Backup weapon.

[canuck]

I am actively seeking a career in Law Enforcement, just interviewed for Reserve Sheriff Deputy in my county, and am looking for a backup weapon to carry while on duty, or possibly off duty. I will be carrying a Smith & Wesson M&P .40, strong side, looking for something for either small of back or ankle carry. Have looked at the Sig P238 .380, but that was pretty pricey. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and reviewed.

 

[SimplyChad]

bursa thunder 380 is my secondary. Cheap and more accurate then you will need.

 

[canuck]

Where do you carry the bersa? I looked at one of those, but wasn't sure if ankle or SOB (small of back) would be better with the duty belt and for comfort.

 

[gym]

LCP, everyone is doing it. Agree with Kingpin, get a bellyband or an ankle holster, or a little iwb "soft clip on" which ever works best for you, The spine is a bad place to rest a gun on.

 

[kingpin008]

Whatever you pick, I'm going to recommend you stay away from SOB carry. Even a small pistol is going to cause you a LOT of pain should you happen to fall on it during a struggle with a suspect.

Even if you don't end up falling on it, consider that you'll likely be sitting for the majority of your workday. I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of a rigid steel object pressing against my spine for hours while I drive around town.

 

[TYFOOON]

I'd do a LCR .38 +p. Wonderful guns

 

[txhoghunter]

LCR, LCP....maybe even a Glock 26?

 

[Dr_B]

LCR is great if the dept will allow a revolver on duty. The Bersa is inexpensive and people knock it sometimes. But I have one and it is the only gun I have owned that has never jammed, other than my revolver. You can carry 7 +1, and extra mags are lightweight. I'd think about the Ruger SP101 too if the weight isn't too much of an issue.

 

[GRIZ22]

What limitations does the agency have on your choice of firearms. That's teh first consideration.

 

[armoredman]

J frame/pocket auto in a pocket holster weak hand aside, one hand in the pocket wrapped around a sidearm walking up to a situation is neither threatening or obvious. But FIRST, you find out what your Department authorizes and allows in terms of sidearms and holsters.

 

[SimplyChad]

Sob or weak iwb. Agian never had it jam Either.

 

[matt_borror]

get a revolver for a backup. i'd want something i know will go bang everytime(excluding bad ammo) when the semi jams or whatever happens.

 

[Jeff White]

I carry a SW J frame for backup, before that I carried a Colt Agent. I carried in an ankle holster on the inside of my weak side leg for years, then I switched to pocket carry.

Other methods I've seen were a holster on the belly band of the body armor (not recommended if your dept issues shirts with a zipper), a small automatic in a cuff pouch on the duty belt.

 

[ultradoc]

What about a P3AT?

 

[premier1]

revolver

I would go with a small revolver in an ankle holster or maybe even shoulder holster. I agree with everyone that a small of the back or spine isn't a great place for any type of weapon. The reason I say a revolver is that if you are down to your back up weapon it better work, and a revolver always works. I like the LCR or the S&W back-up.

 

[BENBRU]

S&W Model 60.... carry full bore .357Mag loads.... they're loud mouths, but you know for sure that it's going to go bang, it's small, (you could do an airweight), a lot of guys around here carry them in an ankle holster...

357 Mag is what I'd want for a BUG.... why go with a puny .380ACP when you could carry a full throated 357 Mag?

 

[Giterboosted]

J frame, or S&W BG380, my personal edc bug choices

 

[matty-vb]

SOB is a terrible terrible place for a back up weapon for an LEO. has nothing to do with comfort really. I can see no possible way of protection a SOB firearm when in a physical struggle with a suspect. hard enough with a service weapon in a level II+ holster on your hip! ankle would be ok I suppose. my experience has been good with a small holster inside the shirt on the body armor. I have no problem using it with zippered shirts either. not exactly a lightening fast draw, but the piece is there should I ever need it. In closing, I cannot stress enough to you the danger involved in a SOB carry for on duty uniformed patrolmen. best of luck with your job pursuit and stay safe.

oh yea, as for the weapon itself! does the M&P compact have magazine compatability with your service weapon like the glocks do?

 

[canuck]

I am not sure if the magazines would be compatible between the compact and the full size, but the prices are about the same. The department requires level II or higher retention holsters for the duty weapon, but have not spoken to anyone specifically about the requirements of the backup weapon. The only thing I know that the department requires for the BUG is that to carry it for duty use you must "qualify" with it along with your Duty weapon. For the reserve position, just about everything is supplied by the officer, not the department, including any firearms used. I have also been looking into the S&W BodyGuard .380. Comes with INsight laser, small, compact, lightweight.

 

[WC145]

My BUG is a J-frame w/crimson trace LG-105 grips. It's light, easy to carry, and I don't need to use the sights to hit my target. Also, a revolver makes a better "get off me gun" than an auto - it's less likely to fail and works with contact shots. I carry mine in the inner pocket of my weak side cargo pocket.

 

[youngda9]

If you're going SOB, then I would get the M&P compact...it uses the same ammo as the M&P FS, and the FS mags can fit into the compact.

If you need something for ankle carry or another location, you can't beat a J-frame S&W.

 

[mgregg85]

I'd look at a Ruger LCR or Sig P238. I recently bought both and they are great.

 

[RetroMan]

I would second the suggestion for the compact version of your duty gun.
Carried in the same place or IWB.

The best advice I was ever given was to carry the same gun in the same holster in the same place every time you carry and your back up piece should be a smaller version of your primary sidearm and should use the same magazines if possible.

 

[matty-vb]

from what I have been told the M&P FS mags will work in the compact. if this is true, I would highly recommend the compact as a BUG. good luck

 

[Jakemedic]

Greetings!!
I currently have served for the last 9 years as a Reserve/part time deputy. We are fortunate that the SO provides gun (Sig 229), leather, and some uniform items including soft body armor. I have attempted to carry all kinds of things as backups, in a variety of locations too. Currently a glock 27 on my same side as my duty gun on a vest holster. That is in case my right arm is out of commission, i can have access to a firearm. Next, I carry a 340 SC (lightweight .357 mag) in an ankle holster. Being that I don't do this full time, my chances of getting into a ground fight can be higher. The sole purpose of the ankle gun is to "stop the threat" if I am on the ground, getting the daylights pounded out of me. That, along with a winning mentality of "no matter what, I am going home after my tour of duty" is my approach to backup weapons. Be safe out there, America is under seige and to a bad guy, a reserve is no different than a full time deputy. So never adopt the mentality that "it won't happen to me".