How many of you...

[mtgasten]

carry a back up gun? im starting to think it might be a good idea to start carrying a back up gun with me "just in case" ya know? im leaning towards a Walther PK380, with maybe some sort of shoulder rig? and then have my EDC on my hip...i dunno just thoughts, and was wondering what you guys thought....opinions welcome here!!

 

[JohnP82]

I have carried a BUG for a couple years now.

My EDC is a G27 and I either pocket carry my P32 or my S&W 442 as a backup.

I do for a few reasons:

1. Why not?
2. The fastest reload is a second gun!
3. It comes in handy when in a vehicle. When I am seated in my truck my main carry weapon is not easy to get to. I can take my BUG (holster and all) out of my pocket and have it at the ready when in my vehicle. Comes in handy while at the drive up ATM and whatnot, I can have it on my lap and ready to go.

With the setup I have I can carry both all day long comfortably and it is not hard to do at all so I have carried this way for quite awile now. I also have at least one knife on me at all times as well.


I also keep all of my carry guns as similar as possible. Meaning, my main weapon G27 has no external safety and neither do either of my two backup guns. Now both of my BUGs have a harder trigger pull than my main weapon, but the operation is pretty much the same, point and shoot.

I say, if you can comfortably do it, why not?

 

[Spikedog]

For me I carry a backup-type gun as my primary. Not a LEO, just a citizen.

 

[finity]

That, then, leads to the next logical question:

"How many carry a back up to their back-up?"

Then:

"How many carry a back up to the back up to the back up?

Etc, etc, ad nauseum...

At what point is it enough?

Unless you live in a known bad area or have a known dangerous profession then My PERSONAL belief is that a BUG is just overkill.

How likely is it that you will ever find yourself in a situation that you'll really need more than the capacity of a modern semi-auto handgun to defend yourself outside of the proverbial SHTF-type scenario?

There may come a time when it is prudent to go out fully armed but I don't see us as being there yet. Although, at that point I would likely carry a battle rifle of some sort, though, & not a marginal round for defensive purposes. But for now that just seems to be a bit paranoid.

But to each his own. If you want to carry a BUG (or 10) then by all means but I think you'll find that the great majority of gun-carriers only carry one if for no other reason than comfort.

It's all about balance.

 

[GuyRelford]

That, then, leads to the next logical question:

"How many carry a back up to their back-up?"

Then:

"How many carry a back up to the back up to the back up?

Etc, etc, ad nauseum...

At what point is it enough?

Unless you live in a known bad area or have a known dangerous profession then My PERSONAL belief is that a BUG is just overkill.

How likely is it that you will ever find yourself in a situation that you'll really need more than the capacity of a modern semi-auto handgun to defend yourself outside of the proverbial SHTF-type scenario?

There may come a time when it is prudent to go out fully armed but I don't see us as being there yet. Although, at that point I would likely carry a battle rifle of some sort, though, & not a marginal round for defensive purposes. But for now that just seems to be a bit paranoid.

But to each his own. If you want to carry a BUG (or 10) then by all means but I think you'll find that the great majority of gun-carriers only carry one if for no other reason than comfort.

It's all about balance.

You clearly don't watch enough TV, finity!

Seriously, though - I carry an ankle gun on a regular basis (either a Beretta Tomcat .32 or a Glock 27, depending on what pants I'm wearing). This is primarily because there are often times when I may need to leave my EDC behind in the console safe and go "deep concealment," particularly if I'm OC'ing my EDC. It's just easier to already have my BUG in place on my ankle. And I'd rather unnecessarily have two guns on me at some times than have no gun on me at others.

Just my

Guy

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

I don't, but I've been thinking about it more and more.

 

[jve153]

when not at work, i generally have my edc and a bg380 stuffed in my front pocket in an uncle mikes pocket holster. its more comfortable that sticking my cell phone in my pocket. two extra mags for the bug sit in my small right front pocket and an extra for the edc sits in the left front pocket. if ive got side pockets, i generally carry a second spare for the edc. knife as well, mainly for utility, but if needed for other purposes, it is there as well.

 

[finity]

You clearly don't watch enough TV, finity!

That's not what my wife says.

Seriously, though - I carry an ankle gun on a regular basis (either a Beretta Tomcat .32 or a Glock 27, depending on what pants I'm wearing). This is primarily because there are often times when I may need to leave my EDC behind in the console safe and go "deep concealment," particularly if I'm OC'ing my EDC. It's just easier to already have my BUG in place on my ankle. And I'd rather unnecessarily have two guns on me at some times than have no gun on me at others.

Just my

Guy

That's a good reason that I hadn't thought of - a technical issue not a "Oh crap if I don't have 5000 rounds & 10 guns on me while I get my morning coffee in Podunk Village, IN I'm gonna DIE!" reason.

 

[actaeon277]

Guns can malfunction.
You may not be able to reach it, such as sitting in driver's seat, hard to reach right waist.
You may need to arm a 2nd person.
My EDC is s&w m&p 40c
My BUG is NAA .22

 

[GuyRelford]

"Oh crap if I don't have 5000 rounds & 10 guns on me while I get my morning coffee in Podunk Village, IN I'm gonna DIE!"

Ok, I literally "laughed out loud" at that one.

 

[mtgasten]

That, then, leads to the next logical question:

"How many carry a back up to their back-up?"

Then:

"How many carry a back up to the back up to the back up?

Etc, etc, ad nauseum...

At what point is it enough?

Unless you live in a known bad area or have a known dangerous profession then My PERSONAL belief is that a BUG is just overkill.

How likely is it that you will ever find yourself in a situation that you'll really need more than the capacity of a modern semi-auto handgun to defend yourself outside of the proverbial SHTF-type scenario?

There may come a time when it is prudent to go out fully armed but I don't see us as being there yet. Although, at that point I would likely carry a battle rifle of some sort, though, & not a marginal round for defensive purposes. But for now that just seems to be a bit paranoid.

But to each his own. If you want to carry a BUG (or 10) then by all means but I think you'll find that the great majority of gun-carriers only carry one if for no other reason than comfort.

It's all about balance.

the building i live in is quite secure, but the area surrounding it is not the greatest (north meridian and 38th) and i've noticed that when seated in my car and my seatbelt on it is EXTREMELY hard to get to my EDC, so im thinking that a BUG shoulder rig would work well in this scenario and many others as well

 

[finity]

the building i live in is quite secure, but the area surrounding it is not the greatest (north meridian and 38th)

So, they have a N Meridian & 38th St intersection in Iraq, too? Good to know.

and i've noticed that when seated in my car and my seatbelt on it is EXTREMELY hard to get to my EDC, so im thinking that a BUG shoulder rig would work well in this scenario and many others as well

Then why don't you simply relocate your EDC while you are seated in your car?

If you WANT to carry a BUG then by all means do.

All I'm saying is that in the VAST majority of times you don't NEED to carry a BUG (& that is not a commentary on whether the 2A only protects the "need" not the "want" - so please no remarks on that).

 

[mtgasten]

another question i have, what caliber would you use for a BUG?

 

[GuyRelford]

another question i have, what caliber would you use for a BUG?

That's a very interesting question. I often carry a .32, which I would never recommend for a primary defense pistol. It boils down the largest caliber that meets your requirements of a BUG (concealability in a pocket, or on your ankle, or however you decide to carry it). Depending on how I'm otherwise dressed, that's often my Beretta Tomcat .32.

Guy

 

[mtgasten]

That's a very interesting question. I often carry a .32, which I would never recommend for a primary defense pistol. It boils down the largest caliber that meets your requirements of a BUG (concealability in a pocket, or on your ankle, or however you decide to carry it). Depending on how I'm otherwise dressed, that's often my Beretta Tomcat .32.

Guy

how many rounds does that hold?

 

[g00n24]

I have carried a BUG for a couple years now.

My EDC is a G27 and I either pocket carry my P32 or my S&W 442 as a backup.

I do for a few reasons:

1. Why not?
2. The fastest reload is a second gun!
3. It comes in handy when in a vehicle. When I am seated in my truck my main carry weapon is not easy to get to. I can take my BUG (holster and all) out of my pocket and have it at the ready when in my vehicle. Comes in handy while at the drive up ATM and whatnot, I can have it on my lap and ready to go.

With the setup I have I can carry both all day long comfortably and it is not hard to do at all so I have carried this way for quite awile now. I also have at least one knife on me at all times as well.


I also keep all of my carry guns as similar as possible. Meaning, my main weapon G27 has no external safety and neither do either of my two backup guns. Now both of my BUGs have a harder trigger pull than my main weapon, but the operation is pretty much the same, point and shoot.

I say, if you can comfortably do it, why not?

I have never bought the argument that the fastest reload is another gun. I don't think it is natural for anyone (unless you have specifically trained extensively doing so) to throw away/put down/reholster/drop their firearm they are using to fight off a threat and reach for a different gun; one that is presumably in a harder to get to area (deep concealment) and continue on. Im sure most of us have worked on reloads, either in competition or just practicing at the range and it would be much more natural/convenient and faster for us to keep our primary gun in the strong hand and simply retrieve a magazine with the other. The gun stays relatively close to on target and you're brain isn't trying to process dropping one gun and going to another. Just my .
Now if you don't carry a reload for you're primary...

 

[mcshaker]

Now if you don't carry a reload for you're primary...

That was going to be my thinking. For not much more inconvenience than a reload you get another fully functional loaded gun.

I don't personally carry a BUG or an extra magazine. I pocket carry what most would consider a BUG as my primary (Keltec PF9). But the old adage of "two is one, and one is none" comes to mind.

 

[youngda9]

I don't, and I don't carry a spare mag. Concealing one firearm is enough for me. 11 shots of .40 is plenty. My firearm is 100% reliable so far through many rounds. Odds of needing it are practically nil, and odds of needing more than 3 shots are about the same. I'm well armed and prepared.

To each his own.

 

[88GT]

I have for years. But I always get **** for it.

EDC is either a Glock 26 or 17 or a commander-sized 1911. Back up is a Taurus 85 lightweight version in .38.

 

[88GT]

I don't, and I don't carry a spare mag. Concealing one firearm is enough for me. 11 shots of .40 is plenty. My firearm is 100% reliable so far through many rounds. Odds of needing it are practically nil, and odds of needing more than 3 shots are about the same. I'm well armed and prepared.

To each his own.

Man, Murphy is just salivating at this post.