tommyjefferson

Hi all!

First time gun owner here. I picked up my LC9 a couple weeks ago and I am in love. I've put around 500 rounds through it thus far. I absolutely love going to the range and I'm finally starting to get used to shooting it/shooting in general and am feeling confident in my ability to get rounds on center mass from short distances. I actually just submitted my application for my LTCF(PA) this afternoon and plan on carrying the LC9.

My issue is that I like shooting this gun so much that the grip is starting to tear my hand apart. I've heard some of those rubber sleeves do really well but I don't know if I should get the Hogue or the Pachmayr or possibly something different?? If anyone has any experience with either or both I'd love to hear your opinions. Size isn't much of an issue since I plan on carrying OWB so long as it's not scorching out.

Secondly, being new to shooting I have no reference point but my friends who tried it had issues with the trigger pull. They said it was likely the cause of my shots going left and low and expressed concern that even if I master it as is, I could have major accuracy issues in an adrenaline situation. A quick google search led me to Galloway's mod kit and I was wondering if anyone would recommend shortening the trigger pull?

Lastly, they said if I'm modifying the trigger pull I might as well get rid of the magazine safety as well.

Any thoughts on any of these items would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

TNWNGR

Either grip condom will work as well as the other, in fact you can use a bike tube instead. For now I don't recommend doing any trigger or spring work on your Lc9, instead just spend the money on ammo and keep shooting. If you can swing it you might want to purchase an SR22 and do some of your practice and training with it.

justsoIcanupvotethis

I will start at the end. Removing the magazine safety was worth at least one pound of trigger pull or at least of the "stacking" at the end of the pull. Second I have heard the same things about the Galloway mods and would love to do it, but dont want to send in my original parts to do it. As soon as they offer replacement parts again I will do it. Third I have the Hogue Handall Jr. on my elsie and I think it makes it a world better. I will go ahead and add one more. I have the Techna Clip on mine and absolutely LOVE that. That is the most comfortable and concealable way to carry the LC9 that I have found.

bangstick

I have the pachmayr tactical grip on mine and really like it at the range. Reduces felt recoil considerably, and feels good in the hand. Only downside is if your hands are sweaty it can feel a little slippery. Keep it dry and it's good.

Trucker

I imagine just about any grip sleeve you get will be helpful. Personally I'm hoping Hogue will eventually get around to making a custom one especially for the LC9 as they do for the LCP. I'll try to be the first in line to get one if they ever do.

The LC9 [as well as the LCP's] trigger is an issue mostly for those who are accustomed to either a double/single or a stricker fired action. If the LC9 is your only handgun, and if you practice and become comfortable with it, it's not an issue. Actually, it's a great safety feature.

Personally I would not want to modify the trigger in any way. However, I am seriously considering removing the magazine disconnect safety. First off I don't see anything "safety" about it as it applies to my personal situation and it's a real pain as far as I'm concerned. But that's just a personal thingie. To each his own.

Rat

Well to start, look at Galloways videos. It shows how to remove the mag disconnect. Pretty easy actually.

Next, pull the rear sight off. There is a small spring under there so be careful. There is also what is called the blocker button. Pull that out and get your sand paper out and some polishing compound and a rag. slightly sand and polish the front (barrel side) of that button and cut about two winds off that spring. This will smooth out the trigger pull a little.

If you have the slide off then you can also cut to winds off the blocker button lever. This is the small thin silver lever that goes up and out of the action when you pull the trigger. There is a small spring under it and it takes a little work to get it out. You have to lift on the blocker lever and use a pick to get it out. Cut two winds off of that also.

Using Galloways videos , tear the gun down and remove the hammer. Slightly sand and polish the side of the hammer that rubs against the blocker lever.

Don't and I mean DONT try doing the trigger bar mod and hammer mod yourself. I did mine and screwed up the first time and it was a pain trying to get replacment parts since ruger is no longer selling them. You have to send the pistol into them to get the parts and they will charge you for them since it is not a warrenty issue.

You can send the hammer and trigger bar to Galloway and he will modify them and send them back to you. It will shorten the pull length by just over half of its original pull length. It is still a 6+ lb double action pull but just not as long. This will greatly help with shot placement. I would not worry about loosing the safety of the trigger because you would be hardpressed to have it go off with this modification. Besides that, there is a manual safety on the pistol which should be used at all times anyway.

I also had to shave down my front sight. Mine was shooting way low in a rest on a bench. I mean it was way out of the prime area to be hitting and that was at less then 15 feet. I had to shave it down till the factory dot was gone completely which meant having to repaint the back side of the sight with some white paint which was nto an issue.

I was not real fond of the loaded chamber indicator either, especially after shaving the sight down. I removed it using a vid off the net then used my dremal tool and a cutting wheel to shave down the button on the bottom of it that the catridge pushes up on. Now my LCI only sticks up about 1/5 of what it used to.

If you like a little shine then remove the slide and pull the barrel out. Useing some 600 grit sand paper then following up with some 1500 grit and a small block of wood to wrap the sand paper around, you can clean off the black color of the block section of the barrel. Then a polishing wheel on the dremal and some polishing compound and it will look almost like chrome. I figured what the heck since the black coating was coming off anyway.

I plan on getting Galloways stainless guide rod and the recoil springs here real soon.

I carry mine in a Fobus paddle holster and with a longer T shirt, it is not noticable to anyone. It sits right behind my 110 buck folding knife so most see the knife sheath and go about their business.

tommyjefferson

Thanks for all the replies!! Went to walmart and then the range today. I put 3 layers of innertube on and I am oh so happy with it. I am just not ready to be taking apart my gun quite yet, I couldn't build a birdhouse and certainly don't want to be messing with the inners of a gun at this point.

Does anyone know what the galloway-ruger situation is right now? I don't want to be gunless while having the trigger modded so I went to shopruger and curiously no hammers and no trigger bars even listed. Another site had them back-ordered till late october. What the heck. I'm not having many problems with placement anymore and have the hang of the trigger, but I would still really really like that mod. Definitely the mag safety has to go, and cosmetically I HATE the text and red on the chamber indicator. But I must say I love the lc9, can't believe I can carry 8x9mm rounds so comfortably, and really love how naturally that thumb safety clicks off. I also picked up the fobus paddle holster but haven't gotten it yet.

Extremely happy with this gun, but a couple mods could make it the absolute ideal gun for what I want.