Ruger LC Carbine .45 ACP: Full Review

The “LC” in THE Ruger LC Carbine name stands for “light” and “compact.” The first LC Carbine was chambered in 5.7x28mm, reviewed in Guns & Ammo’s April 2023 “Proofhouse” column. The diminutive centerfire cartridge offers high velocity and low recoil with 27-­ to 40-­grain bullets. Ruger ran all the way to the other end of the bullet-weight scale with the new-for-2024 variant chambered in .45 ACP. Shooters now have an LC Carbine that shoots bullets ranging from 185-­ to 230-­grains in weight.

The boost in firepower is a welcome addition to such a short and relatively light package. The LC Carbine in .45 tipped the scales at a svelte 7.1 pounds while featuring an extended length of 301/2 inches with the stock extended. Collapsed length is 281/2 inches, and folding the stock further reduces overall length to 221/2 inches. The barrel length is a steady 161/4 inches, including a .578-­28 threaded muzzle. Measuring from the top of the receiver to the bottom of the magazine’s basepad shows this LC Carbine is only 6.3 inches tall without an optic.

The LC Carbine runs on a direct-­blowback system. The slick two-­piece bolt design puts a lot of the bolt’s weight above the barrel, too. This places the carbine’s balance point near the trigger instead of behind the trigger. Spreading the weight across the length of the receiver makes the LC Carbine comfortable to hold while quickly transitioning from one target to the next. If Ruger had opt’d with the traditional method of putting all the bolt’s mass behind the breech face, it would have made the LC Carbine much bigger and longer. The .45 ACP generates quite a bit more force than the 5.7x28mm, so the decision to manufacture a two-­piece bolt and to push mass forward of the breech and around the barrel was wise. It’s what allows it to have a slim profile.

The 71/2-­inch handguard has M-­Lok slots throughout to mount lights, lasers, foregrips, or bipods. Three screws secure the handguard to the receiver. A two-­piece section of Picatinny rail combines for a measured 191/2 inches along the top of the handguard and the receiver. This allows for mounting any type of optic, magnifier or night vision device the shooter desires. Guns & Ammo’s staff evaluated the LC Carbine using a magnified optic for accuracy testing, and red dot sights for function tests. With optics absent, Ruger’s standard-issue polymer flip-­up post/aperture sights are a welcome feature. The front sight can be adjusted for elevation while the rear sight adjusts for windage.

The stock folds and can be made to fold either to the right or left side. It is adjustable for length of pull from 121/2 to 141/2 inches. The receiver extension inside the stock looks proprietary, but it accepts aftermarket stocks designed for most AR-­15s. If the shooter has a strong stock preference, it will likely fit on the LC Carbine. Additionally, the stock attaches to the back of the receiver by way of a vertical section of Picatinny rail. Any aftermarket stock that attaches to a rail can be mounted to the back of the LC Carbine. If the stock is too girthy, though, it might not fold flat. Completely removing the stock exposes a round opening at the back of the receiver, which allows for cleaning the barrel from the breech.

Controls are completely ambidextrous on the LC Carbine. The charging handle is reversible and can ride on either side of the receiver. There is a polymer handgun-­like grip frame that attaches to the bottom of the upper receiver. The magazine inserts through the grip, holding 13 rounds. This is the same magazine used with Glock 21 pistols, so aftermarket magazines are plentiful. 

The LC Carbine comes set up for a right-­handed shooter, but the magazine release is reversible for left-­handed shooters. 

There is an ambidextrous thumb-­safety lever on the LC Carbine that is equally accessible from both sides. The bolt release — yes, it locks the bolt to the rear after the last shot is fired — is also ambidextrous, but the location changes based on the right or left side. Right-­handed shooters will find the most accessible bolt release just forward the triggerguard on the right side of the carbine. A quick press with the index finger of the firing hand is all it takes to get the bolt into battery. Left-­handed shooters will either need to use the reversible charging handle to release the bolt, or they’ll need to use the thumb of the firing hand to hit the release on the left side of the carbine.

Disassembly of the LC Carbine was simple. There is a captured pin that holds the grip frame to the receiver. Push the pin to the side and the grip frame can slide rearward about a quarter of an ­inch. Lift the grip frame out. It can be cleaned like any other striker-­fired pistol frame. Pull the charging handle to the rear and lift the rear of the bolt up and out of the receiver. Push forward on the buffer assembly and lift it out of the receiver. The buffer, recoil spring, and guiderod are a captured assembly that easily lifts out of the carbine. Finally, slide the forward portion of the bolt rearward and lift it out of the receiver.

Like its predecessor, the LC Carbine in .45 is ideally suited for suppressor use. It comes threaded from the factory and is chambered in a cartridge that is almost always subsonic. Bullet weights range between 185-­ and 230 grains for .45 ACP. The 230-­grain loads were subsonic, even when tested in the 161/4-­inch barrel. One step to be sure to do prior to mounting a suppressor is to remove the rubber O-­ring that sits under the thread protector. Leaving it in place can push the mounted suppressor off-­axis. It’s always preferred to have a solid shoulder against which to mount a suppressor. Remove the O-­ring and thread the suppressor on until it seats tightly against the shoulder behind the threads.

Accuracy was good with inexpensive ball ammunition that Guns & Ammo used for function testing. High-­quality defense ammunition was more accurate. Also of note, the LC Carbine can digest a steady diet of +P loads; those wanting higher velocities can have it without drawbacks. The LC Carbine .45 is a great fit for anyone desiring a slim and compact carbine chambered in a cartridge capable of ringing steel out to 100 yards, or for effective defense inside 100 yards. 

Ruger LC Carbine

• Type: Blowback-operated semiauto
• Cartridge: .45 ACP
• Capacity: 13+1 rds.
• Overall Length: 30.5 in. (extended), 22.5 in. (folded)
• Weight: 7 lbs., 2 oz.
• Length of Pull: 12.5 to 14.5 in.
• Barrel: 16.25 in., 1:16-­in. twist
• Grip: Textured, polymer
• Finish: Hardcoat anodized (aluminum) 
• Sights: Flip ­up, post/aperature
• Trigger Pull: 4 lbs., 2 oz. (tested)
• MSRP: $1,009
• Manufacturer: Sturm, Ruger & Co., 336-­949-­5200, ruger.com

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