Ruger LC380 first shots

Picked up an LC380 at the Tyler Gun Show last weekend for $350 and today is my first chance to go shoot it. I got it primarily as a demo and rental gun for my basic handgun and CHL classes for ladies to use. The promise was light recoil and an easy to retract slide with a reasonable size grip. I had read on some forums about magazine problems, but I have always had good luck with the many Ruger firearms I have owned.

I ran 100 rounds of 100 grain cast bullet ammo that I reloaded through it. It shoots to point of aim, the recoil is very light, and the slide is very easy to rack compared to any other semi-auto I have shot. I had one misfeed at about round 7 or 8. The lead bullet caught and didn't go fully into the chamber. No other misfeeds. One time the magazine dropped after the first round was fired. Not sure if i didn't get it fully seated or if it actually released. That was one of the complaints I read about, that a tight grip tends to put downward pressure on the magazine extension and it comes unlatched with recoil. That was at about round 20 and it never happened again.

With a few more rounds through it, I will see if these were just new tight gun anomalies or persistent problems. The gun has some features that make it a good teaching tool: obvious loaded chamber indicator, safety lever (not ambi), magazine safety, and the one I like best, the slide won't drop merely using the slide release button. When the slide locks back after going empty and a loaded magazine is inserted, the slide must be racked in order for it to go into battery.

I stopped at 100 rounds because it was already 97 degrees and it wasn't 11 AM yet. I will shoot a hundred or so jacketed rounds through it next weekend, again reloads. I think it's going to be a winner. My wife says it shoots easier than her LCP, less recoil, easier slide, and easier to grip. But then again, it is bigger than an LCP.

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