Ruger LCR 9mm Revolver Review & Field Test

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Ruger® LCR™ Revolver Earns NRA Golden Bullseye Award

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) is proud to announce the Ruger® LCR™ (Lightweight Compact Revolver) has been awarded the Golden Bullseye Award by the National Rifle Association’s AMERICAN RIFLEMAN and SHOOTING ILLUSTRATED magazines. The Golden Bullseye Awards honor excellence and innovation in firearms.

 Smooth DAO Trigger Press

I really like the consistent, frictionless, velvety-smooth trigger press on this 9mm LCR. It is actually just a little less than the press on my .38 Special LCR. I was pleasantly and comfortably surprised when I first shot this 9mm LCR because I was accustomed to other double-action revolvers, and almost all of my revolvers, having heavier trigger presses than any of my 9mm pistols. Ruger’s friction-reducing cam is a next-generation design in fire control systems that really works and gives you a smooth, non-stacking DAO trigger press.

Hogue Tamer Wraparound Rubber Grips

For this author, the Hogue Tamer Monogrip wraparound rubber grips are one of its best and most practical features. Every gun has both pros and cons, and this snub-nosed, lightweight, less than two-inch barrel is no exception. While having deep-concealment advantages, as expected, there was felt recoil. The Hogue grips really help insulate the recoil from the considerable, but not painful and uncomfortable, felt recoil from this small, lightweight revolver, with more trigger press than I am used to in my 9mm pistols. The rubber helps insulate recoil because it is positioned nicely at the top of the backstrap, where the webbing of your hand meets the gun. Honestly, my wife and I had no problem with its recoil if we held the gun tightly up high on the backstrap with both hands on the rubber grips. Overall, it was a pleasant shooting experience. With its grip peg, you can install a variety of available grips.

Excellent Proven Reliability Performance

Probably the most important advantage of any handgun used for self-defense and personal protection is its proven reliability.

TIP: Reliability to me is when the shooter presses the trigger, the gun consistently and efficiently completes its firing cycle, fires accurately, performs well, and does not misfire, malfunction, or have a stoppage.

To be straightforward and totally honest, I believe conservatively myself that I personally have to fire at least 500 rounds through any handgun I am considering for carry to ensure it is reliable for defending my life and the life of my family and others. You must shoot the gun yourself, and more rounds is better to determine reliability. Of course, given our current ammo shortage, this is very difficult and costly to do now. So I used only 200 total rounds for my field test of the LCR 9mm.

To determine the reliability of any of my guns, I do not rely on internet hearsay or even the opinions of trusted others. Some say that the minimum number of rounds to determine reliability is 1,000 total rounds. I know some military units, through their performance verification testing, accept a malfunction or failure rate of 1 for every 2,500 rounds or 1:2500. Others 5 malfunctions of 12,500 rounds fired. It varies a lot, and, certainly, we civilians do not use the gun as the military members do. I found this LCR 9mm to be totally 100 percent reliable, like my .38 Special LCR in my brief field test.

Moon Clips Help with Fast Loading and Reloading

Revolvers are notorious for their small ammo capacity and for their slow and sometimes difficult reloading process. But, using moon clips in this revolver is not a problem at all.

TIP: A moon clip is a star-shaped sheet of thin metal, like steel, designed to keep multiple rounds together as a single unit, when loading and unloading certain revolvers. The moon clip rides inside the indented groove in the case and sets the headspace for the round when fired.

In this LCR, they hold the 5 rounds together and help to simultaneously align them with the chamber. They are a great help with this 9mm LCR revolver. It ships with three full moon clips that act as speed loaders and also help eject spent cartridges. Moon clips help this revolver’s reliability because they are so easy and efficient to use. Revolvers using rimless cartridges, like .45 ACP, .40 S&W, and 9mm, cannot be fired without moon clips. Traditional rimmed revolver rounds, like .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, and .22LR do not require moon clips but may be used for quicker loading and reloading. The clips hold the rimless 9mm cases together. They especially give you fast reloads, but the shooter has to be careful since the moon clips bend easily and might jam the gun. You might want to get two or three extra ones, just in case.

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Ruger LCR 9mm Revolver Specifications

My Criteria and Considerations

Here are the 10 criteria and factors I use for evaluating any handgun, so I will use them for the Ruger LCR 9mm revolver. In addition to my criteria, there are other subjective features that may be appealing for some, like smooth rounded corners, a certain style, mag release location, action, caliber, appearance, number of mags included, type of sights/modifications, bore axis, rail, grip angle, non-porting or porting, included extras like a holster and pouch, customer service, etc. So, I combined these into my last “Miscellaneous” criterion. I must admit that all gun-choice decisions involve tradeoffs, but I really want all of my criteria to be ideally met. I assigned a total possible point score of ten points for each of my ten criteria for a total possible score of 100 points. And a “Recommend” or “Not Recommend” at the end of my review. You can certainly add your own additional criteria and preferences or subtract any of mine.

Recognize that there are several features, characteristics, pros and cons, and personal criteria to include and consider. You make your own tradeoffs according to your priorities, preferences, goals, defined needs, and use.

Concealed Carry Drill

I used my standard “Col Ben’s Concealed Carry Drill” to test and evaluate any handgun after I initially thoroughly clean it. You can use my basic Concealed Carry Drill to test and evaluate your handguns. I like the realistic 5-yard, and 7-yard distances best to match common distances for personal defense.

You can download and print “Col Ben’s Concealed Carry Drill” and targets by clicking on the link at my website at www.FloridaHandgunsTraining.com. Go to and click on the “More” section on the far right of the Home Page and then click on “Carry Drill.” Drag a corner in to resize Drill to full coverage and print on full-size paper.

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FIRST SHOTS: Range Test Results with “Col Ben’s Concealed Carry Drill” and Various Ammo

I used my above standard Concealed Carry Drill and easily landed 15 of the 15 rounds in the five various-sized circles at 5 yards and then 14 of 15 rounds at 7 yards and 14 of 15 at 10 yards. I bypassed the 3-yard trial for more of a challenge and shot 15 total rounds each distance and did this four times. I missed a couple of total for the longer (for me) distances since I am used to my 9mm 1911s and single-action pistols.

First, I fired rapid fire with the 9mm LCR 124 grain FMJ and got at least 14 of the 15 hits in their five circle targets at different distances, but I missed the 2.5-inch circle some. No excuse, but my aging eyes did not help, and for self-defense, my hits were fine. It took me about 22 seconds time limit at 5 yards (see above target hits) and then again at 7 yards and 10 yards with the 115 grain FMJ. The lighter load did not have as much felt recoil for me and helped at 7 yards. I then shot more rounds and repeated the Drill at both 5, 7, and 10 yards with the various ammo.  My hits and times were very close to my initial field tests. At least I am consistent. My standard mantra is “practice… practice… and practice,” as always. And I need to do this more often. There were challenges for this old guy with weak eyesight (I recently had my cataract surgery) and a small pocketbook for ammo, but I met my goals. I had to take a break after about 50 rounds because my wrist was weak from the felt recoil I am not used to from the heavier trigger press than my 9mm single actions pistols.

Use my Drill at various appropriate distances for yourself, e.g. 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 yards, to challenge yourself and assess skill-level improvements as you progress. At first, do not time yourself but safely practice until you feel comfortable and safe with the Drill. Hope my Drill helps you.

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Ruger LCR 9mm Range Results: Opinions and Evaluations for Each Criterion

After live-fire shooting with the Ruger LCR 9mm revolver, here are my opinions and evaluations for each of my ten criteria; for a concealed carry and backup revolver.

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Accuracy and Reliability – Score: 9

The LCR 9mm’s accuracy was acceptable, but I had to practice in a short time period to adapt to the long and hard revolver trigger press and resulting felt recoil. They both are affected by movement, and accuracy is related to a close grouping of hits and with the Point of Aim matching the Point of Impact. The hits grouped together nicely on my various-sized circle targets for my Concealed Carry Drill. And their Point of Aim equaled the Point of Impact, within two to three inches for accuracy. The short front sight helped bring the Point of Impact closer to the Point of Aim. Some of the spread in one trial of my Drill may be due to my poor eyesight and time pressures to meet my Concealed Carry Drill’s time parameters. I was hoping accuracy would be somewhat better, but it was acceptable and, for me, an “8” rating. The reliability, on the other hand, was outstanding with 100-percent consistency, and I gave it a “10” rating. Between the two, then, I gave a “9” combined rating. I want to emphasize that its reliability really was top-notch and perfect for the 220 rounds I fired. Despite my less than average eyesight, colorblindness, and average marksmanship, this senior guy was able to meet the goals of my shooting drill and accuracy. The 9mm revolver had a lot to do with this. Consider my old-fogey frailties and that you probably can do better with accuracy. But, very excellent reliability, with no malfunctions or stoppages.

Field Test Ammo

I used five types of various bullet grains and types of ammo, both Full Metal Jacket and Hollow Point, for field testing of the Ruger LCR 9mm. In the chart below, you can see the various ammo weights, types, velocities, energies, and characteristics. It is important to note that I did not have any malfunctions, stoppages, or failure to perform with any of the ammo used in this revolver. All were extremely reliable. The 9mm ammo had deep primer indents on them, helping efficient firing. The revolver seemed to perform especially smoothly with the Hornady Critical Defense and Federal Punch ammo. Given the limited ammo availability now, I only shot 220 rounds. I am extremely grateful to GunMag Warehouse for supplying this fine ammo to field test the Ruger LCR 9mm revolver.

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Trigger Press – Score: 8

Out-of-the-box, the trigger press averaged 9.25 pounds without modification for the LCR 9mm, with 10 readings with my Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge. I expected the press to be less than this since I am used to shooting single-action and double-action 9mm pistols with around five to seven pounds of presses. But, I guess for a lightweight revolver, this trigger press was more than comparable and better than most small, lightweight J-frame revolvers, with less than a two-inch barrel. Also, this is a new revolver with only 220 rounds through it. I am certain with more ammo down-range and “break-in,” the press should definitely improve and be lighter. The heavy and long press and resulting felt recoil is a little substantial and lengthy for me, but it had an excellent smooth, and consistent trigger that beats almost all other similar revolvers I am aware of. Certainly, this trigger press is very smooth, consistent, not painful, and will get the concealed carry and backup jobs done safely. My wife and I both believe the trigger press is fine and not a problem.

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Trigger – Score: 10

The LCR 9mm trigger design allows for a trigger press that is smooth and consistent. The LCR trigger stands out among those of other J-Frame, snub-nosed revolvers, with their long, heavy, and challenging to control characteristics. Some of the competing J-Frames’ trigger presses “stack” as the trigger is brought rearward. This means that the weight of the press gradually increases or “stacks” as the trigger is pressed back. Stiff triggers are a commonly-recognized negative of shooting small revolvers, but Ruger has met the challenge and stands out among other triggers. Thankfully, the LCR 9mm trigger press weight remains consistent, and not as much force is necessary before the break. This is so because

Ruger’s friction-reducing cam design gives the shooter a consistent, smooth, non-stacking double-action-only trigger press… which helps accuracy. I believe all or most of the centerfire LCRs, like the .327, .357, and 9mm, have this fine trigger,
while the .22LR and .22WMR guns have heavier triggers.

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Barrel Length – Score: 7

Snub-nosed, short-barreled, small revolvers are known for their negatives and somewhat inconvenience in shooting them, but this snubby LCR 9mm with a 1.87″ barrel has some benefits. Initially, the 9mm is a more powerful cartridge than the usual .38 Special. The .38 Special +P version of the .38 Special is also not as capable a cartridge as the 9mm, which hits harder with more energy. Of course, ammo choice has a lot to do with this. To handle the more powerful 9mm cartridge, the monolithic frame and the stainless steel barrel and cylinder housing on the 9mm LCR are made of 400-series stainless steel, not the 7000-series aluminum used on my .38 Special LCR. The about four ounces of added weight helps subdue the LCR 9mm’s felt recoil, while the polymer fire control housing helps keep the 9mm LCR a lightweight 17.28 ounces. This short-barreled 9mm LCR gives sufficient energy while still being easy to conceal and carry. But it is stout for me. But, its short barrel and other advantages allow it to be easily carried in the pocket as a backup gun.

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Sights – Score: 9

The standard sights for the LCR 9mm are a u-notch rear sight, and a replaceable, pinned, ramped front sight, with a white insert strip in the middle. The front sight blade is wide enough to easily acquire, especially with the white bar insert. Some other competing models do not have front sights that are this easy to see. Since the front sight is pinned in place and is not a fixed part of the barrel, you can easily upgrade them if you want, e.g. fiber optics or night sights. I had no problem acquiring and using either of these sights.

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Proper Gun Weight – Score: 10

The LCR 9mm’s upper frame portion and barrel are very strong 400-series stainless steel, and there is a polymer lower portion for the fire control housing part of the frame. The steel adds about four ounces to the gun weight, which helps tame felt recoil but does not interfere with carry. The five-round cylinder is also made of sturdy stainless steel and is fluted to save some weight. I believe that this gun can easily be used for concealed carry, and its weight is not a detriment at 17.28 ounces.

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Caliber – Score: 10

The LCR in 9mm caliber was easy, comfortable, and not unpleasant to shoot. My wife and I managed the 9mm recoil well. I strongly favor shooting the 9mm caliber for self-defense and home defense. It has the muzzle energy and muzzle velocity to get the job done without severe felt recoil pain and with sufficient control by the user. Of course, shooting 9mm ammo is much less expensive than most others, and modern ammo with improved ballistics work fine… if you can find it now for a decent price. I prefer the lessened felt recoil and reduced movement for improved accuracy with the 9mm caliber. When fired from short barrels, neither .38 Special nor .357 Magnum rounds are generally recognized for great performance and meeting their potential. You might find a ballistics test that shows superior penetration or expansion with a .357 Magnum round compared to a 9mm round. But, for certain, there will be harsh and punishing .357 Magnum felt recoil to handle in this short-barreled gun. 9mm loads typically demonstrate better ballistic properties and performance in short-barreled guns. Of course, the specific ammo and its proven ballistics matter.

Recognize that this 9mm LCR will reliably shoot individual 9mm cartridges which are placed directly into the chambers without using a moon clip if desired. However, I found that using one of the three moon clips included does not give you trouble extracting the spent cases. In fact, it most certainly helps with quick loading, reloading, and fine ejection, while my .38 Special LCR does not use the moon clips and is not as fast. I love 9mm and really like the 9mm moon clips for this LCR. And the shorter length of the 9mm round makes stuck cases less likely while speeding up the reloading process. Are there any problems using moon clips? See below.

Moon Clips: Why Use Them? Are There Problems Using Them?

Unlike rimless 9mm rounds used in 9mm semi-automatic pistols, most revolvers are chambered for rimmed cartridges, like the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .22 LR rounds. Their ejectors lift the spent round out of the cylinder by pushing on their rims. But, because the 9mm cartridge is rimless, the ejector has nothing to grab hold of in the LCR 9mm. So, on the back of the 9mm LCR cylinder, there are indented relief marks to allow a star-shaped metal moon clip with five rounds together to fit into it by its extractor grooves. The rounds are kept together in perfect alignment so they can be loaded together with their metal moon clip. Unlike a speed loader, the moon clip stays with the cartridges and fits into the recess cut into the face of the cylinder.

After the cartridges have been fired, the ejector pushes the moon clip containing the spent brass casings out of the revolver as a single unit. The moon clips are very easy and quick to use, no tool is required, and the rounds are easy to insert into and out of the moon clip and gun itself.

Shooter Does Not Have to Use Moon Clips with 9mm LCR

Some say that if you individually place the rounds in the cylinder and do not use the moon clips, you might have some problem getting the spent cartridges out of the cylinder by hand. I tried this and did not have this problem, but it took me more time. So, the 9mm LCR will fire without using the moon clips, they just do not eject properly and it takes time to individually punch them out by hand. I strongly prefer to use the practical and quick moon clips. They allow you to recharge an empty gun very quickly, even faster than most speedloaders. Not to mention getting the spent cartridges out quickly.

TIPS: I recommend advance loading of some extra moon clips to save time. I also recommend having on hand and already loaded a few more than the three moon clips included with the gun to prevent delays and downtime during training and in actual use. Consider that the clips are made of thin metal and can easily get bent or lost. If they get bent, the cartridges will not be held in proper alignment and can cause major problems. Do not take the chance and have extra, low-cost moon clips on hand and loaded and handle them with care. A 3-pack of moon clips costs about $16. at the Ruger store and are available at other vendors.

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Capacity – Score: 8

By design, the standard capacity of the Ruger LCR 9mm is five rounds, and it is acceptable. However, I would strongly like it to come with 6-rounds. Can it be engineered for another round and maintain its present advantages and similar dimensions? Maybe not? One extra round can be a very significant advantage in self-defense and concealed carry. Maybe that leads us to consider the LCR in 9mm only as a backup gun? Your decision!

Of course, the capacity of the LCR series depends on the caliber you choose. If you have the .22 model, you have eight rounds of .22 LR in the revolver, but I do not recommend the .22LR for concealed carry, self-defense, or personal protection. The .22 Magnum LCR model holds six rounds and might possibly be considered for self-defense, while not a usual top choice as a primary caliber for concealed carry. The .327 Federal Magnum model also has six rounds. The 9mm LCR I reviewed has a 5-round capacity, as do the .357 and .38 Special models.

Disadvantages of .22LR For Concealed Carry and Self-Defense

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Ergonomics – Score: 9

The ergonomics of the LCR 9mm were very good, and I was easily and comfortably able to reach the push-button cylinder release. This release works great! It has an aggressively textured ejection knob for easy ejection. The LCR 9mm has a nice rubber grip that rides much higher than other snub-nosed revolvers I am familiar with. This fully protects the shooter’s hand from the recoil and gives a more pleasant shooting experience. Just by handling this gun, I could tell it is a high-quality revolver with excellent craftsmanship. It fit and felt great in my medium-sized hands. And my wife loved the way it fit her small hands. It felt very good to hold this small and thin but powerful 9mm revolver. I must admit, after about 50 rounds, I found the felt recoil to be a little trying, and I had to take a break from the heavy loads. Remember, I am used to shooting my single-action 1911s and pistols. Generally, the recoil was close to or a little less than my .38 Special revolvers and much less than my .357 Magnums. Probably, new and less experienced shooters should not start with this 9mm LCR revolver until they get more accustomed to felt recoil, understand its moon clip operation, and not get discouraged by it.

Holsters

1791 Gunleather Holsters

The Fair Chase Deer Skin IWB and the J-Frame Revolver Leather OWB Holster by 1791 Gunleather are excellent holsters, especially for this revolver. They are handcrafted by fourth-generation artisans of 100% certified high-quality American Heavy Native Steerhide. Leather does not warp, looks natural and ruggedly handsome, and comfortably conforms to the body while firmly holding your gun in place. All holsters have a Lifetime Warranty, and those who sign up with an email on their website receive a 10% discount.

Fair Chase holsters are well constructed using wild and ethnically-hunted Whitetail Deer Hide and are the “most comfortable holster for concealed carry.” It is an easy-on and easy-off minimalist holster and is priced at less than $60. The J-Frame Revolver OWB Belt Holster (RVH1) is American handcrafted from high-quality steerhide leather and designed to comfortably and securely support J-Frame-sized revolvers. It is designed for minimal imprinting for personal protection and everyday carry, rides high, comes in three colors, fits belts up to 1.75″, is for most five-shot revolvers, and is priced below $55.

CrossBreed Holsters

The OWB DropSlide Holster by CrossBreed is handcrafted and designed to keep your firearm tight against your body. This fine hybrid holster is made with a premium leather backer and a custom-molded kydex shell. The premium leather backer is configured to accommodate a different position of the pocket for a lower-riding holster. The specifically-designed cut of the leather backer allows for a full grip on the gun when drawing. The extended leather on the bottom side keeps most longer barrel guns from rubbing against clothes and body.

The OWB DropSlide features 1.75″ belt slots that work with 1.25″ and 1.50″ belts.

It is available in Black Cowhide, Founder’s Leather, and Natural Tan Horsehide. Kydex options include Standard Black, FDE, Sniper Grey, OD, and Green. It is priced below $55.95. CrossBreed holsters have a Lifetime Warranty, as well as a Two-Week, Try-It-Free Guarantee. “If your holster ever fails from normal use, you can rest assured that CrossBreed Holsters has your back.”

Clinger Comfort Cling Pocket & IWB Carry Holster

The Comfort Cling Pocket and/or IWB Holster has a Gel-like core cushion that really provides comfort and is a very thin, easy-to-conceal holster. It uses friction and not belt clips, is easy to use, swaps from right to left hand, and has a full sweat shield to protect the gun. It works with many pocket handguns, including micro-compact, sub-compact, compact, short-barreled, and other smaller handguns. It is priced at less than $28.

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Miscellaneous – Score: 10

I easily cleaned the 9mm LCR before I shot it. The included Operating Manual was very detailed and helpful. No problems at all cleaning it.

The LCR’s Hogue Tamer Grips and their rubber texture was just perfect for my medium hands, not too soft and not too aggressive, and easy and comfortable to handle. Not slippery at all. Really helped dampen the felt recoil. The push-button cylinder release for the LCR 9mm worked great and made the cylinder open quickly and smoothly. The craftsmanship and quality were excellent, and it always performed very well; great reliability with no malfunctions or stoppages. For a lightweight snub-nosed revolver, the trigger press was smooth, and the recoil was manageable. Included in the 9mm LCR cardboard box is a very nice soft case, Operating Manual, and lock. I like its 9mm caliber since I can use my 9mm rounds I already regularly use for my 9mm pistols. This J-Frame revolver and its fine features make it a very versatile gun. If not used as a primary carry gun, this Ruger LCR 9mm revolver will make an excellent backup gun. If I purchase it, I will probably use it as a backup gun. But it can be carried IWB, OWB, or in a pocket.

Total Points = 90 out of 100 Possible.

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Conclusions

I certainly Recommend this high-quality, simple-to-operate Ruger LCR 9mm revolver, primarily as a backup revolver. A lightweight, short-barreled 9mm revolver like this fits right in with my carry style and matches my 9mm-caliber preference for carry and personal protection. I would use it occasionally as my primary carry gun and most likely carry it in a pocket holster or in an IWB or OWB holster. It is very easy to carry because of its small dimensions, lightweight, and smooth edges. And the 9mm moon clips really help with quick loading and reloading. The reliability and consistent performance is definitely there. It’s very good, smooth trigger is a big advantage, as are the Hogue rubber grips to dampen felt recoil. The attention to detail and its finely-built craftsmanship are very evident and are the marks of an excellent Ruger revolver.

I heartily and sincerely recommend all the fine holsters and ammo I personally chose to include in this gun review since I have used them all before. The premium 1791 Gunleather OWB and IWB holsters, the high-quality CrossBreed OWB holster, and the very comfortable Clinger Comfort Pocket holster all worked very well with this revolver. The CrossBreed magnetic mounting system with rubber coating holds your gun in place in just about any place. And the various, high-quality LCR 9mm FMJ and JHP ammo also performed great, with no malfunctions or stoppages. Sadly, ammo availability reduced the quantity of ammo used for my field test. But, I am very grateful to GunMag Warehouse for supplying the fine ammo in various bullet weights for this review.

Continued Success, and be safe!

Contacts:

Ruger
1-800-680-6866
Geneseo, IL 61254

GunMagWarehouse
1-800-409-9439
Coppell, TX 75019

1791 Gunleather Holsters
1-800-407-1791
Miami, FL 33142

CrossBreed Holsters
1-888-732-5011
Springfield, MO 65802

Clinger Holsters
479-262-2714
Van Buren, AR 72956

Photos by Author.

* This personal opinion article is meant for general information & educational purposes only, and the author strongly recommends that you seek counsel from an attorney for legal advice and your own personal certified weapons trainer for proper guidance about shooting & using YOUR firearms, self-defense, and concealed carry. It should not be relied upon as accurate for all shooters & the author assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information and shall not be liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information or any damages or injuries incurred whatsoever.

© 2022 Col Benjamin Findley. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part by mechanical means, photocopying, electronic reproduction, scanning, or any other means without prior written permission. For copyright information, contact Col Ben Findley at ColBFF@gmail.com.