Picked up an all-black, no-safety model Saturday for $285 out the door. (Factoring out TN sales tax and $10 TBI background check fee makes it about $256.) Its role will be as a pocket-carried BUG, a "little gun to fight my way to the big gun", if you will, or "stick in my pocket for a quick errand" gun. I had been using an LCP for this, but it leaves something to be desired to actually shoot, mainly in the "trigger sting" recoil department. This gun is naturally a little larger, but still perfectly pocketable, if you think in terms of unobtrusive instead of not even a hint. With the 10-round flush-fit magazine (it comes with one and I got two more), you have a good solid two-finger grip with your little finger curled under instead of one and a half. The U-notch rear sight is all black, dovetailed and has a serrated rear surface. Both it and the slide are contoured so as to be snag-free. (This is why I decided on it instead of the S&W Bodyguard.) The front sight is also dovetailed and is a tritium night sight. The trigger, which has a blade safety, is a single-action, fully cocked hammer system. It has a slide lock that actually locks the slide back on the last shot, but like the Max-9 can't be used to release the slide; you have to "slingshot" the reload. My intended use of it is to not have to reload it, instead going to the main gun. The S would seriously have to HTF before that happens.

I put ~130 rounds of hollow-point, FMJ round nose and FMJ flat point through it, including some one-handed and weak-handed, and it went through those like oats through a horse. There were a few "mulligans" while I got used to it, but in a short time I was getting 9- and 10-ring of a half-size silhouette hits at ~12 feet. And even with the hotter Herter's (Cabela's house brand; this batch was made by Sellier & Bellot) that downright beats up my finger in the LCP, no trigger sting. In fact, it was downright comfortable to shoot.

Besides the slide stop, there are some oddities and quirks, nothing bad. It shares the funky takedown of the LCP, i.e., prying out the barrel cam pin with a screwdriver (be careful not to slip) and having to reinsert it at a "just so" angle to get it started before pushing it home. Also for takedown, do not pull the trigger first. (The manual is silent about this.) It wants the hammer cocked, or getting the slide off and back on becomes a little problematic. In dry fire without a snap cap (one is recommended for extensive dry fire), the trigger both feels and sounds like a staple gun. You don't notice the "sproinggg! " when actually shooting it.

Very nice review. I also have one and like it a lot for what it is.

Another ~70 rounds. Shooting strong hand only I encountered a failure to eject and the next round trying to feed under it. This did not repeat itself. I also had an ammo-related failure with WWB JHP that I haven't had in a long time - a squib. The report was a "pop", there was no recoil and the action didn't cycle. At least the bullet left the barrel.

Have the LCP Max 380, pocket carry it all the time, especially on the motorcycle, more comfortable, nothing strapped on the side.

Haven't had an issue with any feeding, and concur it's a comfortable shooting firearm.

Plenty of rounds as well.....

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
...It shares the funky takedown of the LCP, i.e., prying out the barrel cam pin with a screwdriver (be careful not to slip)...

On my LCP I've used the rim of an empty .380 case to pry out that pin. I suppose you could use a whole cartridge if you didn't have an empty case.