Ruger LCP - reports of broken trigger mechanism - Warning to LCP owners!

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razz

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Basically when you pull the trigger, it doesn't go bang... bad for a CCW gun.

LCP trigger not working after 37th round - AR15.COM :: Forums :: LCP Ruger broken after 37th round at the range!!!!!!

Another one not working after 177th round - www.defensivecarry.com/vbulletin/concealed-carry-guns/46745-new-ruger-lcp.html

Another one not working after 240th round - RugerForum.com :: View topic - LCP broken trigger pivot

Another one quit working after 250th round -
KTOG Forum - Ruger LCP Trigger Bar Failure:

RugerLCPbroken.jpg
Pic by magoo from rugerforum.com

Is this part something that is eventually going to break or do you think these people had defective parts? Also, does dry firing put the same pressure on this part as live firing? I've dry fired about 2,000 times with a snap cap and it still works so far... but only fired about 400 live rounds.

If you have a Ruger LCP, I would try to fire at least 500 rounds before carrying it.
 
With any gun you carry, always have backup. I carry backup to much more reliable and durable pistols; I'd sure as heck carry backup for cheapy mouseguns, that's for damn sure.

If anything, I'd say buy two LCP's. One in each pocket, or one in pocket, other on ankle.
 
That is why I would follow the crowd who says never buy a gun until it has been out for at least a year. Hopefully all the bugs will be worked out by then.
 
On behalf of Strum Ruger, Inc. i would like to thank you for being our R&D department.

Now don't lets be calling Keltec junkers anymore, it seems that them rugers aint so perfect themselves.

And yes, by all means, if a gun is prone to breakage, buy and carry a second one.

Go to store, buy a S&W or Colt snubbie, fill with ammo, go about you day.
 
"One in each pocket, or one in pocket, other on ankle."

I thought the purpose of two guns was one in the pocket and one in the shop being fixed. ;)
 
Well, according to some of those links you posted the Keltec versions also have this problem, although perhaps not with the same frequency.

I'll let you know if and when mine breaks, rest assured.

jm
 
That there ain't one of them "just as good as forged steel" MIM parts, is it?
 
"After 250 flawless rds, the trigger started frequently going all the way to the rear of the trigger guard and the hammer would not drop.

My P-32 had this problem immediately after I got it many years ago, except that it was every single time. It was a bad batch of parts and KT fixed it quickly. I haven't had a single problem since the fix.

Sort of funny to see the Ruger do the same thing.

...the sincerest form of flattery and all that, or whatever that quote is.

John
 
FWIW:

My experience over 50 years of firearms ownership, and several hard lessons learned, is to never buy a first series anything...

Unless you like to "beta test" for the manufacturer.

I bought a very early series (AA series) NAA Guardian, Taurus PT22, Charter Arms Pathfinder (revolver), Beretta Tomcat :barf:, and more recently a Walther PPS... All of the above had teething problems, and even though I'm slow on the uptake I "think" I've finally learned my lesson..

No LCP for me for a while.. I want one, but not for a while....:D

So "beta test" away you "instant gratification" folks.. I've already done my share, it's your turn!

Best Wishes,

Jesse

P.S. I'll just stumble along with what I have for a while longer..

100_8729.jpg
 
Well I'm no metallurgist but I sometimes play one on my job (mechanical engineering.) It looks like a brittle type failure based on the granularity of the exposed failed metal. It may start with a very small stress fracture which quickly spreads across the cast part. This could be caused by incorrect material specification, poor casting, poor overstressed design and analysis (edge stress risers need to be taken into account) or poor heat treatment.

The failure could be unique to a batch of guns with bad parts (heat treat, material) or all the guns (design, material specification.) I'm curious exactly where this part is in the gun and what hardness it needs. It might be a case for a localized hardening process like carborizing while leaving the area where it broke more ductile and therefore less brittle.

Certainly the part would be stronger if it was machined from a solid forging but Ruger, and other companies, have proven that forged machinings aren't necessary for all parts time and time again. Also, consider there can be manufacturing defects in the machining forging process as well, like tool cuts that cause stress risers and improper heat treatment.

I'm afraid this is going to cause further delays in Ruger's ability to meet the demand for this gun.
 
Bet next time Ruger will R&D their own weapon instead of repackaging a P3AT...which already had it's own malfunction baggage...eh?
 
Disaster said:
Well I'm no metallurgist but I sometimes play one on my job (mechanical engineering.) It looks like a brittle type failure based on the granularity of the exposed failed metal. It may start with a very small stress fracture which quickly spreads across the cast part. This could be caused by incorrect material specification, poor casting, poor overstressed design and analysis (edge stress risers need to be taken into account) or poor heat treatment.
Click to expand...

I am a metallurgist and I agree with your assessment that it was a brittle failure which started as a small stress fracture and rapidly propagated through the rest of the edge. I'd like to add two things to your comments though.

To my eye, the crack initiated on the right side of the plate area in the bottom right pic. Specifically on the side facing up. (see attached)

And just to prevent the myth from spreading, forgings are not necessarily stronger than castings. Jet turbine blades are cast (high temperature, high stress environment) and at least the Browning Hi Power now has a cast frame for the extra strength.

Based on these excellent quality pics of the failure, I'd recommend Ruger reevaluate their heat treating of this part and if they can't make it significantly tougher they should choose a new alloy.

edit: Oh! PX15, who made that holster for the P7?
 

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Well I'm at 500 rounds down range so far and knock on wood...
no issues.

This gun has more than met my expectations.
 
"To my eye, the crack initiated on the right side of the plate area in the bottom right pic. Specifically on the side facing up. (see attached)

And just to prevent the myth from spreading, forgings are not necessarily stronger than castings. Jet turbine blades are cast (high temperature, high stress environment) and at least the Browning Hi Power now has a cast frame for the extra strength.

Based on these excellent quality pics of the failure, I'd recommend Ruger reevaluate their heat treating of this part and if they can't make it significantly tougher they should choose a new alloy."

Sound analysis. Based on the pin location that area would see the higher stress.

People need to not confuse cheap zinc die castings (often referred to as pot metal) with some of the high strength cast materials that are available. Castings have the disadvantage that they can have inclusions and poor fill that generally doesn't effect forgings, but they have advantages as well. One nice thing about castings is they can often be cast to final dimensions. This avoids a failure mode that exists with steel machined forgings...bad machining tolerances.

Poor heat treatment can ruin both parts.
 
LCP-1.jpg

The part that is broken on the picture is the part circled in blue on the above diagram.
 
It's a nice little gun, but let it be around awhile before you are the one testing it for Ruger. Ford and GM have been doing this for years too. I worked for a GM dealer at one time and you should have seen the stack of product recalls we had. The ones we had to do were required but how many do you think they tried to slip thru and do nothing. Plenty.
 
no concern

I hve seen the exact same thing on the kt 380, about 3 at the most and they must have 200,000 plus 380 out there by now. This is a non issue,a faulty part no less, probalby more related to the heat treating process than sturctural failure as what stress is there shouldbe no more than the weight of the trigger pull and that is around 8#. A shameit happend but maybe a blessing to, for now Ruger will certainly look into that area to see what the need to do, to strenghthen it up. I would have thought they wold have wanted that broken part back to anaylize it to see if it was material related or what. Although this breakage will put the gun out of operation, I willnot beconcrened about it on my lcp. to my knowledge I think we have read 3 reports of failure of the tirgger to return back,etc, but also only one with this breakage. The other two issues, no one has reported breakage there. It was something else...
 
A few years back a friend brought his brand new 642 straight from the store to the range. We fired maybe 20 rounds through it and the trigger got progressively heavier until it wouldn't move. He had to send it back.

I bought one anyway.
 
I've always said proper alloy selection and heat treating are far more important than if a part is cast, forged, or machined from stock.

--wally.
 
Is the part steel? Different failure mode than my P38T (The pin moved out of the body and the thing would not fire) but same results, you just can't rely on a gun that does that early in it's life. The concept is great, a lightweight last ditch way out, but just as one can imagine the need one can also imagine the failure during the need.

I'm a dyed in the wool steel guy, because I make parts out of almost all materials, but if the Kel-Tec hadn't failed the plastic gunmakers may have made a convert out of me at least for carry, if not for pride of ownership.
 
This is a non issue,
Click to expand...
unless you are the one pulling the trigger in an attack!
If anything, I'd say buy two LCP's. One in each pocket, or one in pocket, other on ankle.
Click to expand...
i dont know about you, but my pants have 4 pockets, do you want me to buy 4?
also, i have a new kel tec, had it about a week. it is back at kel tec for repairs, i dont think they have ALL the bugs worked out yet!
 
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