LCP Service Life

[DonD]

I have always considered the LCP to be in the category of "carry a lot and shoot a little" despite that I wondered what the service life is.

I called Ruger Customer Service this AM and asked. He said he didn't have a specific service life but said customers have reported firing several thousands of rounds down the pipe and the gun is working fine.

Nice to know, now I can shoot it when and mostly how much I want w/o quickly wearing it out. Don

 

[22/45 Fan]

I remember an article in one of the gun rags years ago saying the Kahr PM9 had an expected service life of about 6000 rounds. Now, if you have ever fired that small, light, full power 9 mm you'd realize 6000 rounds is more than you would want to shoot it in a couple of lifetimes. However, the response from Kahr and some owners was not happy. They all said it would last a lot longer than that and maybe they were right.

The LCP may indeed last thousand and thousands of rounds but who would want to shoot it that much? I have one and an occasional magazine or two to check functioning and refresh the ammo is plenty. It is not a "fun gun" to shoot.

 

[Armybrat]

I remember an article in one of the gun rags years ago saying the Kahr PM9 had an expected service life of about 6000 rounds. Now, if you have ever fired that small, light, full power 9 mm you'd realize 6000 rounds is more than you would want to shoot it in a couple of lifetimes. However, the response from Kahr and some owners was not happy. They all said it would last a lot longer than that and maybe they were right.

The LCP may indeed last thousand and thousands of rounds but who would want to shoot it that much? I have one and an occasional magazine or two to check functioning and refresh the ammo is plenty. It is not a "fun gun" to shoot.

Old Jocko over at Kahrtalk had 30,000+ rounds downrange through his early PM9 as of a couple of years ago - with only some spring changes, IIRC.

There's another recent thread here discussing the same topic (LCP).

I don't shoot either gun very much - just a couple or three mags each range session to keep the minimal practice going & function checks.

 

[DonD]

I enjoy shooting the LCP, it's quite accurate for me at typical CCW ranges i.e., 7yds.

Doesn't tire me but I had been reluctant to put many down the tube until now. Will shoot it a bit more from now on.

Speaking of service life, I just got a new S&W M&P9 M2.0. This one has a longer barrel, 5" vs the typical 4.25 as well as a LCI and 1911 like safety. S&W customer service said 20,000 rds but also said they have some test mules with over 50,000 and running very well.

Gun is very nice, soft shooter, great grip and half way through the first range day, I was shooting better with it than the SR9Cs I have had for years and really like. Certainly not dumping the Rugers though.

Can conceal it with a slightly loose t-shirt and I'm pretty lean at 178/6' 2". Don

 

[louchia]

I now have an LCP II with about1600 rnds thru it. It runs great and shows little signs of wear.
I previously had 2 LCP gen 2 . Both of those lasted only about 1000 rnds. Each of those had a cracked frame insert.
Both guns showed heavy witness marks at the front of the slide rail. I suspect that the recoil spring gets worn and the slide slams against the rails and eventually causes a fracture. Ruger CS did not agree but replaced the guns. Some people report running several thousand rnds. without issue.
The gun is not meant to be a range gun.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I think, how well you take care of it and what kind of ammo you use will be the biggest factor.

 

[DonD]

I think, how well you take care of it and what kind of ammo you use will be the biggest factor.

I have and will continue to comply with the owner's manual specfic statement that +P ammo is not recommended. I think there are a lot of people who ignore such advice. Not sure if SAAMI recognizes a +P 380 rd but everyone who is a serious shooter knows what I mean.

I've seen commercial .380 ammo whose ballistics scream that the pressures listed cannot be obtained at standard pressure levels. Shoot ammo which has pressures significantly higher than the designers planned on is a sure way to shorten the life of the gun. Don

 

[FergusonTO35]

CIP pressure for 7.65 Browning and 9mm Browning Kurz (Euro speak for .32 and .380 Auto) is a fair bit higher than SAAMI. Makes sense given the long history of police and military use of these cartridges in larger guns. Many report that their milsurp .32 and .380 pistols will not cycle the more sedate USA ammo. Awhile back I chronographed a box of Federal "Range-Target-Practice" .380 out of my Kimber Micro .380, none of them reached 800 fps.

 

[Armybrat]

I think it would be cool for Ruger to start making the LCP frame with aluminum, like the RM380. Or even titanium.

 

[22/45 Fan]

I think it would be cool for Ruger to start making the LCP frame with aluminum, like the RM380. Or even titanium.

They would cost 2 to 5 times as much and weigh more. The benefit of the polymer frame are low cost and light weight. I don't know that the RM380 is such a great example for Ruger to follow.

 

[Armybrat]

Two or three more ounces of weight and another $100 in price wouldn't be a deal breaker, IMO.

 

[GunSlut]

For what I use my LCP II for, (personal carry weapon) it is just fine. I've put a couple of hundred rounds through it to make sure it is reliable and now a couple of mags when I go to the range. I think it is the best mouse gun on the market.

 

[s4s4u]

I don't know that the RM380 is such a great example for Ruger to follow.

Ha ha, TRUTH!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Two or three more ounces of weight and another $100 in price wouldn't be a deal breaker, IMO.

Try a Kimber Micro or Sig P238!!