LC9 and LCR feedback, please

[Mindflayer]

I currently carry a Airweight 642 as my summer pocket carry. It's a great firearms - reliable, hides in my front cargo short pockets just fine, and eats .38 Special, which is ubiquitous. The downside is that it kicks. I don't care what anyone says, an Airweight does have harsh recoil. Now, I am used to the .38 non-+P and can even shoot a box of +P, but it's not always fun. My friends that got me into shooting - guys that have been shooting for 20 years and are substantially bigger than me - do not like shooting the Airweight at all. My fiancée will shoot about one or two cylinders and absolutely done.

I have read that the Ruger LCR shoots a bit lighter than the Airweights due to the polymer frame and the Hogue grip. Anyone have experience with both? I also like the trigger on the LCR. It's sweet.

I am also looking at the LC9. It's flatter, so will hide in jeans better, more rounds, and shoots the 9mm. I have dry fired one, and that trigger pull is loooong. Any feedback on recoil, handling, and other impressions?

Asking VGF members since most gun sites are filled with macho-wannabes (I SHOOT .454 CASULL OUT OF MY AIRWEIGHT AND THE RECOIL IS FINE!), fanboys (GO $MAKE or GTFO!), mall ninjas (I CARRY A FLAME THROWER ON MY SEGWAY AND IT FITS IN MY POCKET FINE), and idiots. Looking for sane, reasoned opinions.

[tursiops]

My range visits always include a 642, an M&P9c, a Taurus 709 and a 738. Sometimes a 1911 45 or a Hi-Standard 22..
Frankly, I like the 642 the least, both kick and accuracy, but I feel like I ought to have a revolver!

For fun/comfort/kick my preferences run M&P, 709, 738, 642.
I held a LCR and bought the 642 instead.
I shot a LCP and bought the 738 instead.
The LC9 didn't exist when I bought my 709; I probably like the 709 trigger better, as a guess.

[Jakeiscrazy]

I haven't shot an LCR but I have put several hundred rounds through a relative's LC9. It's a nice size and the recoil is manageable (much more so than the LCP) the mag release so out of the way and the gun feel good in the hand but the trigger pull makes everything harder. It slows your rate of fire and by about the third rapid shot I start to wander off target. Definitively something you can overcome with trigger time though.

As for carrying it, he carries in a Kholster(crossbreed tuckable style). Next time I see him I'll ask if he has tried pocket carry.

I could be wrong but doesn't the LC9 weigh a good bit more than and LCR?

[Mindflayer]

LC9 bare: 17.10 oz
LC9 w/laser: 17.60 oz
LCR bare: 13.50 oz
LCR CT: 13.00 oz
Airweight: 15.00 oz

The LC9 does weigh more than the LCR. The tradeoff is that the revolvers are thicker - the cylinder does print in jeans. I normally wear a sleeved shirt untucked which covers the pocket, but in the summer, t-shirts won't be as much cover. (Then again, if I am wearing my long sleeved shirts, I usually carry my 9mm XDM.)

Five (5) rounds of .38 Special will add about 2.29 oz to the revolvers.
Eight (8) rounds of 9mm will add about 3.30 oz to the LC9.

[Palladin]

I didn't find the LCR pleasant to shoot. I'm sure it gets the job done, but a box of 50 through it gave me a sore fingernail. Haven't shot the other two you listed OP.

[TJB63]

FWIW,
I have both, I bought the LCR when they first came out to replace my S&W 637 which I also found to have extremely harsh recoil and I could'nt hit the target from 7 yards away, The Ruger is definately a nicer gun in that regard and the Houge tamer grip makes a difference.(I can actually hit my target now) While the LCR trigger is the nicest factory one I've shot, my Buddy has a a S&W 642 and had a trigger job done to it, It is much better than my LCR or 637.

Since I'm not much of a Revolver guy and prefer the Autos, I bought a Kel-Tec PF9 a few years back as my main EDC, I never could get it to function thru a magazine without some kind of a Jam, Rounds Nosediving into the magazine etc.. Instead I sold it and bought a LC9 to replace it with, The LC9 has been 100% with zero problems and has now become my EDC - I tried to like the Kel-Tec as I think it has a better trigger than the LC9, But nothing I did would make it reliable, I finally got Kel-Tec to send me a New Magazine and the little I shot it, seemed to have fixed the problem, But I didn't keep it long enough to know for sure and to be fair to Kel-Tec I also own their P3AT and P11 and have never had any problems with either, I was told it was 'Limpwristing' which I think is a term most people throw out when they have no clue, I own numerous Polymer Frame pistols (Which tend to be more prone to limpwristing than Steel Frames) in any event I've never had any issues with any of them like I did with the PF9 and I've even owned a 1st Gen Glock 17 since they were for sale in the USA - In the end I think I just got a lemon as I know others with PF9's that are 100% satisfied.

In the end, I like Both the LCR & the LC9 alot and even occasionally carry the LCR, but mostly it's just a bedside gun that goes out and gets shot occasionally.

Either one I don't think you could go wrong with, The LC9 is loaded with Safety features that allow it to be sold in all 50 States, that turns off quite a few folks, But I've never had any issues with them interferring with being able to fire the gun. I find it funny that those that complain about the manual safety of the LC9 are the same ones that were crying they would never own a Glock because it lacked a manual safety, These type people are never Happy even if they won the Powerball and were set for life. In the end it comes down to what you are comfortable with and find easy to use.

I say get both and enjoy them.

TJB

[Tweaker]

I currently carry a Airweight 642 as my summer pocket carry. It's a great firearms - reliable, hides in my front cargo short pockets just fine, and eats .38 Special, which is ubiquitous. The downside is that it kicks. I don't care what anyone says, an Airweight does have harsh recoil. Now, I am used to the .38 non-+P and can even shoot a box of +P, but it's not always fun. My friends that got me into shooting - guys that have been shooting for 20 years and are substantially bigger than me - do not like shooting the Airweight at all. My fiancée will shoot about one or two cylinders and absolutely done.

I also don't like shooting +P in the LCR or PF9, but I do it for confidence in my carry load. It ain't 'apposed to be pleasureable, at least not more so than being gang raped by Tyrese and his set.

I have read that the Ruger LCR shoots a bit lighter than the Airweights due to the polymer frame and the Hogue grip. Anyone have experience with both? I also like the trigger on the LCR. It's sweet.

I agree with all of the above, and own both. I have fooled around with reloads from Harry Ried weak sauce to Pelosi on PMS stiff and the load power makes for all the difference. I am going to be carrying near std pressure loads going forward, at least with the PF9. That gun nearly wants to jump out of my hands in +P I can hit accurately with both, but only with maximum concentration. For that reason, I have da beamses on both. (Crimson Trace)

As far as LCR grips, the std grip is terrific, but had to be removed to make way for the Crimson Trace laser grips. The CR grips are markedly less pleasant as they are harder and smaller.

I am also looking at the LC9. It's flatter, so will hide in jeans better, more rounds, and shoots the 9mm. I have dry fired one, and that trigger pull is loooong. Any feedback on recoil, handling, and other impressions?

It is a Kel Tec PF9 like trigger because...it IS a Kel Tec PF9. It barks and is not fun with recoil.

Asking VGF members since most gun sites are filled with macho-wannabes (I SHOOT .454 CASULL OUT OF MY AIRWEIGHT AND THE RECOIL IS FINE!), fanboys (GO $MAKE or GTFO!), mall ninjas (I CARRY A FLAME THROWER ON MY SEGWAY AND IT FITS IN MY POCKET FINE), and idiots. Looking for sane, reasoned opinions.

[Tweaker]

From TJB - "I never could get it to function thru a magazine without some kind of a Jam, Rounds Nosediving into the magazine etc.. Instead I sold it and bought a LC9 to replace it with, The LC9 has been 100% with zero problems and has now become my EDC - I tried to like the Kel-Tec as I think it has a better trigger than the LC9, But nothing I did would make it reliable, I finally got Kel-Tec to send me a New Magazine and the little I shot it, seemed to have fixed the problem, "

I had the same experience. Without letting anyone know, KT claimed they know about the mag follower being the cause of such nose dive on feed. They sent me 5 new mag followers gratis. Now I only get nose dives with my shitty cast lead boolits that I leave even the nose of the boolit covered in loob.

[Mindflayer]

I shot the LC9 today. It's a world of comfort nicer to shoot than the S&W 642. It is noticeably heavier, and it would not work with pocket holster in my jeans. An IWB clip would work, probably - it's very thin at 0.9". Unsure about my cargo shorts.

On the other hand, I did just buy (10 minutes ago) a Pistol Wear PF-2 (http://www.pistolwear.com/ProductDetail ... 1496070781) for wearing when I run. I started thinking... which is always a bad thing.

So what I am thinking is that the Springfield XDS is an 1" thick and 21oz unloaded. Yup, that .45 ACP is gonna be heavy. But you know, I am trying to get a good workout in....

[Mindflayer]

I shot the LC9 today. It's a world of comfort nicer to shoot than the S&W 642. It is noticeably heavier, and it would not work with pocket holster in my jeans. An IWB clip would work, probably - it's very thin at 0.9". Unsure about my cargo shorts.

On the other hand, I did just buy (10 minutes ago) a Pistol Wear PF-2 (http://www.pistolwear.com/ProductDetail ... 1496070781) for wearing when I run. I started thinking... which is always a bad thing.

So what I am thinking is that the Springfield XDS is an 1" thick and 21oz unloaded. Yup, that .45 ACP is gonna be heavy. But you know, I am trying to get a good workout in....

[38superfan]

I just bought an LCR .357 and shot it for the first time on Monday (Paid $450). My wife likes the fit, and she likes the weight.

I like the revolver and I have no qualms about carrying it IWB or in a pocket. The trigger is a bit stiff, but that's a revolver for you. The gun is quite a bear to shoot when loaded with .357, but it's a joy to shoot with .38 Special and .38 Special +P. I shot 100 .357 Remington 125 gr JHP and did not like it one bit. Shooting .38's the gun was very accurate (or I should say I was!) at the 10-15 yards that I was shooting. I shot about 100 .38 target loads and 50 +p loads. Shooting one-handed at 10 yds I was able to shoot better groups than shooting with a two handed grip.

After shooting 100 .357 rounds through the LCR, I see no reason to ever load it up with .357 again. It's just that nasty! We could have saved a few dollars and got the LCR in .38, but my wife liked the weight of the gun as the frame is heavier.

Interesting note: I shot the LCR at an indoor range and I'd already ran through about 50 .38 Special rounds. I'd placed the shells in a little tray to my left. When I shot the first few .357 rounds, all of the shells bounced out of the tray and into the center of the counter! The little hog leg goes BOOM when you shoot .357.

After breaking in the LCR, I shot about 150 rounds through my XD45c which has around 2,000 rds through it by now. It was like slicing warm butter with a hot knife in July! What a difference. I was shooting handloads...185gr Nosler CC JHP over 5.0 gr of Bullseye. Fun!