The Ruger LC9 pistol has the capabilities to become your most commonly used carry gun. And it works really well for that role too.
However, the most common issues with Ruger LC9 pistol are difficulties with the magazine, quality control, misfiring, slide hold back, and trigger.
The possible reasons behind the issues and the fixes will be discussed in this article. Stay tuned till the end.
Features & Specifications of Ruger LC9
| Action | Recoil operated semi-automatic |
| Caliber | 9x19mm |
| Grip | black polycarbonate |
| Product weight | 17.2oz. |
| Product length | 6” |
| Capacity | 7+1 rounds |
| Cylinder Material | Aluminum alloy |
| Barrel length | 3.12” |
Most Common Difficulties with Ruger LC9 and the Solutions
Please take a glance at the table below for a summary before we continue.
| Problems | Solutions |
| Magazine Issues | Attaching a wedge-shaped piece of plastic with superglue to the magazine’s bottom plate |
| Quality Control Issues | Troubleshoot via Ruger |
| Misfiring Issues | Chamfering the whole firing pin hole needs to be |
| Slide Hold Back Failures | Keep hand position during the shooting precisely |
| Trigger Issues | Using a shorter firing pin |
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Magazine Issues
The magazine issues with the Ruger LC9 gun usually occur in the beginning rounds with the gun model while manually racking the slide.
Possible Reasons
A filled magazine causes the top round to “nose-dive” into the bottom lip of the feed ramp when the rim of the top round catches in the groove of the following round.
Due to the difficulty, the first round consistently refuses to enter the chamber and fell toward the feed ramp.
As a result, the bullet is merely pushed farther into the case by bumping the slide which may be irritative for the users.
The Fix
To prevent the issues, you may firstly attach a wedge-shaped piece of plastic with superglue to the magazine’s bottom plate. It will stop the magazine from being stripped out.
With jewelers’ rouge, polish the ramp to a mirror-like finish.
If the filled magazine causes a particular nose dive issue with your Ruger LC9 gun, you may use an extended factory magazine.
Quality Control Issues
Some users experience all kinds of component issues with their specific gun model at the same time.
Possible Reasons
The front sight goes loose early on. The front sight seems to be connected to some LC9 guns’ low shooting.
The same users also share that the specific pistol model has a few damaged hammer springs and trigger issues. Several extractors emerged from the gun after a while of use.
The users also experienced issues with magazine releases. A few peening/rough finish issues existed on their Ruger LC9 gun. Due to the mild strike, the majority of the remaining parts were returned, and brass was discovered near the firing pin.
The Fix
If you suffer all the issues at the same time, then it is a serious matter to check the whole components of the gun model by a gunsmith whether your pistol is original or not.
Whenever you are having all these issues with your particular gun model, send it to Ruger. They will exchange the gun model or provide you with a new LC9 gun.
Misfiring Issues
Users’ experience with Ruger LC9 has a misfiring issue.
Sometimes, they have to eject the rounds and then put them back in for them to fire.
Possible Reasons
Sometimes, the issue is caused by the brass shavings that covered the firing pin and were obstructing it.
It continued to misfire many more times while using the Walmart 9mm Remington magazine.
The issue is brought on by the case rim scraping on the bottom of the firing pin hole. After the cartridge is discharged, the gun’s short barrel tilts down sharply.
This is necessary for it to correctly eject and load the subsequent round. Cheap Walmart budget ammunition tends to misfire out in the Ruger LC9’s softer barrel.
A little portion of the gun’s bulge around the firing pin is removed as the barrel slants downward to expel the expended cartridge resulting in misfires.
The Fix
The whole firing pin hole needs to be chamfered. This will prevent the sharp corners on the firing pin hole from shaving off the brass from the priming or case rim.
From that point on, you can rely on the Ruger LC9’s complete dependability.
Avoid using cheap ammo on your Ruger LC9 gun to prevent misfires.
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Slide Hold Back Failures
The slide does not pause while shooting even after a specific round has been shot.
Once the last shot has been fired, it will not hold back. It would lock open when users manually racked the slide back.
Possible Reasons
The gun is more comfortable to wield with users’ thumbs positioned atop the safety lever while practicing drawing and dry shooting at home.
The Fix
To prevent the particular issue with your Ruger LC9 gun, you must have to practice the outdoor dryfiring by your specific gun model more and more.
Your gun seems to be acting up doesn’t mean it is a problem with the gun itself.
Your precise hand position during the shooting on any kind of range is very significant to prevent this kind of difficulty.
Trigger Issues
Sometimes, the shooters have an 11-pound trigger pull on it which take up a lot of slack and does break near the end of the trigger guard.
Possible Reasons
The difficulties of the trigger on the gun model arise from hammer and trigger bar conflict.
Due to the unevenness in the particular region of the gun model, users can not hit a pie plate at 10 yards which is very disappointing for the shooters.
It has also light strikes due to the oddness of the trigger region. Users claim that, out of 7 rounds, 3-4 rounds will not go off.
The longer firing pin may also create the difficulty of light strike issue.
The Fix
Check the area of the hammer and the trigger bar region when the issue occurs.
Send your particular gun to a gunsmith or Ruger where a skilled mechanic will diagnose the exact reason behind the difficulties with the trigger of your Ruger LC9 gun and solve it accurately.
Users’ Feedback on Ruger LC9
Although there are many user reviews for the Ruger LC9 pistol, most of them concentrate on issues with the particular pistol.
A member of the ar15.com forum discusses problems with the slide release of his Ruger LC9.
On RUGERFORUM.NET, another user discusses Ruger LC9’s failure to fire abnormalities.
However, a commenter on The Firing Line praises the Ruger LC9’s reliability and accuracy, like many others.
Nevertheless, the Ruger LC9 pistol is easy to carry for users. And overall quite reliable and sturdy!
Top 2 Substitutes for Ruger LC9
Based on a study of features, functionality, and compatibility, the top 2 Ruger LC9 replacements have been identified.
Ruger EC9s
Ruger EC9s pistol is slimmer, lighter in weight, and more compact than the Ruger LC9 for personal protection. The price of EC9s starts from $339.
Ruger Max-9
Given that Ruger increased the LC9’s compact, seven-plus-one capacity to a maximum of 12 rounds of 9mm without the use of lengthy adapters or sleeved extensions, the appellation “Max-9” seems appropriate. The price of Max-9 starts from $579.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Has the Ruger LC9 been stepped down?
Although it’s presently out of production, you may still find old ones!
What distinguishes an LC9 from an LC9s?
The shorter trigger on the LC9s required a little less focus, making it simpler to fire.
What is the price of LC9?
$479
Is the Ruger LC9 single or double action?
Double-action-only.
Which is better .22 or 9mm?
9mm is much larger and more powerful than the 22lr.
Conclusion
The original LC9 had many issues. For example, it had the worst trigger ever! Its pull was incredibly hefty.
It was therefore, very cheap. For a little SFP, the more recent LC9s and LC9s Pro have an excellent trigger.
So they have redeemed themselves. I suggest you to give it a try and see what comes of it!
