Ruger LCP MAX any interest?

[novitiate]

Tough crowd.

The P85 is still a tough obstacle to get around. Even though they were very good guns you can still find threads trashing them. Like soft steel Taurus revolvers, something that maybe happened ~30 years ago? No doubt the new Ruger is good one.

 

[OkieStubble]

Finally picked up a Ruger LCP Max for my precious, darling wife. Ok, I'll cut the crap, I wanted her LCP II for myself.

 

[OkieStubble]

Here are a few things I have noticed from a first time handling of it before a range trip. Good and not so good.

1 Good: I took 14 rounds out of two extended +1 LCP II mags and stuffed all of them except for two, into a single Max magazine.

2. Good: The wider grips gives a great feel with what I perceive, will be better handling and shooting over the LCP II.

3. Good: They both fit into the pair of Desantis Gunhide "Insider" leather holsters I bought for them. However, the Max did stretch a bigger outline in it's holster then the LCP II did. so it's slide can't be quite the exact same dimensions.

4. Good: The Max full size sights with black rear and tritium front with white dot circle are very nice.

5: Bad: The feel of the Max doesn't have quite the feel of quality as the LCP II does. The frame and grip thickness feels stretched and thin compared to the solid feel of the LCP II.

6. Bad: The LCP II trigger. blows the Max away. The Max feels about 8 pounds to me, where the LCP II is about 4 to 5 pounds. The Max's trigger also makes some kind of cheap, tinging sound, when the trigger is pulled and the hammer drops. Very cheap sounding trigger action to say the least.

7.Bad: Not only does the max only come with a single 10 round flush mag, but the two extra 12 round extended mags I bought? Do not lock the slide back on empty. The 10 round that came with the max does? But the two 12 rounders I paid $35 each for, sure as hell doesn't!

8. Bad: The metal of the extended mags of the Max along with it's follower, springs and bottom floor plates feel thin and cheap. Even the metal feels too thin and lightweight.

Next up: Off to the range and see how it does.

 

[GeronimoWSB]

Picking up a lcp max in 380 this month. Good ole layaway at Rural king. Would have just bought it but she was with me and its her present soon to use for a ccw class. It's still mine though lol. Had an early lcp and sold it. This one seems better.

 

[Bhugo]

Here are a few things I have noticed from a first time handling of it before a range trip. Good and not so good.

View attachment 1331316

1 Good: I took 14 rounds out of two extended +1 LCP II mags and stuffed all of them except for two, into a single Max magazine.

2. Good: The wider grips gives a great feel with what I perceive, will be better handling and shooting over the LCP II.

3. Good: They both fit into the pair of Desantis Gunhide "Insider" leather holsters I bought for them. However, the Max did stretch a bigger outline in it's holster then the LCP II did. so it's slide can't be quite the exact same dimensions.

4. Good: The Max full size sights with black rear and tritium front with white dot circle are very nice.

5: Bad: The feel of the Max doesn't have quite the feel of quality as the LCP II does. The frame and grip thickness feels stretched and thin compared to the solid feel of the LCP II.

6. Bad: The LCP II trigger. blows the Max away. The Max feels about 8 pounds to me, where the LCP II is about 4 to 5 pounds. The Max's trigger also makes some kind of cheap, tinging sound, when the trigger is pulled and the hammer drops. Very cheap sounding trigger action to say the least.

7.Bad: Not only does the max only come with a single 10 round flush mag, but the two extra 12 round extended mags I bought? Do not lock the slide back on empty. The 10 round that came with the max does? But the two 12 rounders I paid $35 each for, sure as hell doesn't!

8. Bad: The metal of the extended mags of the Max along with it's follower, springs and bottom floor plates feel thin and cheap. Even the metal feels too thin and lightweight.

Next up: Off to the range and see how it does.

Looking forward to the range report!

 

[OkieStubble]

Looking forward to the range report!

Me too!

 

[Eben Stone]

...Off to the range and see how it does.

Well... It's been over a year. How do you like it now?

 

[OkieStubble]

Well... It's been over a year. How do you like it now?

It went back to Ruger a couple of times. Two different slides and three different barrels they switched out, before just believing me in the first place that it was the trigger and hammer springs and not the slide & barrel they kept replacing. Wife couldn’t keep her shots on paper at 3-5 yards before and now she does pretty good at 7-10 yds. She has been carrying it for awhile now and has put a few more hundred rounds thru it at the range with good reliability and much better self defense accuracy that one would expect.

@nortac sent his back also and had his trigger worked on. I don’t know how his finally turned out.

 

[nortac]

I have not shot my LCP Max recently. I need to shoot it a lot more before passing final judgement on it, as @OkieStubble apparently experienced improved performance over time with his. I initially installed a Galloway trigger which improved the horrendous initial trigger pull, but did not do a whole lot to improve the accuracy. When I sent my gun back to Ruger, I removed the Galloway trigger and re-installed the factory trigger. It returned with a new barrel and slide. They did not mention that they had done anything to the trigger, but it seemed a bit improved as compared to my initial experience. Although slightly improved, the accuracy left a lot to be desired, still shooting low and left, even with a careful methodical trigger pull. This is not the typical case of a right handed shooter pulling his shots low and left. I have not yet re-installed the Galloway trigger, but I probably will eventually. At this point, this is a 3-5 yd. pistol at best, which to me is not good enough for routine defensive carry. I would feel better if I could make good consistent hits at 10 yds center of mass. But as I said, I need to put a lot more rounds through it. Will I be getting rid of it? No. Would I recommend it? Not at this point, but that is subject to change.
I forgot to mention that, before I actually sent the gun back to Ruger, they sent me a new complete upper slide/barrel assembly, which did not improve anything, then I sent the whole gun back.

 

[OkieStubble]

Sorry to hear your Max is still not up to snuff. My wife’s Max has definitely improved since it’s second time back from Ruger and it’s two different slide changes and three different barrel changes.

Her Max has been 100# with the Speer Gold Dots she loads it with. Her off hand accuracy has also greatly improved and she can keep group her shots inside the 7,8,9 and 10X rings at 5 and 7 yards.

I initially, wanted to get rid of it just because of the previous troubles with it, but I had to slow down and remember why I got it for her in the first place to replace her LCP II.

She just simply prefers a smaller pistol to carry on her person in most of her day to day routines of life. She will carry her G43 on her person on days off when it’s cold enough for a jacket, but most of the time it would be in her purse.

There just isn’t a better option right now, of a smaller .380 which will hold 12 rounds in a flush fit magazine then the Ruger LCP Max. And I know it will be on her waist at work, at church, at the grocery store and bank. I don’t have to constantly check to see if she is actually carrying it or sneaking it out of her purse when I’m not looking.

So the improved Max had succeeded in doing what I have failed to do. While I couldn’t convince her to consistently Pack a bigger pistol in a bigger caliber, the Ruger Max has at least convinced her to pack around a pistol with a whole lotta boolits.

 

[nortac]

It's been so long since I shot it, I don't really remember exactly how much of an improvement or lack there of resulted from sending it into Ruger, I just remember that I was underwhelmed with the improvement. I will shoot the LCP Max again eventually and report back.

 

[HDSledge]

I actually am kind of in the market for a pocket pistol. Though I would be open to a reliable .32, most .32s that are reliable are more expensive than an lcp so there’s that. I’ve though of getting a pocket revolver. What I would love to see more than anything is a 5 shot LCR chambered for .32 H&R mag (with weight and cylinder size appropriate to that caliber and nothing more). That would be a very convenient pocket revolver that would be on par with .380 power.

My EDC is the Ruger LC9s Pro. Flat (<1"), small, 8 rounds. Not sure but I don't think you can buy them new anymore. If you really want to go small the Seecamp .380 is the same size as their .32. It is tiny. Use Hornady Xtreme Defense and it is fun to shoot, the highest quality and most concealable pocket pistol I own.

Looks good mirror polished with a monitor lizard grip panel overlay.