cleaning handgun and FTE

[thatTexasLady]

My Ruger .380 LCP is new, I've been to the range twice and each time after we go hubby cleans the guns with rem oil and gets them ready to go again. Last night I had two FTE's. Is this normal for a new handgun or should he be using something else? In the reviews I've read the LCP has about a 1 in 100 FTE, but I just want to know so that I am taking the best possible care of my handgun.

[fulano]

My Ruger .380 LCP is new, I've been to the range twice and each time after we go hubby cleans the guns with rem oil and gets them ready to go again. Last night I had two FTE's. Is this normal for a new handgun or should he be using something else? In the reviews I've read the LCP has about a 1 in 100 FTE, but I just want to know so that I am taking the best possible care of my handgun.

Keep shooting it. See if your mate has similar issues with the gun; could be a grip issue. Generally 380's are easy to hold on too but its a small gun.

Try different ammo. Start by varying the bullet weight then, if you don't find what it likes to eat, vary the manufacturer.

I've found cleaning to be an issue after dozens of rounds; even then it will depend on the gun.

If this don't work Start worrying after a couple of hundred rounds.

[thatTexasLady]

Maybe the reloads we were using?

[A-R]

As I remember the Ruger LCP manual, it (like many modern polymer-framed guns) includes specific warnings about not overlubricating. As a "Glock guy" from the beginning, I tend to run all of my guns "drier" (very little oil/lube) than most. This can be a detriment with steel-frame guns - but that's another story.

With my LCP, I clean the barrel/bore with a solvent (Hoppes, Shooter's Choice etc), then lightly oil it. Clean the rest of the slide with a bit of solvent if really dirty, but prefer to use rubbing alcohol as it is milder, then just rub it with an oily cloth (no oil actually added to the metal). With the polymer frame, again I'll use a bit of solvent if it's really dirty, but always end the cleaning by swabbing everything with rubbing alcohol (works like a super mild degreaser to remove all the gunk). Finally put a bit of oil or grease on the frame rails, then put it back together and work the slide a bit to rub the lube from frame rails into the slide rails. Wipe it all down one last time with clean dry cloth and that's it.

My LCP has never been finicky at all - shoots anything and has never had a FTF, FTE etc. But I do run it relatively dry, with only light lubrication of important contact points between the barrel and slide and the slide and frame.

Reason I gave you all that explanation is I think using only Rem Oil to clean and lube a gun like an LCP could lead to problems as the gun accumulates excess dirt, grime, powder residue that sticks to the oil like glue and forms a sticky coating inside the gun. Not sure how likely this is with a new gun with only a small number of rounds fired.

Other consideration is whether all of the factory shipping grease was removed from the gun before it was first fired? I've seen a few Ruger guns that are just drowning in packing grease when purchased new from a gun shop. You really need to clean all that gunk out of the gun first before shooting or it just accelerates the problem of gunk piling up in the tight spaces.

However, all other previous troubleshooting recommendations should also be considered as well.

And I'll add in limp wristing as a possibility. This can happen to anyone, especially with such a small gun with an unorthodox shape that doesn't provide the best grip ergonomics. If you don't have a firm grip, when the gun recoils from the shot it doesn't meet enough resistance from your hand/wrist/arm and the slide doesn't properly cycle.

[USA1]

Maybe the reloads we were using?

I'm willing to bet that might be the cause.
I have rarely heard of an LCP having issues with factory ammo. I owned one and it never missed a beat with any brand of ammo...even with the cheap stuff.

[ddstuder]

I had trouble with my LCP after the first cleaning. Turns out I had installed the recoil springs backwards. After correcting this, it has functioned 100%

It is usually the simple things!

[thatTexasLady]

Ugh recoil springs, okay I will check that as well!

[BrianSW99]

Definitely test with factory ammo and see if that makes a difference. For cleaning, I would recommend using a solvent for the actual cleaning, like Hoppes #9, and then use the Rem Oil only for lubricating the areas that are specified in the manual. I think a lot of people tend to over lubricate their guns and it can cause problems. Oils like Rem Oil can create a sticky residue if over used or used in the wrong places.

Brian

[RottenApple]

I'd recommend using Eezox (http://www.eezox.com/). It does an awesome job cleaning and lubricating. PawPaw just gave me a bottle last week after we went skeet shooting. I've used it to clean and oil every gun I've got and, so far, haven't experienced any issues. As a matter of fact, the trigger on my M91/30 is a heck of a lot smoother than it was before.

[gfmun]

A lot of people over lube new handguns. Add reloads to that mix and it could be hard to say. I would dry it up a bit and run a few hundred rounds of good factory ammo through it and see what happens.

Oh, and I also bought a new Kahr PM9 cheap because the owner did not put it back together correctly. Recoil spring was in backwards.


George

[fulano]

A lot of people over lube new handguns. Add reloads to that mix and it could be hard to say. I would dry it up a bit and run a few hundred rounds of good factory ammo through it and see what happens.

Oh, and I also bought a new Kahr PM9 cheap because the owner did not put it back together correctly. Recoil spring was in backwards.


George

The PM9 has two springs. How did he get them apart?

[WildBill]

Maybe the reloads we were using?

I'm willing to bet that might be the cause.
I have rarely heard of an LCP having issues with factory ammo. I owned one and it never missed a beat with any brand of ammo...even with the cheap stuff.

It is very tough to reload .380ACP. The cases can get deformed during sizing and seating/crimping. Try some other brands of ammo.

[ddstuder]

Ugh recoil springs, okay I will check that as well!

Yeah!
You will notice that there are two of them. One goes inside the other and the internal one has a fluted shape on one end. Make sure that end is toward the front of the pistol, closest to the muzzle.

[thatTexasLady]

Recoil spring was good, was oiled but not too much, still had misfires, FTE's and no cycle through on some shots. Took it back to Gander, the gunsmith was shocked, first LCP nhe had ever gotten back, sennt it back to Ruger. I am so sad, can't wait to get it back.