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Ruger LCR 9mm Revolver: The Best Self Defense Gun You Can Get?

The Ruger LCR 9mm Revolver. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Ruger LCR 9mm Revolver. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

I’ll be honest, I’m just not really into snub-nosed revolvers in most situations. Sometimes I like them for range-time fun. The Ruger LCR 9mm revolver isn’t exactly a game-changer for me, but if you’re dead set on getting a wheel gun for concealed carry, it’s not the worst you could do.

I will concede that it offers more improvements than I expected out of your typical tiny revolver. Am I going to recommend this? Based on my tastes probably not. Not everyone is the same though, so read on to find out if the Ruger LCR 9mm is right for you.

It’s pretty standard as far as aesthetics go. You’ll get everything you’re expecting out of a snub nose revolver.

It’s tiny and unwieldy, something I’m very much not a fan of. This model lacks an external hammer, but worry not since it contains one inside of the housing. Also, like almost every snub nose before it, the Ruger LCR 9mm has no great iron sights. I will admit that they are some of the better sights I’ve seen on these types of pistols. A part of me does love the nostalgia attached to these itty bitty revolvers, though.

9mm is pretty much my favorite caliber for self-defense. It’s a mix of low recoil and ballistic efficiency that I use for almost all of my concealed carry firearms. It’s fine in this pistol. The fact that the LCR is such a small pistol with no recoil mitigation, makes even 9mm have more zip than I’d prefer. It’s not too hard to handle but it doesn’t end up being a lot of fun for me to shoot. I don’t foresee myself looking forward to training with the revolver on the range meaning I likely just wouldn’t do live-fire training with it. 

The accuracy was acceptable. It’s not a stand-out, but it’s undoubtedly not subpar. This pistol will absolutely be serviceable for any range time you want to get in and virtually any self-defense situation you find yourself in. Groups at 15 yards were hanging in the 2-2.5 range the entire time. More expensive ammo like Hornady was giving me tighter groups, while the bulk steel case was causing my groups to open up a little bit.  

The trigger is also worth mentioning. It’s exceptionally light for revolvers of this type. Now it’s not going to compare to a single-action trigger or most striker-fired, but it’s probably better than what you were expecting.

Ruger LCR. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Like I said before, the Ruger LCR 9mm isn’t my cup of tea, but many people seem to like them. Maybe it just hasn’t clicked for me yet, but I just prefer my regular old Glocks and Sigs and other striker-fired pistols. I need to note that the $859 MSRP of the LCR is a little more than I’m willing to pay but you can find it cheaper if you look around a little.

With all that being said, I have pretty lukewarm feelings on the Ruger LCR 9mm, but if it’s in your wheelhouse, it’ll serve you well. 

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Written By

Richard Douglas is a long-time shooter, outdoor enthusiast, and technologist. He is the founder and editor of Scopes Field, and a columnist at The National Interest, Cheaper Than Dirt, Daily Caller, and other publications.

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