[funbobby522]

I was reading on another website about how the LCP can damage the nose of the next round in the mag because the feed ramp slams into the nose of the round when the gun cycles. This causes a "Smiley" and also pushes the bullet farther down into the casing.

Yesterday while at the range, I tested my LCP for smileys by firing a round them manually ejecting the next round. Sure I got a smiley EVERY time. I did this with all three mags that I own. Same results.

Here is the thread from the Urban Survival Range website which includes pics: http://usrange.org/smf/index.php?topic=3049.0

They say the problem is the magazine which allows the round to move forward as it cycles to the top of the mag. I also tested for this by just manually pushing the top round out of the mag, and sure enough, the next round moves forward in the mag and doesn't stay seated to the rear wall of the mag.

I just sent a message to Ruger Customer Service about this asking them if they are aware of the problem and if they have a fix in the works. I'll post their answer here when I get it.

Has anyone else seen this LCP problem?

 

[HowardCohodas]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Pictures please.

 

[funbobby522]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

I'll take pics of my rounds ASAP & post them. For now, here's a copy of the pics from the website I referenced. My bullets actually look worse than these.

 

[jocko]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

I was reading on another website about how the LCP can damage the nose of the next round in the mag because the feed ramp slams into the nose of the round when the gun cycles. This causes a "Smiley" and also pushes the bullet farther down into the casing.

Yesterday while at the range, I tested my LCP for smileys by firing a round them manually ejecting the next round. Sure I got a smiley EVERY time. I did this with all three mags that I own. Same results.

Here is the thread from the Urban Survival Range website which includes pics: http://usrange.org/smf/index.php?topic=3049.0

They say the problem is the magazine which allows the round to move forward as it cycles to the top of the mag. I also tested for this by just manually pushing the top round out of the mag, and sure enough, the next round moves forward in the mag and doesn't stay seated to the rear wall of the mag.

I just sent a message to Ruger Customer Service about this asking them if they are aware of the problem and if they have a fix in the works. I'll post their answer here when I get it.

Has anyone else seen this LCP problem?

I don't think there is an actual fix. These guns are so small and the clearances inside the mag well are so tight. It doesn't hurt anything. Kt's have done that for years, some have tried to do a ramptomecy on theirs to hardly no avail. The recoil is indeed causing the round to go forward and hit either the front of the magazine lip or the leading edge of the feed ramp. My advice is to live with it, or peddle it, for IMO there just isn't much that can be done.It won't cause
FTF. I have 1350 rounds through my lcp without one malfunction and my smileys have been there since the git go..

 

[funbobby522]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Thanks Jocko. I'll live with it, my LCP stays. I have about 500 rounds out of mine, no problems. It just bothers me when I look at the damage done and common sense just says to me that it shouldn't do that. As far as I can tell, no other gun except the P3AT has this design flaw. Seeing as how that flaw was so well known with the Kel Tec, disappointed that Ruger just left it in when they cloned it.

 

[jocko]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Thanks Jocko. I'll live with it, my LCP stays. I have about 500 rounds out of mine, no problems. It just bothers me when I look at the damage done and common sense just says to me that it shouldn't do that. As far as I can tell, no other gun except the P3AT has this design flaw. Seeing as how that flaw was so well known with the Kel Tec, disappointed that Ruger just left it in when they cloned it.

I'm just not sure there is a sure fire fix for that issue. There has been a bunch of tests done with the lcp and kt with different HP rounds, One good meat test even by gatorhugger on the Ruger forum and another one on the kt forum, all tests showed that the hp's expanded as they were supposed to, so IMO the smileys are just there to let you know that they indeed like you..

 

[funbobby522]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

LOL! ;D

 

[kraigster414]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Bad guy will not be offended by your smileys. I would not worry about it as long as your LCP functions well otherwise. These little vipers are up front and personal weapons and any negative impact resulting from smileys should not be of concern from a performance standpoint. Had 'em in my P3AT with no ill-effect. Have not really paid attention to them as far as my LCP. My 2 centavos.

 

[RobR369]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Not really sure, I will have to check next time at the range. As long as it fires without a problem, a little smiley isnt gonna bother me, truth is, I probably wouldnt have even known what a smiley was if I didnt read this thread ;D ;DLOL

 

[jocko]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

LOL! ;D

If it ain't smilin, IT ain't happy... ;D

 

[McIver]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Not really sure, I will have to check next time at the range. As long as it fires without a problem, a little smiley is gonna bother me, truth is, I probably wouldnt have even known what a smiley was if I didnt read this thread ;D ;DLOL

I agree, in all the years I have been shooting, I have never checked for smileys untill I had my first Kel-Tec and started reading on there forum. I remember my P3AT produced them and also after a few hundred rounds it would crack the back of the mag. I'll keep shooting my LCP

McIver

 

[Zach and Holly]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Hmm.

Anxious to hear Ruger's response.

 

[funbobby522]

Re: Smileys - LCP causing ammo damage

Yes, I want to hear Ruger's answer too.

Even if the smiley causes no appreciable problem with bullet performance at close ranges, after reading about the mag failure (cracking) on the P3AT, I'm wondering about possible metal fatigue issues from cyclic stress on the barrel ramp, mags, pins, ejector, or other parts that could cause a malfunction.

Since the mags are the same as the P3AT, I wonder if anyone with a higher round count has had any LCP mag cracks happen.

Anyway, I expect to hear from Ruger today or tomorrow & I'll post the reply.

 

[LCP_Dogg]

I test it a second ago manually by removing a round from the mag and you're right..

Anyone have teflon spray in a can and wand to do a quick test for us?

I wonder if a spritz on the underside of the top frame of the magazine would help. It would make it slicker for sure, and possibly could make round #2 move forward even further than it does now BUT when the barrel slams back into the round to cause the smiley, the round will have less resistence and will permit the barrel to slide it back into place, I'd hope.

A thought...

 

[funbobby522]

An update on contacting Ruger - Well, Ruger hasn't answered my e-mail inquiry about this (very surprising to me), today is day #6 since I put it in. I called customer service yesterday afternoon and left a message. Hopefully they'll call soon. Will keep y'all posted!

 

[LCP_Dogg]

Thanks funbobby..

To see the smileys do you HAVE TO FIRE a round? Or can you manually cycle the round and see the smileys?

I tried manually cycling a mag last night - not a single smiley.

Need to fire some rounds and then check the next round though.

 

[funbobby522]

Yes, you need to fire it to get a smiley. 8) And here are pics of mine - sorry it took me so long.

 

[SpeedRacer]

So could this issue be fixed with a different follower design or feed lip adjustment? Even if it's not an "issue", it's just not right.

 

[fred]

Good morning all,
I'm happy to report that I took my Elsie to the range to test for smileys and got none at all. I used WWB, Golden Saber, Hornaday XTP, not a smiley in the lot. Serial No. 52XXX. I am very confident that my LCP is reliable and will carry with Remington Golden Sabre 102 gr.
Fred Franze

 

[funbobby522]

Word from Ruger - Re: Smileys - the devil's work or much ado about nothing?

I finally talked to Ruger about smileys. I spoke to the Customer Service Manager directly. He was very understanding and agreed that it'd be good if the gun didn't do this. His said that they don't really consider it a problem unless it affects proper feeding. He said they'd known about it and have considered what it would take to fix it, but that it would require a redesign of nearly the entire gun to get the feed ramp more forward while still maintaining the feed ramp angle. They have no plans to do this. Soooo... I guess that's that.