My journey with the Ruger LCP Max has been a love-hate relationship.
The first time I took it out of the box, loaded up 10+1 rounds of .380 ACP, and shot it was a miserable time.
But after learning its quirks I love it for its sole purpose…to be the ultimate combination of weight, size, and capacity for a .380 concealed carry gun.
Read on to see if it can satisfy your needs as well.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Table of Contents
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LCP Max Specs & Features
| Capacity | 10+1 .380 ACP |
| Slide Width | .81″ |
| Barrel Length | 2.8″ |
| Overall Length | 5.17″ |
| Overall Height | 4.12″ |
| Sights | Tritium front, black rear |
| Weight | 10.6 oz |
Background
The LCP Max is the third generation in the LCP .380 ACP series. The first LCP was good and the LCP II greatly improved upon it. Check out our review.
So is the LCP Max even better?
YES!
The main difference is the huge bump in capacity. From 6+1 to 10+1 and even 12+1 with a slightly longer mag.
Ergonomics are smoothed out a little but otherwise, the dimensions are almost the same as the LCP II with only adding .4″ to the height and .06″ to the width.
That means most holsters for the LCP II will fit the LCP Max.
Pros & Cons
+Lightweight and tiny at 10.6 oz
+10+1 rounds of .380 ACP
+Great factory sights
+Accurate for its size
-Hates steel-cased ammo
-Needs some break-in period
-Snappy
-Requires a tool to field strip
Who Is It For?
Sometimes you don’t want to carry a compact gun…or even a micro 9mm.
I’m certainly guilty of not wanting to wear a belt most of the time I go outside. In this case, the LCP Max shines with letting you go pocket carry (please still use a holster…maybe a Sticky).
Or for me, I go with my current favorite Hidden Hybrid Holsters but subbing out their belt loop with an Ulticlip.
This lets you strongly clip onto pants/shorts without a belt.
I mostly use it with athletic shorts and cinch up a little bit more.
Even with a hybrid holster, the LCP Max is so light that I’m approaching half a year of carry (regular activity and hiking) in this manner without any mishaps.
Fit & Feel
The LCP Max is slightly curvier and refined than its LCP II predecessor which means it’s decent in regular-sized hands.
I can jam my fingers to fit a P365 but for the LCP Max, I opted for the pinkie extension.
The slight increase in length is worth it for shootability.
However, if you have larger hands or want to trade-off a little bit more space you can get the 12+1 mags.
Sights are great for a tiny affordable gun. The front is tritium with a nice green outline.
And the rear is flat black and not too recessed.
The grip texture is very Goldilocks. Enough grip to shoot well but not enough to chafe. Ruger knows its audience will be pocket and IWB carrying these bad boys.
How Does It Shoot?
See that exposed hammer in the pic above? The LCP Max continues in the tradition of having an internal hammer-fired system.
You can see it cocked back while carrying.
And also where the hammer strikes the firing pin about an inch inwards from the left.
This gives rise to what is the oddest *sproing* sound while dry-firing. Not a deal-breaker or anything but something that stood out to me.
In the quick clip below you’ll hear it…along with the long initial pull and a 7-pound trigger. Surprisingly, a decent break and about a half-inch travel to reset.
Note you will need to fully rack the slide back to re-cock the hammer.
Now…to something I alluded to above…the LCP Max is not a fun gun to shoot.
But looking back in hindsight some of it was on me.
I finished testing the Walther PDP full-size which has the best stock trigger I’ve shot in a striker-fired gun.
So jumping into a literally tiny gun with a long trigger pull/reset was jarring.
However, a few more mags and I got the hang of its snappiness and trigger. Even though I was still letting go of my weak side thumb in faster mag dumps.
Accuracy time…I was 7 yards away and struggled to get decent groups. They were in the 3-5 inch area with an easy shooting cadence. When I shot faster the group opened up but stayed within minute-of-bad-guy.
If you’re under 3 yards which is when most encounters happen…you’re good to go for nice shot placement.
I also tested a bunch of .380 ACP I had on hand…
The LCP Max choked on the steel-cased Silver Bear. So unless you’re really trying to save money or like to do actual malfunction drills…stay with brass.
Groups didn’t get affected much by ammo.
I felt there was a ~200 round break-in period as well.
I had a handful of misfeeds and stovepipes in the first few mags even with brass American Eagle and Blazer. Especially when I had +1 in the chamber and a full mag.
Plus out of the box I couldn’t get it to lock back on an empty mag. This also resolved itself after the break-in period. Weird.
And yes it was cleaned and lubed before!
However, afterward, it ran brass and hollow points like a champ.
Let’s move on to the slide lock. It’s definitely not a slide release since all of us on the team tried and there’s no dropping the slide with it on a full mag.
It didn’t bother me much since I’m more of a slingshot reloading kinda guy.
What Sets It Apart?
The LCP Max is a huge step forward from its LCP II predecessor with an increase from 6+1 to 10+1 rounds.
And how about the LCP vs the latest batch of CCW 9mm pistols (see our Best Micro 9mm article)?
It’s all about the weight! The LCP Max is 10.6 oz unloaded while the Sig P365 is 17.8 oz.
That extra 7 ounces and a little bit more because of the 9mm vs .380 ACP difference is huge when it’s a gun on your hip.
Check out the size difference as well when the LCP Max is compared to the P365 and a Glock 19.
When I don’t want to carry my P365XL with a belt…I reach for my LCP Max in a HHH Holster.
And that’s really the best compliment I can give a carry gun!
And as for concealment? No one will ever know it’s there.
One more weird thing about the LCP Max is that it still requires a tool to remove the pin for field stripping. No biggie!
We have a super quick field strip video for you with a quick tip on the hammer when putting it back together.
By the Numbers
Accuracy: 3.5/5
It’s a short barrel but will get the defensive job done if you focus on your trigger pull.
Reliability: 3.5/5
Had some difficulties in the first 200 rounds and hates steel-cased ammo. However, afterward, fed brass and hollow points well. I carry one in the pipe and nine in the mag just in case.
Customization: 3.5/5
The sights are good and there’s no front rail. So, you’re only upgrade is getting more or extended mags.
Looks: 4/5
It’s fine. Slightly better looking than the LCP II but for a concealed gun I don’t really care.
Price: 5/5
MSRP is $469 but street price is around $350 at the time of writing. Great value.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Overall: 4/5
A four doesn’t make sense with the lower numbers in the first three categories. But this time the By the Numbers doesn’t capture the niche utility field where the LCP Max dominates.
Upgrades
Not too much out there besides holsters and mags.
For pocket carry, I like the Sticky holster.
And for appendix carry, I like the Hidden Hybrid Holster with Ulticlip. See our full review of the Hidden Hybrid Holster here.
Mags? Get the standard 10-rounders and also slightly longer 12-rounders.
Verdict
The LCP Max might not win in the looks or shooting department. But it sure is the smallest and lightest gun that will reliably shoot 10 rounds of .380 ACP.
If you struggle to carry your heavier 9mm around…check it out. Or if you just want to pocket or athleisure carry…no judgment there.
It’s what I carry in that situation now.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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What do you think of the LCP Max? Let us know below! Check out our recs for the Best .380 Ammo as well as our other favorite .380 Pocket Rockets.
FAQ
12+1 or 10+1 rounds of .380 ACP
Yes, according to Ruger's manual you can dry-fire in moderation without damage to the gun.
10-round magazine, soft pocket holster, and a magazine loader.
44 Leave a Reply
I think the LCPs are a great option as most any of the pocket 380s are, I usually carry my Bursa Thunderer 380 for a more discreet concealed carry.
Has anyone had a lot of difficulties ejecting a round that has not fired? I had one at the range and it was very difficult to eject that round. Could be critical in a defensive situation.
I do not like the magazines that are difficult to fully load them without the assistance of a different reloader. A fully loaded magazine is also difficult to load into the pistol when the slide is closed. They need to be a little bit longer so the spring is not too compressed.
The pistol also does not like flat tip bullets. I had to push the slide closed when using some Winchester 90 grain fmj rounds.
Yes. Difficult to eject an unfired round. It requires a aggressive slide pull. A”normal” pull will not eject period.
You don't really need an actual tool to take it down. The rim of a case works fine and you'll always have one with you fired or unfired, doesn't matter. It will work the same, either way.
We should say something about the MAX 380.....good as it is.....that may be a concern. Let me explain. ---> We should fully understand the number of internal safeties the gun has compared to MOST modern plastic-framed guns that are often striker fired...pretty much started by Glock. The Glock safety system....by comparison....has 3 safeties, 1.) trigger blade ( which I feel is mostly useless), the striker-block safety ( good feature), and 3.) sear-lock safety that acts in tandem with the finger blade that prevents the trigger to be pulled at the wrong time.
What does the MAX 380 have?....well, it's an internal hammer fired gun. So it has the trigger blade safety and nothing else. Ruger literature refers to it having a "serious" amount of sear engagement with a cocked hammer...THAT'S IT.
I understand being hammer fired it can't have a striker-block system, (maybe it can)....but it COULD have had a 1/2 cock notch on the hammer, to arrest the forward fall of a hammer that was maybe bumped off and wasn't released by trigger. I think it should have these features. Consider....this is like carrying a 1911 in condition "zero"..... round in chamber, cocked, safety off...and depending on massive sear engagement for "safety". Personally, I'd love to see thumb safety version of this gun. EC9S is that way, and so are versions of P365 and Hellcat, etc.
I can't seem to edit my previous post but I've found some things since I wrote that, that may be of interest as to safety features...and oddly...is not often reported---> The MAX has all these--->
1.) finger blade safety.....I never saw the usefulness of these blade safeties , as what good is saying "protects from firing when trigger is pressed on the edges"?. That's me.
2.) Ruger alludes to a serious and massive amount of hammer/sear engagement, under stiff spring pressure. Good deal. The massive amount of sear/hammer engagement that Ruger alludes to...can actually be seen. If you look at the back of the slide opening when the hammer is cocked...if you then pull the trigger to dry-fire....notice that the cocked hammer ROCKS BACK a bit...before it falls ! That is some serious engagement between hammer and sear.
3.) Not well known...hammer has HALF-COCK notch safety. Good. This arrests any forward movement of the hammer if the trigger isn't pulled, and you find yourself having the hammer slip off the sear, as improbable as that is. Good deal.
4.) Massively strong firing pin spring (see for yourself, try pushing it in by finger pressure). AND ...that the firing pin is made of lightweight titanium. Acts as a drop safety as the inertia to overcome the stiff spring with a light pin makes for good assurance the gun won't fire when dropped on it nose on a hard surface.
I find this little .380 a joy to shoot. I have about 250 rounds through it without even one malfunction of any kind. I love it and will carry it daily.
I don't know why everyone whines so much about LCP recoil. I bought a first gen several years ago and was expecting to get my hand spanked based on all the comments online... shot it and was like THIS is what everyone complains about? The main reason I don't shoot my Gen 1 LCP more is the tiny molded almost-sights don't allow much range accuracy, although I can still hit the dueling tree paddles (not every shot). I have a Max on order after thoroughly checking one out, it packs 99% as well and so much better sights and trigger!
Seriously, if you're thinking about an LCP, don't let the stories of its snappiness scare you, if you have ever shot a .40 compact (i.e. a G23), it's not any worse than that.
I agree, bought Gen 1, then LCP2, larger trigger opening, both same kick. Easy gun to carry. Looking forward to the Max soon. I dont buy these for the kick, but for ease and comfort for personal protection. Be safe all out there.
Trigger upgrade was worth it. Also stainless takedown pin and slide rod for carry on my bicycle and sweat
Sigurd MAX Short Stroke Trigger for Ruger LCP MAX Pistols - Galloway Precision
Do you use the ulticlip or the ulticlip slim … any advantage one vs the other or just personal preference?? Thanks in advance….
Mine looks like the slim. It looks like the 3+ has slightly more area to "bite" onto and three connection points instead of two. Slim has worked for me!
It's great, I carry a G48, or Sheild plus, or GX4 but if I can't IWB carry for some reason i.e. shirtless, sportswear, etc. This puppy slides in your front pocket with a sticky holster and no one knows the better. I carry with the 12+1, looks like a phone or wallet in the front pocket. Totally cool. I'm a major fan, fun to shoot convenient to carry and 12+1!!!! I've put about 100 rounds through mine with no probs, all brass. Likely gonna buy another for my daughter. Not as snappy as my GX4 which is a fav. You just have to get your hands on it and you will fall in love LCP II Max is my little front pocket mistress!
It’s ok I’ll take my 9mm Max9 over the 380 Max . Now SW 380 EZ my wife carries is sweet , racks easy has a decent feel but then again SW designed for the women who have a difficult time pulling the slide back .
. 380 shield ez is great my wife loves hers, for the reasons of light pull and felt recoil. Capacity is lacking in my opinion, these higher capacity options are intoxicating!
Looks, 4/5 is subjective. Cost 5/5 is what one can afford. Personally for an extra $100, there are many better choices. 3.5/5 for accuracy and reliability are the most important factors. As a carry pistol for personal defense, I’m not willing to trust a pistol with just an average number for reliability.
It's accurate and reliable from my experience at 15 feet, easy 3 inch grouping. 100 rounds no malfunctions. It's an awesome gun for easy concealability and weight.
I have shot a friend's LCP, had a Sig P238 and have a Bersa Thunder. 380 plus. Of the three the.onlynone I would own and still own is the Bersa. Its my EDC over my Glock 48 and Sig P938. I have lost count on how many rounds I have put thru it but I can truthfully say I have NEVER had A FTF or FTE. Easy to disassemble clean and reassemble. Comfortable to carry and Very affordable only downside is magazines are hard to come by.
After 100 rounds, and learning that one needs to have a very intended trigger pull, mine still jams with various ammo, but mostly with defense style bullets.
I've been holding off getting one because it seems like there are a few little issues but I want one for the same reasons pointed out in this article so I think that I will go ahead and pick one up. Thank you for the replies with the tips and info.
Have had my LCP II for years with my JM4 magnetic holster for daily carry. Great combination for all activity and choice of clothes. Can even be used in the boot/ankle carry. Now I have to go get Max for capacity and extension alone.
Thank you for the honest and comprehensive review. Informative. Long time tactical instructor here.
If you will unlock your elbows (just break the elbow lock) and create a firm "muscle" platform for the gun, you will greatly increase your recoil control system... Accuracy at speed. Your muzzle will go back to target much faster. This applies to all handguns. It's especially important with small guns and large calibers
Thanks David...and good tip!
I like my Glock .380 it's so easy to take apart and clean.
Manual says not to carry with a round in the chamber because it isn't drop proof. Deal breaker for me; I'll keep my Bodyguard for my jogging gun. No one mentions this safety issue in reviews, so I'm glad I read the manual before I ordered it.
Just now sat down and read the manual on my brand new one cover to cover. Mine didn't say a word anywhere about not carrying it chambered or anything about it not being drop proof.
Page 23
Kind if boiler plate on their weapons.
On page 23 it says warning ANY firearm may fire if dropped not this forearm specifically. All of the warnings in owners manuals are for legal defense of the company. Reading comprehension is not good or just trying ti justify why not to buy this firearm. He is sold on his Bodyguard which is fine. Ruger would not sell a pistol that they knew would fire if dropped. Lets be real. I have S&W, Ruger and others all of the manuals have warnings for the idiot population.
I can't find in my Bodyguard manual where it says it's not drop proof. NRA seems to think most modern day firearms are drop proof. I really wanted to replace my Bodyguard with a double stack; it was in my shopping cart even. If you look inside a loaded LCP, the hammer is half cocked almost like a single action, and there is nothing blocking the hammer from the firing pin if it falls. Bodyguard is true double action only. The Ruger LCP trigger supposedly feels better, but that's why it isn't drop proof.
According to other experts on the Max design, there is a notch in the hammer design that stops the hammer from falling on a live round. The trigger safety has to be depressed in order for the hammer to move forward. There are numerous striker fired pistols on the market with no external safeties. Again I say, Ruger would not allow a firearm to be sold that was not safe. What good is a pistol for self defense if the chamber is empty when drawn to use. I am a former NRA certified instructor in handgun and shotgun and have carried firearms for work for over 45 years. I fully trust my EC9s, LCP and LCP Max to be as safe as any fire on the market and more safe than many others. The long pull on the Bodyguard my not allow you to place all rounds where you want to go. Every bullet that leaves your gun, you are responsible for. A better trigger pull aids in accuracy. We do not want to be harming others with missed shots. But I say, to each his own. Carry what's right for you.
I agree that it seems pointless to have an empty chamber on a carry weapon, and I'm glad you haven't had issues. Since I only carry it during runs, I personally feel a lot better carrying a gun that doesn't explicitly say, "this weapon is not drop proof." I think they say all weapons aren't to make you feel better about their products. I'm not nearly as experienced, so that warning makes me nervous. I can't imagine the M&P line saying they aren't drop proof, and it doesn't say that in the manual.
I'm sorry but I just can't understand why you can't comprehend what your reading. Ruger states on page 23 that (all firearms) could possibly discharge if dropped. It does not say that the LCP max is not drop proof. It does not say it will discharge if dropped. They are (not) going to sell a firearm to the public that they knew would be dangerous if dropped. You are ignoring what it says. Ruger's legal team as well as other firearm manufacturers lawyers make them add these statements in case some idiot misuses their product and hurts someone by accident. If you for instance, can't secure your firearm while jogging you should probably leave it home unloaded and locked in a safe just to be sure it doesn't fall off a nightstand or table and discharges. Which is probably never going to happen anyway. If you can't read the manual and understand what it says, you probably shouldn't have any firearms.
My understanding is most modern firearms have safety mechanisms that will prevent it from firing if you drop it. I made the assumption Ruger is a little cheaper because they decided not to add that feature. My PC Charger says it'll only fire if dropped with the safety off. Sig is facing lawsuits because people are claiming the P320 isn't drop proof. Ruger doesn't try to make products for the military so they aren't as concerned. See Colin Noir sneak in a comment on his latest LCP YouTube ad that he throws it in his pocket "with an empty chamber". I can read, and thankfully I can afford a safer firearm. I hope no one shoots themselves in the leg to save some money, but it's explicitly stated, so you're on your own.
I suggest call Ruger for their opinion before you carry with a round in the chamber and the hammer semi-cocked. What do I know?
Colin Noir is a Ruger representative. I would seriously doubt that he would just throw it in his pocket in the real world. I suggest that you should read the S&W forums related to Bodyguard problems and customer service. The LCP Max isn't half cocked it's fully cocked and cannot fire without the trigger being fully depressed with the safety lever pulled to the rear. I stated this once already. I have handled and inspected the Bodyguard 380. It is not an expensive pistol and less than the Max. There have been numerous problems with it and like all new designs initial bugs need to be worked out as in the Sig P365 and others. Ruger did not cheapen their firearms by eliminating anything to make it not drop proof and thousands of LCP II firearms have been sold with the same firing system which is identical with the Max. I know of no accidental drop firings from them which is a statement to their quality. The LCP II had some minor design problems initially but they were addressed by Ruger. Firing after being dropped was not one of them. I have owned numerous Smiths and they are great guns and so are Rugers.
Again, I'm glad you never had an issue but it says it can go off if it's "dropped or struck." And "unload when you are finished." "If you holster with a loaded mag, be sure the slide wasn't pushed back far enough to chamber a round." Also, in a loaded LCP, when you pull the trigger, the hammer does go back a little further similar to double action. I have had good customer service from both S&W and Ruger, but for my pocket pistol, I prefer something that won't go off if it's struck. Call Ruger and they'll tell you not to carry chambered. Let me know if they changed their mind from six months ago when I first looked into this. There is one review on this gun out there that goes into detail but everyone else skips it. This is my last reply until you call Ruger and ask them.
You are confusing the original LCP with the latest version. The first LCP operates like you said. This is not true with the Max. I have it here and can see you are wrong. I also have the original LCP. Now I just read the warning you are worried about Now let's use some logic. Ruger sells this pistol as a self defense carry pistol, right? Well the warning says in red letters "Do not load this pistol until you are ready to fire it". That's interesting. Now, I have to pull my pistol load it then insert one into the chamber before I can fire it it at the person trying to kill me. Yeah, that makes sense. Then it goes on to say that "you should unload it completely after you are done shooting". Well that makes sense too if I'm still alive after the first warning. I could go on but this is the same reason that people have to be warned that a coffee cup is hot to touch. Here's my last comment, I don't care what you do. I just don't want people like you giving advice to others that is wrong. If you want to make sure your pistol wont be dropped it should be carried in a secure holster and not capable of falling out when you jog or whatever you do. There are idiot labels on almost all products now so people like you wont hurt yourself or others. The warnings in the manual are deterrents for the litigious society we live in. If you carry a pistol in your pocket, you might wish that someone like me warned you not to. Jog on!
Bullshit and you know it
Just bought a new one and I love mine! Pretty much agree with everything in this review. Gun isn't really that snappy once you get the hang of it and is decently accurate. However I have three magazines, the 10 render that came with it in two 12s. All three of them you can load to the max but the last round is extremely difficult to get in and the gun does not function well. Every one of them has to be loaded with one round less than capacity to work smoothly.
I agree with the review, although I don’t find the LCP Max to be that uncomfortable to shoot. I replaced the rear sight with a tritium night sight but that is more a preference than a requirement. My biggest problem is that the slide will not reliably stay locked open after the last round is fired. I have about 500 rounds through the gun and have tried several OEM magazines but no luck. I know Ruger is aware of the slide not locking on an empty magazine but haven’t seen them address the last round open issue yet
Hi Bernard, that reminded me that I had that problem too with it out of the box. But after break-in it was fine for me.
Good to know. I am waiting until I get a few more rounds through the LCP Max before I contact Ruger. If I need more than a full magazine from a BUG then I suspect I have bigger problems than the slide locking open!
I was just looking at mine with the 10 round mag empty. Pulling back the slide, mine didn't catch. When I hold the the bottom of the mag tight to the grip with my finger and pull back the slide it works. This is either a follower problem or spring tension issue. Try doing what I said and I bet it will catch the slide. Ruger should be working on this at the price of their mags.