Texas LTC qualification

My concealed carry is a ruger LCP Il 380. About a month I will be going to the range for for my texas lic to carry… Ruger is not an easy gun to use trigger pull is about 6 lbs. Compact size can be a little hard to control. I know it is not for target shooting and just edc weapon. Would I be better off renting a different gun for the test. Thanks

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I would hope that if you are carrying that firearm on a daily basis that you would be good enough with it to pass the test.

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Welcome to the community @Bill174

I passed my AZ “test” with an LCP 1 that has a worse trigger than the LCP 2. Though it looks like the Texas test is a little more of a challenge.

If the information on the site below is accurate the shots from 15 yards with an LCP 2 might be a challenge for some folks but doable for most with practice and sounds like you should be able to get enough points from the closer shooting distances even if you missed all the longer ones.

I’d try to get the target they use and do the test at a range beforehand to see where you are at. Dryfire practice at home with a completely empty gun can also help you get a better feel for the trigger.

Good luck!

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@Bill174 Welcome to our community, we are glad to have you. :slightly_smiling_face:
You should be proficient enough with your carry gun enough to pass any test. If you don’t like it trade it in for one you do.

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Will also add that the trigger on the LCP 2 and LCP Max is actually pretty OK. The sights on the 2 are a bit challenging though (the Max sight is much better). The main challenge is they all tend to be snappy so some people may develop a flinch and rapid firing can be a challenge.

I don’t practice much with my Max since it is not my primary carry and could still pretty easily put all my shots in the 5 point zone at 15 yards if I wasn’t in a big rush. Again the sights on the 2 are more of a challenge but should be doable with practice.

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Thanks for the reply. I will up my range time and dry fire training to work out any issues. As for sights I agree. I have taken and painted front and rear sights with damp of orange nail polish. Thanks again for all the replies
Regards
Old dog
Bill

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@Bill174 Welcome. We are very glad you found us.

I agree with everyone else who has commented thus far that you should be able to pass the test with the weapon you carry every day simply because you are going to have that weapon EVERY DAY. You should be comfortable with it and competent in using it for its intended purpose. And it isn’t “JUST” your EDC, it is a tool you are betting your life and the lives of everyone around you on.

Bruce26 speaks the truth. If you do not like the operation of the weapon you have, sell it and get one that works better for you. When we were shopping for my Wife’s pistol, she tried every compact weapon out local indoor range had in inventory and decided on an M&P Shield Compact. She did not like the way it came apart, so we went back and traded it in for a Beretta PX4 Storm Compact. She never looked back.

My EDC is a full sized Beretta 92A1. It does not conceal.

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Welcome to the community @Bill174

If your EDC firearm has “flaws” that make you hesitant to use it to qualify in a controlled environment, such as a range, I would argue that it is not the appropriate/correct firearm for EDC for you.

In a defensive encounter you need to be incredibly comfortable with ALL operations on that firearm. If the trigger and recoil control are something that worries you for range use, it should terrify you for defensive use.

If you are going to the range to rent some firearms, maybe you should rent until you find a firearm that makes you comfortable using it. Then get that firearm for EDC.

I would recommend you take a course like the USCCA’s Defensive Shooting Fundamentals 1 (DSF1) to explore how you would feel using whatever firearm you’ve selected for EDC. It will be an eye-opener.

You don’t want to bet your life, or the life of your loved ones, on a firearm you are not 100% comfortable with. A defensive encounter is not the time/place to find out that your firearm and ammo are not what they need to be for you to survive.

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I actually did the same though with fluorescent orange paint and only on the front sight. I prefer to make sure my eye is drawn to the front sight without distractions so I leave the rears black. But others prefer front and rears to be highly visible. It’s good to try both ways and see which works best for you.

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Welcome

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I second the motion of practicing at the range with the LTC qualification target. :+1: I did and tried to mimic the test as best I could. In my experience over the years of qualifying for various permits is that not all facilities adhered to the actual test requirements. As there is still some time before your class, make a call or stop in the facility and ask them specifically how they will conduct their test. I’ve done this each and every time I had to qualify and it helps a great deal.
As a side note: If the .380 acp is your preferred caliber, see if one of your local ranges have a Ruger Security .380 that you can rent. I shot one and it is extremely easy and smooth to shoot. It’s a very affordable new release from Ruger and something you may want to consider as an EDC.

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Thank you for all the replys going to range today. They qualify their for the LTC. I have done the written portion of test passed. Fingerprints, etc
Thanks again
Bill

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This is merely my opinion, but, if you can’t pass the qualification with your carry gun, I think the best answer is to get a different carry gun that you shoot better, and dress around it if needed.

That said, the fact that you have range time to up indicates to me that you’ll pass with the one you have

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Thanks for replying. A little background info. I am up there in age. Have experience sport shooting trap and skeet. Iam a lefty. About a year ago I went blind in my left eye so I have been trying to train myself to use my right hand for pistol and getting there. Also my fingers have slight arthritis so I thought the ruger trigger pull would be better at about 3 lbs pull. Investigated trigger modification. After reading all replys I will followup at range try a few different guns and keep practicing. Thank you for all the suggestions and will let the group know when I pass

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I am a lefty as well though I have always been right eye dominant. I just automatically shift my head slightly and have no issues lining up the sights.

Though learning to shoot a pistol proficiently with either hand is a useful skill. So trying both and seeing what works is worthwhile. I just point a pistol much more naturally with my left hand so have kept that as my dominant shooting side.

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I carry the .45 PX4 (also full-frame), and I do cc with it; clothing matters. :sunglasses:

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Will also add that 3lbs for a carry pistol trigger is very light. I think my lightest trigger on a pistol is 4.5lbs. I would be leery modifying a carry gun trigger to be too light.

I have a Sig P365 which supposedly also has a 6ish pound trigger pull. But it is much easier to pull than the LCP triggers. I wouldn’t want it any lighter. That gun is also much easier to shoot than an LCP even though it is a larger caliber at 9mm. Though it is harder to pocket carry, being a little bigger and heavier than the LCP.

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Are you at least as good as Rick Perry?

I recollect that Texas Governor Rick Perry once made the news for shooting a coyote with his LCP. Anyone who can hit a coyote with that gun can pass a shooting proficiency test.

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:rofl: :joy: :+1:

I agree with others saying you should shoot your EDC weapon. I would also suggest practicing with 50 rounds at 15 yards. If you can score 50 at 15, the closer shots should come pretty easily.
From a legal perspective, if you ever had to use your weapon, it is better to be able to testify that you met the requirements using that weapon.

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