light strikes on LC9

[bspitt]

took my small collection of 9mm to the range today. The Baretta 92FS, P95, and LC9

1st the P95 never ceases to amaze me - I shoot better with it every time over the 92FS

I was using Herters all brass ammo - the cheap stuff from Cabela's - through 3 mag (21 shots), I had 5 light strikes with the LC9. I inspected each round and all had a nice dimple almost dead center on the primer. I then fed all five suspect rounds in the P95....all fired with no issue.

I then was worried about the LC9 - So I shot about 15 rounds of my self defense HP ammo - Speer and Federal - All fed & fired w/o issue.

So should I be worried about my LC9----or just chaulk it up as a disagreement with the Herters ammo. The LC9 is my everyday carry.

Thanks
Brannon

 

[Rei40c]

Hard to say until you shoot it a lot more I think. I'd never want to tell someone it was okay over an internet forum only to have them find out later its not okay in real life.

If it was me yes I'd fire it with other ammo besides Herters, and if I was able to put 100 rounds downrange without a problem in one session, I'd not worry about it anymore. That's just me.

I don't think you should put too much stock in the fact the 5 rounds fired in the P95. I understand the logic, but if they had already been marked by your lc9 firing pin your really just giving a second strike and not really proving anything. Perhaps your lc9 would have ignited the rounds on the second attempt as well.

Federal is about the cheapest name brand ammo of decent quality where I live at least. I'd run a couple of boxes through it at least. If nothing else to build your confidence back up in the weapon. If its in your head it may not work already (justified or not). I think its best to find a replacement.

Good luck

 

[bspitt]

I have not lost confidence in the lc9 just yet. I really think its the ammo......tons of issues on internet about light strikes with herters and the .380 LCP. I need another excuse to go the the range with a few boxes of federal anyway!!!!!

 

[guidedfishing]

I had a few light strikes in the first 200 rounds with some TULA ammo. I used a roll pin punch to disassemble the LCI plunger which retains the firing pin and blew out and scrubbed the the firing pin channel. I have well over 1000 rounds and no issues. Every week I fire the 147 Winchester HP's that I carried that week in the mag never an issue even with the weeks worth of CC lint and carry crude. Wipe down and clean up and ready for another week.

good luck
GF

 

[Kevets]

We have two LC9s, one hates Herter's, one doesn't care. The problem we had with Herter's was exactly as you described but we haven't seen any issues with any other brand over 500+ rounds. I'd say you had an ammo problem and have nothing to be concerned with.

 

[bspitt]

I think you are right Kevets. I will find out this week!

BTW - Welcome to the forum!

 

[Kevets]

The funny thing is I think we had a 'good' box of Herter's. The problem didn't start until we got into the second box, then FTF with a dimple in the primer. I put those cartridges into my SR9c and they worked fine, so I don't fully understand but like I said earlier, that was the ONLY instance of a problem with either LC9.

Edit: To help track the problem, one gun has a serial of 321-8 and the other is 321-0.

 

[Knecht]

My LC9 had many lightstrikes with S&B ammo. I use Geco ammo for training now and Magtech for carry and never had problem with those, but...somehow just don't trust that gun 100% any more.

 

[SAJohn]

I, along with many other folks, had to change to stronger springs in my LCP but that was really a failure to return to battery any time I put more than two rounds in the magazine. I am now about 300 rounds into it with the Wolfe springs and not one FTF.

 

[bspitt]

UPDATE:

Back to the range today. I purposely did not clean the LC9 after the last trip with the light strikes on Herters ammo. Today shot 50 rounds of federal & 50 rounds of remington - not one single issue. Looks like my LC9 just dont like Herters! I'm 100% confident in this lil gem..just no more herters for me.


Thanks
Brannon

 

[Kevets]

Same here. Took both guns out yesterday and ran everything but Herter's through them. No problems.

 

[Paulieg13]

My first trip to the range with my LC9 with five different brands of ammo proved very educational for me. The first few clips were loaded with S&B. At least 5 FTF with minor dimple dead center on primer. All of the dimpled rounds fired fine in my other 9 (much larger Sig). i started to get very frustrated with my new gun until I had no problems firing about twenty rounds each from the other four brands that i brought with me that day. I fyou look closely at S&B rounds, the primer is not flush with the back of the round. That slight indentation appears to be enough to have issues in the LC9.

Bottom line: I have fired about ten different brands and grains through my LC9 with zero problems since the S&B experience.

 

[Rabon]

My first trip to the range with my LC9 with five different brands of ammo proved very educational for me. The first few clips were loaded with S&B. At least 5 FTF with minor dimple dead center on primer. All of the dimpled rounds fired fine in my other 9 (much larger Sig). i started to get very frustrated with my new gun until I had no problems firing about twenty rounds each from the other four brands that i brought with me that day. I fyou look closely at S&B rounds, the primer is not flush with the back of the round. That slight indentation appears to be enough to have issues in the LC9.

Bottom line: I have fired about ten different brands and grains through my LC9 with zero problems since the S&B experience.

If you shoot much European ammo you will often encounter hard primers your LC9 (or anything else) should run it as your Sig does.

 

[rrockefe]

I don't think anybody should accept FTF on any brand of ammo. That's just a convenient excuse for poor design and trying to work around it. Those guns should go back to Ruger without question. They did make a redesign on the firing pin which addressed this problem early in the year.

I sent mine back for the excessive length trigger pull after I called customer service. They said they would check it to spec and if it was out of spec they would refund my shipping expense. When I got it back the rework order indicated they had replaced the trigger bar and the firing pin. The trigger pull was improved to the point that I decided to keep the gun. I requested reimbursement for shipping since it was obviously out of spec and they complied without a problem, even though it did take a long time. Several forum posts during that time period indicated they also had the firing pins replaced during factory service even though they had not requested it nor had any problems with light strikes. I also had no problem with this at any time. So, clearly, they were replacing the old pins whenever they serviced a gun.

My trigger pull is longer than I prefer, but I can now shoot it without it banging up my finger on the trigger guard. It used to draw blood once in a while before I sent it back. I recently got a trigger pull gauge from Dillons to check my pistols and found this one goes off at around 6 1/4 lbs.

Throughout this experience there has never been a failure to go bang, or eject. Probably by now I have a couple thousand rounds through it.

 

[GeorgeP]

took my small collection of 9mm to the range today. The Baretta 92FS, P95, and LC9

1st the P95 never ceases to amaze me - I shoot better with it every time over the 92FS

I was using Herters all brass ammo - the cheap stuff from Cabela's - through 3 mag (21 shots), I had 5 light strikes with the LC9. I inspected each round and all had a nice dimple almost dead center on the primer. I then fed all five suspect rounds in the P95....all fired with no issue.

I then was worried about the LC9 - So I shot about 15 rounds of my self defense HP ammo - Speer and Federal - All fed & fired w/o issue.

So should I be worried about my LC9----or just chaulk it up as a disagreement with the Herters ammo. The LC9 is my everyday carry.

Thanks
Brannon

This man's opinion... Never, that is NEVER, judge your firearm's performance based on how it uses "junk" ammo. Cheap ammo is cheap because it's rarely inspected and tends to be unreliable. When evaluating your gun use only good, proven reliable ammo and save the junk for target plinking. Don't get excited when it fails.

 

[Paulieg13]

My first trip to the range with my LC9 with five different brands of ammo proved very educational for me. The first few clips were loaded with S&B. At least 5 FTF with minor dimple dead center on primer. All of the dimpled rounds fired fine in my other 9 (much larger Sig). i started to get very frustrated with my new gun until I had no problems firing about twenty rounds each from the other four brands that i brought with me that day. I fyou look closely at S&B rounds, the primer is not flush with the back of the round. That slight indentation appears to be enough to have issues in the LC9.

Bottom line: I have fired about ten different brands and grains through my LC9 with zero problems since the S&B experience.

Update: The next two trips to the range with my LC9 proved to be very frustrating as I had multiple FTF on both ocassions. Both times I used a few different brands of ammo and all had small dimples in the primer. I called Ruger Yesterday and they did not hesitate to get a new slide in the mail headed my way. The rep on the phone was great and basically didn't ask any questions beyond my statement of "light strike on the primer of several different brands of rounds".

This is my first Ruger and after reading multiple forums and reviews, I have no reservations about this guns dependability once i get the new hardware installed.