jiminhobesound
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For our law enforcement officers: Why did you have to use your backup? What, in your opinion, is the best backup and what is the best way to carry?
Backup Guns, When are they needed?
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Deaf Smith
Member
When all else fails. Simple as that.
Deaf
No need to elaborate on that.
I've never had to use mine but, IMO, a snubby revolver is the way to go for a BUG. Fewer things to go wrong - no mag issues, no limp wristing, no going out of battery, no FTE/FTF, etc, etc. - and if you're needing your BUG chances are the circumstances are not going to be ideal for shooting and a revolver is more likely to function under adverse conditions.
My BUG is a custom scandium 9mm S&W J frame with CT laser grips. The gun is fast and easy to reload thanks to moonclips and I feel the laser grips give me an advantage since I can put rounds on target without having to raise the gun to eye level to aim it.
As far as the best way to carry it, that's up to the individual. I cannot draw my duty gun with my weak hand so I carry my BUG where I can access with that hand.
Jakemedic
Member
I second that, no need to expand......
I carry a couple of bugs, a 340SC on my ankle and a glock 27 on my vest so I can access it with my weak hand. Like the previous post, I can not access my duty gun with my weak hand. Keep in mind that my ankle gun is to end the threat, if I am on the ground getting the crap beat out of me. I ask God before every tour that I never need it.
I carry a couple of bugs, a 340SC on my ankle and a glock 27 on my vest so I can access it with my weak hand. Like the previous post, I can not access my duty gun with my weak hand. Keep in mind that my ankle gun is to end the threat, if I am on the ground getting the crap beat out of me. I ask God before every tour that I never need it.
It seems combo like Glock 19/Glock 26 or Glock 22/ Glock 23 would be the only cerebral way to go. The backup should be capable of handling same mag as larger primary gun and caliber should also be the same. Unless it's something like Freedom Arms 83 for hunting use when I see someone examining five shot revolver I turn away and laugh!
Cop Bob
Member
I carried a Walther PP in 380 in my boot.. I carried that gun for so long that the grips on the left side nearly wore through.. I thank God that I never had to use it as a back up..
Generally held that it would be used only in an out of ammo, or heaven forbid, a disarmed situation.. It was more for my own peace of mind more than anything else..
When going into known Hi-risk situations, Search Warrants.. etc.. I would move it to a deep waist carry where I could access it very quickly, but not as concealable..
Experience over the years taught is that it is often times quicker to grab another gun than to reload... Our Narcotics, and similar units often carry three or four guns when kicking doors..
Generally held that it would be used only in an out of ammo, or heaven forbid, a disarmed situation.. It was more for my own peace of mind more than anything else..
When going into known Hi-risk situations, Search Warrants.. etc.. I would move it to a deep waist carry where I could access it very quickly, but not as concealable..
Experience over the years taught is that it is often times quicker to grab another gun than to reload... Our Narcotics, and similar units often carry three or four guns when kicking doors..
wow6599
Member
Sheepdog1968
Member
I know at least one instructor who carries three pistols on him. It doesn't seem unreasonable. Depending on the specific moment you need to draw, say carhijacking, some positions of carry aren't accessable.
I had something the was a new insight to me in a recent backup handgun class. We took a Glock 26 (or 27 same sizes) and laid it up to several of the small snubbies. They were essentially the same size. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. I'm not saying to choose one or the other, just pointing out the sizes with pros and cons to each.
I had something the was a new insight to me in a recent backup handgun class. We took a Glock 26 (or 27 same sizes) and laid it up to several of the small snubbies. They were essentially the same size. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. I'm not saying to choose one or the other, just pointing out the sizes with pros and cons to each.
Lucky Derby
Member
I am not a LEO, but my father was.
He carried a 4" M19 as his duty weapon and a M36 as a backup. He only fired the M19 once in the line of duty and never fired the M36 in the line of duty. However, since he could not walk up to people constantly with a drawn service revolver, he would often conduct interviews, traffic stops, etc with his hand in his jacket pocket and that M36 pointed at whomever he was talking to. This appeared very casual, perhaps to casual by today's standards, but he was ready should he need to use it. Of course it didn't work well in the summer when he didn't wear a jacket and that M36 was on his ankle.
He carried a 4" M19 as his duty weapon and a M36 as a backup. He only fired the M19 once in the line of duty and never fired the M36 in the line of duty. However, since he could not walk up to people constantly with a drawn service revolver, he would often conduct interviews, traffic stops, etc with his hand in his jacket pocket and that M36 pointed at whomever he was talking to. This appeared very casual, perhaps to casual by today's standards, but he was ready should he need to use it. Of course it didn't work well in the summer when he didn't wear a jacket and that M36 was on his ankle.
oldbear
Member
That was very common when I was in uniform patrol, I can't tell you how many people had a gun pointed directly at them and they never realized it.
I'm no LEO, but in my humble opinion the the requirements for a good backup weapon are similar to those for a good primary carry weapon.
It HAS to be reliable, you have to be able to shoot it accurately, and it has to be something you're willing to actually carry (A backup does no good sitting in your safe).
Doesn't matter if it's something like my Sig P238, a snub nosed .38 special, a baby Glock, whatever. As long as it works and you can shoot it. IMHO caliber matters slightly less for a backup gun, I still don't like to carry anything less than a .380 personally.
Most people I know who carry backup weapons prefer that it be accessible by their weak hand, especially if their primary handgun is carried on the strong side.
If by "use" you mean fire it in the line of duty, never. If "use" means to have it in hand, I rather often have an SP101 in hand, in preference to the larger duty pistol. Sometimes, it is for discretion/deception, when I want it to appear my hands are empty, as already mentioned a couple of times in previous replies. On some of these occasions, the snubby is inside a pocket, and sometimes it is in hand, discreetly out of sight.
Another use of a "back-up" handgun is when I deploy a handgun that is not smaller than my duty pistol, but rather an equal or better handgun. Several felons have looked up the barrel of a big stainless sixgun, while my duty auto pistol remained holstered. I have also bailed out of the patrol car at a fast-breaking scene with a twin of my duty pistol in hand, when I felt the need for greater firepower, but a long gun would have taken too long to deploy. These mega-back-up handguns are not worn concealed, but are kept in cases or pouches near at hand.
Another use of a "back-up" handgun is when I deploy a handgun that is not smaller than my duty pistol, but rather an equal or better handgun. Several felons have looked up the barrel of a big stainless sixgun, while my duty auto pistol remained holstered. I have also bailed out of the patrol car at a fast-breaking scene with a twin of my duty pistol in hand, when I felt the need for greater firepower, but a long gun would have taken too long to deploy. These mega-back-up handguns are not worn concealed, but are kept in cases or pouches near at hand.
Perhaps I should add that I am fairly ambidextrous, so the deception of appearing empty-handed, with my duty pistol holstered on my right hip, does not mean the SP101 in my left hand is any handicap. (Actually, I am a lefty, who carries on my right hip. It is a long story; just call me complicated.)
Another reason for the second gun is for the times I have worn a brace on my right wrist. The lefty-accessible SP101 then becomes the effective primary.
Another reason for the second gun is for the times I have worn a brace on my right wrist. The lefty-accessible SP101 then becomes the effective primary.
Shawn Dodson
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Over the years I carried an M36 snubbie (.38 Spl), a Beretta M3032 Tomcat (.32 ACP), a Beretta M20A (.25 ACP), and a Star M43 Firestar (9mm).
I carried usually in my jacket or trouser pocket, or, in my last few years of patrol, a BUG pocket holster sewn onto the front panel carrier of my vest (see - http://www.bugpocket.com)
I carried usually in my jacket or trouser pocket, or, in my last few years of patrol, a BUG pocket holster sewn onto the front panel carrier of my vest (see - http://www.bugpocket.com)
scaatylobo
Member
Retired LEO
I am retired and still carry a BUG.
When working I carried MANY different guns till I settled on the Glock 27 in the ankle rig [ cept for winter/snow ] then it went to a shoulder rig OR in the outer vest pocket of my body armor.
I also carried a pocket pistol in .380 and or a NorthAmerican 5 shot .22 and a .22 magnum.
If it sounds like I changed off a great deal = yes I did.
I was threatened a few times by drug dealers and took that seriuosly.
I also did a stint on the range and R.O. for my agency and did not leave the bldg often,still had 2 on me.
A handgun is a mechanical device and if that device failed during actual sue [ your butt on the line ] then you better have a GREAT back up plan.
My plan was a NYC reload,go for the second = or THIRD gun.
btw,I also had a M-4 available but it was in the trunk and not on me as were my BUG's.
I am retired and still carry a BUG.
When working I carried MANY different guns till I settled on the Glock 27 in the ankle rig [ cept for winter/snow ] then it went to a shoulder rig OR in the outer vest pocket of my body armor.
I also carried a pocket pistol in .380 and or a NorthAmerican 5 shot .22 and a .22 magnum.
If it sounds like I changed off a great deal = yes I did.
I was threatened a few times by drug dealers and took that seriuosly.
I also did a stint on the range and R.O. for my agency and did not leave the bldg often,still had 2 on me.
A handgun is a mechanical device and if that device failed during actual sue [ your butt on the line ] then you better have a GREAT back up plan.
My plan was a NYC reload,go for the second = or THIRD gun.
btw,I also had a M-4 available but it was in the trunk and not on me as were my BUG's.
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