I found a NIB LCP for around $200. I'm not looking for a target/range gun, just pocket protection when I can't carry a larger gun.
Any and all opinions would be helpful, thanks

Happy with mine.  I say buy it.

Find out what an LCP II goes for though.  They made a couple improvements with that.

One of the few guns I've sold.

Dealbreaker for me was the trigger reset.  I'm used to my Glocks, which have very short resets.  I've fired thousands of rounds through them, have trained with them, and that's how I shoot - off the reset.  The LCP has a very long reset; you almost have to let the trigger all the way out.  But what's worse, is that there's TWO clicks on the reset. As you let the trigger out, there's one click about halfway, where you'd expect the reset to be, then the second click, the actual reset, is about 3/4 of the way out.

If you try to squeeze the trigger after the first click, it won't move.  I was afraid that under stress I'd only let it out to that first click and then the gun wouldn't fire.

ETA: My replacement pocket gun is a Diamondback DB9.  Almost the same size as the LCP, but in 9mm.  Has a similarly-long reset, but only one click.  Even sounds like a Glock when you dryfire it.  I know some folks don't like them, but I've put 400+ problem-free rounds through mine, and have the confidence to bet my life on it.

Been using mine for pocket carry for a couple of years now.

I'd spend a little extra and get an LC9S pro.  Much better trigger, and they've done away with the manual safety and magazine disconnect.

I carry my LCP all the time and enjoy shooting it. A Houge grip really helped with controllability.

The trigger is pretty terrible and the sights are an afterthought, but it's a pocket gun designed for point shooting. I carry mine when I can't conceal anything bigger, but it works.

With the LCP II having an MSRP of $350, I would think that would push the cost of a used LCP down to $150 or so

The problem with point shooting a LCP is that they point at the ground 20' in front of you.  The tang-trigger angle is AFU.

The Custom with good sights and trigger at least lets you aim.

The new one with rounded sights and a better trigger still points D O W N.

You have to cock your wrist up to hit and if you shoot anything else, you will never remember under stress.  Perfect for five yard nut shooting. Look at face.  Hit 2' lower.

I got an LCP II a couple weeks ago and love it. $300 OTD in my AO, probably somewhat similar in yours as well. Or look online which I have found for $279 + free shipping.

I love mine, got 2 of them.

Its like twice the size. My position on the LCP has always been that for a few more dollars you can get a pico or kahr with much better sights + last round hold open.

The LCP custom is supposedly getting hard to find now that the LCP2 has been released, I would still choose a kahr or pico unless budget was that much of a factor.

Great pocket pistol IME.  I've had no issues with mine, it is quite reliable.  



I carry it more than any other carry piece I have, it's so damn convenient to throw it in the pocket and walk out the door.

I have one that I ended up with a few years ago. Mine is on older one before the changes to make the trigger pull shorter and the sights slightly larger, what people seem to call the 1st Generation. For what it is (a very small, very concealable gun for when you wouldn't normally have a gun), it is a pretty good choice. I pocket carried mine occasionally when I needed very low profile or for when I would be going into a non-permissive environment. A perfect example was last winter when I took my wife and daughters to Pittsburgh to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra at the Consol Energy Stadium. The Stadium is a no-go for carry, so it was very easy to just take the gun out of my pocket along with the holster and secure it in the car console, then get it back out and put it back in my pocket when done. MUCH easier and much fewer contortions than trying to remove an IWB holster and gun, then try to put it back.

There are several drawbacks to the LCP, or other similar guns. The first is the caliber. Whether you like .380 or not, I don't think anyone can argue that it is a kinda wimpy caliber. Careful ammo selection can help mitigate this, but it will never be a 9mm Para or .45. Just be aware that it is a weaker cartridge and shot placement is very critical. I don't have much problem with .380 but some do. Good ammo selection can take care of most of the problems with .380, as long as you understand that shot placement is critical and that you will more than likely need more than one shot.

Another drawback is the size of the gun. I have pretty large hands with very long fingers and the LCP didn't work out too well for me. The butt was just too small. If I had time to grasp the gun to make sure about hand placement, it wasn't too bad. If I had to grab it very quickly, though, I often grabbed it poorly and had to regrasp. The size of the gun shouldn't be as bad if you have more normal sized hands, though.

Another problem can be the trigger. The trigger on the LCP is DAO and is kind of long. I shoot DA revolvers on a fairly regular basis, so it wasn't much problem for me. It is pretty light, but is long. Also, as was mentioned above, the trigger clicks twice when letting it back out. If you hear and feel the first click and try to pull the trigger again, the trigger locks up and it won't shoot. It needs let all the way back out in order to reset. As long as you treat it as a revolver trigger, you should be OK.

The sights are not very good, either. Like I said, mine was an early one, later ones are a little better. They are VERY SMALL and hard to pick up. I understand that the newer ones aren't as bad, but they still look pretty small to me. I don't care for point shooting but, with the LCP, it has to become an option because the sights are so small. I know why Ruger made them that way, but they really are pretty bad. It's too bad, though, because the gun seems to be pretty accurate....when you have time to use the sights. I used a dab of white paint on my front sight and that helped a lot.

When I started using the gun, I didn't think that the gun not locking open on the last round would bother me, but it does. The recoil spring is kinda stout and, coupled with the tiny slide, makes it hard to reload and chamber another round quickly. Its really not that big of a deal, but I can see it being very hard to do with sweaty, possibly bloody, hands and under pressure.

I have read that the gun is very susceptible to limp wristing because of the tiny size, poly frame and the caliber. I've never had an issue with that, but it is another thing to think about.

The gun is also kinda snappy in recoil. I never believed that it was before, but all I had shot in it was cheap FMJ, some leftover Winchester Silvertips and some old Federal Hydra Shoks. I tried some Speer Gold Dots in it not long ago and yep, it was very snappy. It wasn't uncontrollable or anything but was noticeably harder to shoot than it had been with the FMJs. Not a real big issue because you probably won't be shooting 100 Gold Dots in one session, but also something to think about.

I had a hard enough time shooting mine because of the tiny grip that I switched to a Glock 42. Not much bigger or heavier, but enough bigger and heavier that I shoot it like a dream. For my hands, the critical dimension was the front-to-back length of the grip. The G42 is enough bigger that I can grab it very easily and shoot it very easily, too. For me, it shoots so much better than the LCP that the slight extra size and weight were worth it. I still have my LCP but it is retired now.

Overall, the gun is a very good choice for what it is. Just be aware of the drawbacks and the problems. If you think the gun will work for you, go for it. Mine doesn't have a lot of rounds through it (maybe 500-600 rds) but was always reliable, with good ammo, even if it was covered in pocket lint and pretty dry. I did have some problems with ammo from a local commercial reloader, but the same ammo wouldn't run any other gun we tried it in, either, so that is an ammo issue, not a gun issue. Everything I have ever read about them says that they are extremely reliable, so I wouldn't worry about it. For what they are, they are a very good choice, especially if the only other option is to go unarmed. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.

Bub75

Shot my buddy's LCP. I'm sort of a big fellow 6'5'/280. Never have I felt a more painful gun to shoot. Couldn't get a good grip and the whole thing made my hand numb/ache. I have no idea what I was doing wrong. I've shot an LCR in 9mm and an airlite J frame titanium in .38. up to.357/.44/.500 screamers. These are kittens to shoot compared to the LCP.

That being said, less than 4 hours ago, I bought an LCP 2 after reading the reviews (never said I was smart :/ ). Hopefully the wider backstrap makes it feel less like a staple gun.

LCP's are somewhat a beast to shoot.  I've added a Hogue Handall grip and a Galloway Precision 13lb recoil spring and improved it greatly.  Not too much cost involved for the improvement gained.  Yes, I'd buy again.  Nothing better for the size and cost IMO.

The LCP II is a pleasure to shoot compared to the first generation.  The slightly wider grip makes a huge difference.

I just bought a Custom. Not a bad gun for the money.

The wife and I both have the customs and love them. We have a few different single stack 9's but end up carrying the LCP the most. The Hogue grip is a must for us.

LCP - Yes!

I practice with a Glock G42. I carry an LCP Custom!

Me too. Small and reliable.

And now that I felt the trigger on the LCP II... I will have to get one of them also.

I love mine.  I say FO.

good gun for what it is...a teeny cheap .380 for up close shooting when you can't carry a "real" caliber.  Sights do suck, as does the lack of slide lock after last shot, the trigger on the one I have fired isn't that bad at all, but oddly there is a rattling sound from the grip/frame (not the mag or slide lockup).

good price, reliable, trigger and recoil weren't too bad after hearing how horrible they were so often.  Accuracy is meh beyond 7 yards.  If a shield/lc9s is too big for your needs, then I'd look into one, although the lcp2 is very tempting.

LCP II

Shot mine for the 1st time today. Isnt as bad as people are making it out to be. 10yds its fine. Havent tried farther. Wasnt painful to shoot even with big hands. Just surprised how pricey the ammo is..

My wife loves her LCP.  I used to have one as well, but foolishly sold it to a friend.  Wish I still had it...

I will go against the grain on the "Custom" version.  My dad bought one and I hated it.  For a pocket gun the sights are over the top IMHO, since it will be used at contact distance anyway. (nobody complains about the low profile sights on a J-frame)  The trigger does have a better break, but has a very positive false reset at the same place a Glock would normally reset, causing me to short stroke the trigger every time.  I like the regular LCP much better.

Using LCP-C again.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_5/4_Handgun-Discussions.html

It is an awesome little pistol and perfect for a vehicle gun as it can be stashed anywhere.

Bump

Really considering LCP for pocket carry with shorts for warmer weather.

Go for it.  It's meant for easy concealment.

The LCP2 gave some needed improvements across the board, but for the price the LCP and LCP2 are great pocket guns. If you are okay with .380 I would say go for it. Others have good options in .380 and 9mm but not near that price and usually 2-3 times as much.

I have limited experience with them but it takes about three feet of pull before it fires. I though the trigger was going to go inside and hit the mag before it shot. ymmv  

I have both the first generation and the most current generation of LCP.  

The first gen had a very long and heavy trigger pull making quick and accurate follow up shots difficult (not impossible, but difficult).  The sights were a small step up from being useless.  It took me quite some time to become proficient enough where I felt comfortable carrying it.  I had a few reliability issues with it, but new mag springs took care of the issues.  

The LCP II is basically the same size, with a much better trigger (some say it's too light), better sights (still nothing to get excited about) and last round hold-open.  I've only got 50 rounds down-range with the II, so I won't declare this gun to be a winner until I've got a few hundred more down range.  So far though, the trigger alone is a vast improvement over the original.

In fairness to Ruger, it was a first generation I shot..

I like mine, I had it for several years now. I really haven't been able to compare others in depth so im not saying there aren't better options out there. It's not the most comfortable gun to shoot for any length of time but it wasn't designed that. I'm a smaller guy so it's easy for me to carry without it dictating my wardrobe. You can shove it anywhere. I've forgotten I was even carrying it. PSA has them alot for $200 but I'd say pull the trigger if that the type of gun you looking for.

I have the LCP Custom and nearly every time I shoot it it seems that I am accidently hitting the mag release and dropping the mag just a little on the first or second shot. Could the Hogue grip help stop this?

Yes, it will make the pistol easier to shoot and the mag release harder to reach.

I have the LCP II and can recommend it.  Seems some folks are having issues with the magazine release inadvertently dumping the mag while shooting.  Never happened to me and seems like more of a hand placement issue versus a mechanical failure.  I've got several hundred rounds through it and it has been 100% reliable.  I pocket carry with the shipped holster and she is loaded with Underwood ammo.

Hmm.

I find my LCP to be a soft shooter and is accurate and 100% reliable. It's a great pistol.

Got mine with laser for $175

The plain LCP is very reliable and easy to get good hits with.  But, the trigger is long pull and the trigger finger can run into the side of the grip before it fires and prevent it from firing.  Yikes!  You have to remember not to insert your trigger finger as far as it will go.  

That said, the LCP does pocket carry very well and more importantly, it draws very fast and snag free from its pocket holster.

I love my LCP for pocket carry. It's very convenient, especially when you go behind enemy lines - very concealable.

I have all three iterations of the LCP.  $200 is a good price, but the trigger on the first two style of LCP is horrible!
I would advise the LCP II.  I love mine, and that is my EDC BUG.

I bought two at that price...

I had the original LCP and the trigger was so bad that I got rid of it quickly. But the current LCP trigger is okay for what it is. LCP-II costs a lot more just to get a lighter trigger.

Girlfriend carries an LCP, I carry an LCP II. I chose the II for a couple reasons. First, a much better grip. The Kel-tec always dug sharply into my palm and the stippling on the II means it sits better in my big hands, gripping to my skin unlike the original. Sights, meh, but it is what it is and better than some. The trigger, compared to the Kel-tec or the LCP, is a whole different world. Last round hold open is nice but probably not necessary for what the pistol was designed for.

Girlfriend bought the LCP because they had it. She'd recently gotten her CCW and someone followed her while she was out walking, even running after her when she decided to run. Went straight to a store and bought the LCP because it was there. I was in the market for a pistol I could carry in a well fitted suit and/or on a summer day with clothes that would print with my P250. If I'd had my druthers I'd have gotten a SIG 938 but I had some other expenses coming at the time. All in all, I'm glad I got the LCP II.

My LCP is carried a lot and shot very little.  You may find the LCP II is better for you.  I strongly recommend you get a laser.  Mine will shoot bug eyes at 20 feet.  Sights are okay for close work, but get a laser to shoot accurately.

It's the one gun that's always with me.   It disappears in the pocket.  Do, however, hold out for an LCP II.  Much better gun in many ways!

LCP is a solid gun.  Be sure to function test your chosen carry ammo.

Yes, a must have pocket 380. I use only fiocchi extrema 90 gr xtp now. Here's my oldest -- a 7 some year old everyday carry perfect during1.6 k rds brass cased.

Attached File

I actually like shooting mine.
Best pocket 380 on the market plus if you ever need cs ruger is excellent.

Happy with mine, no safeties other than the long as fuck trigger pull, seriously if someone EVER has a negligent discharge... I'm not buying it, you had to have your finger on the trigger and pulled it ALL the way to the rear (which isn't easy, it's got to be like a 12lb pull).
It's reliable, there's nothing to snag, and it's so small and light weight I have actually completely forgotten it was on me when I tossed it in a little leather pocket holster....which IMO was bad.

For $200 fuck yeah, FO!


P.S. All the bull shit about "horrible trigger" and "no real sights" yeah, it's a micro point and shoot self defense get the fuck off me pocket rocket, not a service pistol.

This is pretty much exactly my thoughts also, w/o all the cussing tho. :P