Back-up carry gun

I have lots of guns that would qualify as a BUG. The one gun I have carried, for over twenty years as a back up is a Smith 642. (I am a Police Officer, but, I think my reasoning could fit anyone)

I do not carry a BUG off duty except under very unusual circumstances.

A revolver is my choice because of the reliablity. It doesn't care if you have a crappy grip. One hand, weak hand only, even pressed into a target. Upside down, sideways...If you can pull the trigger, the gun will likely fire. If that off hand is holding a knife off your throat, the revolver will fire. If its a bad round, pull the trigger again. Tapping and racking requires two hands.

In REALLY close range fights that become gunfights, slides can hit things on the way back, contact shots can jam an auto...whatever. From a purely mechanical standpoint, the revolver, in actual use, is likely more reliable.

ruger lcrx with some hot +P 38 spl in the cylinder is my BUG - usually carried in front pocket or on ankle (clothing dependent). main carry gun is sig p239, or p229 depending on waether and clothing i'm wearing, both loaded with 357 SIG GDHP

Kup si Kevina v 9mm makarov, Rugera LCP jsem nosil 3 roky a velice rád jsem se ho zbavil protože s ním začaly být problémy.

(buy ZVI Kevin instead)

As a side mote: when i carry second gun to my Kahr P9, its usually vz.58 in schoolback...

I have an LCR .38 that was intended to be a BUG... It is my primary now. It is light, 100% reliable and is a pretty fun range toy as well.

To me a 'back up gun' makes sense if you are traveling out of town/ long distance. If you are involved in a shooting, the police will take your primary handgun as evidence, leaving you without a CCW until you return home. Obviously, not ideal for many reasons.

460Kodiak said:

Yes. Carry laws can varry quite a bit from state to state over here. The laws can be contradictory and a real pain to stay up to date on. Certain states like New Jersey, New York, California, and Illinois are quite restrictive on what you can carry, how large a magazine your concealed carry gun can have, what type of safety mechanisms it has, and all states (I believe) have restriction on places you may not carry. All federal buildings are off limits too.



I live in a free state where people are polite and leave each other alone. I'm grateful for that.

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Illinois is not restrictive in those ways at all. We can carry any handgun, in any caliber, with any size magazine. Even in Chicago. You don't have to qualify with what you carry and you can carry as many firearms on you as you want.

Illinois always gets lumped into the New York and California group but it just isn't so anymore.

Illinois is not restrictive in those ways at all.

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My mistake

460Kodiak said:

My mistake

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No sweat Kodiak, fact is this state has been such a horrible state for gun owners for do long that it's not a reputation that will go away quickly. We still have many politicians that put forth gun ban bills every year, thankfully enough our downstate politicians best them back.

Times are a-changin' though, we have made some major progress in recent years.

I'm in agreement with count zero. I would keep it the same caliber. Maybe a shield or lc9.

Illinois is strange though that it has 2 laws that govern firearms, one law has to do with transportation, unloaded and in a case and the other has to do with carrying a firearm on your person.

There are a lot of locations that you cannot carry a firearm in Illinois - like any place that posts the official sign, but there is some debate over where you can and cannot transport a firearm, unloaded and in a case.

I happen to believe that I can transport an unloaded firearm in a case just about everywhere in Illinois except a school, a post office and a courthouse / similar government building.

Since IL case law says fanny packs qualify as a case, I often carry an unloaded CM9 in a Ka-Bar TDI and a loaded Rohrbaugh R9 in a Nemesis holster in my pocket.


My review of the 5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch and the Ka-Bar TDI:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=740978&highlight=tdi

My review of the CM9:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=754205&highlight=tdi

I would recommend a BUG that is as light and concealable as possible. A KelTec .32, or a baby Colt in .25. Unless you are under a direct threat you may never need your primary weapon, much less it's backup. Common caliber for primary weapon and BUG is a non issue for me.
No matter what you choose be sure to carry an edged weapon with the maximum legal length blade as a tertiary weapon.

I always carry two... My right arm and my left arm...

Snejdarek, many years ago I bought the Uncle Mike's Gun Runner fanny pack. It opens with velcro, and although big, wasn't too bad. The problem is that the velcro never wants to go back the same way twice, and after a while, starts to sag. My solution was to take it to my local shoe repair shop and have them install a zipper in the back. That way I preserved the speed of the velcro, but didn't have to open it every time I took the pistol out.

FWIW now, when I had to replace it, the only one I could find locally is the smaller one with the zipper, and its been good so far.

I have never been a fan of the .38 in general, especially as a back up. My recommendation would be to find a nice .32, .380, or 9x19 pocket pistol for back up. Whatever you choose, make sure you do a functions check (100+) rounds and practice with it until you are confident in your ability to hit what you aim for.

Snejdarek said:

The wife having a gun being better than any BUG is also an excellent argument. That is where my GF is headed in the near future too.

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Just make sure the two of them never meet, especially if they're armed. lol

Never felt the need to carry two guns, just a CZ 75 P-01 and two extra mags.

Jim

That pistol pouch doesn't seem to allow an easy access at all. I would be really afraid that the zip might fail in an emergency situation.

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The 5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch does have a quick release (hot pull) tabs.

I've tested them, I even stand in front of a mirror practicing pulling and drawing my pistol out.

The Ka-Bar works basically the same way once you've attached a dongle or larger pull tab to the (much shorter) existing tab.

Glock19Fan said:

I have never been a fan of the .38 in general, especially as a back up. My recommendation would be to find a nice .32, .380, or 9x19 pocket pistol for back up. Whatever you choose, make sure you do a functions check (100+) rounds and practice with it until you are confident in your ability to hit what you aim for.

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Just curious, I'm wondering why you would dislike the use of 38 special but approve 32?

I'm not trolling for an argument, everyone has a right to an opinion, I'm just curious how you came to that decision? I have opinions like that which some consider irrational, it doesn't bother me any, lol.

I KNEW it, I knew it had to be a P-01 or PCR when you said location and magazine size.
Why not stick with the company you know? Get a RAMI BD. Magazines also interchange. Good little pistol, easier to manage with the extended 14 round mag, but very concealable.

With standard mag,



With extended mag,



With SP-01 mag. Yes, that's just silly, just showing compatability.




The funny thing is I have used a PCR as my BUG...shown here in a defunct company cross draw rig set up as the "It's OK, just let me get my wallet" draw.



Occasionally I do carry a P-01 as BUG to my CZ SP-01 Phantom - with a proper holster you CAN successfully conceal a full size pistol, but you will end up dressing around the gun.

For you, with a PCR, yeah, I'd really recommend a RAMI BD.

.
This is a great thread. I've been introduced to several new pieces. Thanks, THR. Though I'm a "1911 guy", I've learned to keep an open mind.


But this:

sgt127

I do not carry a BUG off duty except under very unusual circumstances.

A revolver is my choice because of the reliablity. It doesn't care if you have a crappy grip. One hand, weak hand only, even pressed into a target. Upside down, sideways...If you can pull the trigger, the gun will likely fire. If that off hand is holding a knife off your throat, the revolver will fire. If its a bad round, pull the trigger again. Tapping and racking requires two hands.

In REALLY close range fights that become gunfights, slides can hit things on the way back, contact shots can jam an auto...whatever. From a purely mechanical standpoint, the revolver, in actual use, is likely more reliable.

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This is invaluable advice. Duly noted, sir!