Friday Feature: Ruger LCP MAX
A breakdown of the LCP MAX.
For the past several years, the Ruger LCP II has been my go-to summertime carry pistol. It is small, lightweight, and easy to conceal in my pocket or inside the waistband. It is a gun I grab with my keys, wallet, phone, and pocket knife and forget that I have it on me.
When Ruger released the LCP MAX, I was eager to get my hands on it. It is the same in principle as the LCP II with a few major upgrades. The biggest and most notable of the upgrades is the capacity. With the 12 round magazine, it doubles the capacity of the standard LCP II. With the standard magazine installed, the grip is only slightly longer than the LCP II. The grip is also slightly thicker on the LCP MAX, but I find it more comfortable than the LCP II. The other major upgrade on the LCP MAX is the sights. It has a Tritium front sight with a white outline and a U-notch rear. The LCP has made some major improvements in sights from the original LCP to the LCP MAX. From very small and difficult to acquire sights on the LCP, the LCP MAX has made a tremendous leap with its sights. They are easy to acquire and are much more accurate than the previous versions in my hands. The pistol comes from the factory with a 10 round flush fit magazine with optional extension floorplate, a pocket holster, and magazine loader.
Shooting the LCP MAX is a blast. Due to the slightly enhanced grip and upgraded sights, it is much more enjoyable to shoot than its predecessors. A trip to the range may now include shooting the LCP MAX instead of leaving it in my pocket. An added bonus of the LCP MAX is that it shares some holster compatibility with the LCP II. Not all holsters are compatible due to the magazine release and other slight differences but I have found many leather or soft sided holsters to work interchangeably.
The LCP MAX is a great option for anyone looking for a lightweight, compact concealed carry pistol. It is small but shootable, ultra-concealable, and reasonably priced. Consider picking one of these up for yourself on galleryofguns.com!
