Introduced without fanfare at the 2015 Shot Show; so quietly that most shooters probably didn’t even hear about it, the 2015 Ruger LCP Custom is the Generation 3 release of the Ruger LCP.

The first Ruger LCP was released in 2008 and caused quite a stir in the concealed carry market.  A copy of the Kel-Tec P-3AT, with some improvements and a more robust build, the LCP quickly became the gun that apparently everyone wanted, until they actually got one.

I myself purchased an early model Ruger LCP and I can honestly say that I hated it.  It had no sights.  It had an insane trigger pull that took nearly two fingers to pull, with trigger travel going on, and on, and on, until it finally went bang.  When it did go bang I could only hope that the shot went somewhere near the direction I was pointing, not to mention the fact that the recoil made the little LCP want to do a backwards somersault out of my hand.  I was disappointed and eventually made what I considered to be an excellent trade for a Colt .38 Special.  That made me very happy.

In 2013 Ruger released the Generation 2 LCP with an improved trigger and with little stubby front and rear sights.  Ruger still made no official announcement of the release and they still do not use the terms “Generation 1”, “Generation 2”, or “Generation 3”, but everyone else does.  In 2013 Ruger also released a 7-round extended magazine for the LCP, an upgrade from the standard 6-round magazine.

Now, in 2015 we have the Generation 3 LCP which Ruger has named the “LCP Custom”.  It has sights, actual front and rear sights.  The front sight has a photo luminescent white dot while the rear sight is blackened.  Sight acquisition is relatively easy.  Ruger has also improved the trigger again, this time with a red anodized and skeletonized aluminum trigger resembling the Galloway Precision trigger.  The third improvement is a stainless steel guide rod replacing the plastic guide rod on previous models.

If we can make any conclusions about the new Gen 3 LCP Custom it is that Ruger is listening to its customers and making improvements their customers are asking for.  This is a good thing.

Having just acquired my Gen 3 Ruger LCP Custom yesterday I have not fired it yet.  I have a pocket holster, a Hogue Handall grip, and 2 more 6-round magazines arriving for it soon.  The Hogue Handall grip does help in felt recoil, at least it does for this shooter, and is well worth the $9.00 I spent for it.

This is never going to be a pistol that you take to the range and fire all day.  It is always going to smack your hand hard no matter what you do, but as a back-up concealed carry pistol it is going to be hard to beat.  Ruger does say, and common wisdom also says, this pistol requires a break-in of at least 200 – 300 rounds.  That is fair enough, I would not trust my life to any pistol that I have not put several hundred rounds through in a break-in period.  Even if it does prove to be finicky about ammo, that’s not a big failure for me.  In a .380 I do not carry hollow-points anyway.  I carry jacketed round ball because I want the extra penetration.  My main 9mm carry pistol will have the hollow-points loaded in it.

I believe this LCP may finally be the back-up pistol that will make me happy.  I hope I can report positive comments when I do get to the range to shoot it – hopefully very soon.

Ruger LCP Custom:

Rear Sight:

Front Sight:

Stainless Guide Rod: