I like to watch old western TV re-runs.
In the show the other day, the gunman in black who lived in a fancy San Francisco hotel strapped on his rig with the chess piece on it and rode out of town to see a client and hand out his business cards. Upon arrival, he was disarmed and held at gunpoint. He surreptitiously drew his .41 rimfire Remington derringer from behind his belt buckle and gunned down the man holding the shotgun. Moments later he used it again, instantly drawing it and blowing down a man holding a Colt Model P in his hand--at some distance, I'll add.
The bounty hunter who carried the mare's leg also carried a replica four barrel Sharps rim-fire derringer. He too was fast (just slow enough for the viewing audience to see the action) and accurate, and his hits were deadly effective.
All fiction, of course.
I do not carry a back-up gun, but I know people who do.
If I did, it would have to be quick to present, capable of rapid controlled fire, useable one-handed, and reasonably, but not too, powerful. No rim-fires, no single action guns carried hammer down, no two-barrel guns and no featherweight guns of 9mm or bigger caliber with tiny grips.
Jim Cirillo of the Stake-out Unit carried three back-up guns. Two were chambered for the .38 Special, and the PPk was chambered in 7.65mm. But I'm not a .32 ACP man.
I haven't handled one yet, but I have been thinking that the new Ruger LCP Max might serve well for backup.
I'd have to do some thinking about ammunition choice.
It would sure beat a a single action, two shot .41 rim-fire--or the tree barrel .32 RF Marston that a friend's great-grandfather once carried.
In the show the other day, the gunman in black who lived in a fancy San Francisco hotel strapped on his rig with the chess piece on it and rode out of town to see a client and hand out his business cards. Upon arrival, he was disarmed and held at gunpoint. He surreptitiously drew his .41 rimfire Remington derringer from behind his belt buckle and gunned down the man holding the shotgun. Moments later he used it again, instantly drawing it and blowing down a man holding a Colt Model P in his hand--at some distance, I'll add.
The bounty hunter who carried the mare's leg also carried a replica four barrel Sharps rim-fire derringer. He too was fast (just slow enough for the viewing audience to see the action) and accurate, and his hits were deadly effective.
All fiction, of course.
I do not carry a back-up gun, but I know people who do.
If I did, it would have to be quick to present, capable of rapid controlled fire, useable one-handed, and reasonably, but not too, powerful. No rim-fires, no single action guns carried hammer down, no two-barrel guns and no featherweight guns of 9mm or bigger caliber with tiny grips.
Jim Cirillo of the Stake-out Unit carried three back-up guns. Two were chambered for the .38 Special, and the PPk was chambered in 7.65mm. But I'm not a .32 ACP man.
I haven't handled one yet, but I have been thinking that the new Ruger LCP Max might serve well for backup.
I'd have to do some thinking about ammunition choice.
It would sure beat a a single action, two shot .41 rim-fire--or the tree barrel .32 RF Marston that a friend's great-grandfather once carried.