Ruger LC9 Review
When I talked to the folks at Ruger at the 2011 NRA convention, the buzz was all about the Ruger SR1911. Ruger’s offering for the 100th anniversary of John Moses Browning’s iconic pistol was well-received, and they had triplicate models highlighted as the centerpiece of their pistol display. Talking to several of the Ruger staff, they were quite eager to reach out to gun writers both print and online to get the SR1911 into the hands of folks who wanted to test it out.
Well, except those of us in Massachusetts.
Not to be daunted, the request was submitted for an LC9 – Ruger’s micro-9mm is pretty significant in its own right. Not content to rest on the success of the LCP, Ruger offered up the LC9 as a “bigger brother” to the diminutive .380. The LC9 lands between the compact SR9 and the LCP for size, a thin, nearly pocketable 9mm to rival the Kel-Tec PF9, Kahr PM9, and SIG SAUER P290. Pistols in this market segment are small, light, and chambered in “major” calibers – 9mm, .357 Sig, and .40 S&W.
The LC9 comes with an impressive assortment of gear – zippered pouch, lock, finger rest magazine floor plate as well as flush, etc. (Picture 1). Since it’s so new to the scene, magazines are somewhat scarce and accessories are still in the development stage; however I was still able to procure both a pocket holster (DeSantis Nemesis) and a tuckable IWB holster (DeSantis Sof-Tuk) for the LC9 (Picture 2). Despite the protestations of some, the LC9 can indeed be carried in a front pocket, although not as easily as its smaller sibling the LCP.
The LC9 is both exactly what you’d expect from Ruger – solidly built, plain-jane looks, and superfluous safety features (LCI) – and also nothing like you’d expect. This is a subcompact 9mm bordering on pocket size – obviously geared for the concealed carry market, something that Ruger resisted for decades. Smith & Wesson made their smallest revolvers lighter and lighter; until the debut of the LCR, Ruger’s had been charitably weighted similar to anchors. It is obvious that the folks at Ruger have embraced the civilian concealed carry market, and everybody benefits.
First impressions. The LC9, despite its diminutive size, manages to fill one’s hand nicely. The magazine comes with both a flush floor plate and one with a finger rest which are quickly interchanged depending on one’s preference; for this review the flush plate was left in place. The gun has smooth, rounded lines for carry; simple and well-placed controls; and a trigger with minimal creep that smoothed out very nicely after a few hundred dry fires. The light weight allows it to both be carried with ease and also shot extensively – the empty weight of 17.1 ounces makes it only slightly heavier than an Airweight revolver. It’s heavy enough to absorb the recoil of 9mm but light enough to carry all day long.
Takedown is simple and achieved with minimal tools – simply empty the gun, push the takedown plate down, push lightly on the muzzle, and drive the takedown pin out (picture 3). One criticism I heard from a friend in the business is that with repeated firing/jostling of the gun, the takedown gate may become loose and allow the pin to fall out if nudged the wrong way – it doesn’t appear likely that the sequence of events needed for that to occur would happen in every day shooting and carrying, but it is something to be aware of. Having a spare takedown plate and pin in case they get worn wouldn’t be a terribly idea.
Shooting the LC9. The LC9 was taken to the range for a preliminary shakedown testing. Several different types and manufacturers of ammunition were acquired for testing – including jacketed hollowpoints as would be used for concealed carry (picture 5). The LC9 did not like RWS 124 grain FMJ ammunition, having three failures to fire out of the two magazines; however all other ammunition fed, fired, and ejected flawlessly. Most ammunition used was 115 grain FMJ; two magazines of Remington jacketed hollow point ammunition was added.
Accuracy was surprisingly good for a lightweight gun with a short sight radius (picture 6). Recoil was very manageable, allowing for rapid shots that stayed on target. Shooting the LC9 offhand at a distance 25 feet, rapid fire, all seven shots stayed well within the confines of a standard NRA B-34 silhouette target. Felt recoil was no worse than a standard S&W J-frame revolver firing light .38 Special rounds. The LC9 trigger, while on the heavier side, was consistent from take-up to release and is similar to a double action revolver.
Conclusion: The LC9 is a solid hit for Ruger. It’s priced very competitively in the field of subcompact 9mm handguns, with competitors either significantly higher or statistically equal. The fit and finish is what one expects from Ruger – solid yet utilitarian. Further testing remains to be done with regards to how it carries as well as the long term reliability – less than 75 rounds were run through this model for the testing, which barely covers the break-in period. It will also need more time in the holster to see if the small size and light weight translate into “carry lots”.
[ We are proud to continue to have Jay G of the MArooned blog as a guest writer. ]
I own a ruger p90, gp100, sp101, and now a lc9. I must be one of the lucky ones, because I have put thousands of rounds through my guns and not 1 hangup. I shot 250 rounds through my lc9 when I first got it and a lady friend of mine took her cc class with it and NOT 1 problem. I trust my life only to ruger and glock.
I have had my LC9 for a year now I use Winchester 115 grain ammo form Wal Mart never have had a misfire or any trouble.
It is single action though so my shot groups are very ugly…Thant is a USER error…
GOOD PISTIL!
Dave H
“I shoot at 25 to 30 yards and can hit 6″ target in about a 3 to 4″ grouping.”
I’m very pleased to shoot 6″ groups at 15 yards with my LC9 or any handgun for that matter.
I purchased an LC9 several months ago. Finally was able to get to a range about three weeks ago. I had several brands of ammo to try. I started with the military style steel case FMJ ammo. I loaded one mag, tapped the mag on the bench, loaded the gun and started to fire gun. I believe it was the third round that sounded louder than the first several rounds. When I cocked the gun sideways I noticed that the slide had not cycled completely and was jammed. I released the magazine and when I pulled the slide back found that the fired case was sticking out of the barrel about 1/8″ more than it should have been. The second thing I noticed was that the shell extractor was missing! WOW, I contacted Ruger when I got home, they gave me email with shipping label. I sent the gun back and now waiting for it to be returned to me. It has been ten bus. days since they got the gun, so I should be getting it back shortly I hope.
recently purchased Ruger LC9 and immediately had problems with brass shavings blocking the firing pin. The gun was returned to the factory and returned after 2 weeks. I have since successfully fired 60 rounds through it but there is evidence of brass shavings in the firing pin port which I was able to clean out by depressing the magazine safety and then pushing the firing pin forward. However my Browning High Power with the same loads over the course of 20 years has never had this problem.
@ Chuck
You are right it is a poly, plastic, something along that line that indeed covers up the take down pin. It is very hard to do with just the fingers so I have used a plastic tool for fixing cell phones. It seems the plastic on the Ruger is softer than the plastic tool. Thus I have marks on my “cover”. Not real happy with this but it is what it is. Overalll very happy with purchase. A Navy Seal friend and trainer of mine shot it the other day and was quite impressed with the little gun. It took him 3 shots to get on target at 30 yards then it was Katy bar the door. When he gave it up he said very impressive!
Personally I can’t stand to shoot my Kel-Tec PF9 anymore. It is too abusive for this little pus. But shooting the little Ruger is fun only third to my buddies Kimber Match II 45 ACP and my Beretta PX4 Storm. I think I even like it better than my wife’s XDm 40, but hers came with 3-16 round mags. Come on Ruger, fix the plastic and give us more mags.
Thanks Chuck for correcting me. LOL
So far a great gun. Shot FMJ only, 200 rounds and no problems. Will stay away from cheap ammo. Wish the sites were larger, bad eyes on my part. Trigger improves after a few hundred rounds. Use 2 hands and squeeze fast and firm, my aim improved greatly. Don’t need the safety with such a long trigger pull, might forget to release in a tense situation. great gun so far, time will tell. Have the LCP also, no problems, but recommend using the magazine to load all ammo, as dropping the bullet into the chamber, the lcp gets stuck. Then drop the mag and load another bullet. Safer to I imagine.
I’m not sure I understand. The LC9 has a poly cover that retains the take down pin. I don’t understand what you mean about the take down lever?
Sounds like you are achieving some excellent accuracy with your LC9. Apparently you have mastered the long trigger pull and break close to the grip.
Hey everyone. I have had my LC9 now for sometime and have ran maybe 100 or so rounds through it. I shoot at 25 to 30 yards and can hit 6″ target in about a 3 to 4″ grouping. I will have to say this is an amazing pocket gun and the recoil is minimal compared to Kel-Tec PF9 and tons more accurate. There is one snafu I’m not really amazed with and that is the plastic take down lever. Why plastic?
I bought a Ruger SR9 a few months ago, and I’m very happy with it: accurate, no malfunction. So I was thinking about the LC9, but after reading a number of these reviews I’m no longer interested.
By the way, I sent a Ruger Single Six back to the factory several years ago because I lost the magnum cylinder and a new one had to be timed. For some reason they had to fiddle with a screw, used a screwdriver that was too big, & reamed the shoulder of the hole. That was disappointing, as is finding out the LC9 is a gamble.
I’ll stick with the SR9 in a belt holster.
@steve-o here is a nother website on lc9 I own one and never had a problem with the lc9 .Hope this helps . http://www.gundirectory.com/more.asp?gid=20866&gun=Pistol
I purched he LC9 on 1 Oct. and I had to send it back to Ruger. The slide would lock to the rear when there are still rounds in the magazine. And the Pistol would not feed JHP. I like Ruger handguns own several. I really like the pistol. Waiting to see if Ruger fixes the problem. I guess I should have waited till they had the bugs worked out before buying.
Have owned the LC9 for about 6 weeks. Have put over 300 rounds through it, including over 100 rounds of +P JHP. No malfs of any kind. Recoil is fine even with +P, and accuracy is excellent at operational distances. The first 150 rounds were out of the box, with no cleaning or prep, and rapid fire to see if I could force some malfs due to heating etc. Nothing untoward occurred, and the pistol functioned perfectly. It is now my carry platform of choice when traveling. I did remove that stupid mag disconnect safety, and in the process I improved the trigger. Happy trails.
How do you dismantle the LC9 to the point that you can smooth the trigger and remove the mag safty?
I love the gun including the loaded round indicator and the thumb saftey, but I do not like the mag saftey and can not get used to the drag of the trigger.
i like the lc9 only shot 25 rounds in it though .I waited and wanted long time got a cheap pocket holster for it http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ZAA917-33.html the holster also fits my body guard s/w 38 special .Long trigger pull on lc9.Plenty of saftys on lc9 which i like .I hope never a problem with it I held off on a lcp 380 and got this instead .I hoipe was a good choice .
I purchased my LC9 a few weeks ago. I do like the feel and the handling of the gun. However, after about 200 rounds through the weapon it has developed an issue. After firing one or two rounds out of the 7 round magazine, the slide locks back as if the magazine is empty. I get at least one of these out of every magazine now. This could be disasterous in a defensive situation. Any suggestions on what may be the cause and how to remedy it. I do plan on contacting Ruger and having it serviced.
Got my lc9 back from Ruger after 11 days. Sent it in because I would get a failure to eject in almost every clip. Shooting Blazers brass & aluminum. They put a new slide on. Went out yesterday and fired 500 rounds of same ammo. Not one fail to eject or fail to fire. Now I am going to try some good defense ammo.
Sent mine back to the factory after the first day at the range. Had two FTF out of 129 rounds fired, all Federal American Eagle, a very good brand. Never had a misfire in my G23 after hundreds of rounds fired, even with a dirty pistol. The LC9 has problems, I believe to be related to Quality Control. The firing pin strike on my two misfires was way off center. The first was on the OUTER edge of the primer; the second halfway between center and outer edge. That tells me something isn’t seating and is misaligned. I’ve read where someone stated that the receiver end of the barrel is not seating properly. All I can say is the grooves that guide the slide should be metal and not molded into the glass filled nylon frame. The frame grooves will wear out in very short time. Additionally, the accuracy on MY particular pistol sucked. I was having great difficulty hitting an 18″ target at 30 feet. It wasn’t me… I can hold a very close group with my G23 at that range. No, there are definitely Quality Control issues with this pistol. I do like its size for CC, its feel and safety features. But having FTF’s in a self-defense pistol is NOT a good thing. What would happen if the FTF occurred during an altercation? Ruger has built a reputation over the years as a dependable manufacturer of firearms. They owe it to their customers to solve the problems with this pistol at THEIR expense, not at the expense of their customers.
I bought an lc9 a couple weeks ago, and had a 3 FTF’s within the first 8 rounds. I was shooting Corbon. I then switched to some 115gr. PMC Bronze and the weapon fired flawlessly for the next 100 rounds. The second time I took the weapon to the range I used Speer Gold Dot(124gr.), shot all 25 without a hitch. During the same session I next fired 50 Selier 115′s and had 1 FTF. Again, during the same session I then shot 50 rounds of Blazer brass 115gr. ball without a hitch, followed by 40 founds of Fiocchi 115gr. HP’s with no problem. When I cleaned the weapon, I held a piece of patch cloth firmly against the firing pin hole, spayed gun scrubber into the hole in middle of the slide that corresponds to the firing pin retainer, and flushed the channel into the cloth. The result was a glistening disk of brass shavings on the cloth.
The problem according to an email I saw from Ruger on another forum is that with “some” of these weapons, High pressure rounds, or soft primer ammo will “flow” into the firing pin hole and then shards of the primer with be scraped off within the channel causing a light strike (FTF). Ruger goes on to say that if you stay away from +P, and use on Speer, Federal, and anything with a CCI primer, there will be no buildup adequate to cause a FTF. I will test this assertion with Federal ammo, and if I can get 250 rounds down range with no problem, I’ll call it OK to carry.
Received my LC9 August 25th 2011 took it to the range Sept 26th 2011 for the first time.
I completely cleaned the LC9 and oiled prior to firing, first loaded mag 3 failure to fire.2nd mag 3-4 failure to fire and the same with the third.I ran through 3 boxes of ammo and had 53 total non fires.Took the non fires and put them through my CZ75 compact not one failure to fire.
Ammo S&B 115gr FMJ, UMC 115gr FMJ, Fiocchi XTPHP 115gr
Took the gun apart and cleaned again could see no visible issues.Called Ruger Tuesday Sept 26th immediately got a ship tag and it’s on way to Ruger for repair.
Normally I would have sold this gun, but for some reason the feel,accuracy,and weight have me loving this gun when it works.
Hopefully Ruger get it right the first time.
I purchased a Ruger LC9 the other day and just got time today to shoot it. I also have a Kel-Tec PF9 to compare it with.
HANDS DOWN no comparison! I can only shoot about 50 rounds out of the Kel-Tec before my hand gives out from whiplash and pistol whipped.
I would imagine that I could shoot 500 rounds out of it before I got tired, maybe 6 or 700 rounds. It is not harsh to shoot like the Kel-Tec. Smooth and once I became accustomed to the trigger pull my shots came into target, but at first it was like where the heck are they going and I’m a fair to good shot. I can hit a 1-1/2″ group at 25 yrds with a Kimber 45 cal 1911. The grouping at 25 yrds was like 7″ with the Ruger, but after half a box got it to 5″. I would imagine once broken in and me broken in to it. Then could get around 3″ groups. Hands down nice gun, won’t get hurt one bit with the purchase unless you look down barrel with loaded, safety off, chambered round, and pulled trigger. That would hurt. So go for it and purchase one of these dreams. It’s not a Kimber but nice pocket protector!
just had to send my lc9 back. weak hammer strikes. used hornady 124 gn
and golden saber 124 hollow point. ruger had to bore out the firing pin hole
and they said it had medal shavings in the hole.
To David in Sante Fe:
Hey David. I am considering one of these. I live in Albuquerque, near Tramway and Academy. I’d really love to test fire yours. Would you be available to meet up some weekend either at Calibers here in Abq (Paseo and I-25) or Tina’s?
Shoot me an email at brad.s.walters@gmail.com
Hey all,
Valuable information on here, seems to be hit or miss with this LC9 based off the reviews. I was (still am) planning on picking one up this Friday. I will take it home and clean it before going to the range. Chuck seemed to have a lot of input on the workings of this firearm. As a newly hired officer I have yet to purchase a backup weapon. I was and still am considering this. Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated.
I wonder how many reviews I’ve seen about shooting a semi-auto gun “right out of the box”, and it malfunctions. Cosmoline or equivelent rust inhibitors are just that. They are not lubricants.
When ya get a new gun, take it home and clean it as if you had just fired 100 rounds through it. THEN take it to the range. News Flash!. Lubrication is at least, if not more important than cleaning. New semi-auto guns do NOT come ready to fire out-of-the-box.
I’ve carried my LC9 for several months now, and have put about 400 rounds through it at the range. It resides in an Uncle Mike’s #4 pocket holster when carried, and i just put a Crimson Trace #412 laser on it. I’ve had zero malfunctions so far, none. This little gun is very accurate(for me) within it’s intended range, out to about 10 yards. Every round is within the center of the target. Past 10 yards, I shouldn’t be shooting at anyone! The laser really helps me get right to the intended target without having to line up the sights. And, yes, I do practice shooting without the laser in case it fails. I’ve only shot Federal ammo from Walmart and have had zero issues with that stuff. It’s by far the cheapest name brand stuff available here in the Phoenix area. This is the best carry gun I’ve owned to date, having been through about a dozen other pistols in the past few years trying to find the best combination of size, weight, and fire power.
And the best part is that it goes bang every single time I pull the trigger.
Can’t ask for much more.
Just got back trying out my new lc9 AND my new LCR. Not big on semi-autos for ccw but could NOT resist the lc9. Long story short LCR goes Bang all the time, obviously. shot only with winchester white box,not really an aficionado, here. I forgot to fire the+p’s I had with me as had to rush to pick up my kid from school. But the LCR has a significant kick, with only the .38′s, knocking you off target. But when you look at the .38 next to my bud’s .380 ammo, it is twice as big. No choice for me here when it comes to personal protection.
Now the lc9. Tried right out of the box. fired Blazer Brass ammo. Got a deal on this stuff but no more. Could not get thru the box without a jam. In fact several near the end, could not get thru a full clip. Immediately got on this fine web site to pick yer brains re a better ammo. Priceless info also about cleaning this weapon. Thank you all.
The long trigger pull is easy to get used to. But the recoil is very manageable as opposed to the lightweight LCR. Could easily keep on target thru the whole clip.fired with longer cap on the clip, which is useful as you can get an extra finger on there to help control while firing.
I actually preferred firing the lc9 to the revolver. both have their plusses and minuses. I feel once I get the lc9 straightened out, I won”t use it as a range gun, have 357′s for family time firing. The lc9 is only slightly larger than the lcp, but packs a bigger punch, IMHO, worth the extra bucks. Again thanx for the info, not a real shooter, here, just someone who values their own behind. you guys are great!
Well my first comment would be to not put that brand in. It is cheap for a reason – their QC specs for case tolerance are not the same as first tier ammo. But, you may have exactly the same results with different brands, in which case there is no answer other than sending it back. It could be a lot of things, chamber sizing, extractor or extractor spring, but do you want to spend $200 fixing your $350 gun that’s under warranty?
Just bought an LC9 today. I don’t have my carry permit yet, but I will soon!
I’m not a big handgun guy, and didn’t do too much shopping around. The dealer pulled this one out, it felt right, I know Ruger makes quality firearms, and I love how comfortable it is under my waistband, even while sitting down. My dad carries a Walther pk380, which looks and feels excellent to me and I was considering buying one myself, but I just preferred the competitive price and added ‘stopping power’ of the LC9 (without paying as much for something like a subcompact .40)
I put 49 rounds about 10 yards downrange today without any mechanical mishaps at all, save for brass landing on top of my glasses frame and burning my forehead lol. I used PMC bronze for the range, will carry with hollows. I’m hoping I won’t have any of the problems I’ve seen described here with the firing pin. My particular piece was built within the last couple of months, so maybe Ruger has done something since the initial release of the LC9 to address that problem?
I won’t say much about the accuracy, simply because my technique is not that great with handguns. I did have a few well-placed shots and started getting better groups as I went on. Practice makes perfect. Most people seem to be happy with how this shoots, and long trigger pull is just a matter of adaptation to me.
The manual frame-bound safety isn’t a big deal to me. I’ll carry with the safety engaged, and it’s really not hard at all to disengage it as you draw it.
So far, I have to say I’m very happy with it!
Hi all. I purchased my LC9 about a month ago. First day at the range I could not get 2 magazines to go through without a jam. The empty casing would stay in the barrel and it would try to shove another round in. It actually pushed the next bullet further into the casing some times. Gunsmith at the range gave it a good cleaning and an oiling. I tried several more times on 3 different occasions and get the same results. I get a jam almost every mag. I am shooting the CCI Blazers, both brass and aluminum, and actually seem to have somewhat better luck on the aluminum. Any ideas. I will probably call Ruger I guess and see what the fix is.
Follow up to previous post about light primer contact. The gun was returned to Ruger. They had it for about 2 weeks. Just got it back with feedback from Ruger saying they had chamfered the firing pin channel. Apparently, this has been a consistent problem with the gun.
Unfortunately, the gun had a number of very visible and unacceptable machining marks on it from whatever procedures they used. I called Ruger….they said sent it back, which I have done. I assume the chamfering they did will solve the light primer contact issue. I just can’t understand, though, why they would send the gun back out as marred up as it was. Piss-poor performance on that point.
Let me start by saying I liked this gun from the first time I had it in my hand. I still like it but……….
The gun was returned to Ruger for light primer strikes almost immediately. Gun was returned to me with a chamfered firing pin hole. I have not had a chance to function fire the gun. Upon receipt of the gun I noticed small tool marks around the loaded chamber indicator pin. This, in itself was not a big deal, but I am kind of anal about my guns. What was a big deal was a bulge in the slide, above the pin. It looked like a oversized punch was used to drift the pin. Back to Ruger again. They replaced the slide. Gun is now pristine, although, as stated earlier, I have not function fired it for the original issue. Ruger stated, in the documentation returned with the pistol, that they fired 40 rounds on the first return and 42 rounds on the second return, all without malfunction.
I am not hear to sing the praises for Ruger, obviously, but I’m not hear to bash them either.
It is obvious, to me, Ruger has some Qualtity Control issues, or the pistol would not have been returned to me with slide damage.
Ruger has been supportive to my issues and has done “right” by me. Not once did they question my concerns or fail to take positive corrective action. This has been frustrating for me, to have to return a new gun twice for function, then cosmetic issues, but Ruger has done everything they could th make me a happy customer. Hopefully, the gun will meet my expections, meaning no light primer hits, when I function fire it. It may be that I will have to find a diet it likes, from what I’m hearing.
Bob, I think you will find that carrying the LC9 will be like carrying a feather after the Beretta 92. DeSantis makes a pocket holster called the Nemesis but they are hard to find around my area. You might have to buy it online from the factory.
If you carry it with the safety engaged you will want to be sure to practice taking it off as the gun is presented to the target. However, the trigger pull is so long it’s probably safe to carry without the safety engaged if that’s what you prefer. Depends on your training and experience.
I learned to carry my keys, change etc. in my left pocket years ago to make sure I had access to my firearm at all times with my strong hand. Again it’s a matter of doing it, after a while it will become natural.
Of course, when carrying a small pistol you trade sight radius and magazine capacity for lighter weight. The LC9 is an excellent pistol for it’s intended purpose, which is very up close and personal. It all depends on where you carry and for what purpose.
I’m strongly considering the LC9 as my first CC weapon and hope to get some advice. I have a Beretta 92 that I love but want a 9mm pocket gun, to keep the same caliber, and because my daily attire doesn’t allow for waistband or shoulder holsters. I’m trying to be realistic and hope you can offer practical CC advice on what might seem simple.
Right handed people keep their car/house keys in their right pocket, but with the LC9 in there…. I guess I keep them somewhere else?
I also carry a Leatherman pocket tool on my belt between 3:00 and 4:00 on my right hip, forward of my wallet. This will block a clean draw, so I have to move it to my weak side, which means training a weak hand to operate and risk losing it (better than the Ruger!). Anyone else deal with this?
Can anyone give a Beretta fan any specific advice about the LC9 that’s similar or different? (yes, I know they both go bang) The long trigger pull seems like my first DA pull, so doesn’t turn me off.
These issues are off-topic when it comes to the LC9 specifically, but this gun seems like just what I want, and this forum seems particularly informed. Thanks for any help.
I’ve had my LC9 for nearly two weeks, and I prefer using Lawman ammo by Speer. For first timers make sure you have your hand positioned sufficiently enough below the slide as the recoil will snip the thumb if not careful. +P ammo is a No-No, and it clearly states. I noticed also the firing pin hits dead center as it should. I was almost through 60 cartridges before I noticed the gun getting too warm for comfort. Ruger hit a home-run with this model, anxiously awaiting any upgrades, a good fit for the concealed carrier.
It will not go down if you are doing this with an empty magazine in the gun, because the magazine is pushing the slide stop (what Ruger calls the “slide hold open”) up.
If you rack the slide with no magazine, or with a loaded magazine, the slide stop will go down when you pull back the slide. It is spring-loaded to go down when there is no tension on it, so if yours is not operating like this, there’s something wrong with your gun. Time to call Ruger for a warranty repair.
Has anyone else had problems releasing the slide lock? I’ve other saying they can release it by sling shoting the slide but mine will not unlock even if I rack the slide.
Releasing it manually in a self defense situation would pretty much make my gun useless.
Any tips, advice or solutions?
“Instruction manual for LC9, page 17, Number 5. …The hammer automatically moves to the semi-cocked position as the slide moves forward. Number 8. …after a shot is fired, the trigger must be allowed to move fully forward. If the trigger is pulled before the trigger mechanism fully resets (two “clicks”) the hammer may or may not fire the cartridge.”
Due to the long trigger pull and reset, this may account for some folks having problems with failure to fire and light firing pin strikes. First time at the range, after cleaning and reading the manual, I had one failure to fire which was a direct result of not fully resetting the trigger, just as the manual states.
The other 130 rounds were: Federal hydrashock HP, Federal +9 JHP, Winchester white box JHP. All functioned perfectly and fired first time. MAKE SURE YOU FULLY RESET THE TRIGGER…it’s a long one.
I own the LC9. Have no spring problems to date after about 700 rounds. The trigger does have long pull but it fires instantly when the trigger breaks. On my LC9 pistol I find that Remington Golden saber and Sellier & Bellot primers melt and clog the firing pin channel. I have used many other brands of ammo and the LC9 operates flawlessly. It is a good little gun for the money. I disagree with the comments made by your salesman.
Update to previous comment: After thoroughly cleaning out the firing pin chamber, I went to the range and fired a box of the same ammo (Rem UMC MC). There were no light strikes, and also there was NO new buildup of gunk in the firing pin chamber – so it must have been loaded with grease from shipping and attracted some debris. The wear on the barrel from the slide didn’t change much.
I still find I like the feel and the sights on the PF9 better, although the Ruger has a LOT better finish. Since it also has a manual safety, it is still a better choice for someone that prefers that.
On the PF9, KelTec sent me a call tag to send it back under warranty. BUT, after more firing time, it seems like the POI is changing as the gun gets broken in. It’s getting closer to aiming point each time; so I’m going to wait until it has a better round count on it before sending in.
At gun dealer where I am about to take CHL course, salesman/instructor waved me of from LC9 for Quality Control problems. He cited two reasons. First was that there were lots (?How many – not said) of problems with sping. And second, the trigger would “hang” causing delay (he said “3 seconds”) before the gun fired.
As a neophyte, the LC9 is attractive for most reason, but … Anyone have similar experiences with these types of problems?
sir i waant this gun
how much {what is Rs this gun}
Steve- I think it’s fairly obvious from the number of reports that it is more likely a design flaw than simply poor technique.
Please provide feedback when you find out what the problem was and what Ruger does to remedy the issue. The only problem I have had with light strikes was with two specific ammo brands, Sellier & Bellot and Remington Golden Saber. My LC9 performed flawlessly shooting many other ammo brands. Right now I trust it more than my Kimber Solo.
Both a friend and I went to buy the LC9 the other day. A local dealer had them sale priced at $329.00. They were down to one available gun by the time we got to the store. We flipped a coin….he won and got to make the purchase.
We headed to our range today to try his gun out. We were loading only six rounds in each mag load. Out of 36 rounds, we experienced 19 light primer strikes. I don’t remember what make his rounds were but the loads I put into the gun were Federal Premium 147 gr. JHP. I fired these same rounds in my Browning Hi-Power for years with never such an issue.
Needless to say, were were both fairly shocked at such a performance. After 5 solid fires, the light primer strikes began. He called Ruger as soon as we got back home and has arranged to send the gun back to them for assessment.
Obviously, I’m kind of glad it wasn’t me that got to buy this gun. I’ll be watching to see how his experience plays out before I jump into the arena with an LC9. If you’re packing for protection, even one malfunction or light primer strike is one too many.
For those that are migrating to this class of pistol and don’t have a lot of experience here is a thought for your consideration. These micro pistols have by design a very short range of motion to clear the spent shell from the chamber. Consequently the springs utilized are compact as well and don’t have the range of travel of a full size pistol and as a result feel much stronger and tighter comparatively. This makes sense when you think that the gun will rely more on the spring than a full size gun to absorb the recoil as the small guns don’t have the mass of a larger slide and frame as well as the longer stroke of the larger action. All of this makes the action more sensitive to particular loads and particularly sensitive to technique in firing them.
Failure to feed and stovepiping is more likely given the above factors especially if “limp wristing” the gun. The lighter weight of these guns translates into more recoil and flex in the polymer frame can contribute to “issues” if the gun is not held firmly and properly. I’m not saying anyone who has had problems has a technique issue but just want to highlight that the companies that have endeavored to build these guns have really had engineering challenges to get a balance of proper function to fit the dimensions.
So make sure that you test your machine and find ammo that its works reliably with and make sure your well trained to handle it.
I recently purchased a Lc9 and have been very happy with my choice. I had a Taurus Millenium 40 for a CCW, but found it too heavy and bulky. The LC9 is easy to conceal and is easy to draw and fire. I have fired over 200 rounds and have not had a problem. It is accurate right out of the box. At 25yrds, the grouping was21/2 inches.
I am relieved to read others’ problems with light strike!! I took my new LC9 to the range and in 56 rds it ls’d 6 times. 5 of them were on the first round in a new magazine, after dropping the slide to chamber the round. Can’t double-strike with this one either! Have to rack the slide and rechamber the round; they all fired the second time. I was using Rem UMC 9MM bulk pack. Inspecting the firing pin, it looked like it was chewed up! After reading this, I thoroughly cleaned the firing pin chamber out; lots of bits of metal and dirt came out. I will try it again! But still this is unacceptable; I don’t expect it from Ruger. Also the slide is wearing on the barrel pretty BAD for this few rounds.
I bought this along with a new PF9 to do my own comparison. I thought the PF9 felt a bit better, and sat lower in my hand, which are personal prefs. Both had good smooth triggers. I liked the PF9 sights a bit better. However, the thing shot 8″ high at 20ft and there’s no way to adjust the sights for that! I got the new all-tan one, it has a super dark bluing on the barrel, looks sharp. Going back to Keltec for some fixing I hope!
I like the safety on the LC9 and here’s why – my wife cannot rack a slide, period. She needs to have one in the chamber and a safety she can switch on/off. This one is very smooth and easy.
Love my LC9 – over 500 rounds, no problems. I did remove the magazine disconnect, and the thumb safety. You actually do not need a tool to remove the take-down pin – when you pull back the slide to line up the notch, tapping the gun down on your palm will make the pin drop out, or enough for you to pull it the rest of the way out.
My one beef is with the slide lock lever – I want to be able to release the slide with my firing-hand thumb after a reload. The lever (what Ruger calls the “Slide Hold Open” is locked in so tight there is no way I can release it without pulling the slide back with my other hand. If anyone has a fix for this, I’d love to know it.
No problems at all with the loaded chamber indicator. Don’t even notice it when aiming and focusing on the front sight.
The safety is easy to flip down and off with the right thumb. Just tried it to make sure.
The only negatives I have with the LC9 is the looooong trigger pull, and
In my LC9, The firing pin channel gets plugged when shooting Remington Golden Saber, and Sellier & Bellot. The melted metal from the primers plug the firing pin hole and cause light strikes and failures to fire. I called Ruger about this and they are aware of the issue. They offered to take the pistol back and chamfer the firing pin hole which they said had remedied the problem on other pistols they tried it on.
I just don’t shoot Golden Saber or Sellier & Bellot and the gun works flawlessly. It can be very accurate too as long as you get the hang of the trigger.
I am debating getting the LC9 and have a few questions.
1) Has anyone had problems with the popup when loaded feature sight getting in the way of the sights?
2)Not being able to disable the salty with ur right thumb while holding the gun.
as a former keltec pf-9 owner i’m very pleased with my new lc9. this gun has proven (over 300 rounds) to be very easy to shoot, easy to aim, and dead reliable. no failures or malfunctions of any kind at all. it rides in my left front pocket inside an uncle mike’s #4 pocket holster and i hardly know it’s there. i carry it all the time and believe i can rely on it without reservation. my pf-9 was a monumental failure in every sense of the word, even after going back to the factory for repair. the lc9 is the most comfortable pistol i’ve carried to date. highly recommend it.
Just got back from my third trip to the range. Figured out what the FTF problem was. Turns out that the primers in the Remington Golden Saber and the Sellier & Bellot ammo were melting and the primer metal was pushed into the firing pin channel. This created a metal plug in front of the firing pin that caused soft strikes. After a couple tries the round would eventually fire. Sometimes the plug was dislodged and the pistol fired normally again. Took a while to figure this problem out.
This same ammunition works fine in my other 9mm pistols. The LC9 shot Federal Classic FMJ, Federal Classic JHP, Winchester white box, Wolf Classic, and Herters with absolutely no problems.
I used to rave about Ruger’s quality and highly recommend their firearms…however…since Bill Ruger Jr. retired and the company changed hands, they have gone downhill in my opinion. As a long time supporter of Ruger (and still own several ruger rifles, revolvers and a old p85 9mm) I went out on a limb to try out the much hyped LC9. I purchased the LC9 this past May and after a thorough cleaning I was excited to try it out. After two magazines of federal ammo, I had several rounds failure to fire. After racking the slide I inspected the FTF round and it had a very light primer strike. This happened about every 4 or 5 rounds and happened with three different types of premium ammo. I sent it back to “mother ruger” and they assured me it would be repaired quickly. After two weeks I got it back and again went to test fire after cleaning it…first few rounds went boom, then….click…no boom! Called Ruger and sent the firearm back to them a second time…this time it was listed as a priority and after a few conversations with various managers, they offered to destroy my pistol and build me a brand new one. I agreed, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. Almost a month later, I received a brand new LC9 that was surely going to function flawlessly…….or NOT. second round from the second magazine failed to fire and produced the same light primer strike that had occurred the previous two times. I called Ruger again and as you can imagine I was fairly heated…they immediately offered to refund my money (which I am thankful for, though I would not have accepted less). Still to this date, they have not been able to explain the problem. They continue to ask what ammo I am using and whatever ammo I tell them…Federal…remington…etc, they say that the gun doesnt prefer it. I say it is unacceptable. Truly a shame. I guess any ruger’s built by the old company may still be fine but anything post 2006, I would take a cautious approach before spending the money.
Sometimes you just get what you pay for. LC9 may be fine for some but even one malfunction with a carry pistol is too many times for me to ever bet my life on it.
I purchased the LC9 and picked it up yesterday. Fired 175 rounds and then started having FTF. During cleaning I noticed that the firing pin was occasionally sticking and wouldn’t always easily extend. Disassembled to find the firing pin, spring, and housing were very oily, dirty, and had brass and shiny metal debris. Cleaned all and reassembled dry. Shot 250 rounds today and the gun performed flawlessly until the last 5 rounds which were again failure to fire. Re-chambered the rounds several times and they all fired. Did the cleaning again and found brass and shiny metal in the firing pin tunnel area again but it was dry and clean otherwise. Will shoot again to find out more about what is causing this.
The trigger takes some practice. It has a long pull and has a click just before break. I tried the trigger on 5 pistols and selected this one because it had a smooth break. The others were rough just before the break. I found the LC9 to be quite accurate and could get groups of 4 or 5 rounds in the bulls eye when I got my trigger right and focused on the front sight.
It comes with only one magazine and two base plates, one flat and one extended base plate. I tried both but found it to be more comfortable to shoot using the flat base plate on the magazine.
I didn’t use the safety at the range but did find it easy to operate with the thumb.
Take down is standard except for the take down plate that retains the pin. The plate slides down then push out the pin.
I’m favorably impressed so far.
I find it amusing how some folks complain about the nuances of this little pistol like the thumb safety, peculiar take-down procedure, magazine disconnect, and trigger pull. As a law enforcement officer and firearms instructor, the succinct way to explain these things is that, when it comes to firearms, everything is a compromise. A bigger gun will often have a better trigger pull; a duty pistol will not usually have a magazine disconnect, although there are exceptions like the Browning Hi-Power; duty guns field strip quickly and easily – exception of course is the 1911; some modern duty guns like the Glock have no external safety. However, the little LC9 is emphatically not a duty pistol. Nor is it an all purpose gun. This is a close-range-last-ditch-personal-protection-piece, period.
Ruger has done an excellent job of producing a small, almost micro 9mm pistol that not only has an abundance of safety features but, most importantly, one that works. Having carried a 1911 .45 and/or Browning Hi-Power for 30 years, I find the thumb safety on the little nine to be perfectly fine. If you’re not used to a thumb safety, the code word is practice. The mag disconnect and the protruding loaded chamber indicator are excellent for those who are inexperienced with semi-autos. They will surely help prevent unintentional discharges among those folks. Those who think the mag disconnect is a tactical disadvantage may have a point when it comes to duty pistols, however, this gun is designed as a back up or concealed carry gun for use at armed robbery distances. If you have to pull this little pocket rocket to defend your life, it more than likely won’t be a protracted fire fight. If you let the bad guy get to the gun and a struggle ensues and the magazine is disconnected, well, you should have been shooting long before that happened. That’s not gun shop Rambo bravado. I’ve been in four shootings in the past 30 years. That doesn’t make me an expert on all things guns, but I have seen the proverbial elephant. Don’t know if experience means something or not.
You can’t get an extremely small 15 shot single stack 45 caliber pistol with night sights and match grade trigger that weighs 17 ounces. If you could, I’d have a couple. For its intended purpose, the little Ruger is hard to beat.
Ok now, I learned something new and, although not a speed reader, I didn’t understand what the +P+ in the manual meant and assumed it was just +P. I understood that there is standard ammo which is no greater than 35,000 PSI, and there is +P ammo which is no greater than 38,500 PSI using SAAMI standards. What I didn’t know was that +P+ is sometimes used to mean hotter than +P ammo. Although there are no SAAMI guidelines or standards for +P+, it just means that it is hotter than +P and therefore could be dangerous to use.
Thanks, if you hadn’t brought it to my attention I wouldn’t have dug deeper to learn this.
To the gentleman who stated that the instruction manual specifically states not to use +P ammo…..you must be a speed reader who skims through stuff too fast to see what was REALLY written ! The manual states never to use +P+ ammo. This ammo could result in serious injury. The gun is capable of functioning with +P however a steady diet of it will shorten the endurance life of the weapon. This is understood and applies to every gun where +P is used. For carry, I load with +P. For range use regular 9mm is best.
Thanks Jay, I’m still thinking about the Ruger LC9. I like the small size and the look of the gun. What I don’t like is the internal lock, but that you can use or not use as desired. Then there is the magazine lock that disables the the trigger if the magazine is not installed. Another irritating point is the take down. The take down pin cover does make the pistol slim and reduces the possibility of catching on clothes or holster but I don’t like that a tool is needed to push the pin out. I’m also not crazy about the DAO hammer fired trigger. Even with all this I am still considering the purchase. I watched a few review videos on YouTube and the pistol seems to work OK and is quite accurate. Haven’t heard any negatives except for my own comments so far. The price is also very reasonable at under $400 and it is a nice looking 9mm subcompact. I’m still thinking about it.
Chuck wrote:
“I decided not to buy it until I do some research about standard 9mm compared to +P 9mm ammo. Any opinions and suggestions about this?”
My primary carry and competition caliber is 9mm, and I’ve put over 20,000 rounds of 9mm downrange over the past several years. Not a single round of that was +P. I can’t see the need for +P ammo in any caliber except 38 Special +P.
That’s my opinion.
I just got back from Scheels. I had one at the counter ready to check out. Then asked the sales person if it shot +P ammo. We started looking through the owners manual to learn that Ruger specifically states not to use +P. I decided not to buy it until I do some research about standard 9mm compared to +P 9mm ammo. Any opinions and suggestions about this? Regular 9mm ammo compared to +P 9mm.
I shot my new LC9 a few days ago. The first 3 magazines were grouped in a 4 inch circle from 21 feet. I don’t find the manual safety to be a problem at all. If you’re worried about it accidentally coming on (which I don’t believe it will, it requires a conscious effort to activate, yet minimal pressure to deactivate) you’ll find that it is very natural movement to deactivate with your thumb when you draw the weapon from the holster. Just practice with the weapon and make it a habit. Repetition is the mother of all skill. If you’re looking for a highly concealable carry gun, you’ve found it. This is by far my favorite.
It’s a good concept. The superfluous manual safety is a deal breaker. Pure sop to the anti-gun states (MA, etc.), not wanted on a small, emergency defensive handgun.
I would have a hard time trusting that tiny thing to be “off” when the user desperately needs it to be off.
I’ve been carrying mine for a couple months now. It’s worked flawlessly, but with a limited sample of ammo (300-400 rounds of Federal 9mm 115gr FMJ and Winchester Ranger 9mm 146r JHP.)
The gun, as you say, has a revolver-like trigger. This is a good and a bad thing. Revolvers don’t have manual safeties because they don’t need them. You can carry this gun with the safety off with a good deal of confidence – I wouldn’t suggest pocket carry without a pocket holster, but I’d carry this pistol or a DAO revolver in a coat pocket without a holster much sooner than I’d carry a striker-fired pistol with a comparatively shorter trigger. It’s a bad thing because it will be very difficult for some shooters to control. My buddy who tried it couldn’t keep all eight rounds on a 10″ target at 25 yards, I had no problem doing this.
I carry mine AIWB, and noticed that the aggressive checkering on the sides and backstrap was almost giving me a rash. I purchased a Hogue Handall Junior, which fit more or less perfectly with no trimming required. It fills the hand much better and is grippy but isn’t too rough to carry.
I purchased the DeSantis Sof-Tuk as well as a DeSantis Tuck This II (Buying the Sof-Tuk got me over the $50 I needed to get $10 off, so I came out almost even.) I had a Tuck This II for my previous deep carry pistol and liked it quite a bit. I ended up using the Tuck This II for the LC9 with some modification. I carry at between 12 and 1 o’clock, so to make the pistol ride lower I used a stitching removal tool to open up the holster where the trigger guard ran into the seam. Doing so allowed the gun to sit lower and the trigger guard to poke out slightly, but kept the trigger fully covered. Finally, I added a piece of leather to the back of the holster to block sweat, as the nylon didn’t do a very good job of this and I was constantly cleaning rust off of the old deep carry pistol in the summer months.
One thing that I didn’t notice about the pistol before I started carrying it is that you can see the internal hammer while you’re re-holstering quite easy. I carry with the safety off, and it’s very comforting to look down at the hammer while I re-holster to double check that it’s fully immobile.
Some people cringe at the thought of these guns, as if a market between smaller single-stack .380′s and larger double-stack compact 9mm’s shouldn’t exist. For what reason? Nostalgia? Tradition? Manners? I find this mentality very backwards – market driven demand is the only way we see innovative products. The compact single-stack 9mm market has doubled in size in the past year, and I welcome it whole-heartedly. This gun fits my deep carry needs perfectly, since I now only have one caliber and brand of carry ammo for the three different pistols I carry.
I got one a couple of months ago and I like it a lot. It’s very accurate, fires whatever I feed it but seems to like Gold Dots the best for defensive ammo. I can carry it in a DeSantis holster in the front pocket of a pair of comfy dad-fit Wranglers or hiking shorts with a spare mag in another pocket when I’m out and about. It usually goes to work with me in my brief case. I’ll probably hit 500 rounds with it soon. Main reason I got it was because my SP-101 was just a little too heavy and bulky for everyday carry. It printed like a grapefruit.
I really can’t recall the LC9 stovepiping on me. My only complaint is that the slide release is pretty stiff even after working that thing over and over over the better part of an afternoon. Cost me $399 at the Outdoorsman here in Santa Fe NM. I bought two extra mags for it since I got it. I’ll probably get a laser for it.
The LC9 is my fifth Ruger handgun btw. I also have a .22 LR Single Six, a .357 GP-100 and a 22/45 in addition to the LC9 and the SP-101 that I load with +Ps.
Wait a sec – the gun comes with only one magazine but is described as coming with “an impressive assortment of gear”? Also, the thing about potential unintentional disassembly sounds pretty severe – but it must be admitted that according to this review that is only here-say. I did like the fact the author pointed out that the amount of rounds fired was not sufficient to assess reliability.
Still, all in all, the reviews lately posted to The Firearm Blog (at least the Kimber article and now this), whilst well written, read like something I might find in a typical gun magazine. “The pistol managed to go bang BOTH times it was fired, obviously making it the best weapon evah.”