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So luck hit me with the weekly Ducks Unlimited calendar raffle. I was notified today I won a Ruger LC380.
(Of course I couldn't have been lucky NEXT WEEK with a Kimber 84L .30-06 - but I will not look a gift horse in the mouth).
So I already have two primary CC firearms- a Glock G30SF .45 and my S&W FBI model 13 .38/.357, so I really don't need a mouse gun. My wife carries a S&W .38 as well.
Anyone have any insights into this LC380? From what reviews I've read, it seems to be a fine little carry piece. Honestly I don't particularly care for this cartridge, so I may just sell it and pocket the cash..
Well, are there times when you don't carry your bigger guns, maybe in summer, when you would carry the .380?
You can get some considerably better .380 loads now than you could a few years ago.
That said, yeah, it's a mouse gun, maybe any self-respecting Montana thug would just shrug off a center of mass hit with it - dunno.
I don't have this actual gun, but, I have never had a Ruger that was not Hell for tough, generally reliable, a good gat.
Well when I say 'mouse gun'- it's TINY. I don't handle tiny guns well. My friend has a Glock single stack 9mm and frankly it's just not a comfortable gun.
As far as the .380- that was an option for my wife when we shopped. Ballistics wise, the .380 seems to under penetrate when obstructed with clothing using hydro-shock type rounds, and over penetrates with FMJ. I leaned heavily on the studies from brassfetcher.com
The 380 ACP is a marginal caliber for self-defense. Bullets shot from mouseguns with 2.8” barrel lengths usually either expand well and don’t penetrate to the 12.0” preferred depth or don’t expand at all and penetrate far beyond the 12.0” preferred depth, wasting wounding potential.
Frankly I feel there are better calibers and options, so why keep something 'maybe sort-of' will do the job?
I have shot the LC380. You’ right, it’s a petite gun that’s great for carry just slide it in your pocket and it disappear. It’s not so comfortable when shooting it, however; where its small size & light weight work against the recoil. It jerks badly that I had trouble keeping it on target and we’re talking street shooting distance of 7 yards. Just for comparison, the S&W bodyguard 380 felt 100% better compared with the LC380. It’s only slightly bigger but holding it was a lot more comfortable. The little extra weight also made a world of difference in handling recoils. It is still small & light enough as a pocket gun for carrying. I would pick the Bodyguard over the LC380.
As to the .380 ballistic, it’s an up close & personal self defense caliber. More like stick it on your opponent’s belly and keep pulling the trigger gun. I would choose penetration over expansion. 2 holes bleed faster on a fat guy. A better chance of hitting vital organs too.
The bottom line is go shoot it and see how you like it. But IMO the LC380 is designed for 99.99% carry and hope the dear Lord that you’ll NEVER need to shoot it gun. For that role, it’s a perfect little gun.
I have shot the LC380. You’ right, it’s a petite gun that’s great for carry just slide it in your pocket and it disappear. It’s not so comfortable when shooting it, however; where its small size & light weight work against the recoil. It jerks badly that I had trouble keeping it on target and we’re talking street shooting distance of 7 yards. Just for comparison, the S&W bodyguard 380 felt 100% better compared with the LC380. It’s only slightly bigger but holding it was a lot more comfortable. The little extra weight also made a world of difference in handling recoils. It is still small & light enough as a pocket gun for carrying. I would pick the Bodyguard over the LC380.
As to the .380 ballistic, it’s an up close & personal self defense caliber. More like stick it on your opponent’s belly and keep pulling the trigger gun. I would choose penetration over expansion. 2 holes bleed faster on a fat guy. A better chance of hitting vital organs too.
The bottom line is go shoot it and see how you like it. But IMO the LC380 is designed for 99.99% carry and hope the dear Lord that you’ll NEVER need to shoot it gun. For that role, it’s a perfect little gun.
Yeah we have shorts season for 3 months, after that is clothing. One of the things I have for summer is a fanny pack (carried in front) that is a quick access firearm deal. My Glock is out in a second.
And I don't care if I look like douche carrying it.
my son bought one of these for his daily CC pocket pistol, and carried if for a couple of weeks to get used to it before taking it to the range to practice shooting it. He was so disappointed in how it handled that he gave it to me … well, almost "gave" it … we traded an antique wall hangar single shot JC Higgins 12 ga shotgun (non-functional) with a ghastly leather wrapped broken stock for the Ruger. I believe the stock got broken the day it was used to extend the handle on a handyman jack, or at least it looked that way.
I took that pistol to our range and put 20 rds through it. It was remarkably unimpressive, with a heavy long travel trigger which my aging arthritic hand did not like. I knew I'd never want to rely upon this pistol if the need arose and it was no fun to shoot.
So it got sold off the next week. One of the few firearms I've ever been really happy to be rid of with no regrets.
my son bought one of these for his daily CC pocket pistol, and carried if for a couple of weeks to get used to it before taking it to the range to practice shooting it. He was so disappointed in how it handled that he gave it to me … well, almost "gave" it … we traded an antique wall hangar single shot JC Higgins 12 ga shotgun (non-functional) with a ghastly leather wrapped broken stock for the Ruger. I believe the stock got broken the day it was used to extend the handle on a handyman jack, or at least it looked that way.
I took that pistol to our range and put 20 rds through it. It was remarkably unimpressive, with a heavy long travel trigger which my aging arthritic hand did not like. I knew I'd never want to rely upon this pistol if the need arose and it was no fun to shoot.
So it got sold off the next week. One of the few firearms I've ever been really happy to be rid of with no regrets.
I’ve read about the long trigger pull..
Thanks for the review. I think it gets sold NIB unfired when I receive it.
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- but I will not look a gift horse in the mouth).
