Ruger LCP II and LCR Handguns

I own a Ruger Lightweight Compact Pistol II in 380 Automatic Colt Pistol and a Ruger Lightweight Compact Revolver in 38 Special. Both are small and lightweight and have proven to be reliable and accurate, making them ideal for concealed carry. I purchased them several years ago; the LCP II was initially offered in 380 ACP only, as was the original LCP. It is now available in 22 Long Rifle as well. The LCR was offered in 38 Special and 357 Magnum initially.

It is now available in 22 LR, 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 9mm Luger, and 327 Federal Magnum. Lightweight Compact Pistol II The LCP is 5.17" long, 0.91" wide, and 3.94" tall weighing 12.70 ounces with 6 rounds in the magazine. It has a 2.75" long barrel with 6 grooves and 1:16" right hand twist. It is a simple blowback design with an internal hammer. The frame is made from glass-filled nylon and the slide and barrel are steel.

The only external safety is the blade in the center of the trigger that prevents the trigger from releasing the sear unless the safety blade is depressed. The sear incorporates a drop safety that prevents the hammer from falling if the gun is dropped with the hammer cocked. The top of the hammer is somewhat visible through the slots in the rear of the slide and frame. In good light

I painted the sights for improved visibility. it can be used as a cocking indicator. Racking the slide partially cocks the hammer. Pulling the trigger retracts the hammer a slight additional amount and then releases it. There is no magazine disconnect safety and the gun can be fired without the mag in place. The LCP II offers several improvements over the original LCP. The biggest improvement is the trigger action.

The single action trigger pull is considerably lighter (5.6 pounds averaged over 10 pulls) and smoother. It has a short, positive reset and the effort doesn’t "stack" like on the LCP. The LCP II has taller, easier-to-see front and rear sights. The slide locks open after the last round. LCP magazines will work in the LCP II but will not lock open the slide. Ruger added cocking serrations to the front of the slide.

The grips are molded on the frame, are slightly wider than the LCP, and are nicely stippled on the front, sides, and rear. The mag has an extension on the base but I can only get four fingers on the frame which is typical for this size handgun. The LCP II ships with one magazine and a soft pocket holster. Field Strip The LCP II is a simple design with few parts. To disassemble, remove the magazine and make sure the chamber is empty. Rack the slide and let it go forward. Pry out the takedown pin on the left side.

Pull the slide assembly forward off the frame. The trigger does not need to be pulled to remove the slide. The recoil springs and rod are removed and the barrel is lifted out of the slide. Reassembly is the reverse. I find it easier to remove and install the takedown pin if the slide is retracted about 0.2". If the trigger is pulled with the slide removed, the hammer will go all the way forward and prevent the slide from being fully installed. If this happens, manually cock the hammer.

Lightweight Compact Revolver The LCR is Ruger’s latest design of the snub nose revolver, which in one form or another has been around for along, long time. Ruger made some significant improvements to update the design for the twenty-first century. My LCR is chambered in 38 Special +P and has an aluminum frame, as does the 22 LR and 22 WMR versions, while the 357 Magnum, 9mm, and 327 Mag have steel frames.

The LCR has a stainless steel barrel and cylinder with the frame, cylinder, crane, and ejector rod coated and the cylinder is fluted to save weight. The 1.87" barrel has 6 grooves and a 1:16" RH twist. The LCR is 6.50" long, 4.70" high, and the cylinder is 1.23" in diameter. It weighs 15.7 ounces loaded with 5 rounds. The LCR has an internal hammer and is double action only.

There is a transfer bar between the hammer and firing pin which prevents the hammer from striking the firing pin unless the trigger is completely pulled. There is no external safety as is typical for DA-only revolvers. The fire control group is contained in a polymer housing that comprises the rear part of the handgun. The trigger pull is the typical, long DA travel but it is smooth and doesn’t stack. The pull averaged 9.5 pounds over 10 measurements and I’ve found the trigger pull can be "staged" to

improve accuracy. The initial 0.7" travel of the trigger indexes the cylinder and a slight amount of additional travel drops the hammer. The front sight is pinned to the frame and the rear sight is machined in the frame. The Hogue Tamer grip is comfortable when shooting and reduces the felt recoil. The advantage of the 357 Magnum version is Cleaning the LCR is easy, like most revolvers. Open the cylinder, clean the chambers, clean the barrel bore, wipe down the frame and that’s it.

Ruger offers the LCRx which has an external hammer and can be fired single action or double and it’s available in all the same calibers as the LCR. At The Range I shot both handguns, standing with a two-handed grip, at 5, 7 and 10 yards using B-27 targets, firing 10 rounds at each distance. Both guns proved to be accurate, the results are in the table.

There wasn’t a signifithat you can practice with 38 Special rounds and save the more powerful ammunition for serious business, if you don’t mind the increased recoil. Personally, I prefer shooting 357 Magnum revolvers that have a bit more heft and barrel length. cant difference between the two handguns, both put all the rounds in the X, 10, or 9 ring with the exception of the LCR at 10 yards. In my opinion, the LCP II is easier to shoot accurately due to its lighter American Gunsmith Reader Services 1.

and shorter trigger pull which is an advantage over the long DA trigger pull on the LCR. Each gun has its advantages. The LCP II is smaller, lighter, has a better trigger, a lower recoil, and 6 + 1 capacity. The LCR is slightly larger and heavier and only packs 5 rounds but has significantly higher energy (stopping power) and, in general, would likely be more reliable. A semi- Bottom Far left top: LCR front sight is pinned to the frame. I painted the sights for improved visibility.

Far left 380 ACP 95 grain FMJ-FN and 90 grain JHP, 38 Special 130 grain FMJ- FN and 110 grain FTX, 357 Magnum 158 grain JSP and 125 grain JHP. auto pistol can have an issue will feeding or ejecting; typically ammo or magazine related. This means racking the slide, maybe ejecting the magazine, etc. With a DA revolver, if it doesn’t go bang, just pull the trigger again. The LCP II and LCR have both proven to be 100% reliable for me with many hundreds of rounds downrange. AG