Ruger LC9
Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 7:38 am
Last week a co-worker mentioned that she was selling a pistol and asked me if I was interested. I said that I would like to fire it first. So she brought it to work and gave it to me. I took it to the range today (Sunday) and tried it out. It is an LC9; Ruger's latest sub-compact pistol. It came out a couple of years ago and has been an excellent seller for Ruger. The advantage is that the small size will allow pocket carry for those days when regular IWB or OWB carry is not feasible. Yet it fires 9mm Luger ammo.
Here the laser is reflecting off the Zippo. It is actually quite bright and I was able to use it at 7 yards in bright sunlight
The LC9 is a double action, hammer fired, semi-auto, magazine fed pistol
This version of the pistol comes from the factory with a custom made Lasermax laser unit. The laser is removable. A couple of screws hold it onto the triggerguard. There are activation buttons on both sides. Pressing the button in from either side activates the laser. All edges are (rounded) de-horned and smoothed. The ammunition capacity is 7+1 and it come with one magazine. The magazine comes with two floor plates. Ones has a finger groove extension and the other fits flush with the bottom of the magazine.
The trigger pull is similar to that of a revolver's double action pull. However, there is no second strike capability. If you have a dud primer, you will have to rack the slide to eject the cartridge and re-cock the hammer. The frame mounted safety is the standard down for fire and up for safe. Putting the gun on safe locks the slide. There is also a built in firing pin block that is only pushed out of the way when the trigger is all the way back. There is a built in magazine safety that renders the trigger inoperative when the magazine is removed. There is a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the slide. The sights are the standard three dot sights. The gun has a keyed internal lock (bleah!). It also comes with a padlock with a long shackle that can be inserted into the slide when it is locked back.
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Capacity: 7+1
Barrel Length: 3.12"
Barrel Material: Alloy Steel
Barrel finish: Blued
Slide material: Through Hardened Alloy Steel
Slide Finish: Blued
Grip Frame: Black, High Performance, Glass Filled Nylon
The size of the LC9 as compared to a full size 1911. The Laser unit makes it appear larger than it is.
The basic controls are shown above. The yellow and white label under the laser unit is just an eye safety warning for the laser
Disassembly
The takedown pin cover is pushed down and the takedown pin is pushed out from the right hand side of the pistol. Once the pin is removed the slide comes off the frame.
Once the slide is dismounted, the spring and spring guide is removed and this then allows you to remove the barrel.
As you can see here, the steel slide rides on steel 3/4 length rails
Reassembly is the reverse of the above procedure.
Impressions:
I like the size and feel of the gun. While firing it, I can hold on to it with no problems. Recoil is not too bad. The reliability was flawless. It fed, fired and ejected everything that i fed it, including two different kinds of hollow point and my reloads. Both magazines performed equally well and loading them was not a chore as the springs are not objectionably stiff. I put about a hundred rounds through it and did not feel that the checkering was too sharp, as some internet reviews have complained.
On the whole I liked everything about the gun except for the trigger. It is smooth and easy to pull back but it is looooooong. You keep wondering when the damned thing is going to break. When I switched back to my SIG P225, I could really tell what it was that I didn't like about the LC9's trigger. A low weight, crisp, clean as a glass rod break is what SIG delivers in single action mode. The LC9's trigger was like pulling open a patio door. You keep pulling and then you pull some more and then finally it breaks. The break is just before you can't pull it any more, all the way back up against the back of the trigger guard. To be fair, it was an easy, smooth pull with no hint of stacking.
I suppose if one practiced for a bit with the LC9's trigger, one could get used to it. We have to keep in mind that this is not a target pistol. It is meant to be an easily concealable short range defensive pistol. In a defensive situation, it will quite possibly work fine. I did not care for the magazine safety but it doesn't hinder operation. I also felt that the loaded chamber indicator was an unnecessary addition to the gun as I treat all guns as loaded. However, these "safety" features allow Ruger to tap the huge California market as these items are required on guns sold there.
Moderately sharp molded on checkering and a thumb groove allows a good grip.
A compact light weight package
Here is the LC9 without the laser unit (from Ruger's Facebook page).
Links:
The Ruger website
Hikok45's review
Range Report follows (later)
_
Here the laser is reflecting off the Zippo. It is actually quite bright and I was able to use it at 7 yards in bright sunlight
The LC9 is a double action, hammer fired, semi-auto, magazine fed pistol
This version of the pistol comes from the factory with a custom made Lasermax laser unit. The laser is removable. A couple of screws hold it onto the triggerguard. There are activation buttons on both sides. Pressing the button in from either side activates the laser. All edges are (rounded) de-horned and smoothed. The ammunition capacity is 7+1 and it come with one magazine. The magazine comes with two floor plates. Ones has a finger groove extension and the other fits flush with the bottom of the magazine.
The trigger pull is similar to that of a revolver's double action pull. However, there is no second strike capability. If you have a dud primer, you will have to rack the slide to eject the cartridge and re-cock the hammer. The frame mounted safety is the standard down for fire and up for safe. Putting the gun on safe locks the slide. There is also a built in firing pin block that is only pushed out of the way when the trigger is all the way back. There is a built in magazine safety that renders the trigger inoperative when the magazine is removed. There is a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the slide. The sights are the standard three dot sights. The gun has a keyed internal lock (bleah!). It also comes with a padlock with a long shackle that can be inserted into the slide when it is locked back.
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Capacity: 7+1
Barrel Length: 3.12"
Barrel Material: Alloy Steel
Barrel finish: Blued
Slide material: Through Hardened Alloy Steel
Slide Finish: Blued
Grip Frame: Black, High Performance, Glass Filled Nylon
The size of the LC9 as compared to a full size 1911. The Laser unit makes it appear larger than it is.
The basic controls are shown above. The yellow and white label under the laser unit is just an eye safety warning for the laser
Disassembly
The takedown pin cover is pushed down and the takedown pin is pushed out from the right hand side of the pistol. Once the pin is removed the slide comes off the frame.
Once the slide is dismounted, the spring and spring guide is removed and this then allows you to remove the barrel.
As you can see here, the steel slide rides on steel 3/4 length rails
Reassembly is the reverse of the above procedure.
Impressions:
I like the size and feel of the gun. While firing it, I can hold on to it with no problems. Recoil is not too bad. The reliability was flawless. It fed, fired and ejected everything that i fed it, including two different kinds of hollow point and my reloads. Both magazines performed equally well and loading them was not a chore as the springs are not objectionably stiff. I put about a hundred rounds through it and did not feel that the checkering was too sharp, as some internet reviews have complained.
On the whole I liked everything about the gun except for the trigger. It is smooth and easy to pull back but it is looooooong. You keep wondering when the damned thing is going to break. When I switched back to my SIG P225, I could really tell what it was that I didn't like about the LC9's trigger. A low weight, crisp, clean as a glass rod break is what SIG delivers in single action mode. The LC9's trigger was like pulling open a patio door. You keep pulling and then you pull some more and then finally it breaks. The break is just before you can't pull it any more, all the way back up against the back of the trigger guard. To be fair, it was an easy, smooth pull with no hint of stacking.
I suppose if one practiced for a bit with the LC9's trigger, one could get used to it. We have to keep in mind that this is not a target pistol. It is meant to be an easily concealable short range defensive pistol. In a defensive situation, it will quite possibly work fine. I did not care for the magazine safety but it doesn't hinder operation. I also felt that the loaded chamber indicator was an unnecessary addition to the gun as I treat all guns as loaded. However, these "safety" features allow Ruger to tap the huge California market as these items are required on guns sold there.
Moderately sharp molded on checkering and a thumb groove allows a good grip.
A compact light weight package
Here is the LC9 without the laser unit (from Ruger's Facebook page).
Links:
The Ruger website
Hikok45's review
Range Report follows (later)
_
