I think you made a good dceision in the LCP. Yes you did give up a lot of stopping power carring a .380 over a .357 revolver but you can make use of the semi-auto's advantage's and carry a second or third magazine. It's not much bigger than a pack of gum and is easy to hide. No it doesn't win in the stopping power dept. but it might just make up for it in the firepower dept.
Why choose the LCP over the others?
I wanted to start a topic that might provide some objective considerations for why or why not one would pick the Ruger LCP off the shelf of the gun store when faced with a host of viable pocket pistol options out there.
Well, first of all my name is Craig. I'm a college student, 21 years old, just got my Arizona CCW. Until that point I carried openly - I still do in most situations. It is my goal in life to never have to draw my firearm for any reason. That said it is also my goal in life never to be a victim of any kind of violent crime. If I do someday ever have to defend my life or the life of a loved one, I feel that I am doing everything in my power to really be prepared to handle a bad situation.
My primary carry firearm is a Rossi R461 2" wheelgun chambered in .357 magnum. I like it very much and practice with it often. There are some situations in life though where having a gun strapped on your hip is just not such a hot idea. Furthermore I do not feel that I want to use a speedloader should I ever need extra firepower, so I decided that a secondary carry gun was in order.
I looked at several firearms as a backup/hideout gun. The list of candidates includes a Smith and Wesson J frame lightweight .38 special, a KelTec P32, a Sig P232, a North American Arms Guardian and the P3AT.
The local gun store had sold out of KelTec P32s. I couldn't even find a P3AT. But last Friday I happened to walk into the gun store again and saw an LCP sitting there, and bought the little devil.
I decided that I liked the idea of the .380 ACP as being marginally superior to the .32 ACP.
The North American Guardian is a nice gun but has an even heavier trigger and sights that I just don't like. I didn't like the way it fit my hand. The Sig P232 is a very nice gun as well, a bit pricier than the others listed here. It has pretty much all the drawbacks of the other guns I was looking at (limited stopping power, and a small trigger guard that I can't fit with gloves on), but it is a lot more difficult to conceal. It does fit the hand a little easier being a bit bigger and has the nice double/single trigger pull.
Compared with KelTec, a relatively new name in the firearms world, I decided that I liked the idea of having a big name like Ruger behind my gun. It's also nice to see that Ruger is making their guns right at my back door in Prescott, AZ (I'm located in Flagstaff for now). The Smith and Wesson J frame is a toss up really. I liked it very much but in the long run I decided the LCP is a more concealable gun.
I will carry my LCP at work (McDonald's) because our uniforms don't lend themselves to concealing a larger firearm. I do have my AZ CCW and the particular franchise I work doesn't have a weapons policy. In AZ you don't have to ask to carry a weapon, but you must disarm yourself if the management should request. They're never going to request because my LCP is about impossible to spot in my pocket holster.
I do wish that the LCP came with night sights - the "night fighter" S&W, and the Sig offer night sights. I had considered a Kahr since they do make good stuff but they were hard to find and I wanted to get a decent little carry gun in a bit of a hurry - I worry that the future is uncertain for our right to keep and bear arms.
Price was not a factor in my decision. I think I paid a little more than a KelTec for the Ruger but again, I wanted the big name.
I am currently carrying it without having it broken in. I plan to shoot it at first opportunity as it is not a good idea to carry a gun that hasn't been broken in. I did already break it down to clean and oil it and was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to do so. I plan on a magazine grip extension because my fingers don't fit totally comfortably with the magazine supplied.
The LCP carries nicely, holds well in my hand for a pocket pistol and I have high hopes that it will be decently accurate. My dad once upon a time carried an early generation Beretta Tomcat and I found it to be surprisingly easy to shoot out around 7 yards or so.
Price was not a serious factor. I wanted to keep it under $600 when I was looking. I paid $319 plus tax for my LCP. It is the upgraded serial number - 371 prefix. At present it is loaded with the Federal 90 grain HydraShok ammunition. I didn't do a lot of research on .380 ammo and HydraShok is usually a good bet in just about any caliber. I steered away from the CorBon because it has a reputation for sometimes causing trouble in little recoil operated pocket pistols.
Well, those are my thoughts on the matter. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Well, first of all my name is Craig. I'm a college student, 21 years old, just got my Arizona CCW. Until that point I carried openly - I still do in most situations. It is my goal in life to never have to draw my firearm for any reason. That said it is also my goal in life never to be a victim of any kind of violent crime. If I do someday ever have to defend my life or the life of a loved one, I feel that I am doing everything in my power to really be prepared to handle a bad situation.
My primary carry firearm is a Rossi R461 2" wheelgun chambered in .357 magnum. I like it very much and practice with it often. There are some situations in life though where having a gun strapped on your hip is just not such a hot idea. Furthermore I do not feel that I want to use a speedloader should I ever need extra firepower, so I decided that a secondary carry gun was in order.
I looked at several firearms as a backup/hideout gun. The list of candidates includes a Smith and Wesson J frame lightweight .38 special, a KelTec P32, a Sig P232, a North American Arms Guardian and the P3AT.
The local gun store had sold out of KelTec P32s. I couldn't even find a P3AT. But last Friday I happened to walk into the gun store again and saw an LCP sitting there, and bought the little devil.
I decided that I liked the idea of the .380 ACP as being marginally superior to the .32 ACP.
The North American Guardian is a nice gun but has an even heavier trigger and sights that I just don't like. I didn't like the way it fit my hand. The Sig P232 is a very nice gun as well, a bit pricier than the others listed here. It has pretty much all the drawbacks of the other guns I was looking at (limited stopping power, and a small trigger guard that I can't fit with gloves on), but it is a lot more difficult to conceal. It does fit the hand a little easier being a bit bigger and has the nice double/single trigger pull.
Compared with KelTec, a relatively new name in the firearms world, I decided that I liked the idea of having a big name like Ruger behind my gun. It's also nice to see that Ruger is making their guns right at my back door in Prescott, AZ (I'm located in Flagstaff for now). The Smith and Wesson J frame is a toss up really. I liked it very much but in the long run I decided the LCP is a more concealable gun.
I will carry my LCP at work (McDonald's) because our uniforms don't lend themselves to concealing a larger firearm. I do have my AZ CCW and the particular franchise I work doesn't have a weapons policy. In AZ you don't have to ask to carry a weapon, but you must disarm yourself if the management should request. They're never going to request because my LCP is about impossible to spot in my pocket holster.
I do wish that the LCP came with night sights - the "night fighter" S&W, and the Sig offer night sights. I had considered a Kahr since they do make good stuff but they were hard to find and I wanted to get a decent little carry gun in a bit of a hurry - I worry that the future is uncertain for our right to keep and bear arms.
Price was not a factor in my decision. I think I paid a little more than a KelTec for the Ruger but again, I wanted the big name.
I am currently carrying it without having it broken in. I plan to shoot it at first opportunity as it is not a good idea to carry a gun that hasn't been broken in. I did already break it down to clean and oil it and was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to do so. I plan on a magazine grip extension because my fingers don't fit totally comfortably with the magazine supplied.
The LCP carries nicely, holds well in my hand for a pocket pistol and I have high hopes that it will be decently accurate. My dad once upon a time carried an early generation Beretta Tomcat and I found it to be surprisingly easy to shoot out around 7 yards or so.
Price was not a serious factor. I wanted to keep it under $600 when I was looking. I paid $319 plus tax for my LCP. It is the upgraded serial number - 371 prefix. At present it is loaded with the Federal 90 grain HydraShok ammunition. I didn't do a lot of research on .380 ammo and HydraShok is usually a good bet in just about any caliber. I steered away from the CorBon because it has a reputation for sometimes causing trouble in little recoil operated pocket pistols.
Well, those are my thoughts on the matter. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Now I slip the little LCP in my home-made mousepad pocket holster when ever I go out at night regardless of the season.
threepdr,
a mousepad holster 8) I wouldn't of thought of that - got the wheels turning.
Love to see a picture of it if you get around to it
threepdr,
a mousepad holster 8) I wouldn't of thought of that - got the wheels turning.
Love to see a picture of it if you get around to it
I use gray area for lack of a better term as my work is clearly not an appropriate place to carry openly when there is no weapons policy. The federal gun free school zones technically extend 1000' from school premises. I pass through an area that is 1000' from a school on my way home from work every day. Am I allowed to carry there? Well it's a serious gray area. Not wishing to be hassled, it's nicer to just carry a concealed gun rather than carrying openly.
Beyond that, I have no other reason to carry a concealed firearm. Open carry is my preference by far. That is just my own personal thing though...
Beyond that, I have no other reason to carry a concealed firearm. Open carry is my preference by far.
That is just my own personal thing though...
Check the actual law on federal gun free school zones; like I said, there are many exceptions and loop holes. For example, the 1994 Federal Gun-Free School Zones act allows for anyone holding a State issued CCW which requires a background check to carry within that zone in accordance to State laws and regulations.cdg said:I use gray area for lack of a better term as my work is clearly not an appropriate place to carry openly when there is no weapons policy. The federal gun free school zones technically extend 1000' from school premises. I pass through an area that is 1000' from a school on my way home from work every day. Am I allowed to carry there? Well it's a serious gray area. Not wishing to be hassled, it's nicer to just carry a concealed gun rather than carrying openly.
Beyond that, I have no other reason to carry a concealed firearm. Open carry is my preference by far.
If you take the time to look into gun laws, they aren't usually AS restrictive as you think at first glance. But of course, that's not something that is commonly known because most of the population is unaffected by those laws. So "common knowledge gun laws" really end up being very misunderstood. Your situation is a perfect example. Or take machine guns or hand granedes; ask 10 random people and I'd bet 9 or 10 will tell you hand grenades are illegal to posess and 8 or 9 will tell you machine guns are illegal. That is due to the preception of the law, not the actual interpretation of the law (where both are legal to own within limitations). Don't misunderstand this as an arguement about validity of those laws; that is a different topic entirely... and also entirely opinion based (as case-law is really the only solid proof-test for validity of laws on the books; not what Joe Snuffy thinks or interprets it to be).
My personal opinion on open carry is that it doesn't belong in any populated area; you draw unwanted attention to yourself, and give up one of the most substantial factors of carrying concealed... the fact that no one knows you are carrying. Someone walks into the same place of business you're in with a gun in hand, sees you standing there with a pistol holstered... guess who's going to die? YOU. Since by law, you can't pull your pistol out on anyone you think is sus.p.i.cious, you're already at a disadvantage (you can only react, you can't be proactive); the bad guy is many many times more likely to already have his weapon in his hand. You're starting the game already behind the power curve: readily identifying yourself as a threat only makes matters worse. True, there MAY be a slight deterrent factor, and there is a chance the guy in question won't even notice you, but I think in most situations it won't be an issue. It is a lot easier to assess and control a situation when you know the variables. Which, is one reason that concealed carry was outlawed so many years ago... it was seen as shady and unscrupulous; not fighting fair. Of course, weather or not that changed anything is highly debatable. Anyway, exercise your rights as you desire, but if you'd like some free advise... steer clear of open carry in urban areas; concealed is almost always a better option.
Everybody has different thoughts and that's what makes it a neat discussion. Maybe we can take this discussion to one of the other sub forums on here.
Maybe we can take this discussion to one of the other sub forums on here.
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