During our coverage of the roll-out of the Ruger LCP II sub-compact 380 pistol, we found that one type of ammunition was problematic in the gun. We since checked that round through a Glock 42 and found that it worked well – but the Glock is a significantly larger gun. It's appropriate to go back and check that load along with another load that recently arrived. Our test wasn't ballistic testing; if there's a lack of consistent accuracy, it doesn't matter what the load will do in 'jello.' The problem we had was with Black Hills Xtreme Defense, a new load just out this year. Using a homogenous copper slug developed with Lehigh Defense, it's a 60 grain projectile. It appears from the front to be like a Phillips head screwdriver bit, with cutting edges on the flutes. Nominal velocity with this round is around 1,150 fps. Driving the round out of the LCP II, it was impossible to keep a five round group on an NRA B-8 repair center from ten yards. The holes that were in the target showed evidence of instability. Firing the same load out of the G42, a three-shot group went into the B-8 center, standing off-hand. I then put five more rounds onto a steel IPSC target from fifty yards. I'd say it worked in the Glock. That left the question of the LCP II. I decided to try the load in a second generation Ruger LCP/CT and to take along the last of my sample from Liberty Ammunition, their 50 grain Civil Defense load. That particular ammunition features a copper hollow-point bullet. If it didn't stabilize in the LCP II, perhaps it was an issue of that gun not liking very light (for the caliber) bullets. The recently arrived ammunition was the Winchester PDX1 Defender Ammunition 380 ACP 95 Grain Bonded JHP load.

The Black Hills 60 grain Xtreme Defense clearly stabilized when shot from the 2nd Gen. Ruger LCP/CT.

I set up the test about the same way: a seated bench rest, shooting over an ammo bag and using 8" Shoot-N-C bullseyes at about ten yards. I used the Hornady 90 grain Critical Defense as the control – it was a proven performer in the LCP II and in the LCP. The results follow:

Load	LCP	LCP II	Notes
Black Hills Xtreme Defense 60	2 ¼"	Ca. 5 ½"	LCP-Impact low. LCPII-3 off target
Hornady Critical Defense 90 FTX	4 ¼" (3 in 1 ¾")	3 ¼"	Easier trigger, more visible sights helped LCP II
Winchester PDX1 Defender 90 gr. BJHP	3" (4 into 1 ½")	2 ¼" (4 into 1 ½")	Next to HST, best accuracy in LCP II
Liberty Civil Defense 60 gr. HP	n	5" (3 into 2")	Only fired from LCP II. Round holes in target, stabilized.

A few notes: It's hard to see the sights on either gun when the black bullseye and black sights offer no contrast. Likewise, it's hard to hang onto the LCP – more than the LCP II, but neither gun is a treat in terms of consistent grip. The LCP II is a vast improvement in that department but it's still a very tiny gun. No such thing as a free lunch. The LCP was more prone to vertical stringing groups – the group for the Critical Defense suffered from that malady, as did the Winchester PDX1. Both are great loads, but the slim, short gripping surface of the pistol complicates matters.

The Winchester PDX1 Bonded JHP shot very well out of both Ruger pistols.

The "best 4" and "best 3" sub-groups listed are shown to show how much shooter-error (grip, trigger control, lack of sight contrast) there was: these aren't target pistols and shooting groups is silly until you want to see where the individual load hits relative to the sights in your gun and to check consistency of bullet stability. Culling a flier or two gives you a better idea of what's happening. The light bullet theory as to the issue with the Black Hills Xtreme Defense in the LCP II is blown: the bullet holes were consistent and not enlarged out of the LCP nor was the even-lighter Civil Defense Liberty 50 grain load out of line in the LCP II. The light bullet load, while stabilizing in flight, wasn't nearly the most accurate round by any means; just not out of control. It appears to be a matter of one gun having a problem with one particular load. I'd hope that someone with another LCP II will try that round to see if it's simply an issue with one particular gun in the line or if it's a problem across the line. As the Black Hills Xtreme Defense load shot very well out of the 2nd Gen. LCP, I'm thinking it's just a problem with the sample LCP II I have. The sample gun shoots quite well with Hornady Critical Defense, Black Hills 90 grain JHP, Federal HST and Winchester PDX1: it's a good gun, just finicky over one load. If you buy a .380 pistol to plink with and shoot on the range, it won't matter. If you want to carry that gun – any gun -- for personal defense, check it with the load you intend to use. That's of critical importance. The LCP II continues to churn along. At some point I'll have to clean it, but more ammo is in-coming. That's a chore that will wait. -- Rich Grassi