LCP - Dented brass and marks on cases

N

NINEX19

New member
My wife recent bought an LCP custom. Much nicer trigger than the original LCP.

When she took it out of the box at home, I grabbed the spent test case that they include in the envelope and opened it up. I was very surprised to see that the mouth of the case was dented in on two sides that I might even use the word "crushed" to describe it. I thought it was odd, but thought perhaps the test person stepped on it before it got put in the envelope, and threw it away.

So over the past few weeks, she has been practicing with it. As I collect the cases for reloading, I notice that all of the cases appear dented at the mouth some worse than others. All of the also have scratches along one side of the case near the mouth, not where the dents are.

I have examined the chamber, barrel, slide, extractor, and can not figure out what could be causing this. Does anyone have an LCP with the same issues or any ideas what might be causing this? I wish I had pictures to post. I will try to get some uploaded eventually if it will help.
 
Last edited:
I'd suggest a call to Ruger and ask to speak to someone in customer service about it.

If they deem it a problem, meaning something missed by the person doing the test-fire that day, they might want to examine the gun. If they decide it needs something like a new extractor, barrel of even a slide, they're easily equipped to make whatever corrections/repairs they feel might be required.

FWIW, my pair of LCP's (2012 & 2014 vintage, with the 2014 model having the revised trigger/sights) doesn't dent the case mouths like you're describing, and I've shot an assortment of major American brands of JHP's and ball loads through them both.

Call Ruger and ask. Might be an easier way to set your mind at ease, or get a problem addressed, than just asking in a gun forum. ;)
 
Last edited:
I have an LCPs but honestly, I can't tell you whether or not mine dents the brass. It launches them so far away that I never know where they fall.
 
OK, I'll contact Ruger. Case denting and the scratches happen on both reloads and factory. It is not ammo specific.
 
My older model LCP never dents cases, and has performed perfectly from the get-go.
meaning something missed by the person doing the test-fire that day
Click to expand...
Test fire? Thought the only reason for the spent case included was because a sample spent casing from a new gun was required to be given to LE in some jurisdictions.
 
If the scratches are oriented lengthwise, this is often caused by burred or overly sharp feed lips on the magazine(s); if so, it's probably inconsequential to proper function, and may disappear over time.

Try firing the pistol with at least 1 more round in the mag, and then manually ejecting the fresh round in the chamber. This should tell you if the scratches are happening on firing or during chambering. (FWIW cycling rounds by hand is often not violent enough to replicate the problem.)

Also, inspect the magazine, slide, feed ramp, and chamber area for brass marks that seem to match the orientation and spacing of the dents. I find this is best done with the pistol field-stripped and a few of the suspect cases at hand.
Cheapshooter said:
Thought the only reason for the spent case included was because a sample spent casing from a new gun was required to be given to LE in some jurisdictions.
Click to expand...
Correct, although AFAIK only MD is still collecting them; IIRC NY repealed the requirement recently because the case-collection program had cost the NYSP a bunch of money but had helped solve exactly zero crimes. :rolleyes:
 
What carguychris says makes sense regarding the scratches, but what about the mashed case mouths? I can't think of anything except the slide that would have enough momentum to do that, and it would have to happen during ejection (i.e., with the bullet gone). I would have wondered about the load being too low except that OP said the problem was occurring with factory ammo, too. I would want to talk to Ruger.
 
TailGator said:
...what about the mashed case mouths? I can't think of anything except the slide that would have enough momentum to do that...
Click to expand...
Me neither, hence the recommendation to field-strip the pistol and look for suspicious brass marks. :)
 
More important: is it creating 'smilies' on the next round?

A smiley is caused by the ramp whacking the bullet, deforming the round. An issue for hollow points.
 
After taking the LCP out again today and firing off another 30 rounds, it strangely appears that the denting is not as pronounced as it was the first time out. You will see the pictures that, while still denting every case, it is not something now that a resized die will not iron out. The scratches are not as easy to see, they are all in the same place on the case, near the mouth, but they seem to always be in different locations in relation to the dent. Sorry for bad pics. I don't have much to work with for a camera.uploadfromtaptalk1442367097298.jpg uploadfromtaptalk1442367114995.jpg I still have not contacted Ruger, but will this week.
 
wish we could see that second picture. does you phone or camera have a "macro" setting? the only thing that is going to cause a smash like that first picture, as far as I know, is your extractor is not angled correctly and slamming the brass into the side of the ejection port. all I can think of anyway
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top