Ruger LC Carbine .45 ACP Rifle Review: Recharged

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The original LC (Lightweight Compact) Carbine from Ruger was chambered in 5.7x28, and that gun offered such an appealing, shooter-friendly design that it should come as little wonder that Ruger expanded the LC family. I’m not sure anyone outside the company expected the second version of this blowback-operated autoloading carbine to be chambered in .45 ACP, though. Perhaps Ruger didn’t want to cannibalize PC carbine sales, or maybe it thought the many fans of the .45 Auto deserved a carbine designed just for them. Regardless, this is a gun you’ll quickly grow to love.

Like the 5.7x28, the .45 ACP LC Carbine comes with an aluminum receiver with a black Type III hard-coat anodized finish and a 16.25-inch alloy steel barrel with a .578x28 threaded muzzle. The 7.5-inch free-floating handguard is hard-coat anodized and comes with a top rail and M-Lok slots on all seven sides, from the two o’clock to 10 o’clock positions. That’s more than 30 M-Lok attachment points, making this carbine completely customizable. It features a unique blowback system with a two-piece bolt and a clever bolt-over-barrel design to reduce overall length.

The polymer push-button folding stock is adjustable for length of pull and features a rollover cheekpiece that supports the cheek without stabbing or punching. The cheekpiece is sufficiently long so that you won’t get your cheek behind it while firing—a mistake the brightest among us only make once.

The folding stock features QD attachment cups and is affixed to a Picatinny rail at the rear of the receiver, which means you can easily remove and swap it for another stock. Ruger has also added a section of Pic rail ahead of the trigger guard on the polymer grip module, so there’s no shortage of attachment points for accessories.

New Additions

Ruger has added Rapid Deploy adjustable front and rear flip-up sights on the top rail, which can serve as a primary sighting system or a backup for an optic.
Under the receiver is a polymer grip module comprised of the trigger guard and Secure Action trigger assembly, pistol grip and underside rail. The pistol grip houses the 13-round .45 ACP magazine. LC 45 Carbines also work with Glock magazines, so finding spare mags shouldn’t be a problem.

Three of the four primary controls are the bolt release, ambidextrous manual safety and extended reversible magazine release. In addition, there’s a forward-mounted charging handle that is reversible for left- or right-handed use. Ruger does an exceptional job providing owners with how-to videos on its website that cover everything from disassembly and reassembly to suppressor use and reversing the mag release and charging handle.

The Ruger weighs 7.1 pounds and measures between 28.6 and 30.6 inches. Folding the stock cuts overall length to 22 inches, so this is a gun that you can fit in a backpack. I tested the LC Carbine at 50 yards based on the capabilities of the .45 ACP cartridge and also because this is primarily a defensive carbine that’s unlikely to be deployed at longer ranges. But you could if you needed to.

Accuracy

While accuracy testing was done at 50 yards, I also tested the rifle at 25 and 100 yards. Not to bore you with reams of analysis, the LC Carbine frequently produced three-shot groups at 25 yards with all three holes touching, and most groups were in the 0.6- to 0.8-inch range.

At 50 yards, the average opened up to between 1.5 and three inches, which is what you’d expect from a .45 autoloading pistol at half that distance. Groups of 2.5 to five inches were the norm at 100 yards when the rifle was topped with a Viridian RFX green dot sight. Federal’s 230-grain Gold Medal full metal jacket proved the most accurate, and those big bullets cruised downrange at subsonic velocities.

The Viridian was mounted on an extended-height see-through mount to allow use of the irons. I also made use of the M-Lok rail space and added a hand stop and front QD cup.

The rifle functioned flawlessly and never failed to feed, extract or eject. Trigger pull weight was a bit heavy—just under seven pounds—but it was predictable and manageable. The adjustable folding stock is well-designed and easy to use, and the pistol grip is comfortable, although if you’re used to running AR carbines there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself searching for the bolt release and safety selector in the usual spots—so there will be a bit of a learning curve. Recoil is extremely mild from this rifle, and muzzle blast is minimal. With a suppressor in place this gun would be a pussycat.

Impressive

Ruger impressed everyone with the LC Carbine in 5.7x28, and its .45 stablemate is equally good. If you’re searching for a home defense carbine, this one is an excellent option. Suggested retail price for the LC Carbine is $1,009.

Ruger LC Carbine Specs

• Type: blowback-operated semiauto centerfire
• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Capacity: 13+1
• Barrel: 16.25 in. alloy steel, 1:16 twist; threaded .578x28
• Overall Length: 28.6–30.6 in.
• Weight: 7 lb., 1 oz.
• Stock: adjustable folding
• Finish: Black Type III hard-coat anodized receiver, handguard; black nitride barrel
• Trigger: 6 lb., 14 oz
• Sights: Ruger Rapid Deploy adjustable rear, front; optics rail
• MSRP: $1,009
• Manufacturer: Ruger, ruger.com

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