I was watching that new cop show 10-8 tonight, and at the beginning of the show a veteran officer was told a younger officer not to carry his backup gun on his ankle. He said that he wouldn't be able to reach it if he was rolling around in a tussle with a bg. He recommend that he carry it behind the trauma plate of his vest. L.E.O's your thoughts on this? How many of you employ this type of carry for your bug?
LEO's where do you carry your bug?
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Fed168
Member
It needs to be carried where it can be accessed quickly, which means pretty much anywhere.
I won't do the ankle anymore after almost losing my J frame one night and not even realizing it until I saw it laying on the ground. Not a good feeling.
I won't do the ankle anymore after almost losing my J frame one night and not even realizing it until I saw it laying on the ground. Not a good feeling.
TheeBadOne
Member
"LEO's where do you carry your bug?"
That's like asking a Magician how he does his tricks, or a Fisherman what he's using.
That's like asking a Magician how he does his tricks, or a Fisherman what he's using.
Hanging out at the gunshop a while back and there were several LEOs present; State Trooper, couple of city cops, couple of sheriffs dept and Fish & Game. All but one were off duty at the time.
The subject of BUG's & holsters came up, as if on cue pant legs came up and out came an assortment of guns from S&W revolvers to Glocks.
I always figured these guys carried when off duty but until then never gave it much thought.
The subject of BUG's & holsters came up, as if on cue pant legs came up and out came an assortment of guns from S&W revolvers to Glocks.
I always figured these guys carried when off duty but until then never gave it much thought.
stevelyn
Member
Ankle holsters cause me to gimp. I prefer to carry my BUG inside my vest carrier.
Preacherman
Member
Why only one BUG?
I know several LEO's who carry at least two BUG's, and one who carries three! All of them have one on the ankle, and one in a hip pocket: the guy who carries three has the third in a specially-made pocket inside his jacket. His three BUG's are all Kel-Tec P32's, so concealment is relatively easy.
I know several LEO's who carry at least two BUG's, and one who carries three! All of them have one on the ankle, and one in a hip pocket: the guy who carries three has the third in a specially-made pocket inside his jacket. His three BUG's are all Kel-Tec P32's, so concealment is relatively easy.
El Tejon
Member
SW638 behind the mags on the port side on the belt. Have used ankle, used an Alessi. Do not forget your second sock!
Joe Demko
Member
Weak-side trouser pocket in a pocket holster.
fastbolt
Member
Well, if you're going to adopt an ankle-carry method for plainclothes or off-duty, at least make sure it's concealed ...
The other day a friend and I met at a Starbuck's coffee shop for a few minutes, and sitting inside the coffee shop, in shirt & tie (lacking jacket), was a fed agent known to my friend. Exposed for all the world to see, under his hiked-up left pants cuff, on the "outside" of his left ankle ... was his holstered weapon. We don't often see that many uniformed cops stop in that particular store, let alone fed plainclothes, so it's not like it would be a common sight to see an "unintentionally exposed" weapon, either.
Ankle carry does work very well in the respect that it places a weapon within easy reach while "trapped" behind the seat of a marked or unmarked car.
I don't carry a secondary weapon at the moment ... (although I've carried a couple of primary weapons when I felt the situation called for it) ... but back when I carried one I had it in my strong side jacket pocket. If I were to carry one in my present assignment it would be a 642 in a pants pocket.
I've seen secondary weapons carried in many places the owners couldn't easily reach even under normal conditions, and it makes you wonder how they'll fair when they're under stress, and/or fighting for their lives in some awkward maelstrom of limbs and unanticipated obstacles banging into them during a fight, doesn't it? I suspect that most of the uniformed people I've seen carry secondary weapons select their method of carry more for day-to-day convenience, than for the practicality of being able to actually reach and present the weapon ... and under even worse circumstances than they experience while presenting their holstered service weapon.
I'm not saying that ease of carry isn't a consideration ... especially off duty ... but familiarity & practice are perhaps even more important with carry methods employed for secondary/off-duty weapons.
The other day a friend and I met at a Starbuck's coffee shop for a few minutes, and sitting inside the coffee shop, in shirt & tie (lacking jacket), was a fed agent known to my friend. Exposed for all the world to see, under his hiked-up left pants cuff, on the "outside" of his left ankle ... was his holstered weapon. We don't often see that many uniformed cops stop in that particular store, let alone fed plainclothes, so it's not like it would be a common sight to see an "unintentionally exposed" weapon, either.
Ankle carry does work very well in the respect that it places a weapon within easy reach while "trapped" behind the seat of a marked or unmarked car.
I don't carry a secondary weapon at the moment ... (although I've carried a couple of primary weapons when I felt the situation called for it) ... but back when I carried one I had it in my strong side jacket pocket. If I were to carry one in my present assignment it would be a 642 in a pants pocket.
I've seen secondary weapons carried in many places the owners couldn't easily reach even under normal conditions, and it makes you wonder how they'll fair when they're under stress, and/or fighting for their lives in some awkward maelstrom of limbs and unanticipated obstacles banging into them during a fight, doesn't it? I suspect that most of the uniformed people I've seen carry secondary weapons select their method of carry more for day-to-day convenience, than for the practicality of being able to actually reach and present the weapon ... and under even worse circumstances than they experience while presenting their holstered service weapon.
I'm not saying that ease of carry isn't a consideration ... especially off duty ... but familiarity & practice are perhaps even more important with carry methods employed for secondary/off-duty weapons.
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Yeah, but there were two situations in that show, one especially where they were gonna storm a warehouse with a bad guy inside, where they went in with sidearms only. Shotguns were left in the squads. That didn't make any sense.
J.BELLINO
Member
S&W 642 on the ankle in DeSantis Apache holster.
CZF
Member
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I actually thought that show, and segment.. was kind of stupid.
An officer would have to unzip his/her uniform shirt..most have zippers
behind the buttons..them lift the velcro flap from the trauma plate
pocket..and reach in for the BUG. That is..if there is any room there
to accomodate a pistol..especially the .38 snub that the Rookie
was carrying. Something really small like my Beretta .22 would
fit, but it was always a real chore to extract it. Carry on the
ankle of a .38 or 380 is much better and faster, even the carry
position on inside the shirt..and on the vest straps under your
arm(providing you don't have a full coverage vest) is far better
than the trauma plate pocket. That is best reserved for a
last ditch weapon.
Shows you just how much TV writers actually know. Watching
crap like that could actually get unknowing Rookies killed on the
streets.
An officer would have to unzip his/her uniform shirt..most have zippers
behind the buttons..them lift the velcro flap from the trauma plate
pocket..and reach in for the BUG. That is..if there is any room there
to accomodate a pistol..especially the .38 snub that the Rookie
was carrying. Something really small like my Beretta .22 would
fit, but it was always a real chore to extract it. Carry on the
ankle of a .38 or 380 is much better and faster, even the carry
position on inside the shirt..and on the vest straps under your
arm(providing you don't have a full coverage vest) is far better
than the trauma plate pocket. That is best reserved for a
last ditch weapon.
Shows you just how much TV writers actually know. Watching
crap like that could actually get unknowing Rookies killed on the
streets.
zen_grasshopper
Member
A 1974 S&W Model 36, that my dad carried on his ankle for 27 years on the Highway Patrol. I carry it the same way loaded with 148 Wadcutters, darn thing can't handle +p! Oh well.
I don't carry in a vest holster because we have pullovers for the winter, and they don't have buttons or a zipper to rip open. I wear it tucked in, so pulling it up to access it really doesn't work.
Jon
I don't carry in a vest holster because we have pullovers for the winter, and they don't have buttons or a zipper to rip open. I wear it tucked in, so pulling it up to access it really doesn't work.
Jon
Teufelhunden
Member
Bracket contents mine.
A few points.
First, I fail to see how a weapon on the inside of the trauma plate would be easier to access with a bg on your chest than a weapon on the ankle.
Second, if you're already grappling with a suspect, what are the odds you've got a hand that isn't busy either defending yourself or assaulting the bg?
Which leads me to my third point, which is that reaching for a sidearm when the fight has already gone to the ground might not be the best idea. Perhaps it would be best to apply some of the ground combatives that the academy taught you, and either cuff the suspect or gain distance and draw a sidearm.
-Teuf
tlhelmer
Member
Left (weak side) inside ankle.
I do not wear a vest when I am in plainclothes. Since I am a detective i am in plainclothes most of the time. No vest carry for me. I had to qualify the other day and deployed my BUG from my ankle holster. The slowest part is getting the pants leg up.
I do not wear a vest when I am in plainclothes. Since I am a detective i am in plainclothes most of the time. No vest carry for me. I had to qualify the other day and deployed my BUG from my ankle holster. The slowest part is getting the pants leg up.
Not LEO...doing a security gig.....
Carry my airweight jay in weak hand front trouser pocket in a holster. Under a jacket in winter I normally just carry a second .45.
Never tried the ankle thing, seems too far away and in theory made running more challenging.
The Body Armor carry I have tried and was not at all satisifed with speed or access.
Jercamp45
Carry my airweight jay in weak hand front trouser pocket in a holster. Under a jacket in winter I normally just carry a second .45.
Never tried the ankle thing, seems too far away and in theory made running more challenging.
The Body Armor carry I have tried and was not at all satisifed with speed or access.
Jercamp45
edw794
Member
sorry people, only a fool leo would tell anyone he or she is carrying a back up gun, and certainly no one in their right mind would say where it's at.
ed
ed
El Tejon
Member
edw, not to worry, ex-LEO here.
BTW, welcome to THR, sir!
BTW, welcome to THR, sir!
Jwmoore you said "slightly OT"... did you mean offensive title? If so, I didn't mean in it a negative way.
Teufelhunden, good points.
edw794, it's not like the we know who the guys on this forum are, or where they work. I think it's safe for them to say. Just look how many have responded.
Teufelhunden, good points.
edw794, it's not like the we know who the guys on this forum are, or where they work. I think it's safe for them to say. Just look how many have responded.
tlhelmer
Member
I doubt I will run into many of you in Indiana. I doubt even more that if i did you would pose a threat to me or any LEO. Am I wrong?
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