During the last week or two, I was swallowed and partially chewed by an aggressive monster called "work". Just last night (by choice), I was spit out, took the night off (well after 10 pm), and slept long (I'm talking almost 12) and sound for the first time in ... oh, never mind.
The point is, I'm behind on my homework. I've only read a few posts on this page, haven't touched the two pages before that. So, if there was a pop quiz given in this thread right now about the poll numbers on this issue, I'd fail. (Well, unless the old "strike fingers on desk, choose answer corresponding to which one stings most" technique works, but it was never very good in the past.)
But what brought me to post was seeing a bit of smoke rising from the thread, and thinking it's too valuable a discussion to get a lock slammed on it, so I thought I'd just post a thought or two.
<ahem>
1) IMO, if people want to carry 0 guns or 20 guns all at one time, it's fine with me as long as they observe the four rules of gun safety with all of them, and don't point them in my direction.
2) Even though in some earlier post in this thread, I stated unequivocally that I only carry a primary with no bug, and that I didn't even carry a reload, I realized later that oversimplified things.
Speaking ONLY for myself, the correct answer is, it depends.
(I guess that would be "all of the above" on a multiple guess quiz.)
In my world, a day is not necessarily a day. All are different.
For example, here are four conditions that would motivate different carry strategies for me.
A: In my studio (which is where I am, oh, say 336 out of 365 days a year), I am wearing only my SW X42,
but no speed strip because my back up (carbine) is a less-than-7-sec protected sprint from anywhere here.
B: In a favorite camp in the Ponderosa woodlands (which is where I'd rather be 336 out of 365 days a year), my primary would be a 65. (Oh, no, wait - if I'm on a walk, the "primary" would be the 1894C with 65 bug as 65. The X42 would also be in the pack. Reloads? Of course. Several. What are packs for besides food, water, layers and rain gear? Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the edge tools.)
C: In town in public, for now, alas, no gun. I've completed training, but haven't yet gotten the CCW permit yet. (See above reference to aggressive monster.) When I get that permit in the near future, I'll carry an X42 during normal, stable (*) conditions, but will adjust the strategy as necessary. (* See entry D.)
D: During unstable conditions, perhaps during a civil disturbance caused by, say, tense social situations (riots, etc) or some extreme weather event, I'd conceivably be wearing a primary + bug, with the carbine near by when at work, home or base camp.
There are numerous other scenarios,
but I hope those illustrate my point:
it depends.
Nem