My Ruger LCP Crumbled!

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Ben86

Ben86

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Well, it didn't crumble completely but I thought it was a good adjective to use, crack doesn't really do it justice. I apologize for my crappy camera. For the record I don't use reloads and the only mod was a wolff spring of 11 pounds instead of the stock 9 pounds. I haven't put more than 300 rounds through it, most being mild target loads. This must happened within the last 50 rounds that I shot. Surprisingly the lcp didn't miss a beat after sustaining this injury. I am so glad I had my ear and eye protection on and still have all my fingers.

Any thoughts or opinions? I plan to send it off when I get some time to head over to the place I bought it from and let them handle it (fantastic lifetime in store warranty). I am also not a ruger hater, I have several ruger firearms and love them very much. I am baffled and just want to get some feedback. The past location of the absent chunk of medal is right across from the extractor claw.
 

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Yeah, crumble isn't right, and crack doesn't do that justice, how about 'chunked out'?

It is a rather spectacular failure, but I have no idea of exactly what kind of failure it is a spectacular example of.
 
Kinda hard to see but it looks like a chunk of metal is missing next to the firing pin channel there. Right?

It seems that when they mill these parts things can happen or perhaps just a flaw in the metal to begin with. I've read other posts about the slide on LCP's not being made right. Ruger replaced when the gun was sent back.

Anyhow this kinda thing happens to every widget people make to some degree.
 
I would have to say GunTech is right. I would suspect slag inclusion in the casting.

That is a little disturbing. PLEASE be sure to let us know how this is handled with regard to warranty and customer service.

I certainly will be checking LCP slides closely on inspections.

Cheers
Mac.
 
I'm not an expert, but basically some form of contaminate got included into the molten metal and poured into the mold. When the metal solidifies, you are left with a weak spot wherever that foreign body happened to be.
 
Do you practice with a lot of dryfiring ?
Click to expand...

No, I almost always use snap caps on all my guns. It may not be necessary but it gives me peace of mind.

I think it most likely is a discrepancy in the metal, like mentioned before. It sure wasn't hot loads or dry firing, and the heavier recoil spring would only help the gun sustain less wear and tear. It certainly is odd, I can't wait to hear what they say. I don't see how they could repair this slide, it will have to be replaced, unless they melt it down and remold it! Everything else on the gun is fine, I checked every inch of the frame inside and out. At least my one and only pocket gun waited until the weather cooled down before breaking. ;)

Man, the lighting is horrible on those pictures. It makes me look like I live in a dark closet. A pro photographer I am not.
 
I suggest calling Ruger Customer Service to explain the problem. Would expect them to send you a prepaid mailer to return the pistol to them for inspection and possible replacement. Ruger is an excellent company to deal with a problem like that.
 
I've got a "Lifetime Guarantee" with the shop I bought it from, but it will be a couple weeks before I have time to get over there. Maybe I should just call them up, especially if they might give me a prepaid box. The guys at the shop will probably just send it off anyway. I doubt they would be gracious enough to just give me a new slide and take a loss.
 
Call Ruger and they will send you a pre-paid UPS overnight label (if you have a printer they will E-mail it to you.) Ruger will repair your pistol and overnight it back to you. I've sent my LCP back twice. I just got it back two weeks ago, it took nine days.
 
WHy did you get a heavier spring? Are you shooting +p loads or something?
Click to expand...

No, I got it to improve function and decrease recoil. The 9 pound spring would cause the gun to fail to return to battery every now and then. It also made my brass fly a quarter mile away. I drop in a slightly heavier spring and there is less recoil, better function and my brass lands in a neat pile to my right side.

I think I'm going to give Ruger a call instead of needlessly going through the middle man. It's not like they could fix it at the shop anyway.

Reaper, how was your overall experience with Ruger?
 
I bought a used stainless MKII target in another town awhile back and was having some jamming and extraction problems. I sent the gun to Ruger detailing the problems I was having in a letter and asked them to give me a call with the repair charge. They sent it back about three weeks later with a new bolt, bolt stop assembly and disconnector, with 40rd test fire all free of charge and they included a new MKII manual as well. Works great now.
 
Ruger will repair your pistol and overnight it back to you.
Click to expand...
I'd pass on that...Demand another new pistol, not this one repaired. Good chance of other defect in metal not detected by the naked eye...
 
Well, I would think they would obviously replace the slide entirely, so I don't see anything wrong with a repaired gun.

It's not like they're going to try and weld a piece back into the slide, then polish it out and refinish the slide.. that would be pretty labor intensive. It will go on the scrap heap of bad parts.
 
To OP:

Now this may or may not be true, but I have read that 95% of firearm failures result from user modification.

I too have an LCP and while the recoil is firm it is not that bad. I am sure there is a reason Ruger put a recoil spring with that specification in the pistol.

My LCP does not chuck the brass that far. Also if you read in the manual, Ruger specifically states that you are not to use +P ammo.
 
There's no reason why switching from a 9lb. to an 11lb. recoil spring should cause that type of failure on any type of firearm.
 
A 9 -vs- 11 pound spring is not going to damage the pistol in 50 or 250 rounds. There was a defect in the metal. What kind - no idea.
 
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