Caution - Disassembly and the LCP's hammer block
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Hello,
My name is eddie and I'm another idiot who mistakenly took out the middle pin holding the hammer catch in place. LOL
I wrongly thought, "I have Gen 3 Glocks and they have three pins, too. " I did the dumb thing and removed all three pins during my first attempt at taking apart the LCP.
I studied the diagrams and read up on how the # 16 spring orientation went and how hard it is to get it and the #27 hammer catch back in place properly.
I ended up MacGyvering two tools that *might* help someone like me that took out the #31 hammer catch pin by mistake.
Tool #1.) I used a bamboo kebab skewer and fabricated a small pin about 1/16" longer than the hammer catch is wide. A small wooden dowel would work, too.
I placed spring #16 on the left side of the hammer catch with the 90 degree bend in the appropriate hole.
Then I put the bamboo "pin" inside the spring coil and into the hammer catch to sort of hold things together.
Tool #2) The easy one. I stuck an old WD-40 spray straw onto the long end of the #16 spring. The wire has a slight bend in it and will press fit into the straw.
Holding the hammer catch with a good pair of needle-nosed pliers, I eased the catch/spring assembly down into the frame, making sure the WD-40 straw
went down into the mag well area.
Before I began, I had started the #31 pin into the right side of the frame enough that it only just protruded into the interior of the frame.
Holding my mouth right, as my Grandpa used to say, I got the spring/catch into position with the catch pivot hole over the tiny bit of pin.
Seeing how this was about 1am, it took about 10 tries before I got things in place without the catch and spring popping out of the pliers.
But, once it was lined up, I gave the pin a slight tap with a small hammer and Voila'! It was in place.
The bamboo pin pushed on out the left side of the frame and fell on the floor to be found by a bare foot later.
I then easily pulled the spray straw free from the spring.
Using Jocko's small nail through the frame hole trick to hold the catch forward, I then proceeded with installing the frame insert assembly.
The counter-clockwise trigger spring deal got me once before I read here how it is supposed to go. Thanks again, guys!
I see no reason to ever take my LCP this far apart again.
But, if you've read all of this thread you can probably piece together enough info to do it yourself without too much cursing. =)
My name is eddie and I'm another idiot who mistakenly took out the middle pin holding the hammer catch in place. LOL
I wrongly thought, "I have Gen 3 Glocks and they have three pins, too. " I did the dumb thing and removed all three pins during my first attempt at taking apart the LCP.
I studied the diagrams and read up on how the # 16 spring orientation went and how hard it is to get it and the #27 hammer catch back in place properly.
I ended up MacGyvering two tools that *might* help someone like me that took out the #31 hammer catch pin by mistake.
Tool #1.) I used a bamboo kebab skewer and fabricated a small pin about 1/16" longer than the hammer catch is wide. A small wooden dowel would work, too.
I placed spring #16 on the left side of the hammer catch with the 90 degree bend in the appropriate hole.
Then I put the bamboo "pin" inside the spring coil and into the hammer catch to sort of hold things together.
Tool #2) The easy one. I stuck an old WD-40 spray straw onto the long end of the #16 spring. The wire has a slight bend in it and will press fit into the straw.
Holding the hammer catch with a good pair of needle-nosed pliers, I eased the catch/spring assembly down into the frame, making sure the WD-40 straw
went down into the mag well area.
Before I began, I had started the #31 pin into the right side of the frame enough that it only just protruded into the interior of the frame.
Holding my mouth right, as my Grandpa used to say, I got the spring/catch into position with the catch pivot hole over the tiny bit of pin.
Seeing how this was about 1am, it took about 10 tries before I got things in place without the catch and spring popping out of the pliers.
But, once it was lined up, I gave the pin a slight tap with a small hammer and Voila'! It was in place.
The bamboo pin pushed on out the left side of the frame and fell on the floor to be found by a bare foot later.
I then easily pulled the spray straw free from the spring.
Using Jocko's small nail through the frame hole trick to hold the catch forward, I then proceeded with installing the frame insert assembly.
The counter-clockwise trigger spring deal got me once before I read here how it is supposed to go. Thanks again, guys!
I see no reason to ever take my LCP this far apart again.
But, if you've read all of this thread you can probably piece together enough info to do it yourself without too much cursing. =)
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534 Posts
Another trick is to carefully inspect something before you take it apart. Look it over in detail, notice how it works. Take a digital camera and take plenty of good pictures of the details. If it has wires, take a picture of where they go and the colors. You can always remove a few parts, put them back on and proceed until you get where you are going and still know the way home. The LCP is a simple pistol from one end to the other. M1911
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3,484 Posts
Good advice on taking pictures and making notes. Here's a collage of pictures and notes from a M1877 Colt Thunderer that I spent a few months working on years ago. One could write a book on the ins and outs of the disassembly and re-assembly of the flat springs and inner mechanisms that Colt packed into this old shooting iron.
And DON'T EVER remove the hammer catch and spring (words ringing in my ears) ... unless you do it by accident like I did when I removed the wrong pin to re-install my Hogue grip when my LCP came back from some work at the factory! Ouch! hammer catch and spring on the floor! Then the trigger bar and trigger spring were on the floor after removing the insert to attempt reinstalling the hammer catch and spring! Took me a couple of hours and THANK HEAVENS for this post about the little hole used to keep the hammer catch forward, and a post on another forum about where the trigger spring catches - under the trigger bar.
Thought I was going to have to send it immediately back to Ruger again for reassembly but I persevered and got it all back together, even did it twice because I put the hammer catch in backwards the first time!
Thanks for this forum - I'll be an avid reader.
Update 9.15.16:
The good news is I did get it reassembled correctly and ran a box through it yesterday. The bad news is I still cannot get it on target. I'm shooting 4-6" low at 7 yds regardless of hold and even on sandbags. I shoot .45, and several 9mm pistols, and have shot the KelTec P-3AT all on target. I cannot shoot the Ruger LCP .380 on target. If I hold 4" above the center ring I can get decent groups. The KelTec shot right on! I sent it back to Ruger for this problem and to fix a slide catch that wouldn't catch. They sent me a target that was right on. They also fixed the slide catch. I'm at my wits end on this accuracy problem - I've never had this problem with any pistol in 60 years of shooting.
Thought I was going to have to send it immediately back to Ruger again for reassembly but I persevered and got it all back together, even did it twice because I put the hammer catch in backwards the first time!
Thanks for this forum - I'll be an avid reader.
Update 9.15.16:
The good news is I did get it reassembled correctly and ran a box through it yesterday. The bad news is I still cannot get it on target. I'm shooting 4-6" low at 7 yds regardless of hold and even on sandbags. I shoot .45, and several 9mm pistols, and have shot the KelTec P-3AT all on target. I cannot shoot the Ruger LCP .380 on target. If I hold 4" above the center ring I can get decent groups. The KelTec shot right on! I sent it back to Ruger for this problem and to fix a slide catch that wouldn't catch. They sent me a target that was right on. They also fixed the slide catch. I'm at my wits end on this accuracy problem - I've never had this problem with any pistol in 60 years of shooting.
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4,802 Posts
Jocko, great info you are sharing with us. Thanks!
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61 Posts
See this....
LCP Trigger Installation :: Galloway Precision
LCP Trigger Installation :: Galloway Precision
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3,894 Posts
CAUTION!!!
I would like to seriously caution anybody who is not really adept at working on mechanical things, particularly intricate firearms, against trying to work on a self-defense firearm such as the LCP, Glocks, etc., beyond field stripping for cleaning. It is far too easy to make a mistake that could possibly make the firearm fail when it's needed for defensive use. I suggest that the average shooter leave this sort of work for qualified gunsmiths. Not all of the videos on the web show the truly proper way to do things and they often don't mention what can go wrong, what to look for, how to do a final inspection, etc. The videos are good for general information but I would not suggest that average non-mechanically oriented people think that these videos are all they need to do a detailed job on any intricate device, especially something like a self-defense firearm that requires absolute perfection in performing the job.
I would like to seriously caution anybody who is not really adept at working on mechanical things, particularly intricate firearms, against trying to work on a self-defense firearm such as the LCP, Glocks, etc., beyond field stripping for cleaning. It is far too easy to make a mistake that could possibly make the firearm fail when it's needed for defensive use. I suggest that the average shooter leave this sort of work for qualified gunsmiths. Not all of the videos on the web show the truly proper way to do things and they often don't mention what can go wrong, what to look for, how to do a final inspection, etc. The videos are good for general information but I would not suggest that average non-mechanically oriented people think that these videos are all they need to do a detailed job on any intricate device, especially something like a self-defense firearm that requires absolute perfection in performing the job.
So I've took my lcp 2 fully apart. I know this is not the best thing to do and I certainly didn't do it for ****s and giggles. I'm a firm believer if it's not broke do not fix it. But I had the chance to buy this one for cheap and it's only about 4 months old but the lame ass kid I bought it from painted it with some latex paint!! So I've disassembled it completely and I have been using a low strength paint thinner and nylon bristle bits with a powerdrill to help get it off if anyone has any suggestions or tips I would appreciate it and I included a couple of pictures to prove my "innocence" lol I've just about gotten all of the red off
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I see this is your first post, so welcome to the forum. Beyond what is in the owner's manual, I have no further suggestions for you, since I am not mechanically inclined. Is the trigger painted with latex, also? You might just leave it like that, since some of the aftermarket ones on the LCPs are red. Am not aware of any trigger mods for the II, nor would I want one. Did you try shooting it before you started removing paint?
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Looking at the photo it looks like women's nail polish, which will wipe off with lacquer thinner. If it were mine, I would try that on a little piece of cotton cloth. Ruger frames are polyester and should be "resistant", but I wouldn't submerge the pistol. If it comes off with a rag, use a nylon toothbrush to get the residual off.
Good luck
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