BUG or MAG?

[LordTio3]

Not sure if this has ever been in a past thread, but I'll ask it anyway.

You're carrying your EDC Concealed or Open Firearm. If you have an option, would you rather carry an extra magazine for your carry weapon, or a separate BUG all together?

I would consider the stereotypical, "Carry BOTH! And sell your Chevy and buy a Panzer so you have something practical to shoot from," answer to be cheating.

There are pros and cons to both. If you carry an extra magazine, you will have more of the platform you've trained the most with (probably), with most likely a larger pistol to shoot from (increased accuracy, less recoil, etc...)

But what if something goes wrong with your weapon? If you're disarmed because someone got the drop on you? If you are blindsided and lose your primary altogether? A BUG would prove infinitely more useful than throwing your fully loaded spare magazine.

What do you think?

~LT

[Brian Pfleuger]

I choose to carry neither....

and yes, this has been discussed to death and back.

[indykappa]

i would prefer an additional mag. i realize that some people choose not to carry with a holster, but i dislike this style of carry. i want my gun to be in a holster at all times (not shooting/cleaning).

i'm not a big fan of pocket holsters, so that doesn't leave me alot of options for concealed holster carry (ankle? shoulder rig? any others??)

some holsters have a slot for an additional mag, so i can kill two birds with one stone. i hate having extra "stuff" in my pockets (hence the dislike toward pocket holsters)

[orangello]

Maybe they should sell magazines with a retractable blade to bridge the gap in this great divide.

[Stevie-Ray]

BUG

[YZR]

MAG.

[Daryl]

In short, "It depends" on several factors.

Where I'm going, what I'm doing, and so forth.

I always carry a J-frame revolver with me; most times I carry a speed loader. In the backcountry, I carry a larger handgun as a primary, and the J-frame becomes secondary. If I'm carrying a rifle, the J-frame is third in line, and the larger handgun is secondary.

With the trouble in the Juarez valley in Mexico, I figure the drugs are coming through more often on other routes, so a fella in this country ought to have options.

Daryl

[AcridSaint]

I don't really believe in carrying a gun without a reload. A New York reload would qualify also. If I had to choose just one for every circumstance, I'd just carry the extra mag since that's what I do right now, for the most part.

[leadcounsel]

I'd choose mag over gun in most circumstances, particularly if I'm limited to a gun that weights the sames as my BUG. My primary concealed gun isn't going to fail, and it's a better gun than my BUG (larger, easier to use, better capacity, and bigger caliber). The mag gives me 13 shots of .40 vs. only 7 .380 with the BUG.

Now if we're talking combat, a BUG is my 9mm and my primary is my M4, a BUG is ideal for immediate transition drills and for very close quarters. A BUG is a very important thing to have.

[Dwight55]

Under "normal" civilian circumstances, . . . one 1911, 8+1 and at least one spare mag is my recipe.

I know that I am playing the odds to a certain extent, . . . but I figure in all reality that I will probably never need that hog leg, . . . and if I do, . . . one mag will probably be more than enough.

I carry the second mag because it gives me options if there is a malfunction.

If I carry a third mag, . . . it is because I went to the village.

If I carry a 4th mag, . . . it is because I went to the city.

If I am traveling, . . . I carry three extra mags, . . . a spare box of 100 rounds, and a speed loader for my mags.

But the second mag is intended for malfunctions, . . . albeit, . . . bg's are society's malfunctions, . . . so I guess it is a dual purpose mag.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Crankylove]

I carry a micro-compact Springfield 1911 in .45 Auto, and usually have only the round in the chamber, and the mag in the gun, giving me 7 total rounds. Occasionally I will throw a spare mag in my pocket, but not very often. I have never felt the need to carry a BUG, or pockets full of ammo to reload with...........but thats just me.

[bigghoss]

I know you said I can't reply this way but I can and do carry both.

for those 2 times I couldn't I went with the extra gun. thats the best way to carry extra ammo.

[hoytinak]

I choose not to carry either one.

[Wildalaska]

Neither unless I am outside the city area


WildandilawayshaveabackuprolloftptooAlaska TM

[stargazer65]

Wouldn't normally carry a BUG or extra MAG. But, if I did:

If I were carrying the XD as primary(not normal), I'd bring the Bobcat as a BUG. Smaller, lighter than the MAG.

If I were carrying the Bobcat as primary, I'd bring an extra MAG. Smaller, lighter than the BUG.

[DETH_LIVES]

Extra mag + BUG......... I have OCD....

[Kreyzhorse]

I sometimes carry an extra mag or reload in a dump pouch, but I've never carried a back up gun. Just never felt the need to do so.

[PSP]

I actually carry neither but if I did it would be a BUG. I guess the ideal BUG would be the same caliber.

[LordTio3]

I recently saw a story on Dateline regarding a kidnapping and sexual assault which is really what prompted the thinking behind this thread: no disrespect intended for the bluntness.

I've been unable to locate an article version of the story, but this is the just of it. A male and female friend were hiking by a lake when an assailant weilding a handgun approached them from the rear. He took her purse and his wallet along with his concealed firearm. He taped both of their hands, and put him in the back of his capped-pickup truck and her in the cab with him. The guy was completely aware and ony feet away durring the assault.

Afterwords, he took them both down to the water and shot them each in the back with a .45 caliber pistol and pushed them in the water.

They both survived. They have yet to catch the guy.

The thought that I had was, if this guy was carrying an extra mag... it was useless at the point he was disarmed. If he had been carrying a BUG, he could have ended this thing before it got nasty.

I know the REAL moral of the story here should be situational awareness, which the lack thereof allowed this assailant to get the drop on this sheepdog. But we aren't all on alert all the time. I try to be, believe me. But sometimes you get a phone call, or something else that distracts you momentarily.

I personally carry an extra magazine whenever I can. But after thinking hard about this for a while, I'm thinking of carrying a Snubbie as a backup on my ankle.

Just a data point to consider.

Thanks to all who contributed,
~LT

[bigghoss]

we carry a gun because we don't know what will happen. so what not go that little extra step and carry a BUG? I carry a g17 stongside with a g26 in my offside pocket plus a spare mag and flashlight. it's really not much of an inconvenience for me.

[Caboclo]

At this point in time, I carry a mag because I can't afford a bug. Another angle to consider is local laws: in New Mexico, you can carry as many guns as you like, but only one can be concealed. If you're not into open carry, then your decision just got made for you.

[R1145]

...always carry one more than you think you'll need.

I usually don't need any gun, so I usually carry one. In my placid life, I don't usually worry about reloads or back-ups...

I think it also depends on your weapon. With a high-capacity weapon, I think reloading is less of a priority, whereas with a revolver or single-stack, a reload is a good idea.

I guess it's kind of apples-and-oranges, though. There are more reasons to carry a BUG than just the "New York Reload": Retention, mechanical failure and weak-hand draw come to mind.

The flip side is, do you want to suit up like Batman every time you walk out the door: Gun, ammo, BUG, cuffs, pepper, flashlight, knife, phone, badge, etc...

[ghalleen]

I almost never carry a spare mag, and I don't think a civilian really has a need for carrying a backup gun. You might WANT to carry it, but you don't need it.

[The Great Mahoo]

I typically don't carry either, but will occassionally carry a spare mag; never a BUG.

I believe a spare mag is good for auto's just in case of a malfunction. I tend not to like the extra mag in my pants pocket and haven't gotten around to a belt-holder that I would want to wear everyday, so I usually go without unless I drop one in a jacket pocket.

Personally, though, I carry a revolver most of the time. I won't carry speed-loaders, but I do have a cartridge pouch and speed-strips which I will use from time to time, usually just throwing a speed-strip in my back pocket. I doubt I would ever need to reload, but it brings me to 14 rounds on my person, with 6 in the gun and 8 in the strip, plenty for the unlikely event I would ever need it (I should hope!)

There is just no place on my person for a BUG; I don't need that much crap on me.

[Dustin0]

I like to carry a 1911 and one mag for the main. Also have a S&W j frame on my ankle. I like to keep my options open.