I pocket carry my original LCP quite often when nothing else can be carried concealed. When Ruger introduced LCPII I was very interested. But after comparing them side by side I decided to stay with the old one for the only reason: the LCPII is a better shooter while the LCP is a better pocket carry gun. It's slightly smaller, more rounded and easier to pull from your pocket. Same with the Max.

 

Yep, that's exactly the conclusion I came to. Everything "better" is a bit larger and heavier, and just as incredibly easy to carry as the original. I got the "custom" version with the red, and little better trigger. But no big deal versus the plain Jane version

 

The LCP MAX is really a good little pistol, trigger is much better than previous LCP's and the sights are actually usable. Hitting plates at 25yds is possible with it, not that it's something you'll do all the time but it's a very capable pocket gun. I carry it with the 10rd mag and keep a spare 12rd in my other pocket. It's easily my favorite LCP, I've had them all.

 

Had been thinking of upgrading my pocket carry to a Ruger LCP max..

thoughts or reviews from anyone that has one, anyone that researched it or shot one..or even also thought about it?

Would do this in the next couple months...Seems going price averages around street of $350.

What do you have currently?

The LCP MAX is really a good little pistol, trigger is much better than previous LCP's and the sights are actually usable. Hitting plates at 25yds is possible with it, not that it's something you'll do all the time but it's a very capable pocket gun. I carry it with the 10rd mag and keep a spare 12rd in my other pocket. It's easily my favorite LCP, I've had them all.

The trigger would my motive one day, and capacity. I like my .380 Bodyguard, but the trigger leaves something to be desired.
,

 

Currently have a TCP 738 .380 I just happen to like the thought of 10 or 12 in a .380 of a very similar size plus the sights seem much better. ZERO wrong with my current .380 im just one of those guys that in the same(or super close to same) size package 10/12 is better than 6

 

I’ve considered it as well. But my little LCP has been with me for a while. Has a handy little diamond etched under the hammer after the recall. Replaced my KelTec P32. Doesn’t get carried much. But maybe I should carry it more.

 

I noticed im carrying my .380 a lot more than I used to this is what prompted this..as a matter of fact im carrying it now in retirement..I often now days VS days off(in retirement every day is the weekend) so ive been wearing loose gym style shorts and sweats a LOT more than I used to when I go out for a quick run someplace and I dont have the proper belt and such for the Glock 43X. so im coming to the point that im finding myself probably carrying the .380 60/40 over my glock 43X...

I had a thread a while back that asked do they make a Pocket 9mm thats .380 size yet..and the answer was no not really..thats why I asked that question i realized im pocket carrying more and more.

 

I was curious about it when it was announced, but my BG380 is as large as I can realistically go in my front pocket, so the Max is a no-go for me.

 

Someday skinny jeans will stop being fashionable.

 

I just bought one after mulling it over for a few weeks.
Looking for something smaller in the pocket than a Ruger LCR 357 or a Glock 43 and the LCP Max seems to fit the bill.
The higher capacity, real sights and improved trigger won me over. All on a footprint just slightly thicker than the original LCP.
I haven’t fired it yet but I’m planning on some range time Friday. I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

I just bought one after mulling it over for a few weeks.
Looking for something smaller in the pocket than a Ruger LCR 357 or a Glock 43 and the LCP Max seems to fit the bill.
The higher capacity, real sights and improved trigger won me over. All on a footprint just slightly thicker than the original LCP.
I haven’t fired it yet but I’m planning on some range time Friday. I’ll let you know how it goes!

I may try to do the same, I need to see if the LGS range has one..havent yet

 

There was a thread recently on the LCP Max
Seemed many had to be sent back to ruger for repair.

A friend bought 2 new in july and neither would fire more than one round without a failure. The chambers looked trashed.
He finally got them to work but i wouldn't trust them. Those should have never left the factory and couldn't have been test fired. just beware.

 

I carry Lcp380 every day in an office environment, with a G26 in my backpack. I haven't found anything, that is as easy to carry s the LCP380. I own a G43 and G42 but the LCP is just the right size. I like the LCP Max. JMO

 

I like mine for what it is. It has been reliable through 200 rounds although I had to break a sharp corner on the trigger that was causing pain after about 30 rounds.

if you are considering pocket carry I suggest Alabama Holster Company.

 

No issues whatsoever with my max purchased about two months ago. Have about 250 rounds through it. As long as you accept what it's function is and is not you should be pleased with it. I have no problem trusting it as a dependable carry gun. I thought my P-365 9mm was small....this is amazing.

 

My MAX is my primary carry. I can’t shoot the micro nines well for whatever reason but find the 380 easier to shoot and stay on target. As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to the conclusion I’m going to carry whatever is comfortable and I feel comfortable shooting. The MAX fits the bill.

 

Had been thinking of upgrading my pocket carry to a Ruger LCP max..

thoughts or reviews from anyone that has one, anyone that researched it or shot one..or even also thought about it?

Would do this in the next couple months...Seems going price averages around street of $350.

The LCP and 365 were on my short list for a 380. I stalked the Ruger and Sig websites and 365 had great reviews. The Ruger seems to have problems.

LCP Max Issues

I purchased an LCP Max a couple months back and have fired ~400 rounds through it, and there are some concerning issues with the firearm. The first one is that it has failure to feed problems where a round will get stuck between the breech face and the chamber. The only way to clear it is to...

www.rugerforum.net

LCP Max - Chamber and Ejection problems

I just purchased yesterday. All the video reviews were good. No one mentioned the problems with: Chambering the first round. Occasionally will not seat properly. I have to manually push it in the remainder of the way. Failure to eject a round manually. It will eject spent rounds when...

www.rugertalk.com

i decided to pay the extra cash ($500) and get the p365/380.

 

Size wise is it the same size as the 9mm or smaller than the 9mm can cloase to a pocket .380..becasue the 365 isnt a pocket pistol(IMO) is why im asking... so if its just a 365 but in a .380 caliber and the same size as the 9mm 365 its a automatic no go for me.

 

I’ve had mine since early July. Right off, I had failure to feed issues so Ruger sent me a replacement barrel and slide assembly and that fixed it. Very good customer service.

I carry mine daily. It’s got good sights, high capacity, a decent trigger, but a somewhat loose slide to frame fit.

For what it is, I really like it. I’m not the greatest marksman but I can shoot this little pistol fine.

 

 

I can shoot the Max all day long. Can't say that about the earlier versions. I never shot enough .380 ACP before to justify reloading it but I may start.

 

For what it costs may as well. its not a unpopular caliber. Especially now days but they price it as a boutique type caliber. Really dumb IMO I dont reload but other than it just doesnt sell as much as 9mm...its not harder to reload, make(should be cheaper if anything as it uses less components of every kind) so IM should actually be LESS especially now days with it being MORE popular then in the past..Should be $11.99 a box to 9mm $13.99

 

I don't have an LCP Max but I've read lots of reviews, almost all of which were positive. People who have them seem to love them. I thought about buying one.

I decided to stay with my little M&P Bodyguard .380, which I love and which has been 100% reliable with several kinds of ammo and several different shooters. It's tiny and I can pocket carry it in some of my pants and shorts. Women's pants pockets sometimes are so minuscule they barely hold a credit card, though, and are basically useless.


Edit to add:

I, too, like the Alabama pocket holsters. Very thin and mask the outline of the firearms.

To me, the only reason to carry .380 instead of 9mm is because in .380 you can get a true pocket-size pistol like the BG or regular LCP. Anything bigger, I'd want it to be in 9mm like my Shields or the 365/Hellcat 9's.

 

I don't have an LCP Max but I've read lots of reviews, almost all of which were positive. People who have them seem to love them. I thought about buying one.

I decided to stay with my little M&P Bodyguard .380, which I love and which has been 100% reliable with several kinds of ammo and several different shooters. It's tiny and I can pocket carry it in some of my pants and shorts. Women's pants pockets sometimes are so minuscule they barely hold a credit card, though, and are basically useless.

Yup, I’m on the Bodyguard train like you and @Maccabeus. It’s my most carried firearm due to size.

 

It's an good gun, good sights for a change, Better grip, better magazines(10,12 rounds), trigger about the same. shoots well for a small handgun but don't expect outrageous accuracy. Cost too much, but better then the older pocket handguns.

 

In the non summer/monsoon I wear an untucked shirt over my G19 but that looks off in the hot months so I was carrying my LC9 in the pocket, now carry my 365 instead. I gave serious consideration to the max for a while but reasoned for the extra bulk and weight I'll carry something in 9mm instead.

 

I bought the Max right when it was launched. I've had no issues with mine. Others on the Ruger board have had issues. If you do get a bad one, Ruger will make it right but it sucks to have to send a new gun in.

 

It would be a new experience I guess..I must be the most "lucky" gun guy EVER as ive never had to use a companies CS, never had to send a gun in, never had to have a gun worked on by a smith.

 

Here’s my well worn and loved Bodyguard. Bought it used for $215! Usually carried in a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster.

 

I looked at them when i got my TCP I got the TCP mostly becasue I didnt care for the bodyguards needless and well useless safety..that gun has such a heavy trigger it has no need for a safety also...I really wanted the Kahr .380 but they were nationwide backorder at the time.. so I got the TCP I love it but like id said 10/12 better than 6..i mean you can literally double your mag capacity in 1 mag(aka i can carry as much in 1 mag as 2 regular bodyguard or TCP or pretty much any other pocket .380 gun out currently.

 

Have owned the original LCP, the Custom, an LCP II and now the Max.

The Max seems to fit anywhere the II does. Notice the weight difference, but not size. Only notice the weight because I am thinking about it. Used to pocket carry the stainless AMT Backup, so loaded weight of Max not a problem.

The Max has functioned 100%. Easier to shoot than the other LCP models except the trigger hurts my finger after a while.

 

Yeah I pocket carreid the older original Colt Mustang II and that wasnt exactly light lol. and then I had the funky Seecamp .32 and that didnt last long the ammo was just more rare and not always available, I dont reload so...it lasted about ..well less than 1/2 a year...then i just got a .38 Special Snubby at least I could back then find and afford.38 special///

 

I was thinking about the LCP Max. After reading many reviews I decided against it. Too many "great customer service" reviews. Replacing parts like slide and barrel put me off.
So, I'm back to G42 or 365.
The linked video is terrible, but (IMHO) reading the comments is interesting (instructive).

 

I was thinking about the LCP Max. After reading many reviews I decided against it. Too many "great customer service" reviews. Replacing parts like slide and barrel put me off.
So, I'm back to G42 or 365.
The linked video is terrible, but (IMHO) reading the comments is interesting (instructive).

Love the “too many great customer service reviews.”

 

Had been thinking of upgrading my pocket carry to a Ruger LCP max..

thoughts or reviews from anyone that has one, anyone that researched it or shot one..or even also thought about it?

Would do this in the next couple months...Seems going price averages around street of $350.

The following is a range review I did back in July of 2021:

Took the LCP Max to the range today. Fired a total of 168 rounds. 50 rounds 0f WWB FMJ, 50 rounds of PMC FMJ and 68 rounds of assorted HP's including FXT, XTP, Gold Dot and Golden Sabre.

Malfunctions: Zero. Very pleased with it's performance. Slide locked back every time. I was even able to drop the slide with my thumb, which worked well since I can't fully use my left hand till I heal up further.

Accuracy: Pistol didn't care much for the WWB as opposed to the PMC and hollow points. Accuracy with the WWB was okay and I would still have hit a man-sized target in the torso at 7 yards but the WWB seemed to have more flyers. The PMC and all the HP's all held a much tighter group. I was pulling slightly to the left but that was me shooting strictly one-handed and getting use to the pistol. With the PMC and HP's I could still do head shots at 7 yards shooting at a fair pace. So overall I'd say the accuracy at typical SD distances was very acceptable to very good with the right ammo. Normally I could easily make head shots at 12-15 yards with the LCP 2 I had using a two-hand hold and taking my time. I suspect I'll be able to do that with this pistol as well once I'm back to using a firm two-hand hold.

Trigger: This is not a $2k match grade race gun trigger. But for what it is I'd say it's quite acceptable. Definite wall and then fairly 'heavy/crisp' break that was consistent from shot to shot. I liked this trigger better than the trigger on my LCP 2.

Recoil: You still know your shooting a 10 ounce pistol. But I was able to shoot all 168 rounds one-handed. Started to get a slight blister on my trigger finger towards the end but I could say the recoil overall did feel like it was better distributed than with my LCP or LCP 2. With my LCP I was done after a couple of mags. The LCP 2 was fine for 50-100 rounds. This one was doable for 168 one-handed. Still need to have a firm grip on it though to control it. I was able to rapid fire 'fairly' quickly one-handed but a firm two-hand grip would definitely make it quicker.

Mags: I have one 10-rnd and one 12-rnd. No issues loading either (son did the majority of the loading). I was able to slowly load some rounds into the 12-rounder so I was pleased with that.

Sights: Well what can I say? Going from milled in nubs to actual real sights is night and day. Very pleased with how easy the front sight is to pick up and how bright the night sight is. The U-notch makes it easy to pick up the front sight.

Texture: Aggressive enough to allow you to keep a grip but bot so much it's going to cause a problem tearing up your pocket. Nothing particularly special.

Overall I'm pleased with my decision to move from the LCP 2 to the Max. Now that I've done some vetting I'll start pocket carrying it to form an opinion on how it carries compared to the LCP 2. I don't suspect any substantial difference.

At the time of the above review my support hand was in a splint due to a wrist injury. So I was shooting strictly with my dominant hand only. In the past, with an LCP I was ready to put the pistol down after a couple of mags. Just not a fun pistol to shoot. With the LCP2 I was good for a box of 50. With the Max I shot all 168 rounds one-handed. So it is indeed a lot more comfortable to shoot. Yet remains virtually the same size as the LCP2.

I've had it to the range several times since that initial review. No malfunctions and now that I'm back to a normal two-hand hold the accuracy is very good considering the type of pistol it is. With an aimed shot it's not difficult to do head shots at 12-15 yards. So at typical SD distances it's more than accurate enough for quick shots.

 

A Magguts install puts my LCP gen2 at 7+1. 100% reliable for me.

The Max is too similar to the P365 in width. The difference from a LCP gen2 to the Max is greater than the difference in the Max width to the P365. For me, width is a lot. Almost want to do the Beretta Pico even though it is overall larger, just because it is ever so slightly thinner than the LCP.

I had my Gen2 hard chromed. I accept the trigger.

I don't see an advantage in the Max. As noted, above they are feeling the weight because the weight makes them think about it. Not so with the LCP. Others might really like the Max.

Meh.

 

The Max is a bit more of a compact package than the P365. But the real difference is the weight, particularly in pocket carry. The Max is about a 1/2 lb lighter give or take which makes a big difference. I've pocket carried both. The P365 is doable but it just doesn't compare to the Max for all day comfort in the pocket. Even IWB it's not really comparable. With either method I can pretty much forget I'm carrying a gun which is the niche the Max was built for overall.

In pocket or IWB I carry with the 12-round mag without issue. If I'm in dress pants I'll go down to the 10-round mag just for the smallest possible footprint in the pocket.