LCP - Fix and keep or fix and sell

[marb4]

I've had my Ruger LCP for nearly 2 years now and have approx 1000 rounds downrange with it (no hot +p stuff). It has been 100% reliable (no failures of any kind) and I really like it. Last week while at the range I started having failure to extract malfunctions. After 3 of these in about 12 shots I noticed that the claw on the extractor had broken off. Called Ruger and they sent me out a new extractor, spring, and plunger. Got them installed no problem and went to the range tonight to test function. Everything was perfect until after about 10 rounds I felt a sting on my left hand and noticed that the head of the takedown pin had sheared off. Replacing that pin will be easy but my question is this...

On a pistol used for self defense that has otherwise been perfect, would you continue to trust it after these two breakages or fix it, sell it, and move on?

I know the LCP is not a high volume range gun, but does anybody have any idea as to its expected "service life"? Could it be worn out after 1000 rounds?

 

[CNobbe]

In my opinion, the extractor and pin are wear and tear items like recoil springs and once replaced, the gun should be fine to keep on carrying.

You could email Ruger and ask them about the service life of the LCP, but as you said, not many people shoot 1000 rounds a year out of the things. I could barely make it through two mags before I traded it for Kahr .380..lol

If you've got concerns about continuing to carry it, buy a new one and save the other as a backup.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I'd trust it once it was fixed and I'd had a chance to run a couple hundred rounds through it. Besides, the LCP is going for $279 new in a lot of places, can't imagine it would be worth selling it.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Given you satisfaction with the gun otherwise, I'd keep it. As another mentioned, these are as much "wear"-related failures as much as a design weakness.

Just get yourself a couple of spare parts so you can keep it running if either part fails again -- so you don't have to wait for Ruger to send you free spares kater... (I'd still get them to send the replacement parts.)

I would also argue that you don't have to run through a couple of hundred "re-break-in" rounds to assure yourself of the gun's reliability.

An initial break-in period is done to let the parts that need might need a little "polishing" get that "rough" polish by letting the gun function. The highly-regarded Kel-Tec "Fluff and Buff" is just an accelerated break-in done by hand, rather than by shooting the gun.

Testing one or two newly installed parts in an already-broken-in gun lets you to be sure that you've installed the parts correctly, and that they work as they should. A new break-in period is a waste of time and ammo. (What break-in does a new extractor or pin require?? You simply need to know whether they work or not.)

.

 

[NOMI WASP]

Would I trust my life to it now..... Heck no I wouldn't. I would tell Ruger to send me a prepaid shipping label and fix that thing ASAP.

 

[stonecutter2]

Would I trust my life to it now..... Heck no I wouldn't. I would tell Ruger to send me a prepaid shipping label and fix that thing ASAP.

Agreed.

Although you could fix the most recent thing that popped up, and nothing else will happen...it seems worth Ruger giving it a once over and replacing whatever they feel needs it.

No sense in thinking you're 100% and then you're not when it counts.

 

[Fiv3r]

Like others have said, they're so inexpensive, I can't imagine that it would be worth selling unless you just hated it.

I'd see if Ruger could either do a tune up service or recommend a local armorer. I've had my LCP for about 3 years, and I think I have about 500 rounds through it.

All I've done to it is replace the recoil spring with a stouter one and put on a hybrid handall grip for more shooting comfort.

For a gun that size, I wouldn't hesitate to to spend a nominal fee to get it checked out after 1000 rounds or so if I were to continue to carry it.

 

[mgmorden]

If you shoot a gun a lot parts wear. They wear a little faster on small sub-compacts like this. Replace them and keep going. I've personally never really understood the mindset behind not trusting something because a part failed when the defective part has been completely replaced.

Personally I would repair the gun and keep it.

 

[george burns]

Just replace all the springs and moving parts, there must be an overhaul kit, or Ruger may offer that service like Glock does. No sense getting a new one when you can put all new parts in the old one for little to nothing.

 

[Cee Zee]

I always considered my LCP to be "a shoot until you can hit what you want and you're sure it will work every time then carry it and only shoot it when needed" kind of gun. It's too small and light to stand up to the power of the .380 round IMO. That's not a problem as long as you don't try to use the pistol as a range toy. It just isn't a good choice for that. Buy yourself a CZ .380 if you want one that will last a long time. My friend has one that has thousands of rounds through it. He uses it in a competition every week. He wins with it too. He remembers that I told him it was a good gun to buy too. What makes me sick is I didn't buy one when they were selling for about $220. Buds has them for about double that price now. I'm talking a CZ-83. Oh well. I bought a really nice CZ .22 instead and I love the heck out of that one.