LCP Max issue

intrepid953

Dark moon rising
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Bought a new Max recently and stripped it and cleaned it. Took it to the range the other day to start the break in. After a few magazines it started not going completely into battery every few rounds and I would have to tap the back of the slide to make it go into battery for the next shot anyone else having this problem and found a solution. I've seen a few threads on other sites but wondered if anyone here had found a answer
 
I’ve not had that issue with mine. However I’m only at 150 rounds in testing. Still not carrying it at this point. However, mine rattles more than a worn out AK. With the magazine out and slide racked with the hammer in the cocked position, does yours rattle a lot?
 
I got mine early on when they first came out. I've put at least 300 rounds through mine with no issues yet.
 
Have you tried different ammo types. My gf's Taurus TCP does that with Hornady XTP bullets but everything else feeds perfectly.
 
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No haven't been back to the range yet but got some different ammo that I'm going to take next trip
 
I have a 2nd gen LCP and it had to go back to ruger before it would work correctly. I just bought another one to replace the worn out first one, and it sucks as well (double feeds every mag regardless of ammo or mag). Yes, ruger has good CS but if they maybe spent just a little more on QC instead it would save a lot of shipping hassles and make it a brand that's easier to recommend to those who want things to work right the first time.
 
I meant to update this thread better than I have. I made another trip to the range and shot several different types of ammo with the same results. Kept not wanting to go back into battery. Had the guys there at the range look at it and it did the same thing with them. I bought it there so they sent it back to Ruger for me. Ruger sent it back with a note that said they replaced the extractor spring and barrel. Tested fired 30 rounds with no problems. I didn't have time to fire it when I picked it up and it's been a while since I did and haven't had a chance to get back to fire it again. Took it to the range yesterday with 3 different types of ammo all fmj. Loaded up two 12 round mags and they went through no problems at all. Third magazine 3 shots then just got a light click with no shot. Dropped the magazine and took the slide off and checked the barrel for a misfire and it was clear. Put it back together and racked the slide and click with no shot. checked again with same results. Put it back together and racked the slide and got a couple of shots off and then click again. Had the guys at the range try it with the same results. It's now on the way back to Ruger to see what has happened to it now. Hoping they get to the root of this problem and fix it this time. Will update again when I get it back from Ruger.
 
Seems like a bunch of people get the 13 pound recoil spring to help get the gun back into battery.
My Max just came home with me on Saturday and the function test revealed it doesn't like XTP rounds. Runs fine with round and flat nose ball. It doesn't rattle at all.
 
It seemed to be going back in battery good until it broke again. Didn't mention anything about replacing the recoil spring. I think I'm going to start carrying with ball ammo instead of jhp in my 380s from now on anyway for better penetration
 
It seemed to be going back in battery good until it broke again. Didn't mention anything about replacing the recoil spring. I think I'm going to start carrying with ball ammo instead of jhp in my 380s from now on anyway for better penetration
The heavy recoil spring is Galloway Precision aftermarket part.
 
I bought a standard model when they first came out and a cerakoted model about a year later - ruger is familiar with the slide issue and both of mine had to go back to ruger because of massive accuracy issues related to the slide problems - after going to ruger they both have worked without any malfunctions my only problem is both of my guns will not work reliably with the extended mags and I believe it’s when you death grip the pistol with the extended base plate it can move the position in which it feeds just enough to cause malfunctions but the 10rd mags have been flawless
 
I meant to update this thread better than I have. I made another trip to the range and shot several different types of ammo with the same results. Kept not wanting to go back into battery. Had the guys there at the range look at it and it did the same thing with them. I bought it there so they sent it back to Ruger for me. Ruger sent it back with a note that said they replaced the extractor spring and barrel. Tested fired 30 rounds with no problems. I didn't have time to fire it when I picked it up and it's been a while since I did and haven't had a chance to get back to fire it again. Took it to the range yesterday with 3 different types of ammo all fmj. Loaded up two 12 round mags and they went through no problems at all. Third magazine 3 shots then just got a light click with no shot. Dropped the magazine and took the slide off and checked the barrel for a misfire and it was clear. Put it back together and racked the slide and click with no shot. checked again with same results. Put it back together and racked the slide and got a couple of shots off and then click again. Had the guys at the range try it with the same results. It's now on the way back to Ruger to see what has happened to it now. Hoping they get to the root of this problem and fix it this time. Will update again when I get it back from Ruger.
Sounds like Ruger should just send you a new one at this point.
 
Finally got it back and it didn't have anything with it saying what they did. Took it to the range Monday and put 150 rounds through it with no problems. Evidently what they did fixed it. I've got it up for sale on the forum. I think it is good to go but I'm still wary of it. If it doesn't sell I'll probably take it back to the range and run some more rounds through it. It shot good and seemed to be pretty accurate. The range I went to just has metal targets so the only thing I know is it was pinging on target the majority of the shots at around 10 yards
 
Mine has been rock solid with the exception of not wanting to chamber underwood extreme penetrators.

I carry it with one round of the underwood ammo in the chamber and a full mag of regular ball ammo. First round is spicy 🔥
 
Second trip to the range this week and put another 150 rounds through it with no problems. Had a target to aim at this time and it shot pretty accurate with me shooting it. Another trip to the range maybe next week and if there are no issues it might go into my carry rotation
 
Started to post a new thread but seen this one, so I'll post here:

Have a buddy that has 4 between he and his wife (LCP, LCPII, 2 LCP Max's). He almost sold me on them a few years ago but I played with one, and decided against it as it felt cheap and didn't fit my hand, being so tiny. This morning around 2:00 AM, while dealing with an unusual inability to sleep (?) I decided to change up some carry guns and bring a couple more into the fold. I decided on a LCP Max. I looked at one (through the glass!) early today on a break from work at a local chain store that sells guns ($369) but no one was around the gun counter, so I left. Glad I did as I called a guy at a local pawn shop that has done me some SOLID deals lately, and he had two-a black standard one and a stainless 75th Anniversary model:


Normally I'm an "all black" guy on all my guns, but the 75th anniversary gun just had a better feel AND somehow, he could sell it cheaper than the standard ($299 vs. $329). So...now it resides with me. Smallest pocket pistol I've carried since a Kel-Tec P32 in the early 2000s. I'm hoping for no issues, but will keep this thread in mind. Within a couple weeks I should be able to qualify on it and start carrying it. Ammo will be Speer Gold Dot HPs.
 
Started to post a new thread but seen this one, so I'll post here:

Have a buddy that has 4 between he and his wife (LCP, LCPII, 2 LCP Max's). He almost sold me on them a few years ago but I played with one, and decided against it as it felt cheap and didn't fit my hand, being so tiny. This morning around 2:00 AM, while dealing with an unusual inability to sleep (?) I decided to change up some carry guns and bring a couple more into the fold. I decided on a LCP Max. I looked at one (through the glass!) early today on a break from work at a local chain store that sells guns ($369) but no one was around the gun counter, so I left. Glad I did as I called a guy at a local pawn shop that has done me some SOLID deals lately, and he had two-a black standard one and a stainless 75th Anniversary model:


Normally I'm an "all black" guy on all my guns, but the 75th anniversary gun just had a better feel AND somehow, he could sell it cheaper than the standard ($299 vs. $329). So...now it resides with me. Smallest pocket pistol I've carried since a Kel-Tec P32 in the early 2000s. I'm hoping for no issues, but will keep this thread in mind. Within a couple weeks I should be able to qualify on it and start carrying it. Ammo will be Speer Gold Dot HPs.
Let us know if it shoots off to the left by a good bit
 
And old thread that I missed back in its day gets resurrected...so I thought I'd weigh in on the cause of this little glitch. It may be of interest for those who followed the thread, and for whoever may encounter it on another pistol in the future.

The issue is one of timing. The barrel is moving up into the slide too early, and the front barrel lug corner is getting into a bind with the rear slide lug corner. If it were a little more severe, the result would be the oft-mentioned
Three Point Jam where the slide can't be pushed or bumped hard enough to go to battery.

It's usually brought on by tolerance stacking between the location of the slide and barrel lug...or lugs in the case of pistols with multiple lugs...and can very often be addressed by simply taking a couple thousandths off the face of the barrel hood to delay the barrel's forward/up movement. Although that won't work in the case of a hard three point jam, for a light interference like this one, it usually will.

There are occasionally those in which the slide contacts the barrel in another area, and relieving the barrel hood will have no effect. I've run into a small number of 1911s where the point of contact was between the chamber face and the guide block in the slide that the extractor comes through. Relieving the front of the block solved the problem.

A quick test to see if a little judicious file work is in order...if it happens...point the gun straight up and slowly cycle the slide. If the problem goes away, it's a good candidate for a light tweak.

Hope this helps for future issues.
 
The only issues I've had with my LCP Max were related to the 12rd mags. Had occasional jams with them but can't remember now what kind they were. Also I dropped one onto a rug in my bedroom and the floor plate came off sending rounds everywhere.

IMO you should stick with the 10rd mags.
 
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The only issues I've had with my LCP Max were related to the 12rd mags. Had occasional jams with them but can't remember now what kind they were. Also I dropped one onto a rug in my bedroom and the floor plate came off sending rounds everywhere.

IMO you should stick with the 10rd mags.
I too have heard of this, but I didn't know until after I'd bought 2 12 rounders (all the store had anyway). I won't have a handgun with less than three magazines and now I am aware the 12s can be problematic. Hoping I get lucky...
 
Let us know how your 12 rounders do. I've ran some more rounds through mine with no problems and am using it as one of my EDCs now. Was thinking of picking up a couple of 12 round magazines for it but doubtfully about them now
 
I just picked up a used Max yesterday, have yet to fire it but fingers crossed it'll all be good. Was looking to carry w the underwood XD 68gr. Will have to run some through and see if it likes.
 
I finally got to the pistol range and was able to test the screwdriver tip Lehigh in my LCP max. I've also added a Galloway aftermarket recoil spring.
I put 50 rounds of the Lehigh through the gun, a few magazines of just Lehigh, a few with Lehigh mixed in with ball. No hiccups, no problems. I left the range with loaded with Lehigh. I'd been running flat nose ball since last summer.
Big problem now is I can't shoot groups worth a darn at 15 yards. It's good enough for the average fight that's going to be much closer though.
My 12 round magazines are working ok.
 
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I have owned 5-6 and every time someone tries mine, they wind up keeping it. I have one that’s belonged to several of us at Battery Oaks and I’m sure it has 1000 rounds through it. Never an issue with any of them. 95% has been ball ammo but I carry Lehigh and never a problem and accuracy is as good as ball. Only accurate issues I’ve had was shooting some various HP’s I had laying around. Plenty accurate for carry, but noticeably less accurate than ball and Lehigh
 
Third time to the range and after around 50 rounds it started not going back into battery completely. Slap on the slide it would go in and fire. Two or three rounds later the same thing. I pulled up the Ruger site and sent them a message detailing how it was once again failing to go into battery after two trips back to them. Answered my message giving me a RMA number and advising they wanted me to return it once again and asking me to call their customer service. Talked with a very nice lady and explained the life of my LCP Max. Gave her my RMA number and told her I thought it was time to send me a new pistol. She said she was including that in her notes. Sent me a FedEx shipping label and I returned it to them. A few days after they received it I got an email advising they were replacing it with a new current production model and a form to sign and return with a FFL to send it to. They've shipped it and should be at my FFL dealer now. Looking forward to picking it up and seeing if this one performs as good as some of yours have.
 
Good luck with the new pistol. I thought I posted about my experience but evidentially I am mistaken.

I like mine and had no issues with the gun or qualification about 6 weeks ago, other than shooting low. Like WAY low. Still qualified with a 90 on Day Qualification (to 25 yards) which is about the lowest I've ever shot with a semi-auto (only lower with J frames and no night sights on night courses) and STILL usually better. At night we only go back to 15yards, PLUS I was using a tad of "Kentucky Windage" knowing I was shooting so low, and this target was in the mid 90's (can't recall now exactly). I had NO malfunctions (100 rounds of Gold Dot HP) but noticed two things that concerned me:

1. Live rounds were hard to eject, getting caught on the top of the slide often (not THAT big of an issue)
2. I could feel gas blowback upon firing on the forehead and top of my hairline-wondering if it's opening a smidge too soon?

Feeling the blowback like I did makes me want to try the increased power recoil spring, which I may get to try today. If it still goes 100% with 50 rounds of carry ammo, I'll leave it in the gun from here forward.
 
Mine shoots low too. Only gun I own that does that, so I suspect it isn't entirely me.
 
I cant adjust (without ordering a shorter FS, which may or may not even exist) so I'm ingraining in myself a technique (for this gun) that Massad Ayoob used to teach for quick short range engagements. He called it the Stress Fire sight picture where instead of the traditional sight alignment where the FS was dead level with the RS perfect horizontal alignment, to where the FS post was ABOVE the center notch. Obviously this was/is for short round engagements, and at those distances changing the proper sight picture to this wouldn't result in an inch or three difference, but resulted in a telling hit on target a smidge faster.

I'm going to have to hold the front sight higher to get accurate shots. Also curious to see if the reduced power recoil spring and MCARBO guide rod make any difference in this...(?)
 
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