Ruger LCP Questions including ammo choice

[Ozarkian62]

Folks,
I'm a new member. (hi). I'm hoping someone can advise me on an ammo question. My carry gun is a Ruger LCP in my pocket. I recently ordered a bunch of ammo from Cabelas. It's backordered of course.

Bottom line - I wasn't thinking hard when I ordered it. For personal defense, I ordered some Hornady TAP-FPD (.380 ACP of course). It's +p.

I checked my owner's manual and +p ammo is not advised. Should I change the order to something else? Is this a big deal or are they just covering their bases and being conservative? I don't want to age the gun unnecessarily and I sure don't want some kind of catastrophic failure at the worst time imaginable.

thanks - Kevin

 

[Fleetman]

I carry 90 gr +P's in mine but limit practicing with them. In all I've probably only fired 100 +P's through mine. There are test articles by gunwriters that have fired +P's with apparently no adverse affect. There is a marked increase in recoil with +P's...I recommend the finger extension mag.

Mine is a regular carry item and just recently added a CT sight and GunWorks IWB holster.....nice rig and weighs next to nothing. I also use a Desanti pocket holster at times.

.380 ammo is becoming more available and I've had good luck recently at gun shows and locals.....Carters Country, Thunder Range, and others.

 

[navyguy]

You might want to do a little internet research on the subject of .380 as a defense round. There are many that advise shooting FMJ rather than JHP due to the limited penetration of the round. I have no personal experince with that, and currently don't own a .380, but have seen some discussions on the subject, and it kind of makes sense to me.

 

[ROGER4314]

I've been carrying 2 Keltec P3AT's and a Ruger LCP for about 5 years. The Ruger came along a year or two after the Keltecs. Fortunately, I got my pistols at a time when .380 ammo was common and cheap so I was able to experiment extensively with factory loads. I bought everything I could get my hands on and tried all of them.

The three pistols are a bit fussy about their ammo and when they're not happy, you will get failure to feed, failure to go into battery or failure to eject. Please check anything you purchase carefully considering the purpose of the pistol. I did not "Fluff and Buff" any of the three. They are exactly as purchased. I found no difference in the likes/dislikes of the Keltecs and the Ruger.

The top performing ammo in all of the three is Federal Personal Defense 90 grain Hydra Shok JHP. The ammo has never malfunctioned in any of the pistols and is designed as a carry round.

The worst performer? Wolf. My records state: "Do NOT use this ammo in this pistol!"

Regarding the effectiveness of the .380 as a defense round: Read all that you want and accept or reject what you hear. As for me......I darn sure wouldn't want to be hit with one!

Flash

 

[DRod]

I have the 90grn Hydras, Golddots and the heavy Golden Sabers for my defensive LCP rounds. and I have video PROOF that Wolf is deep fried horse crap.

 

[Seabear1500]

My LCP has never failed and is not picky at all. I would advise against +P just to be on the safe side. I currently use Critical Defense ammo, and also have used and like the Corbon DPX. Like mentioned above, just make sure whatever you use functions well.

 

[DRod]

If your LCP has never failed, then you have never fired steel cased Wolf through it.

 

[Texas42]

Folks,
I'm a new member. (hi). I'm hoping someone can advise me on an ammo question. My carry gun is a Ruger LCP in my pocket. I recently ordered a bunch of ammo from Cabelas. It's backordered of course.

Bottom line - I wasn't thinking hard when I ordered it. For personal defense, I ordered some Hornady TAP-FPD (.380 ACP of course). It's +p.

I checked my owner's manual and +p ammo is not advised. Should I change the order to something else? Is this a big deal or are they just covering their bases and being conservative? I don't want to age the gun unnecessarily and I sure don't want some kind of catastrophic failure at the worst time imaginable.

thanks - Kevin

Does your manual say "Don't use "+p or to the effect of "don't use it a lot?"

If your manual specifically states not to use it, then don't. Even with guns that are rated for +p, it isn't always a good idea to feed it +p and +p+ day after day. it will wear the gun faster. If you have just a couple hundred defensive rounds, then I wouldn't worry about it. If you have 500 or 1k +p round for plinking, then I'd certainly consider ordering something else.

I've been looking for Hornady's critical defense myself. Some people say that FMJ's are better in those really short barrels. I'm really not convinced either way. I really wouldn't expect the HP's to expand a lot with the lower muzzle velocity. . . and then you basically have a FMJ.

 

[Ozarkian62]

Thanks folks. I changed the order and dropped the high pressure ammo for the lcp.

In reply to some of the comments:
1. I'm new to this but do practice. I've done alot of reading as well on the suitability of .380 for self defense. It'll do in a pinch. I also have a .45 1911 (kimber tactical entry). That's protection for the home invasions that go on down here in DFW, travelling, and so on.

2. Not doubting what anyone says about reliability of some ammo in their LCP. I will say, I haven't had any problems - but I haven't tried a wide variety. I will thoroughly test whatever I use to carry.

Thanks again - Kevin

 

[angel71rs]

I like to keep an eye on the 380 availability thread on KTOG. Also lots of ammo testing threads there.

KTOG Forum - .380 ammo availablity posts here

Some online places will have stuff once in a while, but you have to jump on it quick. Right now ammotogo has DPX in stock. Testing by guys on KTOG makes this a current favorite on there.

HOLLOW POINT Ammo : Ammunition To Go

I've had good luck finding WWB for practice at Academy. Would also suggest that you polish the feed ramp on your LCP if you haven't yet. I did this on my P-3AT and it has been flawless with WWB, Federal AE, Corbon JHP, and Speer Gold Dots.

 

[Maxpower]

My LCP has never failed and is not picky at all. I would advise against +P just to be on the safe side. I currently use Critical Defense ammo, and also have used and like the Corbon DPX. Like mentioned above, just make sure whatever you use functions well.

same here, no problems with a lot of different brands. there is plenty available online for $17 - 19 box. just got another 5 boxes from ATG yesterday

 

[Texas42]

same here, no problems with a lot of different brands. there is plenty available online for $17 - 19 box. just got another 5 boxes from ATG yesterday

Huh. I still can't find 380 auto.

 

[Maxpower]

Huh. I still can't find 380 auto.

[url]http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=ZYSBA00381[/URL]

[url]http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/index.php/cName/380-auto-fmj-ammo[/URL]

[url]http://wrigleyammo.com/catalogammunition/handgun-ammunition-auto-c-25_29.html?osCsid=7a8ec2fbcf57fdec6529a7de5395b7c7[/URL]

 

[ftw13]

i wouldn't touch a 380 because of the ammo situation,i got rid of my sig 232 just because i couldn't find ammo to shoot. im not paying 40-50 bucks for a box of fmj 380 screw that

 

[Ozarkian62]

Re: "i wouldn't touch a 380 because of the ammo situation"

I got mine (LCP) at a gun show in Fort Worth summer of '08. At the time there was plenty of ammo.

If I had to do it again, I'd get a small .45, perhaps the compact springfield SD, for a ccw. I've about decided that IWB holster carry is (in my humble and inexperienced opinion) more advantageous for fast access in a dire emergency than the pocket I've been using. I might do it anyway.
I can and may carry my .45 1911 at times, but I'm somewhat new to ccw and am not fully comfortable (in spite of reading many assurances online) knowing that something that big is going to stay totally hidden no matter how I sit or move unless I wear some kind of baggy tent-like sweatshirt. I got the .45 1911 for several reasons having nothing to do w/ ccw but they'd get me way off topic right here and now. Let's just say that the current set of folks at the top very clearly have no respect for the constitution and I got while the getting was good. I picked it hoping for long term value, reliability, that it would last me a lifetime, and that I could still trade food or liquor for parts and ammo in a post apocolyptic future. (just kidding, well, not entirely). I've officially digressed so this post is complete.

-Kevin