Daily Carry ?

[XLMiguel]

I guess it's a function of your 'perceived threat environment'. Mine is pretty low.

Here in 'occupied Northern VA' I always have a knife (Camillus 'Cuda or BM AFCK) on my body, and in my 'man purse' I have a Key Defender OC unit, CRKT Mirage, Leatherman, Streamlight Scorpion, small butane lighter (2500 deg.!), cigar keeper, PalmPilot, ibuprophen, Microlight, and other odds n' ends, and sometimes spare mags for whatever I'm CCWing (Kahr P9, Sig239, Kimber UC). I find I carry (when I carry) more for 'civic responsiblity' than any particular perceived threat. I guess it's just a "Boy Scout thing'

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Lets see......

wallet\
keys
sp101
1 speed strip
knife

I do keep a rubber "riot baton" in the car though.

This worked very well getting a 100 lb. dog off a neighbor kid once. Couldn't risk a shot, and mace would have sent several children to the hospital due to thier proximity to the dog.

 

[Model520Fan]

1. Gun
2. 4 spare mags
3. Big can of OC
4. 3 knives, 2 a lockblade - 1 a throwing knife
5. BUGs - a .32 in his front pocket, and a .357 on his ankle
6. Baton
7. Flashlight

I cant even remember what he had hidden away in his vehicle.....

This just seemed a little outrageous for somebody to carry evreyday while not in a posisition of authority (LEO).

A little outrageous? I disagree. I would probably leave a couple of knives and a mag or two and the baton behind, and I might go for a smaller OC, and I might not even always have all of the guns, but just about everything there has a legitimate use. My main objection to it is the bulk and weight, but if I understood you correctly, the fellow was proposing to carry this stuff himself - he wasn't saying that you or I had to carry it. As a matter of fact, I would find all that gear more disturbing on an LEO, because those poor suckers don't have a choice in the matter. But you said "position of authority." You were getting at something there, but I'm not sure exactly what. Care to elucidate?

 

[MaxSE PT99]

I define somebody in a posistion of authority to be, generally speaking

A LEO, be that local, state, federal, etc. And to a lesser extent Secuity Officers on private property, military, mall, building, etc...

These folks put their live on the line evreytime they go to work. I work security myself (unarmed btw) and I have the utmost respect for what these people need to carry while in uniform. However, I dont see the need for the average CCW holder to feel he needs to arm him/her self to the teeth.

C'mon, 3 guns, 3 knives, baton, oc, flashlight.......overkill to me. But I digress, to each their own.

Gun - ok, sensible to want to protect one's self, family. But 3? at the same time? Maybe a back up in certain high risk situations, but not evreyday.

Knife - ok, a cutting tool, be that in defense or in a utility role, but again....3?

Flashlight - Good idea, can't shoot, take cover in the dark effetively, useful in general situations.

OC - I can see this to a point, you want to have somethig that is less then letal, but the Giant Economy size? Are you gonna spray the entire neighboorhood?

Baton - If you have the OC, Gun, Knife, Flashlight, I think you're good to go for 99,999% of sitations the average person is gonna deal with. Leave the baton to the uniforms.

Cuffs - Same deal, you really going to detain somebody you just shot? Are they gonna come along peacefully without struggling, and in the process possibly take your tools and use them against you?

Hope that clarifies my views a litlle further.....

Jon

 

[Model520Fan]

Max,

Each of those items has a purpose. Some of them have liabilities beyond size and weight, particularly the baton and handcuffs.

As you say, " to each their own."

But you also say, "However, I dont see the need for the average CCW holder to feel he needs to arm him/her self to the teeth. . . .

Gun - ok, sensible to want to protect one's self, family. But 3? at the same time? Maybe a back up in certain high risk situations, but not evreyday."

Do you really not know the reasons for the three guns? What good is a gun if you can't get to it? If you drive, and wear a seat belt (another item a careful driver, someone who is not in a position of authority and involved in high-speed chases , should not really need), the normal FBI-carry gun may simply not be available. That is what the ankle gun is for. It is also easier to get to when seated than the FBI-carry gun. Having a gun available to the left hand is just common sense. Problems may START with your right hand being tied up. If you work as a rent-a-cop, you should know this.

I do not challenge your evaluation of the individual whom you describe. You know him and I don't, and you have all kinds of conscious and subconscious evidence about him that I don't. Even the totality of his gear at least hints at something. But I cannot let your comments about his gear pass.

Three guns would be MINIMUM if there weren't concealment, nuisance and weight issues.

Three (or more) pocketknives are none of my business, which, by the way, applies to most or all of what this guy is carrying.

A baton has some uses in those jurisdictions where its carry is legal. In my opinion, not worth the weight, but, in the right hands, it can be a non-lethal fight-stopper where OC can't be used.

Handcuffs have obvious life-saving utility for those who think they know how to apply them safely.

Does your post reflect an issue with this particular individual, or do you just have an attitude about certain kinds of gear?

 

[Mac Attack]

Jon wrote:
But why the extra gear for non LEO's (batons etc....)

I often wonder the same thing. Every time there is a post 'Empty your pockets and show us what you got...' you always see people with tons and I do mean tons of stuff that they insist they carry everyday.

As for me I prefer to keep my carry items as little and as light as possible. My standard daily carry items are:

Wallet with cash, cards and ID
LG Cell Phone
Car Keys
A pocket knife - usually a Strider or Emerson
CCW: Glock 30 or a P7M8 in a VMII or a Keltec P32 in a Nemesis holster

When the sun goes down I sometimes carry a Surefire A2 or E2E light. I hardly ever carry a spare mag or backup knife or gun.

Honestly, I don't know how some people could carry all the stuff they say they carry and be comfortable. I guess different strokes for different folks.

Mac

 

[BerettaNut92]

First aid kit. Girls like it when you give them painkillers. I guess I'm that bad to be around.

Pepper spray. I need to get some more; gave mine to a friend who left for NYC.

 

[jamz]

For me, right now, it's

1. Colt Pony Pocketlite .380 (Either pocket holster or IWB, small and light)
2. 3" Spyderco Rescue Clipit (serrated edge for cutting ropes, seatbelts, etc. Small, plastic, very light.)
3. Wallet (Very thin, only holds licenses and a few cards. Not folding.)
4. Hankerchief (I have allergies, what can I say? )
5. Cell phone (smallest one I could find)

That's it for me. Keys tend to get dropped wherever I am, or attached to a shelf or workbag close by. Same for the Surefire C2.

However, I just this week discovered THIS nifty little item:

found here:
http://www.niteize.com/ClipCase.html

This thing can hold my phone, a small 1 AAA cell flashlight, and a mini-leatherman type thing OWB! It's comfy and works like a bloofy charm, if you ask me.

-James

 

[cratz2]

Hrmm... I guess I'm pretty minimal... I carry a:

CZ PCR, usually in a High Noon Hidden Impact, no backgup gun or mag
a CRKT M16 drop point
5 keys on a keyring with my remote keyless entry fob thing
I don't carry a wallet, but I carry a heavy sandwich baggie with IDs, cards and a bit of cash.

I used to carry two spare mags when I carried a 1911... Don't know why, but I've pretty much never carried a spare mag when carrying a SIG, Glock, Taurus PT99 or the PCR. Even when I carried a Kahr P9 Covert as a primary, I only carried a spare mag the first week or so. Now I will admit that for the very brief time that I carried a P32 as my only gun, I had the first 5 rounds Gold Dots, the rest FMJs and I carried a spare mag filled with FMJs.

 

[BadAndy13]

To all those who decide to carry those extra weapons...IE ASP, OC, and blades.. First of all You better make sure that you are certified to carry these weapons. With the exception of the knife the other two you need to certified to carry. As far as it looks good in court... NO it doesn't. Let me show this to you the way a GOOD not great, but good defense atty or maybe prosecutor will portray you to the jury. This person is so paranoid that they carry on their person daily 1 - 2 guns, OC, ASP, and 1- 2 knives. I guarantee you will be jammed. Lets talk about the use of handcuffs. I bet only a handful of you guys have tried to apply handcuffs to a bad guy. It is not hollywood. It can be Shaq trying to handcuff a person of normal size 5"10" and he will still need help. If someone doesn't want cuffed... you as one person will not do it. More importantly it may be an enitre illegal detainment. Which as a police officer I will charge you with... believe me, I would have no problem with. No non-leo needs to be carrying handcuffs as their daily carry. I am not sure why anyone would want to carry 2 - 3 guns just to carry.. look i have worked in D.C. as a police officer and worked in one of the worst district there. I have had to use deadly force. But I have never had to go to a back up weapon let alone a third back up. Some of you guys out there had better heed this warning. You better check with your local laws as far as what you are permitted to carry and what you need to be certified to carry as well as the carrying of handcuffs. I am sure none of you on here has thought of the ramifications of using deadly force. You need to consider the legal aspect. You will still be charged with a homicide, the DA has to clear you. You need to consider the psychological affects it will have on yourself. If you think it won't... think again it does. Lets not forget the civil suit that will follow after. I dont think anyone here has the kind of money to hire a great atty. to get you off of the civil suit. It is not as easy as walking into court and saying well the guy had a gun and pointed it at me, so i a shot him. You will be questioned as to what training you have, what point did you fear for your life, did you try to give any verbal commands? did you try to retreat. ( remember civilians are required to retreat, LEO'S do not need to) what were the lighting conditions, did you actually see a gun, there is a ton of other question that you will get bombarded with. Like I said you had beeter make sure you know what you are getting yourselves into, know what is legal and not. Another thing what do you do when a police officer shows up on scene???? you still have a gun in your hand ???? I know what i am doing as a police officer ... I am sure some will respond back flapping their gums about this and that and i don't know what i am talking about.. well i don't need to prove anything to anybody. I am already a police officer ,a nd i have been through more than most of you would want to fantasize about ... to those who want to tes me... when was the last time you were shot at? stabbed, hit by a car?? when did you use deadly force??? think about it all????

 

[BJPARKER]

Wow, I'm impressed what people can stuff in their pockets. I just got my .38 snubby, checkbook and keys, or my .357 3in. on my belt, checkbook and keys, or most recently, my LW commander in a high ride holster, checkbook and keys. I like to have choices.

 

[Oracle]

I generally carry the following, wearing jeans, an undershirt, and an untucked button up shirt of one kind or another:

Surefire G2 flashlight, cellphone, small wallet (leather card carrier), Leatherman WAVE multitool, extra magazine carried in a Sidearmor kydex mag holder, Glock 17 in a Milt Sparks Summer Special 2, and a Cold Steel Safekeeper 3, on a Milt Sparks belt.

I've noticed that most don't carry a flashlight. I use my flashlight more than anything else other than my cellphone.

 

[1911Tuner]

Vast Gray Area

I agree with the notion of carrying a non-lethal or less-than-lethal defensive tool in addition to a gun...for several reasons. For one thing,
there are few situations that truly justify a lethal response, and a
can of OC spray could well stop something at the lowest level possible...
which is always a good thing. A wise man once said:
"Shoot...Don't shoot. Either way, you'll regret it."

Another theory, and one that I happen to agree with is that a mid-level
device will be a good indication in the aftermath that you weren't carrying a gun hoping for a reason to use it. It could be construed as your having
been only willing to use the least force necessary to protect yourself, reserving the gun for what Ayoob calls,"The Gravest Extreme" and could
well mean the difference between walking away and facing a prison term.

Finally, it gives you other options. Another wise man said:

"When all you have is a hammer, all your problems start to look like nails."

At least...that's the way I look at it. Just my 2% of a buck.

 

[Oracle]

I've heard OC spray called "eye jab in a can", and that's pretty much what it is. Don't expect it to be the hammer of thor or anything like that (don't expect your handgun to be that either, for that matter), but it can be a useful tool, but, like many other things, you have to realize it's limitations.

 

[Gunrunner]

I guess I'm a minimalist. I carry a Beretta 92F and a Gerber pocket knife. I usually have my Shepherd mix with me, so I do have a little extra security at hand.

 

[Model520Fan]

I am not sure why anyone would want to carry 2 - 3 guns just to carry.. look i have worked in D.C. as a police officer and worked in one of the worst district there. I have had to use deadly force. But I have never had to go to a back up weapon let alone a third back up.

I have worked in DC as a rent-a-cop, and NOT in the worst district. I have never had to use deadly force, but I know that none of the three guns I described, and probably none of the the three guns described in the original bitch, was a backup, although it could have functioned in that role. Each gun beyond the strong-side carry was an alternative-access gun, and unfortunately, a primary, not a backup, except, perhaps, in the original posting, which listed, I believe, a .357, which isn't such a bad cartridge.

I thought I explained what the second and third guns were for. Others with more experience than I have also done so. I believe Evan Marshall has done so.

If I were trying not to give ammo to a hypothetical DA and jury, I would go unarmed altogether, or stay the ???? out of DC in the first place, or both. However, I do only one of those. Which do you think it is?

 

[RevDisk]

I tend to carry a telescoping baton more often than I really need. I'm rather handy with it and it's come in useful.

The other non-essential items I carry are extra mags. I have a fundimental fear of running out of ammo. Run out of ammo once, I guarentee you'll carry extra ammo for the rest of your life.


Everything else is stuff I need. Smokes/lighter, wallet, cell phone, keys.

 

[KLR]

Well, the multiple gun/knife loadout with all the fixings seems extreme. That person is carrying more equipment than a lot of the local narcotics officers I work with. I did a search warrant a few years ago (about 2lbs of meth) and one of the cops was carrying identical S&W large frame .40s (cannot remember the model). He also had a knife, flashlight, baton etc. We were going into a bad guy's house in a really bad area.

I guess for most of us, we search for the 99.99% solution. For work, I carry a lot (for a plainclothes agent, anyway) i.e. Badge, Glock 19, Keys, Cuffs, Baton, Spare Mag, Nextel, Pager, Knife. Off duty, since I would be more interested in fighting my way to an exit or out of the situation I usually just carry my Glock (or Kahr PM-9 w/1 mag), knife, and a surefire E-1. I have an ultralight ASP 16" that I probably should carry (always good to have a non-lethal option).

Dang! I hate to sound like one of the antis, but multiple gear guy sounds like he has some reality problems. On the other hand, people thought the same about me for having a CCW and carrying before becoming a Federal Agent.

A friend of mine was CO of a reserve unit a while back. One of his guys wore a level II Second Chance vest under his BDUs during every drill "Just in case the base was attacked".

Several years ago I saw a guy in a store who was physically disabled and carried two maglight six-cell flashlights on his belt (a belt ring on each hip) along with a monster can of OC.

A throwing knife?

Where do you as a gun-toter draw the line?

It must take him forever to get dressed. "Honey, can you go get a gallon of milk and some bread?"

This is just me, but if I felt like I needed that much gear, I would be packing a long gun.

And before this degenerates into any "JBT" or "elitist" accusations, I am very much in favor of national CCW reciprocity and looking forward to the AWB sunset.

 

[RevDisk]

This is just me, but if I felt like I needed that much gear, I would be packing a long gun.

Yea, there are plenty of reasons to go light. As I said, except for carrying an asp and extra ammo, I go as light as possible. But really it just is a matter of taste. If someone wants to carry that much equipment all the time, I see no problem with it.

(You don't really NEED that V8 engine, a V4 would be fine. You don't NEED that bigger screened TV, when a 15 inch TV would be fine.)

 

[JerryM]

I am of the "Go light" school. I carry 1 gun with one reload. I often carry a small container of OC spray.

I cannot see a situation where a CHL holder is going to get into a long gunfight. I believe that it will be close, short and violent if it happens. To think that I am going to need even 1 reload is not logical, but I do it just in case.

But to carry additional guns, even 1 but especially 2 or three extra, seems paranoid to me.
"One might malfunction." If you are in a close range fight then you are probably dead or down. I don't believe that when a BG is feet from you and his gun is out and maybe shooting, that you are going to have any chance to drop your gun and draw another.

From a practical viewpoint, I don't see how I could carry three guns with 40 rounds of ammo, a knife, OC spray, and even handcuffs.

It just doesn't make sense to me.

I know quite a few LEOs. Most of them never fire a shot in anger during their career. That is there job, and they might need a BUG and several magazines of ammo. But a CHL holder in a store or parking lot? I don't think so.

I would like to know of a single instance where a CHL holder needed a BUG or had to reload and continued the fight..

Jerry

 

[Andrew P]

I carry this

Witness 10mm Compact, extra mag, these usually sit in a Desantis Tuck This,Benchmade 556 Mini Grip, Surefire Nitrolon, a cell phone. Have to take the gun off when I get to work being that I work in a Federal Buliding

 

[Andrew P]

I carry this

Witness 10mm Compact, extra mag, these usually sit in a Desantis Tuck This,Benchmade 556 Mini Grip, Surefire Nitrolon, a cell phone. Have to take the gun off when I get to work being that I work in a Federal Buliding

 

[22luvr]

I guess I live a pretty sheltered life !

I'm a bit of an obsessive-compulsive when it comes to the arrangement of the contents of my pockets. This ritual never changes because I've NEVER lost a wallet and NEVER lost my keys so it must be working.

Right front pocket - Kel-Tec P-3AT in De Santis Nemesis holster (nothing, repeat nothing, goes into this pocket but my gun!)
Left front pocket - Keys, cell phone
Left rear pocket - wallet
Right rear- hankie

The last altercation I got into was a drunken tiff at the age of 19. That was 39 years ago! I have never been physically threatened or attacked that I can remember.

I avoid trouble, confrontations, treat people with respect, and it seems to pay off.

That's it.

 

[KLR]

I MIGHT be able to see a person having the .32 in an ankle holster as a backup to the primary piece- allows access while seated in a car, etc. 1 knife, okay. Smaller can of OC- great! Gives a non-lethal option.

I would see the loadout from the first paragraph as practical if you were an at-risk target in a south-American nation with a high kidnapping rate.

When I am going out for a search/arrest operation, I generally have anywhere from three to seven spare magazines for my Glock in addition to all of my other cool stuff like mirrors, baton, knife, cuffs, etc. Of course, I am also wearing tactical body armor, a kevlar helmet, and look like a bloated tick. Well, more like an uber-tactical, ninja-tick.

Nothing more dangerous than a ninja-tick.

 

[SAG0282]

My daily carry is pretty basic at this point;

HK USP 9x19 + spare mag w/ 124 grain +P Golden Sabers
Gerber Multitool
Surefire Z2 Combat light
wallet
keys
cell phone


The only thing I've considered adding at least for the car is handcuffs or flex cuffs, because I've been thinking about what I would do if someone complied with a cease and desist command and I needed to keep them there until the cops arrived. I am still undecided and illegal or or unlawful detention issues start to worry me, even though I'm confident in my own judgement.