With an overall length of 5.16 inches (131 mm) and weighing only 9.4 oz (270 g), this is Ruger's first entry into the field of tiny, ultra-light defensive pistols.

[8][9] On October 29, 2008, Ruger announced a recall of some of the LCP pistols with serial number prefixes less than "371-xxxxx" due to the possibility of some of the guns discharging if dropped onto a hard surface.

In April 2010, Texas Governor Rick Perry brought further spotlight to the weapon when he used it to shoot a coyote that was menacing him and his daughter's Labrador retriever during a morning jog near Austin.

[12][better source needed] In 2013, Ruger modified the original LCP to include more prominent sights and a shortened trigger pull.

It is easily distinguishable by its red hard anodized aluminum trigger which features a shorter improved geometry pull.

Introduced on October 6, 2016,[17] the slightly larger LCP II features a number of updates, including locking the slide back when empty.