I purchased the new Ruger LCP II “Lite Rack” .22 handgun about nine months ago. I’ve finally got enough rounds through it to trust it for defensive carry.
Photo from Ruger’s website
I’ll be honest. When I first got the pistol, it didn’t function well at all. It really didn’t matter what ammo I fired through it. I would get a malfunction about every two magazines. I initially wrote it off as being too unreliable for carry, but I’ve since changed my opinion.
As of last Friday, I now have 560 rounds through the gun. I initially tried Federal Match 40 grain ball, Remington Yellow Jacket hollowpoints, Aguilla SuperMaximum, Remington “Golden Bullets,” and CCI Stingers. I had random light strikes and feedway stoppages with all of them.
I really think the gun needed a bit of a “break in” period. The first 300 rounds had some issues, but since then, the gun has performed very well. It may also be that I found the ammo it liked. Fortunately for me, the ammo that runs best in the gun is my chosen defensive ammo, the CCI Velocitor.
In gelatin tests using short barreled guns, the CCI Velocitor and CCI Stinger regularly meet the FBI’s penetration standards. Most other rounds do not.
The last 200 rounds of Velocitor I’ve fired through the gun gave me zero malfunctions. That’s reliable enough for me given the special nature of this pistol. I don’t plan on carrying it much, but it may see some use as a pocket gun in “Non-Permissive Environments.”
The gun is very easy to operate, has zero recoil, and has been incredibly accurate. Take a look at some of the targets from the timed and scored drills I ran with it (all shooting CCI Velocitor ammo).
The target above was 11 rounds fired in 20 seconds at 25 YARDS on a B-8 sized bullseye. That is exceptional performance for that little gun. I couldn’t shoot anything even close to that score with the .380 LCP or any of my snubbies. My confidence is building.
This was my target shooting my modified version of Tom Givens’ 6-5-4 drill adapted for the Langdon Tactical target. My performance was only slightly worse than with my Glock 19 and orders of magnitude better than I could do with the .380 LCP.
Finally, I shot the above target last Friday at the range. This is the Hardwire Tactical “Super Test.” It’s 30 rounds fired from low ready in the following three strings:
15 yards, 10 rounds in 15 seconds
10 yards, 10 rounds in 10 seconds
5 yards, 10 rounds in 5 seconds
This is scored by the numbers on a B8 Bullseye target. Goal is 270 or better.
With my Glock 19, I usually shoot around a 290 on this one. With the little Ruger .22 last week I scored a 281. I think I could do even better once I paint the front sight a brighter color. Black on black sights shot in indoor range lighting on a black bullseye make a tough combination for my aging eyes. I think the high shots are mostly me lifting the front sight “out of the notch” so I can see it a little better.
With 270 being a passing score with a full-sized gun, I’m more than happy with my 281.
I really don’t like the “push forward” safety, but I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve found that I more reliably engage it using a downward sweeping motion with my shooting hand thumb. In essence, I take the safety off with the same motion I would use on a 1911 pistol.
Other than the safety, I really like the pistol now that I’ve found reliable ammunition for it. I’m going to practice with it more and add it to my carry guns for special occasions when I need really deep concealment.
I have a Ruger LCP II in .380 that previously served in that role. I hate that gun. It hurts to shoot more than a couple magazines through it. It’s not nearly as accurate. The increased recoil slows my rate of fire. It only holds seven rounds.
I’m much more comfortable carrying the .22 version despite the reduced caliber. I can shoot it faster and more accurately. It holds 11 rounds. I like the added mag capacity in a deep concealment gun where I’m unlikely to be carrying a spare magazine. With the reliable Velocitor ammo regularly penetrating 12-14″ in gelatin, I think the .22 is the better choice than the .380 for most defensive encounters.
I’ll report back with an update once I have another 500 rounds through the gun.
Ammo the LCP .22 absolutely hates
