With the advent of better bullet technology and the recent run of high-capacity, ultra-compact pistols, I will never be found without a .380 ACP micro-pistol on me or in my pocket. They are lightweight, hold quite a few rounds, and are perfect for light summer wear at the beach or pool or as a backup to your primary EDC pistol. One of the most popular current pistols of that type is the Ruger LCP Max which is the subject of this review — as well as a new feature included for improved user safety.
The Ruger LCP Is No Stranger to Me
The original LCP was released in 2008, and I jumped on the bandwagon immediately. Back then the LCP had a capacity of 6+1 or 7+1 rounds depending on the magazine that was used. The original LCP was so popular back in the day that Ruger came out with the MK II version in 2016 that was essentially the same style of pistol but with a number of enhancements including a shortened trigger pull. I bought that one, too.
The year 2021 rolled around during the micro-compact craze and Ruger introduced the LCP Max as part of the line’s evolution. The biggest feature upgrade with the Max was the ability to carry 10+1 rounds with the standard magazine. This resulted in a slightly thicker grip than the original LCP, but the LCP Max was still very pocketable. For those that wanted even more capacity, 12-round magazines were/are available for order.
Just to provide a thumbnail for the viewer’s imagination, the LCP Max is essentially a micro-compact pistol in .380 ACP. It integrates a 2.8-inch barrel, stands 5.17 inches tall, and Ruger lists its slide width as .81 inches. However, you’re carrying the whole pistol, grip and all, and not just the slide. With my digital calipers I got a grip-width measurement of .93 inches which still isn’t too shabby for comfortable deep carry.
When the LCP Max was introduced in 2021, it brought with it even more improvements over the LCP and the LCP II. Gone were the nubby integral sights of the previous models. Instead, the LCP Max ships with dovetailed front and rear sights that can be adjusted for windage or even replaced for another set.
The LCP Max has a Bodyguard sight footprint for easily locating aftermarket sights. Even better, the Max included a high-visibility front sight that features a tritium insert with a white halo around it for quick and confident pickup and tracking.
Other features and/or improvements with the Max includes an augmented feed ramp and improved magazine feed lips. The Max also comes with ample front and rear serrations for easy manipulation of the slide, and it offers a reversible magazine release for left-handed shooters. The Max includes a bit of grip texturing that is fairly grippy where it exists, though I wished it covered more real estate on the grip.
Unlike many other micros on the market today which are strike-fired models, the LCP Max utilizes an internal hammer that’s part of Ruger’s “Safe-Action” trigger system. It features a bladed trigger safety like you will find on most striker-fired pistols, but the action relies on that internal hammer instead of a striker. For the trigger pull, there is almost half an inch of ultra-clean and smooth pre-travel before the break.
Once the trigger is to the wall, there’s just a touch of creep before the break which registered an average pull weight of 5.81 pounds on my trigger gauge. When the break occurs, there is a relatively loud sound that occurs once the hammer is released. I can’t really place it, but the sound reminds me of something from my childhood that clacked when a spring was involved. It’s not a crispy sounding break like you might find with other hammer-fired pistols, but it works.
Nonetheless, it’s an authoritative break and there’s no question when you’ve gotten through to the end of the pull. Conversely, the reset isn’t quite so prominent and it’s not very short either. The trigger travels forward almost half and inch again before the reset which is barely audible and offers a very soft response.
Personally, I’d like a shorter reset with a more tactile pop, but I can live with this for the price point and the type of pistol that it is. I would just recommend plenty of practice to get a feel for the pistol’s cadence, so the user doesn’t end up short-stroking the trigger.
So, what’s the deal with this new model of the LCP Max? Well, the biggest change is the inclusion of a manual thumb safety to provide the user with an extra degree of security against an accidental discharge. The thumb safety is fairly small and unobtrusive, though I didn’t have any issue flipping it on or off with the side of my thumb just sitting at the house. Of course, the real test will come when using the Max at the change while running a few drills. The other change is the offering of the matte finish on the stainless-steel slide for a nice two-tone change of pace.
Testing the New Ruger LCP the “Max”
For the sake of brevity, we’ll just get right to the range results. First, I’m glad we had another LCP Max on hand the day we tested the LCP Max at the range. It was brought by my shooting buddy Jamie who has had one for a while. I wanted to compare the trigger pulls, but it turned out that I used the 10-round and 12-round magazines from Jamie’s Max a good amount in the new LCP Max I was reviewing. The LCP Max only ships with one magazine, and the magazine I got for the review was really finicky to load in the beginning. Everything was very tight, and you have to get the next round into just the right spot to load it easily. You can’t rush it.
However, once the new magazine was loaded quite a few times, the LCP Max fed every type of ammo I tried flawlessly. So, the magazine wasn’t unreliable; it was just a pain to load in the beginning. However, after taking the time to load it over and over that day, it got broken in a good bit and it was much easier to manage. Loading Jamie’s magazines that have been used a good amount was buttery smooth.
The Ruger LCP Max Eats Everything
I’ll mention here that another micro-compact .380 I’ve been carrying lately is the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0. I love that little pistol for its trigger and ergonomics, but the one issue I have with it is that it’s not reliable with the copper-solid rounds like the Lehigh Defense XP and Black Hills Honey Badger loads.
The Bodyguard 2.0 chews through any hollow-point I throw at it, but every now and then, it has a hiccup when shooting copper-solid bullets. This is a key point for me because I want to carry those rounds for the extra velocity and the better penetration.
The LCP Max doesn’t have that issue. We shot multiple boxes of both Lehigh’s and Black Hills’ copper solids without a single malfunction of any sort. The LCP Max also devoured all of the hollow-points we had on hand from Federal, Sig Sauer, and Hornady, not to mention the three types of range loads we were using for drills and general target shooting. The same is true for Jamie’s LCP Max we already had. That one has never failed with any type of round, and it has almost 1500 rounds through it.
Using the manual safety wasn’t an issue while drawing, shooting and running a few drills, though we weren’t under a lot of stress out there on the range. The LCP Max was surprisingly easy to shoot well with the high-visibility front sight, and we had no problem addressing eight-inch plates out to 15 yards quickly and accurately as well. The Max isn’t the softest shooting .380 ACP pistol I’ve tried, but it still had a good recoil response and was easy to control.
Aside from the offhand shooting, The LCP Max turned in fairly good groups from the bench at 7 yards as well. It wasn’t exactly a consistent tack driver, but the results were more than good enough for a pistol of this type and at its price point. Don’t get me wrong; no one will have any issue hitting center mass offhand at that distance.
However, I could put two or three rounds into less than .75 inches but the fourth or fifth shots would start walking or I’d have a random flyer that would really open up the group. So, my thinking on using this little piece for a defensive encounter is that it’s a little like voting. Start early and do it often.
From the bench, with each load that was tested, I shot three, five-shot groups and the average group size of all loads tried was 1.57 inches. The best single five-shot group measured just 1.13 inches with a three-group average of 1.52 inches, and those groups were shot with Hornady’s 90-grain American Gunner XTP load. Overall, that’s pretty good for a hideout gun and it will easily get the job done if you do your part.
Ruger LCP Max Performance
| Ammo | Accuracy (avg/best) | Velocity (fps) |
|---|---|---|
| Black Hills 60gr. Honey Badger | 1.65” / 1.19” | 1,101 |
| Federal Premium 99gr. Hydra-Shok Deep | 1.58” / 1.18” | 844 |
| Hornady 90gr. American Gunner XTP | 1.42” / 1.13” | 852 |
| Lehigh Defense 68gr. XP | 1.63” / 1.25” | 1,085 |
Each type of ammo was fired in three, five-shot groups at 15 yards.
Pistol Specs
Action: Semi-Automatic
Barrel: 2.80 inches
Overall Length: 5.17 inches
Caliber: .380 ACP
Capacity: 10/12+1
Finish: Stainless
Weight: 10.6 ounces
Sights: High-Viz Front w/tritium insert
Optic Ready: No
Grips: Polymer
MSRP: $379
Final Thoughts
Having a manual safety is fine for folks that want it, but I would caution them to practice and then practice even more drawing, flipping off the safety, and then shooting to develop that muscle memory. When adrenalin hits the body during a stress-inducing encounter, fine motor skills go out the window and it’s possible to just forget to activate the safety during the draw. That’s where muscle memory comes into play. Your body will repeat what it has been trained to do.
Also keep in mind that the thumb safety is only on the left-hand side of the pistol. Left-handed shooters may not be able to engage it quickly and confidently. For those shooters and others that either don’t want a safety or care about it either way, my advice is to get a non-safety LCP Max. If you get into a defensive encounter and the pistol’s safety has inadvertently been engaged, you’re probably going to fumble around with it at a time when speed is a requirement. Ruger ships a pocket holster with the LCP Max. That, with the heavier trigger and the trigger safety, should be enough security for most folks.
But if you do want a manual safety on your pocket gun, the LCP Max pretty much does it all while providing you with that extra degree of safety. It’s exceptionally reliable, more than accurate for a pistol of its type, and it has a great front sight that’s easy to visually acquire and track. With an MSRP of just $379, the LCP Max is a pretty strong value and will serve you well with whatever method you decide to carry it.
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