Loaded chamber indicator...weak link in the design?

[mindcrime]

When cleaning, make sure that you do not brush toward the LRI, only brush away from it. It seems that this area gets gunked up easily at first. But it seems that after it is removed and cleaned once it is much easier to keep clean afterward. Don't lube it-attracts dirt.

[nunnya]

exepat93,
Shame you bought the Ruger P345 instead of a P97. Ruger fixed something
that wasn't broke there. The P97 is an excellent firearm.


nunnya

[rangemaster]

Just out of curiosity I ran a test...

Shot 500 rounds of 230-grain RNL w/231 powder (not the cleanest stuff in the world), then removed the slide, took out the recoil spring/barrel, and (using a pin punch of proper size) removed the LCI retaining pin. This pistol had previously fired less than 600 rounds of commercial and reloaded .45ACP and been cleaned regularly.

You wind up with three parts - the Loaded Chamber Indicator (which is L-shaped), the LCI spring (NOT a highly compressed spring, but small so keep an eye on it) and the pin (look at it when you drive it out - it removes right-to-left as you're holding the pistol in a firing grip, and reinstalls in the opposite direction). Pay close attention to the pin - the left end is NOT round.

Guess what? Close examination with a magnifying glass shows that products of combustion (both powder and primer) were present and COULD gum up the works over time by building up a layer on the SIDES of the cuts milled into the slide for the LCI. The spring is just too weak to overpower them.

This buildup of primordial shooting "goo" (that's a technical term) on the sidewalls of the LCI cut and the LCI itself can eventually make the indicator stick in the "up" or "loaded" position. This condition can easily occur in as little as 500-1000 rounds if the user causes excessive lubrication to be introduced into the LCI slot (clean the pistol, don't grease it!).

As others have said, this is NOT something that keeps this excellent sidearm from functioning; if anything it is a testament to the excellent engineering that went into the HS2000/XD design.

I suspect the XD45 will exhibit this "stuck LCI" more than any other caliber, as there appear to be more folks loading for the .45ACP than the other calibers of XD; most folks who do not reload shoot commercial TMJ or hardball; the propellant type and amount results in less "goo" to accumulate.

Unload and show clear...

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by rangemaster

Just clean your pistol regularly and it isn't a problem.

We have several used on our range and there have been no reports of a weapon failure due to the LCI beng dirty.

Unload and show clear...

Funny, I clean my pistol after every match.

But I am also having problems with the function of the LCI. The difference in when it shows loaded vs. unloaded is so small that I now have to visibly check the chamber to make sure the round is in place after the Load and Make Ready command.

I just have never manually manipulated the LCI to try getting some solvent underneath it. Not sure if I should do that, or just disassemble the entire slide and scrub the whole thing down.

Jim Griffiths

[Glenn]

When mine stuck on my .40 it was after about 1500 rounds and I just hit it with a little starting fluid and it was good as new

[Timmy44221]

I have the XDSC9, and have yet to see this problem. And thats with shooting 1000rds of gold bear (very very dirty) ammo.

[Hitman45]

I don't really use the LCI. I just run my thumb acroos the striker..if it's back...you know it loaded.

[Dustoff '68]

Personally, I could do without the LCI....all my pistols are loaded, whether I have emptied the mags and checked the chamber, they are ALL loaded as far as I'm concerned. The need for the device suggests that some may not be quite adept at safe handgun ownership...IMHO, just another useless marketing gimmick that will and has failed some.

[KeithM]

My opinion of the intent behind the LCI is to indicate that the gun is indeed loaded, not to confirm that it's safe. It's not there to tell you that the gun is unloaded so that it's safe to dry-fire, practice drawing, clean, or whatever, it's there to tell you the gun is loaded and ready to fire. The one time that it is not advisable to treat a gun like it's loaded without confirming it is when you actually need to use the gun. So if in the middle of the night someone breaks into your house, you can pick up your gun, run your finger over the top of the slide and confirm it's loaded without having to rack the slide or assume that you did when you last loaded it.

[rwilson452]

The LCI is there because some states require it. If it ain't got it you can't sell it in that state. I bet you can guess a state or two that has this requirement.