Ruger LCR accuracy
- Thread starter AID_Admin
- Start date
LCR .357magnum...
I wouldn't mind buying a Ruger LCR in .357magnum. Id use .38spl +P or +P+ mostly but I might carry a Tuff Products safety orange Quik-strip or 2 with .357magnum loads.
I wouldn't try shooting at extreme ranges(20-50 yards) with a LCR. It's mainly for a back-up or 2nd gun. A LCR works best at 30' or under. If it hits a man size target at that range, then it's worth carrying.
Clyde
I wouldn't mind buying a Ruger LCR in .357magnum. Id use .38spl +P or +P+ mostly but I might carry a Tuff Products safety orange Quik-strip or 2 with .357magnum loads.
I wouldn't try shooting at extreme ranges(20-50 yards) with a LCR. It's mainly for a back-up or 2nd gun. A LCR works best at 30' or under. If it hits a man size target at that range, then it's worth carrying.
Clyde
FireForged
New member
Its better than that you just have to get a little used to it.
Long time lurker, first time poster...
I have shot a few hundred rounds through my LCR .38. At first, I worked on slow fire. As mentioned in earlier posts, you can stage the trigger to the point where it just needs the final squeeze. So it's sort of like SA at that point, except that the pull at that point is quite heavy. I could post targets of very nice 7 yard groups from that method. But usually there is a flyer, and the more I practiced, the more fliers I was getting. I did some reading on DA revolver technique, and found my problem described. When you get the trigger staged like that, you're also working on your sight alignment at the same time, trying to time your wobble. It leads to a NOW! type of pull, sort of a flinch.
I'm not an expert, but I've owned and shot handguns decently for many years. This LCR was my first try at pure DA shooting. And so, I was trying to turn it into what I was familiar with. But after reading about DA technique, I realized trying to make it like SA was a dead end. And after all, this is not a target gun. As much as I wanted to see small groups, the purpose of practice with it should be to make reasonable groups while firing at defensive speed.
One key thought is to keep the trigger moving! You don't have the skills to yank it as fast as possible, but you do want a smooth quick pull, re-acquire the target, and do it again. It's great that the LCR can be dry fired. I worked on this skill by dry firing, then tried it at the range. I was missing a paper plate at 7 yards with all 5 shots, lol! So then I dry fired and watched closely what was happening with the sights. Which was that the trigger pull is long enough and stout enough that I was pulling the barrel upward just a bit. YMMV! So I worked on dry firing while keeping the barrel under control. After that, I soon was making perfectly reasonable groups at 7 yards, firing quickly. Like say 6" groups, being honest. By comparison, using that SA-type pull, I can routinely hit or at least nick a 2" dot at 7 yards. But what does that really prove? It is all about trigger control, meaning learning to squeeze it quickly without it moving the gun off target.
I usually shoot 148g WC target loads. Sometimes I bump it up to stouter stuff, but I subscribe to the crawl, walk, run theory of learning something. As mentioned by others, a snubby is a humbling gun for a person who likes to be accurate. It's only for beginners in terms of maybe 10 feet or closer, IMO. If a beginner wants to hit a baseball at 7 yards, good luck.
I also have an LCP. It is orders of magnitude easier to shoot quickly, on target, than the LCR. The recoil is much easier to handle, and the trigger pull is lighter and shorter, all of which makes it easier to keep the next shot on target. With much less practice overall, I make significantly smaller groups with the LCP vs LCR at 7 yards firing quickly. But, I still like the LCR. It's more fun to shoot than the LCP. I continue to improve, and that's rewarding. Maybe with enough practice I can get it to equal my LCP's groups. I would trust my life to it. But all things considered, I consider the LCP a better gun for CC/SD.
I have shot a few hundred rounds through my LCR .38. At first, I worked on slow fire. As mentioned in earlier posts, you can stage the trigger to the point where it just needs the final squeeze. So it's sort of like SA at that point, except that the pull at that point is quite heavy. I could post targets of very nice 7 yard groups from that method. But usually there is a flyer, and the more I practiced, the more fliers I was getting. I did some reading on DA revolver technique, and found my problem described. When you get the trigger staged like that, you're also working on your sight alignment at the same time, trying to time your wobble. It leads to a NOW! type of pull, sort of a flinch.
I'm not an expert, but I've owned and shot handguns decently for many years. This LCR was my first try at pure DA shooting. And so, I was trying to turn it into what I was familiar with. But after reading about DA technique, I realized trying to make it like SA was a dead end. And after all, this is not a target gun. As much as I wanted to see small groups, the purpose of practice with it should be to make reasonable groups while firing at defensive speed.
One key thought is to keep the trigger moving! You don't have the skills to yank it as fast as possible, but you do want a smooth quick pull, re-acquire the target, and do it again. It's great that the LCR can be dry fired. I worked on this skill by dry firing, then tried it at the range. I was missing a paper plate at 7 yards with all 5 shots, lol! So then I dry fired and watched closely what was happening with the sights. Which was that the trigger pull is long enough and stout enough that I was pulling the barrel upward just a bit. YMMV! So I worked on dry firing while keeping the barrel under control. After that, I soon was making perfectly reasonable groups at 7 yards, firing quickly. Like say 6" groups, being honest. By comparison, using that SA-type pull, I can routinely hit or at least nick a 2" dot at 7 yards. But what does that really prove? It is all about trigger control, meaning learning to squeeze it quickly without it moving the gun off target.
I usually shoot 148g WC target loads. Sometimes I bump it up to stouter stuff, but I subscribe to the crawl, walk, run theory of learning something. As mentioned by others, a snubby is a humbling gun for a person who likes to be accurate. It's only for beginners in terms of maybe 10 feet or closer, IMO. If a beginner wants to hit a baseball at 7 yards, good luck.
I also have an LCP. It is orders of magnitude easier to shoot quickly, on target, than the LCR. The recoil is much easier to handle, and the trigger pull is lighter and shorter, all of which makes it easier to keep the next shot on target. With much less practice overall, I make significantly smaller groups with the LCP vs LCR at 7 yards firing quickly. But, I still like the LCR. It's more fun to shoot than the LCP. I continue to improve, and that's rewarding. Maybe with enough practice I can get it to equal my LCP's groups. I would trust my life to it. But all things considered, I consider the LCP a better gun for CC/SD.
Rifleman1776
New member
Old thread but I will support what others said. This is a defensive gun. If used range will be 20 feet or under. I believe a defensive gun doesn't need sights at all. They are point and shoot tools.
My CCW instructor spent way too much time, IMHO, talking about sights. Again, IMHO, sights are something to get hung up on clothing while trying to make a fast draw for defense.
I use an LCP but shot DA revolver for many years. If the LCR has such a hard pull as some mentioned then a spring replacement kit is in order. Defense guns are usually not fired often so it is unlikely most LCRs will get 'fired in' to an easier action.
My CCW instructor spent way too much time, IMHO, talking about sights. Again, IMHO, sights are something to get hung up on clothing while trying to make a fast draw for defense.
I use an LCP but shot DA revolver for many years. If the LCR has such a hard pull as some mentioned then a spring replacement kit is in order. Defense guns are usually not fired often so it is unlikely most LCRs will get 'fired in' to an easier action.
Dave Chuppa
New member
I have a LCR 357. I can get all shots on a paper plate with mid range 357ammo at 30 feet. With 38 and 38+P I get good groups. When I shot standard 38 it was very accurate but boring. Mid range 357 was ok for 100 or so rounds. Full power 357 is a bit of a handful and challenging.
j/kbluetopper
New member
My wife and I can make a Coke can dance at 15-20 yds with our 38 LCR loaded with my wadcutter reloads.
Very easy to shoot revolver.
Very easy to shoot revolver.
Rifleman1776
New member
45 Auto (post #48)
No one can predict how a defensive scenario will shape up.
Reality is if the bad guy is much more than 20 feet away you might have other alternatives to shooting. Prosecutors and judges frequently invoke the 21 foot rule.
We all make choices. Mine is to assure I can pull my gun from it's holster or my pocket quickly without risking hang-up than having target quality sights on it still being stuck while I get shot by the bad guy.
No one can predict how a defensive scenario will shape up.
Reality is if the bad guy is much more than 20 feet away you might have other alternatives to shooting. Prosecutors and judges frequently invoke the 21 foot rule.
We all make choices. Mine is to assure I can pull my gun from it's holster or my pocket quickly without risking hang-up than having target quality sights on it still being stuck while I get shot by the bad guy.
I usually practice with my LCR at 21' and can put all 5 shots onto an 8.5"x11" every time with groups usually about 4". I figure those are center mass kill shots and would do the job the snubby was intended for. I do practice at distances from as little at 8' and out to 45'. At 45' I usually only put 1 or 2 onto the paper. I know I don't practice as much as I should and assume I could do better.