I've had a Ruger LCP that I picked up when I first started carrying. I pocket carried it a lot, but it's not been 100% reliable with several FTE and FTF issues. I only load it with ball ammo because I've had more issues running HPs through it. Ultimately, I don't have a lot of faith in the gun or the caliber. I do however love that it's so easy to conceal. I now carry my S&W M&P9C for everything but summertime. I'm looking for a gun that's easier to conceal than my M&P in the summer and more reliable than the LCP. I've been looking at a small revolver (LCR of J-frame) or one of the small 9mms (CM9, LC9s, ect). I imagine the 9mm's are easier to conceal than the revolver, but I'm worried about running into the same reliability issues with a small 9mm semi-auto. Ultimately, I'd like a gun that I can throw in a pocket or even a belly-band when exercising in the summer. Any suggestions on the best route to go?

Also, I thought about the Shield since I like my 9C, but it doesn't really seem that much smaller other than being a little bit more thin.

A gun that you can't rely on is useless.  The issue I have with the small airweight revolvers is I can't hit anything past 7 yards.  The smaller 9mms have gotten much more reliable in the past decade.  I always push people at work towards the shield 9mm.  I had a Kahr and it shot great but it was just felt to small in my hand.  David

Ditch it with fill disclosure.  My micro carry solution is a Sig 938.  Fantastic pistol.

Get a LCR in 9mm.  Best of both worlds.  

Have you switched out your guide rod for a stainless one and your recoil springs for the 13# variety?

I switch back and forth between a Kahr CM9 and a 442.  I can recommend both with confidence, never had an issue with either and the j frame is surprisingly easy to conceal.

OP, I plan on doing the same switch you're thinking of, as soon as I can sell my LCP.  I love how easy it is to conceal, but I also lack faith in the size and caliber of the gun.

The J-frames are capable of good accuracy, beyond what is required for self defense.  The problem is that many people don't shoot double action revolver enough to be proficient with them.  A double action revolve is going to take more practice to be accurate with them then will be required with most semi-auto pistols.



This was at 7 yards with a brand new 442 my first time shooting it.  At 30yards I can keep them on an USPSA target.  The last time I tried I went 10 for 10 with only two D hits.  That said I shoot a lot of revolver in USPSA and IDPA competition.  This is also why I carry a 442.  If I go back to shooting a semi-auto in competition I will switch back to a semi-auto of similar configuration for my carry gun.  Practice trumps hardware nearly every-time.

I shot my cousins airweight and with the trigger like it is, ~15lbs, none of us could hit anything, since then he traded that for a sub compact glock 9mm. I also have an LCP, haven't shot it much because we like to keep our 45 in our hands, but it has never jammed on us with any of the different loads weve put through it.

I've heard great things about the LC9s, and I use the Shield in 9x19 for my summer EDC and it's too easy to conceal. My full time EDC is the VP9 and that is very easy to conceal even with just a T shirt on and shorts.

Very sold on the CM9. Super easy to conceal and it has been 100%. Very accurate at 7 yds but it is not meant to be a range gun.

Yup, I've got the 11# and 12# too. I'd rather avoid having to change recoil springs, polish the feed ramp, spend a ton of money on ammo to find what type works okay, send it back to the factory, ect on my next gun. It would be nice to buy one that just works as advertised.

This. I have 2 and they're both flawless

the J-frame takes practice, but it's a wonderful CCW weapon

It's very light



I love my .40 SHIELD also

Hi I own a firearms training company that man arfcomers in AZ have attended.  First I'm surprised that the LCP isn't working, we have 3 of them and with proper cleaning they have all worked for several years.  I'd send it to Ruger with a demand that they get it working.
That said here is what my immediate instructors are carrying as BUGS OR EDC concealed
1. TPD Homicide Detective.  J Frame with 38 +P rounds in ankle holster.  Main gun in plainclothes, Glock 27 with New York trigger that is like breaking a piece of glass rod.
2. Female retired Army CID. S&W MP Compact, EDC Springfield XCs 9mm back up in a thigh holster. (I can't talk her into letting me see what holds the holster up.
3. Female retired AF Security. S&W MP Compact 40, Ruger LCP as BUG
4. Retired Army, Wells Fargo guard Glock 19 EDC, Glock 26 BUG in ankle holster.
5. ME, HKP2K 9 LEM as EDC, Shield as BUG, DB9 with the 12 buck magazine spring replacement in ankle holster.

All of us have many guns and I am experimenting with the MP CORE with red dot as a future edc but not yet.

This may be an old school attitude ( I suspect I was in college or high school when the majority of posters here were born)
But even with today's engineering and technology it is very hard to build a highly reliable small carry gun. The smaller the gun the harder it is to build reliability. This is simple geometry and math.
The most (NOTHiNG is 100%) reliable pocket gun answer is still a j frame revolver.
With practice my ankle holster draws are sub two seconds and sub 4 inch 25 yard groups are possible. I can routinely hit a 100 yard gong with my j frame.
I do not say this to brag but honestly if I can practice enough to do it anyone can.
Comes down to stance grip sights trigger like any other pistol.
The big problem with small revolvers as others have said is inadequate practice - and do not over do it.
50 rounds of good technique practice is far superior to 300 rounds where you get sloppy in the last 100 and your memory defaults to this.( as in end on a high note- do not practice so long your accuracy or speed drops off)
With diligence a j frame can be as accurate ( some really good shooters would say more so) than most full size polymer frame autos

Kahr CM9 - compact, reliable, decent DA trigger

If you have an LCP that isn't 100% reliable, send it back to Ruger.  I haven't had one failure with mine (newer stainless LCP).  You might find that you can't carry a larger gun as easily as the LCP causing you to not carry it at all.  I'm sure that was the reason that you purchased the LCP in the first place.

Fmj?
Seems wrong for any kind of SD

I like a light revolver for pocket carry because I can shoot then much better than any of the small semi autos I have tried.

I am a tried and true S&W fan and like my 642 very much but have shot and very much liked the LCRs.
A airweight pocket revolver is very old school but things get considered "old school" when they have worked well for years.

It depends on hand size , strength , experience and a bunch of other stuff but to me the whole ball of wax is what I shoot well and therefore have confidence in the revolver . If it ever comes to the time I have to start shooting I am thinking I all ready have lots of problems going on , I need something I know I can hit stuff with.

Revolvers are not for everybody but they work for me

I have expereince with lots of different sub compact pistols and nothing conceales like an LCP. I have two and they are reliable. I wouuld contact Ruger.

S&W 642. I have carried one as a BUG and running carry weapon. It is PERFECT for that role. Everyone I know ho doesnt like J frame revolvers complains mostly about the inaccuracy and heavy trigger. I admit the trigger is heavy, but with practice it is extremely accurate. After learning the gun and devoting time to serious dry fire, I have learned it is one of my most accurate handguns. And although murphy can screw with anything, a J frame revolver is pretty dang reliable.
No pics, but its got that sexy, classic look to boot

My ankle/pocket is a 442. It is remarkably accurate and has become a favorite shooter. It's a perfect blend of size, power, weight, and shootability.


I can shoot it as well as any gun I own. It prompted me to get a stable mate in 357.

20150109_135938 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

It's not for everyone. A double action trigger can take some time to be proficient with. Perhaps due to the double action first pulls on my semi auto decockers, out of no where my double action shooting became as good as single.

I have also noticed my (wife's) J-frame is more accurate than I would have thought.  I started shooting from 25 yds at a 2/3 metal silhouette just for kicks and found I could hit it 90% or better. (I forget if it is a 2/3 ISDP/USDA or whatever the category is , but a 2/3 torso)

I have these exact same two guns that I switch between for the rare occasion that I pocket carry. Been leaning more and more towards the J frame lately. The Kahr CM9 is what finally got me to get out of .380 and I have never looked back.

I'm a 442-2 guy, but the LCR is a damn good shooter.  Kinda smokes a 442.  

That's too bad about the LCP OP. Ruger will fix it -- A++ Customer Service.
FWIW my LCP I purchased from the first batch released (recall gun)
had been 100% for over 500 rounds of ball and 102gr. sabers and 95gr. critical defense.
 Also,  for a small 9mmTake a look at the Taurus
709 slim 9mm - striker fired da/sa and compact. Minuses - mags are spendy and lack
of aftermarket sight options -- plus - crimson trace laser like my LCP wears

Install a Wolff recoil spring of at least 11# but no more than 13#

That solved my LCP reliability issues.

I spent about three years answering your same question at considerable expense and wasted ammo testing this and that.  I ended up with the following as dependable:

1)  S&W M&P 340 using Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P NYPD ammo

2)  S&W Shield 9mm using Hornady 115 grain Critical Defense ammo

3)  Glock 19 9mm using Hornady 135 grain Critical Duty ammo

Those are used as weather and season make concealment possible.

4)  Beretta M21 Bobcat .22LR:  Works everytime with CCI MiniMag or Blazer, but I don't need the mini size to hide a gun that bad to use a .22LR.

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I can also tell you things to not waste your time and money on.

-KelTec PF9 9mm:  braze welded firing pin to channel blowing primers on first three Federal 9mm cartridges fired.
-Kahr CW9:  no matter the fluff and buff applied from the Kahr web site, it continued to flex the plastic frame and drop magazines when firing.  The metal framed Kahrs are apparently better made than the cheap plastic ones.
-Walther PP .380-  reset of trigger tactically weak and uncertain.  Trips to Walther America did not fix dropping magazines.
-S&W BodyGuard .380:  The laser was the only thing that worked.  Every part in the gun besides the plastic grip was replaced or modified.  It was wearing out at 800 rounds and never stopped FTF, FTE, FTE, FTF issues.
-S&W BodyGuard .38 Special:  Laser also worked.  The guns disconnect the star rachet system when using +P ammo and it takes two pulls to fire the next shell.

Ditch it for the Glock 42.

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My wife also decided to drop the LCP as a carry pistol.  Basically it's is just too small for "real world" self-defense scenarios, except maybe at belly-to-belly distances  Maybe?

After researching just about everything, the two 9mm stand-outs with reasonable prices were (1) Ruger LC9-S and (2) KAHR CW9.  Both conceal very well, are 100% reliable, sweet shooting, lightweight (+/- 17oz) and have great triggers.

The two "best" reasonable priced 380 pistols are (1) KAHR CT380 and (2) Glock G42 and for the same reasons as above.

I've owned these pistols and contrary to some, they are all easily cocealed "pocket perfection".