New Ruger LC9

[Greybeard]

Hmmmmmm. Anxious to shoot one. Was actually hoping tho that the announcement would be an LCR in 9mm. If and when that ever happens, mine in 38+P will be for sale.

[Excaliber]

this pistol is not that intersting to me.

Speaking of interesting guns, have any of you seen this? It strips the round out of the mag as the slide begins to recoil, ejects the spent shell and pops the new one up in its place right at the end of rearward motion, and the chambers the round with the forward motion. The back of the barrel is about even with the back of the magazine.
[youtube][/youtube]

While certainly clever, this design appears to add complexity and another point of failure to the feeding process. In this gun, feeding will depend not just on proper magazine function, but also on the function of the extractor type claw (shown in blue on the diagram) that has to grip and hold the groove behind the case rim during the feed cycle. Just as extractors can slip off this area during the recoil cycle, this introduces a new possibility for the same type of failure at the magazine feed stage. It may end up working just fine, but to me it violates the KISS principle unless it provides some major advantage that I'm missing that makes it worthwhile.

[PUCKER]

The whole internal lock thing has me befuddled. I refuse to even consider a gun with one.

Well...I was excited until I read internal lock, manual safety, AND a magazine disconnect. I understand in our litigious society these things are becoming more commonplace in new pistols, but given the LCP has no manual safeties, no internal lock, and no mag disconnect this makes little sense to me....especially if they are hoping to attract previous buyers. I have nothing against a manual safety, but since I carry a Kahr PM9 without one I'd rather not have to remember a different protocol to make the firearm ready to fire under stress. I would still like to shoot and handle one, but I would have to see a alternate model for the KISS folks like me before I would put my money (and my life) on it.

[A-R]

Well...I was excited until I read internal lock, manual safety, AND a magazine disconnect. I understand in our litigious society these things are becoming more commonplace in new pistols, but given the LCP has no manual safeties, no internal lock, and no mag disconnect this makes little sense to me....especially if they are hoping to attract previous buyers. I have nothing against a manual safety, but since I carry a Kahr PM9 without one I'd rather not have to remember a different protocol to make the firearm ready to fire under stress. I would still like to shoot and handle one, but I would have to see a alternate model for the KISS folks like me before I would put my money (and my life) on it.

VERY good points. Didn't even notice all those details on my initial glance. The magazine disconnect especially turns me off of this gun.

[A-R]

Hmmmmmm. Anxious to shoot one. Was actually hoping tho that the announcement would be an LCR in 9mm. If and when that ever happens, mine in 38+P will be for sale.

Now THAT would be a cool gun. Wish 9mm S&W J-frames weren't near impossible to find at a reasonable price.

[Katygunnut]

Nothing about this gun leaps off the spec sheet to make me say "wow". But it is a nice alternative to similar Kel Tec and Taurus guns. And another addition to the increasing choices of single-stack 9mm subcompacts is in itself a good thing.

Are you seeing this Gaston? When will Glock step up with a single stack 9mm pocket gun?

I would LOVE that! As long as they make it a true single stack, not like the G36 (45 cal single stack) where the magazine is much wider than it needs to be for some reason.

[Excaliber]

Nothing about this gun leaps off the spec sheet to make me say "wow". But it is a nice alternative to similar Kel Tec and Taurus guns. And another addition to the increasing choices of single-stack 9mm subcompacts is in itself a good thing.

Are you seeing this Gaston? When will Glock step up with a single stack 9mm pocket gun?

I would LOVE that! As long as they make it a true single stack, not like the G36 (45 cal single stack) where the magazine is much wider than it needs to be for some reason.

It has always puzzled me that Glock, which was a really nimble company for many years, never filled this obvious market niche where they could have been an industry leader and cleaned up with sales.

Gaston must know something that I don't.

[JRG]

VERY good points. Didn't even notice all those details on my initial glance. The magazine disconnect especially turns me off of this gun.

What IS a magazine disconnect? What does it do?

Joe

[RPB]

VERY good points. Didn't even notice all those details on my initial glance. The magazine disconnect especially turns me off of this gun.

What IS a magazine disconnect? What does it do?

Joe

Ok, some people take the mag out, leaving a chambered round, think "HEy the mag is out ,,, I'll pull the trigger ... BANG ... ooops News headlines = "another person accidentally killed by an UNLOADED gun"


Mag disconnect is a "safety" that prevents firing with no mag .... disadvantage is when under attack, swapping out partially empty mag for a full one .... you can't fire that one chambered round if you needed to

Same as if you accidently hit the magazine release button ... now you are unarmed until you insert another, even though you have 1 chambered, you are defenseless ... For Newbies maybe it's good, I wouldn't buy a gun that won't go bang if I need it to ... but they install them for "liability" reasons ...

On the other hand, if a bad guy is holding the gun, and you are wrestling with him, keeping his muzzle away from you ... press his mag release ...

Many guns don't have mag disconnects ... read the specifications for your guns ... do not take a mag out and pull a trigger to find out ...

[Dave2]

they install them for "liability" reasons ...

I heard that they're either required in MA or ME, or somebody's trying to make it that way. I actually like them, assuming they don't reduce reliability or make the trigger intolerable. I'm more worried about my gun being wrestled away from me in a struggle than needing to take a shot in the middle of a tactical reload. <shrug>

[bnc]

LC9 video review:

http://www.downrange.tv/blog/first-look ... ideo/7990/

[Ameer]

What IS a magazine disconnect? What does it do?

A magazine disconnect does two things.

1. It stops the gun from firing when there's no magazine, like while you're reloading during a gunfight.

2. It introduces another possible failure point, like the key locks on some revolvers or the biometric block the Mayors Against Self Defense want to require by law.

[JRG]

What IS a magazine disconnect? What does it do?

A magazine disconnect does two things.

1. It stops the gun from firing when there's no magazine, like while you're reloading during a gunfight.

2. It introduces another possible failure point, like the key locks on some revolvers or the biometric block the Mayors Against Self Defense want to require by law.

Ah, that makes sense.

Thanks for the responses.

Joe

[terryg]

VERY good points. Didn't even notice all those details on my initial glance. The magazine disconnect especially turns me off of this gun.

I don't like mag disconnects either. My Ruger SR9c came with one - it took about 10 minutes to remove it. I am hoping the disconnect on this model will be just as easy to remove.

[lws380]

For the most part the LC9 is not a pocket pistol IMO. It is actually longer than the Kel-Tec PF9. Both can be pocket carried but it will require some pretty big pockets. It is not going to fit in most pair of jeans, and is to long for back pocket carry. I think IWB would be a preferred method of carry, with a good forward cant of the holster. I think the LC9 will be a competitor against J-Frame revolvers, assuming it is reliable. The LC9 is about the same over all length of a J-Frame, but thinner. And thin is the name of the game for IWB carry IMO. Thinner than a J-Frame and more rounds.