Best backup boot gun for LEO

[BoogieMan]

My son is currently in the academy. Part of my promise to him is that I will buy him any backup to his issued pistol that he would like. Seeing as I live in NJ (no carry) a carry weapon has never been something that I would be concerned with. I would love some input. Neither he or I are fans of plastic guns. However this may be the best possible solution for this purpose. He will not by a NJ LEO not that it matters in this case.
Feel free to poke holes in my list.
My current short list:
PPK in 380
SOLO in 9mm
S&W 642 or 340 (airweight revolver)

[Cheapshooter]

Maybe consider one of the smaller 380 "mouseguns" as a backup. Kel Tec P3at, or Ruger LCP. I know some LEOS that are issued Sigs, and keep with that brand with their backup gun using a Sig P238.

[g.willikers]

A lightweight revolver would seem to fit the bill.
Size and weight dependent on where and how he carries it.
If he actually ever needs to use it, he might lose it to the authorities.
Even police officers can be subject to that.
So, cost might be a consideration.
More than one might be a good idea.
If so, a couple of less expensive but trustworthy models might be better than one expensive version.
Charter Arms??

[ftttu]

I'm retired now but I never used a BUG during my time. One reason for that is that is was against policy for most of my time. Eventually, policy changed but I never found a backup carry rig I was happy with.

Very very few officers in my agency have BUGs but the on in particular who did carry, carried a Glock 27 in an ankle holster. To me, that would have been too heavy and bulky for me.

I'd probably would have carried a my G42 or G43 in an ankle holster or some type of vest holster since exterior vests had been authorized near the end of my career.

BUGs, like any other firearm, are very personal so I'd have your son play a major part in its selection.

Just to add, I used to carry a Charter Arms .38 in an ankle holster off duty, and I was really happy with that.

[BoogieMan]

If he actually ever needs to use it, he might lose it to the authorities.

If he ever needs to use it I dont care the slightest what it cost.

Most of the area departments carry the Glock 17.
Maybe im jumping the gun here. As I do not know what carry options he may have. Im thinking that a boot holster would be it. But, I know of at least one LEO that carries his backup in the leg pocket on the cargo/tactical pants he is issued.

[BoogieMan]

BUGs, like any other firearm, are very personal so I'd have your son play a major part in its selection

I plan on it. At this point im trying to get some direction. Maybe narrow the field down a bit. Then I will go with him when he tests at least a few. Wife and I have always been helicopter parents, I will try to keep out of the final say as much as possible.

[Targa]

Congrats to your son. Not trying to be a smart arse but make sure whatever you pick up for him is in compliance with his departments policies. My department has a list of approved secondary rifles, back up guns and calibers that we can use on duty. The 642 worked like a charm for me in an ankle holster.

[Ton]

Many departments have a list of authorized firearms, both for primary duty and as secondary/off duty guns. I would see what his department authorizes before you buy anything.

I personally would love a S&W 340PD for an ankle gun, but it's a little too expensive for me justify.

[BoogieMan]

Ton & Targa- Thank you for that piece of information. I had no idea that PD had restrictions on secondary/backup weapons. I will have to change this from a graduation gift to a congrats on new job gift and wait until he is able to confirm his employment.

[Independent George]

I know you said you don't like plastic, but weight is a huge consideration; it has to be light enough that he actually carries it every time, in addition to the gear he's already got to drag along with him. I'd strike the PPK from your list because of that.

[Fla_dogman]

I carried a bug in my boot back in the days when we carried revolvers because of the time it took to reload mainly. When autos came out I quit carrying one. One thing is light, really light chasing bad guys with one leg heavier will make you feel lol. And it must be secure, once we charged a guy with carrying a weapon until one officer realized it was his oops

[849ACSO]

I have been a police officer and carried a backup on my ankle for 20+ years and I carry a Smith 360, 5 shot .357 Mag. I chose a revolver for the following reasons -

- In an ankle holster, the gun will be exposed to mud/snow/grass/dust/lint and any other matter that will choke a semi auto into a malfunction.

- There is a possibility during running/other activities that are "jarring", the mag button may be hit, releasing the mag and having a single shot gun when you really need multiple shots.

- Some "tiny" semi-autos are picky about ammo and are downright unreliable with certain ammo. Revolvers, not so much.

- I tend to view my backup as something I might use when I'm rolling around in the road ditch with someone hell bent on killing me. That said I want to be able to press my backup gun tight against my assailant (as may happen in an arm's length encounter) and pull the trigger without worrying about pressing it hard enough to be out of battery and not firing at all.

- As I'm rolling around trying to save my own life, shooting from unconventional positions, I don't want the slide to get hung up in my clothes or be inhibited by ANYTHING to cause a malfunction. A revolver won't experience this problem.

Just my .$02

[michael t]

Never liked ankle. If that location get light 38 snub Charter Arms be good

In 70's my partner carried a 25 auto in a 2nd handcuff case . I never saw the need back then . Today I thing I would have a 2nd pistol 380 or bigger . Still not on ankle .

Your listed guns to heavy or large. PPK in 380
SOLO in 9mm for that type carry I believe.

[Onward Allusion]

I wouldn't go with anything but a revolver as a backup if I were in LE because a backup gun is a "oh crap" gun. Some type of J-Frame size revolver. Personal preference would be S&W Airlite or Charter Undercover Lite Off-Duty. Both are lighter than the Airweights by a couple/few ounces and both have internal hammers. No snag, no worries about slide jamming up...etc. Can even be fired from a coat pocket. I love those guns.

[tallball]

849 listed some of the reasons I prefer to carry a revolver.

[WC145]

IMO, based on many years of carrying a BUG as an LEO in uniform, a lightweight hammerless or bobbed hammer snubby is the way to go. The S&W 642/442 .38sps are top quality and sell in the mid to high $300 range. They have been go to guns for cops wanting a SHTF/"Get the hell off me!" piece for decades. They are simple, reliable, and work when you have to stick it in some mope's gut and start pulling the trigger. Small autos are handy but way to sensitive and susceptible to limp wristing, being pushed out of battery, mag issues, ammo issues, etc..

The 642/442 line of Airweights only weigh 15oz empty and are easily carried in an ankle holster, a pocket, a vest holster, or just about any other place you can think of. The last 6 years of my LE career I carried a custom 9mm S&W 360J in the inner pocket of the off side cargo pocket on my 5.11 uniform pants - secure, concealed, but easily accessed. I still carry that gun several days a week.

When shopping keep in mind that the "300" series of S&W's have scandium alloy frames. They'll be a few ounces lighter but more expensive that their aluminum or steel framed brethren. Also, the Ruger LCR is worth considering, the .38spl version only weighs 13.5oz and they have a very nice DAO trigger out of the box, better than most stock S&W's. They run $25-$50 more than the S&W 642/442 line.

[Bill DeShivs]

A Keltec p32 or P3AT or Ruger LCP carried in the pants pocket.
The ankle is absolutely the worst place to carry a gun.

[James K]

First, many departments ban BUGs because too many have been used as throw down guns. Second, departments that permit them often require that they be of a caliber compatible with the service handgun, which when the service gun is 9mm or .40 S&W rather limits the choice of a BUG. Third, if a BUG is carried, the officer should very seriously consider the ramifications of having it taken from the officer and used against him or her, or turning up "in the wrong hands" in a later incident. Not good for the officer, especially if the BUG is unauthorized.

BUGs made more sense in the revolver days, when the service handgun was a 6 shot revolver. Today, with a pistol holding 15+ rounds, having a backup to use when the holster gun runs dry is not as serious a concern.

Jim

[849ACSO]

Today, with a pistol holding 15+ rounds, having a backup to use when the holster gun runs dry is not as serious a concern.

Two is one and one is none......... And when I'm laying on my strong side with some mope on top of me and I can't get to my service pistol, chances are I can raise my leg and make my hand meet my ankle (I'm still physically fit enough that this is an option for me. In fact, it's one the reasons I go to the gym). It's about having a violator sitting in the front seat of my patrol car with me and he/she has hands on my service pistol after they heard my radio operator tell me they are wanted, and they have decided they don't want to go to jail today. While I'm using my strong hand to KEEP THAT GUN IN THE HOLSTER, my left hand is free to go a few inches to my ankle and end that struggle. It's not about running out of ammo, it's about having multiple options to survive a lethal encounter.

The ankle is absolutely the worst place to carry a gun

Maybe for you. I actually have to shoot our service pistol course and qualify with my BUG, in the mode that I carry it daily. It has worked for me for 23 years. Unless I'm missing something and you care to elaborate as to why it's any worse than anywhere else. See above scenarios. A gun wadded in my pants pocket is of no use to me if I can't get to it because I'm laying on it or I'm sitting down.

[Badfinger]

First, many departments ban BUGs because too many have been used as throw down guns. Second, departments that permit them often require that they be of a caliber compatible with the service handgun, which when the service gun is 9mm or .40 S&W rather limits the choice of a BUG. Third, if a BUG is carried, the officer should very seriously consider the ramifications of having it taken from the officer and used against him or her, or turning up "in the wrong hands" in a later incident. Not good for the officer, especially if the BUG is unauthorized.

BUGs made more sense in the revolver days, when the service handgun was a 6 shot revolver. Today, with a pistol holding 15+ rounds, having a backup to use when the holster gun runs dry is not as serious a concern

The concept of a bug transcends simple capacity, its purpose is best rationalized simply by the fact that the service piece may fail entirely, or be wrested away from the officer, or agent, its a dire circumstance tool of last desperate resort!

I wouldn't be caught absent a bug, and I've always found ankle carry to be perfect for my 642 Airweight contrary to the other comment, stuffed in a pant pocket would be the absolute worst possible place for any firearm.

[Deaf Smith]

Ok, two choices come to mind.

A very small Semi-auto like a Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P32 (my favorite as it is ultra small yet 8 shots), Glock 42, etc.. all .380 or .32.

Or a J frame Centennial .38 5 shot revolver.

Both Semi-autos and revolvers will have some good and bad points but either one will do the deed. Of the 2 types, the semi-autos are thinner and usually lighter but the aluminum J Centennial would be a bit more reliable.

Deaf

[JimmyR]

I have carried a BUG at different times, and for different reasons: to arm someone else, to supplement capacity, to prepare for possible primary weapon failure, etc.

That said, for a BUG carried while on duty, I would look at a few things first:
*What make/model/caliber is the duty weapon? If possible, try to keep the BUG as similar to the primary as possible (i.e. a G43 paired with a G17, a DAO revolver with a DAO Sig, etc.) The more similar the BUG is to the duty weapon, the easier it will be to use, especially since the BUG will not be used as often, so we want as much motor memory to generalize as possible. There may not be a perfect pairing for each duty weapon, but closer is better.

As for particular weapons, I love J frame revolvers, and think the Centenial J frames (S&W 642, for example) are darn near perfect. I personally traded my 642 for a 640 (stainless steel 357 J frame), but that is because my 642 is more of a primary CC weapon.

[mrray13]

I no longer carry a backup, but when I did, it was in a Boot Lock holster and was a G23 to back up my G22. My reason was that way I could reload using my full size mags. A G27 would have worked as well.

When I do throw a backup into my pocket, it's either a TCP or a 642 now. And that's only for when I go from the road to dispatch.

[kraigwy]

Might want to check with the Department. Many have rules on what sort of backup that can be carried.

My dept. did as far back as the mid 70s.

I carried a J-frame smith. Not a fan of ankle holsters but that's just my personal opinion.

I worked in Anchorage, It sometimes got nippy there. Our issued parka's had a side zipper that was suppose to allow access to your service revolver. But try as I could, I couldn't come up with a way to keep the gun from getting tangled up in the coat every time.

So I just started carrying my stubby in my coat pocket. Always ready and could be fired from the pocket if need be.

But still, before one buys a backup, he/she, needs to check with the Dept. regarding what is authorized. Plus many (all that I know of) require the officer to qualify with the backup/off duty pistol/revolver.

[James K]

"...I wouldn't be caught absent a bug..."

If your department bans them, and you are found to be carrying one, you will be caught absent a badge and a job.

I know some of the posters are experienced LEO's and I thank you for your service. But some may not be or not realize the implications of ignoring or disobeying regulations. No one wants to be involved in a shooting, no matter who is killed or wounded. But if you, a LEO, are involved, especially in some high profile incident (we all know what I am talking about), you better be squeaky clean. Not only will the media be out to get you, but your own department's lawyers will not necessarily be on your side. If they can find some excuse to cut you off at the knees, they will do so to deflect a lawsuit and save the jurisdiction money. And one way to do that is to show that you were in violation of regulations. You become the issue. You broke the rules, and because you did, they won't defend you. They will tell you to hire a lawyer and good luck, as they take your badge kick you out the door.

If the BUG saved your life or the life of someone else, they might cover for you. But if it was taken and used against you or someone else, you might almost wish you were dead.

Jim