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Old April 2, 2006, 03:40 AM   #1
chrisandclauida2
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who non Leo carries a backup and what kind

I did a search and got no results. I saw a recent thread about multiple weapons but not what I am looking for.

I am wanting to get an idea about who carriers a back up weapon and what kind. Is it a different caliber than your primary or is it a big glock and little glock or 357 4 inches and a 2 inch ultralight kinda thing..

why you carry a back up weapon would also be interesting to know.

I will start. I used to be a 45 only guy. i carried a smith 645/4506 and a smaller 45 or even a snubbie. I had to delete the 45 acp from my life due a couple issues. I am disabled and have nerve damage in the shoulders and hands. the 45 was like an ice pick in the hands and wrists after a short shooting session. I am big guy so i could easily hide a 45. I even have a leather vest with huge hidden pockets on each lapel that you can slide any full size weapon in and it disappears.

so i am now a 9mm guy. they are smaller and even easier to hide. My primary is a PX04 storm . it sits in desantis high ride leather that disappears under all but the tightest shirts.

The problem is i live in AZ so shorts and the like don't make for good concealment wear. This is part of the reason for the second/backup weapon. I also am finding more and more not weapon friendly places. lots of places even will ask if they have the slightest idea your carrying. then they ask you to leave. this is especially, as mentioned, in the summer. Finally i don't want to be the guy watching some idiot shoot up a mall parking lot or restaurant. these all happen regularly and i don't want to have running hiding and watching others be killed my only option. Basically i don't want my family's lives depending on chance.

That answers the why now the what. I recently got rid of the chief's special 9mm. it is small but not enough to be completely unnoticeable or is seen not recognised. I did a lot of shopping. I looked at 380 makarov bersa kel tec kahr 38 snubbie ultralight etc. I settled on the kel tec p3at. I sits in an uncle mikes pocket holster. i slip it in any pocket and it disappears. if seen at all it looks like it is a rectangle shaped wallet. This is the minimum round i would carry. lots carry 32 or 22 but i wouldn't do it. i would rather have 9mm but the kel tec pt11 is right on that threshold in size of being too big.

so i always have 2 weapons when i leave the house. i have a lock box bolted in the van to keep which ever weapon needed locked securely. i took an ordinary wall gun lock box. drilled a few holes and used u bolts to bolt it to the seat frame. the seat cant be removed with out taking of the lock box. the point is you cant just smash and grab a gun and most car thieves don't carry anything nearly enough to get into this lock box. the car has an immobilizer so it isn't going anywhere at all. so when i have to disarm my self i can secure the weapon. but i still have my back up on me always. i have had a lock box in my car for over 20 years. cars have been broken into but they never got my weapon and they tried a couple times. it is just too much loud noisy work for a thief to do in the open of a lot.

so do you back up. with what and why.
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Old April 2, 2006, 06:46 AM   #2
Ozzieman
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No I dont, and never have.

First off as a civilian the chances of getting into a firefight are low, very low, in most cases and the experiences that I have had most wanna be bad guys once they see that your armed ether crap there pants or go some place else.
Secondly I stay away from places that might require a second gun.
Last, I only carry guns that I trust and that requires at least 500 rounds with NO failures before it’s on my hip. And there only calibers that don’t require many rounds to incapacitate a would be bad guy. Also pieces of crap like a Hi-point or other cheep throwaway guns with life time warranties will never be in my collection.
That’s me but that doesn’t do any thing for your question. What I carry doesn’t do any thing for you because its ether a 45 (Kimber Royal carry) or a snub 44 special (Charter bull dog or Taurus 445).
One gun that I found that was small and easy to carry was a Walther PPKs in 380. It’s not a lot of gun but for the package was a nice compromise.
I think a gun that you should look at is a Glock 26 in 9mm. It’s a gun that my wife choose for her CCW and it turned me from a Glock hater to a fan of Glocks.
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Old April 2, 2006, 08:03 AM   #3
osuflipster
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Carry one gun

Just thought I would add the Glock 26 is an excellent choice. Right front pocket in Galco pocket holster, works in jeans and shorts. Take a second mag, 20Rds of GD should negate the need for second gun.
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Old April 2, 2006, 12:09 PM   #4
KC135
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True--if Murphy is not riding with you.

I have carried more than one for about 25 years, and carried off and on for 30 years before that. Had an Indiana LTC since 70.

My dress is 'old man looks funny' Carhart shorts in summer, with T shirt and patterned overshirt with just one or two buttons buttoned.

Very easy to conceal three guns, even big ones.

All a matter of one's personal desire, decision. To each his own.
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Old April 2, 2006, 12:21 PM   #5
2400
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Quote:
Secondly I stay away from places that might require a second gun.
How do you decide this? I wish I had that kind of crystal ball.
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Old April 3, 2006, 07:57 PM   #6
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Yes

Most of the time my back up weapon is a J frame Smith, .38 Special. The reason is that I like to. I carry in either a front pocket holster or an ankle holster. This is not something that I plan, and write scenerios for, I just do it. Yes, I practice accessing the back up.
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Old April 3, 2006, 08:21 PM   #7
45-70
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Sometimes, two .44s

I usually carry one revolver. Travelling or just when I feel like it in cool weather, I will carry carry two 2.5 inch S&W .44s (Model 24, Model 629). One fits on each side of a Coronado leather vest (hence, cool weather). I like revolvers, but if I need to reload, the fastest way for me is to draw the second weapon. Plus, it allows a draw with either hand. Generally both are loaded with .44 specials.
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Old April 3, 2006, 08:42 PM   #8
BobK
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Depending on how I'm dressed I carry a Kimber or XD45 IWB with either a Taurus 38 or Kahr P45 cross draw or in a jacket pocket. And a reload for one or the other. Most of the time the Taurus is the backup for any of the other three. Don't listen to the reasons people give for not carrying more than one gun. To each their own but their reasons usually don't make sense. Nothing beats a New York reload. Any gun can malfunction whether it be a $100 gun or a $5000 gun. It happens.
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Old April 3, 2006, 10:51 PM   #9
Doug.38PR
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Typically, I carry a Colt Official Police .38 Special for a primary and a Colt Detective Special .38 for a backup.
About a year ago I bought a .32 H&R Magnum S&W 431PD as a BUG, however it just wasn't for me.
I decided to trade it in for a Detective Special as I wanted BUG that would have a caliber equivolent to my primary.
I wanted ammo to be interchangable with my primary if need be too.
I wanted to feel okay about carrying my BUG alone if need be.

Sometimes I will carry it in my pocket with my primary on my side, but typically I carry it in the glove compartment as a backup.
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Old April 3, 2006, 11:28 PM   #10
Bulldozer
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Main gun is a 3" Model 66-2. Backup (carried about half the time) is a 2" Model 10.
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Old April 5, 2006, 01:39 AM   #11
Timulator
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I never seriously considered the need for a 2nd gun until the day, recently, at the range when the extractor on my Glock 27 just up and....broke. Had that been my only gun in a situation where I really needed it (why else would I have it out and firing it?!), I would have been screwed.

So I am giving careful thought about carrying a 2nd gun. Probably my S&W Airweight .38 in an ankle holster.
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Old April 5, 2006, 07:50 AM   #12
RsqVet
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Sometimes ---- however the back up is more for reasons of convieniance than of the percived need for a second gun --- i.e. commander sized 1911 on the hip, Glock 26 or 38 snub in the pocket, if I feel I'll be doing or going somewhere the larger gun on the hip is an liability for break in concelment or otherwise not what I want then I leave it in the truck (I bought the cheap truck without a center console between seats and bolted a dimond plate weatehrguard box between the seats ---- very secure "console" for anything),

Othertimes I carry the 38 or glock and keep a 1911 in a hip pack in the console and put it on if I'm going for a walk in the desert preserve or other less populated areas --- it just depends on the day and what I am wearing more than any percived threat level so the BUG to me is more of a second choice as to what I am carrying though yes a many a time I am carrying two weapons on my person, however I don't think a BUG is a bad idea for anyone if the want and the kel-tec you mention is certianly a very popular choice here in AZ. To me if I was in LE or percived a great and liekly need for a full on gun battle than I woudl carry a BUG in the same caliber as my primary, maybe even 2 but that is not my percived need as a civilian.

Sorry to here about your experiances here in AZ, not my observation thus far. I find I can hide a 1911 most easily as It's single stack and thus thin, if you are single action auto inclined you might want to look as some of the 1911's in 9mm, Bill Letherige and cylinder and slide makes one in 9 in an officers size that looks very nice, also a commander size with a bobtail would hide nearly as well.
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Old April 5, 2006, 05:13 PM   #13
STEVE M
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Been thru this before, but here we go again. Yes I carry a backup most of

the time. My 2 reasons are 1: to arm my wife (who doesn't carry a gun of her

own yet, don't go there) or a who ever else is with me. And 2: easier acess

while seated in a vehicle. Generally carry a G27 in an ankle holster to back up

my G22. Mostly for cominality of ammo/trigger/sights/ and function.

Sometimes I carry a KelTek P3AT (ankle or pocket) When my pants won't

conceal the bigger glock or the back is hurting to bad. Have also carried a

Smith 642 (a great BUG) but switched for the above advantages to the

Glock.

Watch the arguments from those who say a 'civilian doesn't need a BUG'

they tend to sound a lot like the reasons anti's give for not carrying in the

first place.
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Old April 5, 2006, 06:46 PM   #14
Bulldozer
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It's much faster for me to draw my 2" Model 10 than to reload the 3" Model 66.
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Old April 5, 2006, 07:48 PM   #15
kristop64089
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well my carry is a xd-40 (sweetest gun on the planet :inmo my back up is a kel-tec(p-11) stays in the car like it grew there. but it's there just in case.
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