Buyers remorse/ Ruger LCR

M

Mastifflover

New member
I recently purchased a Ruger LCR and while it is a great gun for what it is I can't get over the feeling of being undergunned with only 5 rounds without a reload. I've been thinking about putting it up for trade for a Glock 26. I had a Glock 26 years ago and I liked it. While not as pocketable as the LCR it's almost the same size and has 10+1 on tap. I live in a pretty safe town and have a Sigma 9vE to carry for more firepower when going somewhere a little more dangerous. Should I do it or just try to convince myself that 5 rounds of 38+P is sufficient.:(
 
Whatever makes you happy: you know the kind of dangers you face. Chances are that you'll go your entire life and never have to fire the gun anyway, but you should do what makes you feel best.

I have different guns for different needs. Sometimes I carry a 9 with a lot of rounds on board; sometimes I carry a .38 snub. And I live in a town that has parts that are more than a little creepy and I do work dealing with creepy people.

Follow your bliss and do what gives you peace. No one here can tell you what that'll be. :) Happy Thanksgiving, amigo.
 
it is a matter of preference. Do not fool yourself into thinking theyt are "almost the same size" though...because they are not. The G26 is substantially larger.

I personally would make the change though because I do not like the LCR at all. :)

Plus, I just made a similar switch for my spouse. I switched out his S&W m60 for a Glock 26 because he really liked the Glock and it give him more firepower in a bad situation.
 
I can't get over the feeling of being undergunned with only 5 rounds without a reload
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Not sure about that, but I didn't like the one I held at all, it felt like a toy. I think I would feel much better carrying a small, slim 9mm like a Kahr.
 
Should I do it or just try to convince myself that 5 rounds of 38+P is sufficient.
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Nothing is sufficient, well at least that's what you will be thinking if you get into a SD situation. My most often carried in my Det. Special with 6 rounds +P loaded. But I can comfortably carry my XD9 9mm 4" with 15 rounds loaded.

It doesn't matter what others think, if you do not feel comfortable with 5 rounds of .38spl then change to something like the G26. Confidence in your handgun is part of the SD equation.:cool:
 
You'll never be comfortable carrying the LCR with that nagging in the back of your mind. You either need to get comfortable with the LCR or try something else if you really feel that your needs require more firepower.

I'll tell you though, IMO, nothing beats the combination of comfort, reliability, and power that you can get with a lightweight snubby these days. I've never felt undergunned with a revolver and lately I carry them more often than autos. In fact, the only "hi cap" handgun I have any more is my duty gun, a Beretta Cougar. My other carry guns are all 10rds or less, and most of them are revovlers. As I'm typing this I'm wearing a custom 9mm S&W 360J loaded with Federal 9BPLE +P+.

Also, your post sounds like you don't carry a reload. You should ALWAYS have a reload with you, no matter what you're carrying, you never know what might happen. Like the old saying goes - two is one and one is none.
 
Mastifflover I recently purchased a Ruger LCR and while it is a great gun for what it is I can't get over the feeling of being undergunned with only 5 rounds without a reload....Should I do it or just try to convince myself that 5 rounds of 38+P is sufficient.
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Is there some rule that says you cannot carry extra rounds?

Bianchi Speed Strips are cheap, hold six rounds, lie flat in your pocket and are easy to use. They are not brand or model specific, allowing use with any .38/.357 revolver.
 
Is there some rule that says you cannot carry extra rounds?
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Not trying to answer for the OP.

I absolutely agree it's good to carry spare ammo, but when you read about SD incidents almost all are over in seconds and there is no chance or need for re-load. When you shoot in SD it's probably going to involve just what you have loaded.

Now offensive shooting where you engage & pursue multiple targets is different.
 
I absolutely agree it's good to carry spare ammo, but when you read about SD incidents almost all are over in seconds and there is no chance or need for re-load. When you shoot in SD it's probably going to involve just what you have loaded.
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So, when the smoke clears, are you just going to sit there with an empty gun? Even if everything works, carrying a reload allows you to top off your weapon so that you're prepared should some other situation arise. You never know what's going to happen or who's going to show up before the police.
 
There are some types of fight at very close (knife fight) range where the snubbie wheelgun is the king of battle. It can't be grappled away very easily and it doesn't go out of battery on muzzle contact...and if you do make a shot at muzzle contact, wounding goes WAY up as you fill the wound channel with hot burning ignition gasses. Uuuuugly.

I can make a very good case that a snubbie 38 with top-rated ammo (for that gun, Speer's Gold Dot 135gr+P would be perfect) as your "always on you" gun. It's the piece you reach for first in a close-range surprise. Then, if you're going out and about or otherwise think the threat level has gone up, strap on something bigger with more capacity.

Even without backup, the snub 38 can solve a LOT of problems - moreso than a small auto in my opinion and almost as many as a Glock 26.
 
Different strokes and all........

Personally I'm a fan of the LCR and have mine currently in a Crossbreed Supertuck as I type this. I hardly notice it there. Not a Glock fan here......



That all being said, I won't be at your gunfight :)
 
Do you carry a moon clip, or speedloader? That woud get you to 10, should be easy to conceal.

The Glock as others have said, is larger, but I carry one all the time. Is it my always gun, no. I have yet to completely fill that role. (Thinking about a Sig P238).
 
I always carry a reload in the form of a speed strip. When I carry the sigma I also always carry an extra mag. I shoot the LCR very well and I'm pretty confident I could handle 1 or 2 aggressors. It's the multiple aggressor scenario that worries me. Oh and I carry Remington Golden Sabre +P rounds in the LCR.
 
The lcr had the best trigger I've ever felt on a snub. But the grip and cylinder release didn't feel right to me. Try carrying a speed strip and see if you feel undergunned still. The $15 for two of them is alot less than you'll lose on a trade.
 
Like I said, until you're comfortable with the gun, your worries will weigh on you whenever you carry it. But, you shouldn't over think things. The what if's with multiple gunman are possible, but improbable. If you try to load up for every possible scenario, you'd never be able to carry everything.

Prepare yourself so that you're ready for most probable situations, and then have a back up plan in place. That might be a BUG or an armed spouse, like madmag, or a larger, higher capacity weapon in your vehicle with a plan to fight your way there and either finish the fight or get out of Dodge.

For instance, when I'm off duty, I usually carry either a 5 or 7 shot revolver on me, along with a couple of spare moonclips. However, my duty bag is always in my vehicle and, in addition to things like summons books, a flashlight, spare cuffs, pens, etc., it also contains a Kel-tec PLR-16 loaded with a 20rd mag and 3 spare 30 rounders in the bag just in case. If I can fight back to my vehicle or if I need to bail from it, I can grab that bag and be able to engage threats from across the room to well beyond 100yds. That's probably overkill for your situation, but the point is the same - you just can't carry everything you might need for every possible situation.
 
Carry the Sigma and the LCR as a bug.
I see your not new to here,so why did you buy a gun and not consider its capacity for the role its to fill? Impulse purchase?

I look at your situation this way.
.38spl is equal to a 9mm ballistically or close enough,many sub compact 9's carry 5-7 rounds.So in a sense your saying a Kahr PM9 doesn't have enough firepower for you since its aspects are close to the LCR.
Granted it has 2 more rounds and spare mags,but whats the odds most people need to reload.Its low i know that.

Myself if i felt comfy carrying a sub 9mm as my main gun,id feel fine carrying the LCR also.

I will say tho,since that gun is new on the market and desirable you wont loose too much cash if you sell or trade.

I have 4 guns in my ccw rotation,and my highest capacity gun is 8+1 and the other three guns are 6+1,granted two of those are .45's
I know i put more importance into caliber than i do capacity.Id rather carry a 1911 with no spare mag than a 20 round 9mm.
In reality that thinking is wrong,and the 9mm would be the best option.But luckily we all can do what we want instead of what were told is best.
 
Mastiff, my carry gun 95% of the time is a Ruger SP101 in .357. I don't carry a reload most of the time. It is a personal choice that I'm OK with. But I AM very comfortable with my gun. I practice with it often so I don't feel undergunned.

IMO, you are comparing two totally different guns. The LCR is a more than a full third lighter than the Glock. Plus, it conceals more easily. This may mean you'll carry it more than the Glock. That alone may be the deciding factor because if you leave the Glock home even once, that might be the one time in your life that you'll need it. Keep in mind too that revolvers in general are more reliable than semi-autos in general.

I suggest that you practice more with the LCR. Get proficient and comfortable with it. If, after all that, you are not comfortable with 5 rounds, go ahead and make a change.
 
I know exactly what you mean when you talk about that nagging feeling of being undergunned. I carried a Kahr CW9 for a long time and started to get that feeling. With the Kahr it was 8 rounds of 9mm and a total of 16 rounds if I carried a spare mag which I seldom did. I now carry 11 + 1 rounds of 40 S&W in a DAO 3rd generation Smith 4046. For me it's a matter of peace of mind. The 40 caliber is a harder hitting round than 9mm and I'm comfortable with the 12 rounds. It's a lot bigger and heavier than the Kahr but I carry it anyway.

The thing that gnawed on me was the mental image of a big, strong and very aggressive attacker. I'm not saying my setup is a guarantee but more and bigger is better than fewer and smaller. I should add that I don't give any consideration to the relative convenience of carrying a bigger or smaller gun. I carry the big Smith 24/7 even when I'm at home. If you wear it all the time you can forget about everything else.
 
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Under gunned with 5 rounds, when was the last time you needed more than 5? Are you stationed in Afganistan?

Where I live, if you can't get the job done with 0-2 rounds you are in a major firefight.
 
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