On my next purchase, I plan to buy an LC9 to add to my collection. I see it as a good all-around pistol, not only for CC but for availability and price of ammo. I think it'll really be best for hot weather carry. Any one that can help me with first-hand experience with this pistol would be appreciated. All the reviews I read are good, so I think it's a good choice for a small pistol.
Ruger lc9
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bootsdeal I picked up an LC9 right after they came out. I did have a few problems. My Hammer Catch Spring failed and I had to send it off to Ruger. I also, was concerned that my slide was too loose. Ruger sent me another pistol. The slide is still loose (in my opinion), not like my SR9c. The trigger pull is long. It's supposed to be since it's a DA only pistol not Striker Fired. If you're familiar with shooting revolvers you shouldn't have any problem with this. I will say the trigger pull on mine is real smooth. If they will let you, where you're looking at buying your LC9, dry fire it with the magazine in place. This way you can decide for yourself if the trigger pull is for you or not. I think the LC9 was designed for what their customers were looking for. The Ruger LCP was out there and a big success. People were asking for a small 9mm. It only makes sense that Ruger would design the LC9 around the LCP. I believe the LC9 is a great concealed carry weapon and I carry either it or my SR9c every day. I'm completely confident in this pistol. Good luck...when it comes down to it you still have to make the final decision. 
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114 Posts
Are you use to a an extra long double action only trigger??? I have to ask this because the trigger has a very long pull to it at just over an inch from rest to when the weapon fires.
On mine the front sight was also pinned in the wrong postion making it shoot to the left more then 3 inches. It was a pain to get it centered since the roll pin had to be driven out and the hole had to be enlarged slightly then I had to loctite the sight back into place.
Also mine shot more then 5 inches low at 16 feet and it got worse further out. This is well below any center mass bullet placement in a self defense situation. The only fix for mine was to shave the front sight down to about 1/4 its original size.
I hope you like Magazine disconnects because it has one. It is fairly easy to remove but you have to dissasemble the weapon to remove it. This makes the weapon unable to fire if you have a round in the chamber but accidentally bump the mag release button.
The triggers on them are also pretty gritty feeling. I had to do some work on the trigger system and the firing pin blocker and blocker springs to get rid of the gritty feel even after many rounds.
Mine also had an issue with different manufacturers of rounds. Light strikes on the primers. This is a no no in a self defense situation.
Last was the bluing came off the side of the slide on mine from just giving it a rub down with Hoppes lubricating oil and weatherguard. Side did replace the slide for me on that one though.
I don't trust mine any more. It will stay in the safe and be used for plinking and training my kids on safe handling. My new Sig P 938 extreme has replace my LC9 in my holster.
On mine the front sight was also pinned in the wrong postion making it shoot to the left more then 3 inches. It was a pain to get it centered since the roll pin had to be driven out and the hole had to be enlarged slightly then I had to loctite the sight back into place.
Also mine shot more then 5 inches low at 16 feet and it got worse further out. This is well below any center mass bullet placement in a self defense situation. The only fix for mine was to shave the front sight down to about 1/4 its original size.
I hope you like Magazine disconnects because it has one. It is fairly easy to remove but you have to dissasemble the weapon to remove it. This makes the weapon unable to fire if you have a round in the chamber but accidentally bump the mag release button.
The triggers on them are also pretty gritty feeling. I had to do some work on the trigger system and the firing pin blocker and blocker springs to get rid of the gritty feel even after many rounds.
Mine also had an issue with different manufacturers of rounds. Light strikes on the primers. This is a no no in a self defense situation.
Last was the bluing came off the side of the slide on mine from just giving it a rub down with Hoppes lubricating oil and weatherguard. Side did replace the slide for me on that one though.
I don't trust mine any more. It will stay in the safe and be used for plinking and training my kids on safe handling. My new Sig P 938 extreme has replace my LC9 in my holster.
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114 Posts
Are you use to a an extra long double action only trigger??? I have to ask this because the trigger has a very long pull to it at just over an inch from rest to when the weapon fires.
On mine the front sight was also pinned in the wrong postion making it shoot to the left more then 3 inches. It was a pain to get it centered since the roll pin had to be driven out and the hole had to be enlarged slightly then I had to loctite the sight back into place.
Also mine shot more then 5 inches low at 16 feet and it got worse further out. This is well below any center mass bullet placement in a self defense situation. The only fix for mine was to shave the front sight down to about 1/4 its original size.
I hope you like Magazine disconnects because it has one. It is fairly easy to remove but you have to dissasemble the weapon to remove it. This makes the weapon unable to fire if you have a round in the chamber but accidentally bump the mag release button.
The triggers on them are also pretty gritty feeling. I had to do some work on the trigger system and the firing pin blocker and blocker springs to get rid of the gritty feel even after many rounds.
Mine also had an issue with different manufacturers of rounds. Light strikes on the primers. This is a no no in a self defense situation.
Last was the bluing came off the side of the slide on mine from just giving it a rub down with Hoppes lubricating oil and weatherguard. Side did replace the slide for me on that one though.
I don't trust mine any more. It will stay in the safe and be used for plinking and training my kids on safe handling. My new Sig P 938 extreme has replace my LC9 in my holster.
On mine the front sight was also pinned in the wrong postion making it shoot to the left more then 3 inches. It was a pain to get it centered since the roll pin had to be driven out and the hole had to be enlarged slightly then I had to loctite the sight back into place.
Also mine shot more then 5 inches low at 16 feet and it got worse further out. This is well below any center mass bullet placement in a self defense situation. The only fix for mine was to shave the front sight down to about 1/4 its original size.
I hope you like Magazine disconnects because it has one. It is fairly easy to remove but you have to dissasemble the weapon to remove it. This makes the weapon unable to fire if you have a round in the chamber but accidentally bump the mag release button.
The triggers on them are also pretty gritty feeling. I had to do some work on the trigger system and the firing pin blocker and blocker springs to get rid of the gritty feel even after many rounds.
Mine also had an issue with different manufacturers of rounds. Light strikes on the primers. This is a no no in a self defense situation.
Last was the bluing came off the side of the slide on mine from just giving it a rub down with Hoppes lubricating oil and weatherguard. Side did replace the slide for me on that one though.
I don't trust mine any more. It will stay in the safe and be used for plinking and training my kids on safe handling. My new Sig P 938 extreme has replace my LC9 in my holster.
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118 Posts
You can search here for 'My LC9 Customer Service Experience' to read my 6 month ordeal with Ruger.
That being said, I now have over 800 rounds through gun #3 and all is well . . . I guess it's like anything else that you buy today, sometimes you get a lemon . . .
Regarding complaints about the 'long' trigger pull, I just took two people to the range this past weekend that had never fired a handgun in their life. I started them off on an old Ruger Mark l .22 cal. then moved to a snubnose .38, an M&P9c and then the LC9. Guess which one they liked shooting the best?
The Mark l followed by the LC9. I would have thought they'd like my M&P because it has a sweet trigger but they didn't!
By the way, since it was their 1st time out I spent about 2 hours with them going over gun safety, mechanics of the guns and safe operation etc. BEFORE going to the range.
Many times I have seen experienced shooters trying to teach new shooters everything they have to know while at the range. IMHO this should all be covered beforehand so as not to overwhelm the newbies.
That being said, I now have over 800 rounds through gun #3 and all is well . . . I guess it's like anything else that you buy today, sometimes you get a lemon . . .
Regarding complaints about the 'long' trigger pull, I just took two people to the range this past weekend that had never fired a handgun in their life. I started them off on an old Ruger Mark l .22 cal. then moved to a snubnose .38, an M&P9c and then the LC9. Guess which one they liked shooting the best?
The Mark l followed by the LC9. I would have thought they'd like my M&P because it has a sweet trigger but they didn't!
By the way, since it was their 1st time out I spent about 2 hours with them going over gun safety, mechanics of the guns and safe operation etc. BEFORE going to the range.
Many times I have seen experienced shooters trying to teach new shooters everything they have to know while at the range. IMHO this should all be covered beforehand so as not to overwhelm the newbies.
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1,488 Posts
It has a long trigger pull, true. Comparable to a double action revolver. But for a pistol designed with CCW in mind I see that as a positive. If you face an intense situation where you have to resort to a gun for self defense, you don't want some light trigger action that may lead to a discharge because you are under severe stress. The LC9 aint gonna fire unless you decide it is time.
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1,377 Posts
I've had my LC9 for a year and love it. I have 700+ trouble-free rounds through it. The trigger was gritty at first, but smoothed out at about 150 rounds. I can easily get 3" groups at seven yards freehand, slow-fire. Mine groups POI at POA.
It has become my CCW of choice since its initial 200 round break-in.
It has become my CCW of choice since its initial 200 round break-in.
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1,115 Posts
Bootsdeal , Like I said before and from reading most all these posts it's a great little gun. I know at least ten people in my group of friends who have a LC9 and love them and trust them 100%.
The trigger is not hard to get a feel for at all most people get it very quickly. Mine can hit 8in steel plates at 7 to 10 yards all day long. I have carried mine in a parker holster every day for two years.
Good luck and have fun !
The trigger is not hard to get a feel for at all most people get it very quickly. Mine can hit 8in steel plates at 7 to 10 yards all day long. I have carried mine in a parker holster every day for two years.
Good luck and have fun !
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250 Posts
I like the Lc9 that I purchased last year but my wife liked it more once she had a chance to shoot it. The trigger pull on the Lc9 and LCP are very subjective to me because I started out with S&W K, N and J frame revolver's. I even carried a frame M-64 on duty for about six year's so the LCP and Lc9 triggers feel normal to me.
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108 Posts
The LC9 is my first handgun and reading some of this makes me a little nervous. I've read so many positive reviews of the LC9 and picked mine up for 299 -- figured it was a no-brainer. Now I'm wondering if I made a big mistake, considering I'm not an experienced shooter.
I know that lots of practice is critical and I'm up for it but are there any tips for this longer trigger pull? Just be patient and get used to it?
Yikes. Now wondering if I should have picked up the LCR instead. LC9 buyer's remorse?!!
I know that lots of practice is critical and I'm up for it but are there any tips for this longer trigger pull? Just be patient and get used to it?
Yikes. Now wondering if I should have picked up the LCR instead. LC9 buyer's remorse?!!
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900 Posts
You will either love or hate the LC9. I have noticed after around 1000+ rounds that the trigger has smoothed out nicely. I also would not change anything about it since it operates the way it was intended. The long trigger pull is supposed to be there. The only issue I've ever had with mine is the occasional bump of the mag release while shooting but that hasn't been a problem in quite a while.
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1,115 Posts
You will be fine, practice and know your gun , the trigger was made to have a long pull because it's a carry gun. Not sure why people complain about it. If it was a target pistol that would be different . Just shoot it !
Don't pay much attention to some of the rants you see .. Most all people will agree it's a great little gun. There's not many perfect guns out there. I have over 1000 rounds through mine.
Enjoy your LC9 and just shoot it.
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16 Posts
I got my lc9 from a friend he didnt like the trigger , i got used to it very quickly. I carry mine every day in a pocket holster. Or a iwb . The pocket holder i like for summer carry i tuck it in the waist band of my shorts and carry it all day long. I have shot the shield and yes it is a nice gun. The lc9 has been coming down in price i believe because of the shield. My lc9 has had zero failures and shoots all ammo, now its not a great range gun but for ccw to me its right at the top.
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64 Posts
I had a LC9 for a year, loved it, it always fired and was easy to carry. Trusted it 100%. Right up to the point I handled a S&W Shield. The Shield IMHO is a far better pistol, just as easy to carry as the LC9 and is everything the LC9 wants to be.
Try to shoot both if you can, then go with which one you like best. Both are great guns.
Try to shoot both if you can, then go with which one you like best. Both are great guns.
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114 Posts
A carry gun does not need a 1+ inch long trigger pull. The Shield doesn't have a super long trigger pull and it was designed as a carry weapon.
The Sig P 238 and P 938 are both carry weapons and don't have super long trigger pulls.
Also just because it is a double action doesn't mean it has to have a long pull to it either and that has been proven with the Galloway mods to the trigger system.
A 1+ inch long trigger pull makes this weapon no more safe then a similar sized weapon with a 1/2 or shorter trigger pull.
Another thing is the mag disconnect. A weapon does not have to have a feature that dissables the trigger simply because there is no magazine install in the grip.
Further more, no weapon needs a blade ticking up on top of the rail just to tell a person the weapon is loaded. Each and every weapon should be treated as loaded until the chamber has been properly checked.
I bought the LC9 thinking it would be a nice carry weapon. After owning it for awhile, I have come to the conclusion that it is nothing more then a lawyered up POS mess. Also a person should not have to run a 1000 rounds through a weapon before it starts to behave. That gets spendy and takes time. Save your money and time and get something that doesn't need 100s to a 1000 rounds run through it before it starts to behave properly.
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108 Posts
Right you are!
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