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ADRidge
MemberPosts: 173 Member
Does anyone else here own an LC9?
ADRidge
MemberPosts: 173 Member
I've got a few thoughts and a few questions I thought I'd put out there regarding this gun. I first got to play with this gun about 3 months ago at the range. My initial impressions were that the size was perfect for a carry gun... the dimensions are almost identical to a Bersa Thunder, which is about as small a gun as I can comfortably shoot well without too much thought. The sights are pretty good, especially for a gun that small, the safety is a nice touch (and it moves the right way!) and even the loaded chamber indicator is a nice touch. But that trigger... man, that trigger was horrible the first time I got to play with it.
We were looking for a gun for my girlfriend to carry, and that was one of our rentals. I think I shot a mag or two through it and put it away. I hadn't shot in a while, and that trigger felt like it was a mile long. All my groups were one big vertical string about 4-6" high at 5 yards. I kept pulling and pulling, and it felt like that trigger would never break! We decided to pass on that one and quickly moved on.
Well, fast forward three months and about 1,000 rounds of ammo fired at lunch and on my days off through various guns. I revisited the LC9 a few weeks ago, traumatized by the experience of carrying a G23 IWB while walking around a festival for six hours. My back and hips were screaming at me, and I decided I might need a smaller, lighter carry gun. In the past three months working at an indoor gun range, I've handled the LC9 countless times, dry fired it, etc. I've also done the same thing with the Kel Tec PF9, the Kahr PM9, etc. I knew that size and class of gun was what I'd been looking for. So on one of my days off, I got a box of 9mm and pulled that gun out of the rental case and tried it out. My second impression was definitely better than my first due, in part, to the fact that I've been doing quite a bit of double-action revolver shooting lately.
I ran the target out to 7 yards and sure enough, it shot really well. Strong side, weak side, one handed, two handed, point, aimed, double taps.... they all went pretty much where I wanted them to go as long as I remembered to make my trigger pull one fluid motion instead of trying to "stage" the trigger like a Glock. I shot it so well, I decided I should go ahead and buy it.
Which leads me to my first question... what kind of holster do you folks use with an LC9? I like tuckable IWB holsters, as they give me the most options for wearing regular clothes. I have a Crossbreed for the Glock, and it's a nice holster, but it's pretty large and I'm not exactly super keen on using that style as an every day carry method. I have a Galco tuc-n-go for my SP101 2" that I really like for its simplicity, but the fact that it only has one small clip on it that will allow that gun to rotate too easily does get on my nerves. I'd like to find, if possible, a small, tuckable holster with two clips. Something about the width of a Galco Summer Carry holster, but tuckable.
Second... out of a short-barrel 9mm, do you prefer velocity or bullet weight when it comes to SD ammo? What's your carry load?
We were looking for a gun for my girlfriend to carry, and that was one of our rentals. I think I shot a mag or two through it and put it away. I hadn't shot in a while, and that trigger felt like it was a mile long. All my groups were one big vertical string about 4-6" high at 5 yards. I kept pulling and pulling, and it felt like that trigger would never break! We decided to pass on that one and quickly moved on.
Well, fast forward three months and about 1,000 rounds of ammo fired at lunch and on my days off through various guns. I revisited the LC9 a few weeks ago, traumatized by the experience of carrying a G23 IWB while walking around a festival for six hours. My back and hips were screaming at me, and I decided I might need a smaller, lighter carry gun. In the past three months working at an indoor gun range, I've handled the LC9 countless times, dry fired it, etc. I've also done the same thing with the Kel Tec PF9, the Kahr PM9, etc. I knew that size and class of gun was what I'd been looking for. So on one of my days off, I got a box of 9mm and pulled that gun out of the rental case and tried it out. My second impression was definitely better than my first due, in part, to the fact that I've been doing quite a bit of double-action revolver shooting lately.
I ran the target out to 7 yards and sure enough, it shot really well. Strong side, weak side, one handed, two handed, point, aimed, double taps.... they all went pretty much where I wanted them to go as long as I remembered to make my trigger pull one fluid motion instead of trying to "stage" the trigger like a Glock. I shot it so well, I decided I should go ahead and buy it.
Which leads me to my first question... what kind of holster do you folks use with an LC9? I like tuckable IWB holsters, as they give me the most options for wearing regular clothes. I have a Crossbreed for the Glock, and it's a nice holster, but it's pretty large and I'm not exactly super keen on using that style as an every day carry method. I have a Galco tuc-n-go for my SP101 2" that I really like for its simplicity, but the fact that it only has one small clip on it that will allow that gun to rotate too easily does get on my nerves. I'd like to find, if possible, a small, tuckable holster with two clips. Something about the width of a Galco Summer Carry holster, but tuckable.
Second... out of a short-barrel 9mm, do you prefer velocity or bullet weight when it comes to SD ammo? What's your carry load?
In space no one can hear you scream... but if you put a helicopter up there, some jerk would complain about the noise!
Replies
Accuracy IME is pretty good for what it is. I do pretty well staying on a reduced silhouette head (about 3/4 size) at ten yards. As with all DAO systems, it's simply a matter of holding the sight picture and pressing smoothly.
I think the thumb safety was an appeasement on Ruger's part to localities that require one on a semi auto. I think it's totally pointless on a DAO with a trigger running in the 10# range. The loaded chamber indicator could have been made as part of the extractor like a Glock and three parts could have been eliminated. I'm somewhat puzzled as to why they felt the need for a separate slide stop lever and slide retaining pin when the 1911's combination approach has kept parts counts down for a century. The magazine cutoff, is, IMO, a hell-spawned concept, but much like the thumb safety, they probably didn't see a choice in the matter.
But they have a really thin gun that works and shoots well. For my money, I'd be looking at Officer's and EMP category 1911's or five shot wheelies, but whatever floats your boat.
That gun works pretty well in pockets all by itself, and there is the DeSantis Nemesis / Super Fly option to enhance that approach.
As for pistol ammo, I'll always go for bullet weight first in any case but out of snubbies, speed really isn't an option. Mass will get it done.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Al
We looked for holsters and had a difficult time finding exactly what she wanted. Fortunately I had a piece of horsehide and made her OWB exactly as she wanted it...
The mag disconnect bugs me, but it is what it is. There is no perfect carry gun out there. The trigger is more a looooong 6.5# than a 10lb pull. The Kel-Tecs are more like ten, and people rave about those, but pooh-pooh the Ruger. I don't get it.
As to the EMP... if I had the money, I'd buy an EMP. But I could buy three LC9's for the money, so I don't really see the EMP as being in the same class as the LC9.
Given the poor reputation of the EMP in term of reliability, I would NEVER carry that gun. I'd pick the LC9 and a host of other guns I don't like before I'd carry an EMP.
Al
I'll post pics tonight if I remember. It is at home today.
My only criticism is that the piece only came with one mag and additional ones are rather expensive. I have been extremely impressed with it. I stoke it with 115gr FMJs for her on the range, and 124gr JHPs for her carry. All she needs is practice, but I think she made a good decision for her first pistol.
Not a dig on you, but just an observation - Between Glock, Glockspawn, and the resurgence of the 1911, a big chunk of the world seems to have forgotten how to shoot DA. Too bad these little autos didn't show up in the 1950s when revolvers were still the order of the day. . . Interesting how the wheel turns.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
You are probably right in your observation. The last DA revolver I fired was a Colt snubbie and that was a long time ago. I do okay with the G19, but I am most efficient with the 1911.
Interestingly, she was not used to any specific trigger pull when she began shooting the LC9, and she took to it with surprising efficiency.