Ruger LCP .380
Model: 3701
Ruger LCP .380
Model: 3701
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The original Ruger LCP (Model 3701) is the gun that built the modern pocket-.380 market. Released in 2008, it brought a 9.6 oz, 5.16" long, 0.82" wide DAO pistol to a category that had previously been dominated by Kel-Tec and Walther, and Ruger backed it with mass-production pricing that no premium maker could match. The LCP runs a double-action-only hammer with a long, heavy trigger pull, integral non-adjustable sights, and a 6+1 capacity in a glass-filled nylon frame.
Ruger followed the original with the LCP II, which replaced the long DAO pull with a shorter striker-style trigger, and then the LCP MAX, which kept the LCP II's improved trigger and stretched magazine capacity to 10+1. The original LCP still sells because it is the cheapest serviceable pocket .380 in the catalog and because the long DAO trigger is genuinely safer in a pocket without a holster than the lighter LCP II pull. If you already own an LCP II or MAX the original is redundant, but the LCP 3701 remains the gun that forced every other manufacturer — Smith & Wesson, Sig, Glock — to chase Ruger into the pocket-pistol segment in the first place.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Among the lightest production .380s in the catalog at 9.6 oz — actually pocketable in summer-weight clothing without printing
- Cheapest serviceable .380 in the catalog at $259 MSRP, with a 15+ year track record of Ruger warranty support
- The long, heavy DAO trigger is harder to shoot accurately than the LCP II's shorter striker-style pull and is a real disadvantage for anyone planning to train regularly
- 9.6 oz weight means the snappy .380 recoil impulse goes straight into the shooter's hand — owners and reviewers consistently describe extended range sessions as uncomfortable
- Integral non-adjustable sights are minimal even by pocket-pistol standards, and adding usable sights effectively requires switching to the LCP MAX
Compare Ruger LCP .380
See how the Ruger LCP .380 stacks up against similar firearms.
Compatible Ammunition
Find the best prices on compatible .380 Auto ammunition.
Shop .380 Auto Ammo →Ballistics Calculator
Calculate trajectory, drop, and energy for .380 Auto ammunition.
.380 Auto Ballistics →Where to Buy
No prices available at this time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the original LCP or the LCP II / LCP MAX?
The LCP II improved the trigger and shrunk the slide-rack effort, and the LCP MAX added a flush 10-round magazine on the same footprint. For a new buyer with no platform commitment, the LCP MAX is the default pick — it shares the LCP form factor while offering modern capacity and sights. The original LCP makes sense in two cases: you specifically want the long DAO trigger as an added margin of pocket-carry safety, or you found a clean used one at a price the new MAX can't match. The S&W Bodyguard 2.0 is also worth a look for buyers cross-shopping modern alternatives.
Will the LCP run hollow points reliably?
Reviewer consensus and Ruger's own published guidance is that the LCP feeds best with bullet profiles that mimic FMJ — short, round-nosed hollow points like Hornady Critical Defense or Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel. Wide-mouth defensive loads (some Federal HST profiles, older Winchester PDX1) have a documented history of failing to feed in the original LCP. Ruger recommends shooting at least 100 rounds of your chosen carry load through the gun before trusting it for defense.
