For all you .380 fans. Ruger just released a new version of their LCP. The LCP Max with a 10 or 12 round magazine. Pretty much the same size with a slightly thicker and hair longer grip than the LCP 2. Plus it has a front night sight.
The bigger grip might make it a bit less snappy. I’m mostly curious how the grip and added weight of the extra ammo impact comfort and concealment. I don’t really notice the LCP 2 when I put it in my pocket and the single stack spare magazine is unnoticeable as well. The Max’s double stack mag is noticeably thicker.
With the regular LCP I sometimes worry that I will forget I am carrying and leave it in my pocket when I take the pants off at night. I can fit a P365 in my pocket but I certainly know it is there and others who know what to look for would know it also.
The LCP Max looks barely any larger than the old model. But suspect the 4 to 6 extra rounds will make the weight more noticeable. Definitely worth a look for people who want maximum concealability without sacrificing capacity.
I had a similar experience forgetting I was even carrying a P365 in my front pocket. Went to the Dr for a back X-Ray. They said to empty my pockets. I reached into my pocket and had an “aw ■■■■” moment. I had to excuse myself for a few minutes to go to the car.
For a pocket pistol, 10 or 12 round capacity is impressive.
I know hammer-fired pocket pistols suffer from light primer strike (LPS), and for this reason DA trigger is good. Has anyone seen LPS with LCP?
I had an original LCP 1. Sold it due to the poor trigger and sights. The 1’s trigger was DA if I remember right. I Missed its small size but then won an LCP 2 in a fund raising raffle. Nice feeling trigger and better sights. Had some feeding and magazine release spring issues with it but it has been 100% since I got it back from Ruger.
Never had a LPS with either and I shot several hundred rounds from various manufacturers trying to figure out the feeding issues with the LCP2. The Max sounds like it has a similar if not the same trigger along with some feeding improvements.
So all the reviews I have seen on the LCP Max have been positive with many of the reviewers saying they are buying one. I may end up becoming a beta tester if I can track one down. It is functionally the same as the LCP 2. The couple of changes they appear to have made were flaws I pointed out to Ruger when I sent my 2 in to be repaired. That was just over a month or so ago though, so others must have had similar issues in the past that they worked on fixing with this redesign.
A lot of people like to bring up the 3 second 3 shot average encounter thing to justify carrying a smaller number of rounds. But I feel a lot more confident of being able to handle a broader range of threats when having 13 or more immediately available.
I did not find the LCP in .380 to be snappy. I only fired it a couple of times while training those that had it. I did not like it, as the mag release, slide release, slide, and grip were much too small for me to operate the firearm well. I did not notice any recoil, but as my EDC is a .45ACP, that might be the reason.
My LCP 2 is totally controllable but for me it has more kick and is a little slower to get back on target than my P365. I can shoot the 365 all day long but the LCP becomes less and less pleasant after 50 or so rounds. Think the LCP max will fill my hand just a little more and instead of a 2 finger grip I’ll be able to get a full grip with the 12 round mag.
As I have argued in other threads, the .380 has its limitations. But I think especially with newer ammo options like the Federal Hydroshok Deep it can reliably handle most SD problems not involving barriers or long ranges.
