right after every trigger break to staying right on target (dry-firing). I then had my buddy load a magazine with 2 snap-caps in it (so i dont know where the duds are, improves flinching when shooting IMMENSELY doing this drill as you see how much you flinch when you hit a snap cap) and went back to shooting may last couple magazines. @ 10yds, i went from shotgun groupings to literally 2-1/2in. groupings!
Honestly being accurate with this gun, IMO, is all about learning the trigger since it's so differnt from any other pistol i've shot, (more similar to DAO revolvers but i rarely shoot those), and practice with the gun of course. Now i'm at ~800rds. with the gun and ~2k dry-fires, i've gotten quite a bit better with it. At ~25yds, REALLY bearing down, i can get 7-shot groupings that are ~3in. I'm very good with a pistol and excellent with a rifle, but before i bought this gun i didn't expect this gun to be NEARLY as accurate as it is! I was extremely happy/surprised when i started shooting great groupings @ distance for this particular pistol, and at ~25yds. shooting ~1 round a second i can keep them all in chest area, about an 10-12in. grouping. So at 25yds. rapid fire i can get all rounds center mass basically. Now this IS at the range, this doesnt factor in stress, etc. and usually from the research i've done, you're groupings when shooting under stress open up 3-fold compared to when you're just at the range plinking away, something to think about before carrying a gun, IMO you should become proficient with it before you carry it. I didnt start carrying my LC9 until i had ~500rds. through it and had a good feel for the gun.
To add, i've had only ONE FTL, it was the first 50rds and the springs were still very tight. Since then, i haven't had ONE single problem; no FTL, FTF, even FTE, no double feeds, and best of all, my magazine doesnt randomly pop out when it feels like it (referring to kel-tecs and their numerous problems since they like to bag on the LCP/LC9 for "copying" their design, but IMO Ruger did something right because the only recall i've heard of was the front sight post on the first couple production guns werent pinned down and were moving out of place. Other than that from what i've experienced and read, they're VERY reliable guns!
As for the LCI, just take it off and follow the contour of it, and file it down until it pops up the right amount for you, or if you dont want it to be functional at all just completely sand off the nub that touches the bullet casing, simple fix in 10min.
Now the Magazine Safety Disconnect is a bit trickier, i did mine and i wrote up a VERY detailed description of what you need to to, step by step so if you'd like i can email you that. Also one of the people i sent my directions out to said he was going to video the process (something ishould have done instead of writing the process out) and post it on youtube.com for people to watch so they can SEE what im talking about, and not have to read my directions, look at the blown up picture of the firearm in pieces in the back of the owners manual, and then figuring out what you need to do. So you MAY want to wait for the video if you're not very handy with tools/working on machines.
However, i'm not the greatest and i removed mine by simply looking at the blown up chart in the back, locating the pieces on the chart that needed to be removed, and digging in!
Which is why i wrote out detailed directions as i know A LOT of people don't like that feature on a CCW/back-up gun. I'f you're interested just email me and i'll be more than happy to send you the directions on how to disconnect the mag safety.
As for holsters, i just picked up a DeSantis front pocket holster. You can use that for your front pocket or use it as an IWB holster with no clips obviously but its better than "felony carrying" it as another person put it. I'm not a very big guy, 5'11 ~175lbs. and i have a 32in waste and i only own a couple pairs of jeans where it's a bit too tight in the pocket and a little slow on the draw. All my other pants work perfect with the holster and even my friends that know i CC everyday ask sometimes if i have my gun on me, so it's a great, cheap holster IMO. If you're looking for a top-of-the-line IWB holster, i would contact Mr. Tommy Theis of TheisHolsters.com, He makes holsters for them that are exactly like Crossbreed Supertuck holsters (my favorite IWB holster for full size/heavier guns) basically, only differnce is he uses a bit thinner leather so it conceals better and molds a bit better but i noticed on my full-size heavy gun, that after ~6 months of sweating in it everyday and wearing it everyday al day, the hide was a bit too thin and started to lose a bit of rigidity around the straps and is flexing a bit now, nothing that makes it not useable/uncomfortable, just doesnt support a full-size as well as the Crossbreed because the hide is thinner.
However for the LC9 it is PERFECT! You dont have to wait ~7-8 weeks for a damn holster (more like 4-5 days FOR REAL), it's a way lighter gun than a full-size so it won't need the extra rigidity of thicker leather, and it's JUST like a CRossbreed with thinner leather! I'm a Theis supporter, he's BY FAR the best guy i've dealt with, spent ~1 hour total with me on the phone over a couple phone calls answering all my questions, HE HIMSELF makes ALL the hosters, no other workers, not even to answer to phone or mail stuff out, he's a one man shop and he's old school so he knows what customer service is and knows quality, so i really try to push his holsters on smaller sized guns as he can custom make things for you (i had a dual mag IWB holster made for my FNP-40, which works fine in one of his holsters too, a bit on the heavy side but not to the point of a full-size where i'd recommend a Crossbreed because of the thicker leather.
Sorry for the long post but i had A LOT to say obviously about your subject. I actually recently decided to polish my barrel on my LC9 too since the bluing job is REALLY badly done, on all LC9's from what i've seen. At ~700rds. my slide around the chamber from the front was scratched up all around every edge for ~2in. back, and it was starting to make the gun look cheap. This i don't understand because i've put ~3k rounds through my FN and my Taurus without any of the bluing really being scratched off, unlike the LC9. So i took the barrel out and de-greased it and de-blued it, then i polished it with the 421 dremel compound for a rough polish, followed by Flitz metal polish with a dremel for a nice fine polish and rust protection, as well as a real thin layer of oil. TheHobbyistChannel from youtbe.com was the first one i saw do it, and i contacted him and followed his procedures and my barrel came out looking extremely nice!! IMO it not only makes the gun look nicer and more expensive, it smoothes out the action noticeably.
Last thing i wanted to add was this next week i'm getting in some SS guide rods for the LC9 to test for a guide rod maker, so i'll be testing a SS guide rod out next week as well as posting a review on it so look for it. If everything goes good, and there's no problems like there was with the kel-tecs (from design, the SS guide rail would hit the barrel/rub against and oval the slide making the recoil spring pop through!) So obviously i'll be testing this very slowly and checking it after every shot to make sure ther's no problems, and if all goes well it'll be a nice addition to the LC9, more weight on the front = less muzzle flip = getting your sights back on target quicker. Not only that they dont flex like the stock guide rods do, and they don't wear out like the stock plastic ones do. Some have said they've notcied that their slide is a bit tighter after installing, and that makes the gun more accurate. One thing i do know for a fact is that when IDPA competition shooters are allowed to use SS guide rods, they do. So if they're pros and they notice a differnce in them then it obviously must help, probably not to the point that i'd notice a difference but it's nice to know it's there, and not only that it'll look really nice with my polished barrel!
Again, sorry for the long post but i hope it was informative! If anyone has any questions please feel free to PM me as i dont want to mess up this thread, i will be making a thread on the guide rod and be posting pics next week.
