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View Poll Results: Do you carry a backup for civilian CCW?
Yes, every time I carry, I'm carrying a BUG 4 7.14%
Sometimes, it depends on circumstances 16 28.57%
No, I'm not going to war and it's overkill 36 64.29%
Voters: 56. You may not vote on this poll

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Old July 28, 2019, 10:35 PM   #26
kenny53
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I carry a BUG weak side pocket. Sometimes I carry IWB, sometimes I pocket carry in both pockets. I am not going to war but I don't want my guns to get lonely locked up in a safe.
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Old July 29, 2019, 08:02 AM   #27
Mannlicher
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Virtually never. If I need something extra, I keep an AR or a .30 Carbine behind the truck seat.
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Old July 29, 2019, 10:41 PM   #28
ricotorpe
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An ex of mine didn't like her Glock 26 because it had "only" 10 shots. I pointed out that merely pulling a gun (even a 22 or 38 revolver) on a thug is usually enough to end the encounter in your favor, but she wasn't having it.

A while after we broke up, I learned that she switched to a Ruger LC380!
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Old July 30, 2019, 06:45 AM   #29
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i don't do BUGs.
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Old July 30, 2019, 01:16 PM   #30
Eazyeach
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No bug for me. I have a hard enough time comfortably carrying my primary. So I usually end up with a S&W Shield or Ruger LCR in my front pocket. If I had to back one of them up I wouldn’t have room for my phone, wallet,keys.
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Old July 31, 2019, 06:45 AM   #31
USNRet93
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I carry AIWB and if I 'bugged', I doubt I could keep my pants up..hard enough as it is..
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Old July 31, 2019, 11:39 AM   #32
9ballbilly
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I've considered the idea of carrying a BUG several times over the past four decades but it always seemed like more trouble than it was worth to me, particularly since I've never found a mouse gun that I was happy with.

It's only fair to say that I've lived in mostly rural areas my entire life and might well feel differently if that wasn't the case.

The only exception is that I always carry a handgun along with my rifle when I go hunting, which I rarely do anymore. It's something I've done since I was a teenager.
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Old July 31, 2019, 02:20 PM   #33
m&p45acp10+1
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Almost never. I tend to carry a single pocket gun. It ia 102 in the shade here. I would not want to dress around a larger gun. I work in construction most of my day is outside in the sun. I do not like carrying extra weight in the heat.
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Old July 31, 2019, 07:52 PM   #34
mikejonestkd
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I work two jobs in gun free zones, so no primary or BUG for me.
When I am traveling I take one and some spare ammo or mags.
I like to keep it simple.
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Old August 1, 2019, 07:32 AM   #35
rodfac
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Quote:
Tunnel opined: At some level everyone carrying makes a decision based on their assessment of the threat. This includes the strength of the threat and the probability of the threat. What are the chances we get attacked? What are the chances the attacker is not alone? How about the chances he or she is wearing armor? What if my primary fails? Any of these things are possible. How likely are they? I have one pistol that is currently sitting at 5000 rds without a malfunction. What are the chances it malfunctions in such a way that I can't get it back into action with the spare magazine I carry and that the failure wasn't stopped by the maintenance I also perform? At some level I've decided that the chances of that happening are low enough to make me think I don't have to carry a BUG.
Pretty good advice for most of us. I live in a rural environment...farm...on an isolated country lane...there's always a handgun near my wife's haunts here in the house, and I carry, usually for recreational purposes, just about always when doing my daily chores. That said...it's a rare day when I don't carry when going to town or Louisville. But a BUG doesn't figure in my case. Local LEO friend's here, to a man, have a BUG somewhere's on their persons. YMMv, Rod
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Old August 1, 2019, 02:10 PM   #36
Ruark
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Same here, no BUG. 15+1 rounds of 124 gr. Gold Dot 9mm+P will suffice in 99.99999% of self defense situations. Further, if worst came to worst, a prosecutor would have a field day describing to a jury how you were "walking around armed to the teeth." So I'm good, thank you.
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Old August 1, 2019, 03:06 PM   #37
TunnelRat
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Originally Posted by Ruark View Post
Same here, no BUG. 15+1 rounds of 124 gr. Gold Dot 9mm+P will suffice in 99.99999% of self defense situations. Further, if worst came to worst, a prosecutor would have a field day describing to a jury how you were "walking around armed to the teeth." So I'm good, thank you.
A prosecutor could make the same argument about you carrying 15+1 rounds of those deadly hollowpoint rounds. When we let what a prosecutor could do dictate our logic then logically we wouldn't carry anything.

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Old August 1, 2019, 05:21 PM   #38
stephen426
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I have already downsized to a Glock 43 since it is hard to conceal much more than that based on my normal attire (without sticking out like a sore thumb). South Florida is really hot and humid so concealment is hard to come by without risking heat stroke. Fanny packs or man bags are going to look really weird, especially with regular office attire. I guess I could go with an ankle holster, but I'm not a fan of them. The other thing is that Glocks tend to be extremely reliable so I'm willing to take those odds. I shoot with a practical shooting club and we practice reloading drills. I do carry 2 spare mags with the Plus 2 extenders, but I leave the stock mag in since it is easier to conceal.
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Old August 1, 2019, 09:00 PM   #39
Nanuk
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Quote:
Further, if worst came to worst, a prosecutor would have a field day describing to a jury how you were "walking around armed to the teeth." So I'm good, thank you.
If my BUG is what helps me make it home they can say anything about me they want. Twice in my life a BUG made the difference. Once I could not access my primary and once it had fallen out of my holster during a scuffle (before we had retention holsters). Say what you will, I will stick my 357 magnum snubby in my belt.
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Old September 5, 2019, 12:44 PM   #40
Tactical Jackalope
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I do.


A Glock 36 on my ankle.

Wanted to add that it also to arm someone else. As my best friend doesn't carry and my other best friend who is also my wife doesn't always carry her Shield.

I hand it to her when I get down at a gas station to get us some road snacks if she doesn't have her Shield with her. As one example.

Also, the main carry is an HK P30L and she can run either that or the Glock 36 just fine. Thankfully we both stay athletically fit and hit the gym 4-6 times a week.
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Old September 5, 2019, 01:50 PM   #41
CDW4ME
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I don't think of it as a "back up" rather a 2nd option.
I carry a "2nd option" pistol in my weak hand front pocket, basically whenever out in public.
Option to put my hand on it without revealing I'm carrying, can't do that with primary that is IWB.
If dominant hand/arm "unavailable" could quickly access pistol with weak hand.
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Old September 5, 2019, 02:42 PM   #42
TunnelRat
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CDW4ME View Post
I don't think of it as a "back up" rather a 2nd option.

I carry a "2nd option" pistol in my weak hand front pocket, basically whenever out in public.

Option to put my hand on it without revealing I'm carrying, can't do that with primary that is IWB.

If dominant hand/arm "unavailable" could quickly access pistol with weak hand.
When I see people walking with their hands in their pockets it raises my level of concern. I get that most people aren't the wiser, but to me the notion that pocket carry is truly discreet is sort of a misconception.

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Old September 5, 2019, 03:13 PM   #43
GLK
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I used to always have either a stainless NAA 380 or Ruger LCP 380 in pocket & a Glock model-19 with +2 bases and model 17 mag springs holstered . I no longer feel the need to do so and just carry the 19. I do keep a extra 33 round stick in the door panel.
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Old September 5, 2019, 03:43 PM   #44
JERRYS.
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I know many use the term Back Up Gun, but I too prefer to use the tern Second Gun.
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Old September 6, 2019, 01:04 PM   #45
CDW4ME
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TunnelRat View Post
When I see people walking with their hands in their pockets it raises my level of concern. I get that most people aren't the wiser, but to me the notion that pocket carry is truly discreet is sort of a misconception.

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I don't walk with my hand in my pocket.
I started carrying the "2nd option" two or three years ago after being approached in parking lots or at gas pumps by someone asking for money one too many times. The last time (final straw on camels back) I see the guy coming toward me I start shaking my head NO, he keeps coming, I'm shaking my head NO and saying NO. In that type of scenario it would be (is) a nice option to be able to discretely put my hand in my pocket onto a pistol (9mm minimum).
My chronically untucked shirt does a fine job of concealing pistol in pocket as well as the one IWB.
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Old September 6, 2019, 03:33 PM   #46
TunnelRat
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Originally Posted by CDW4ME View Post
I don't walk with my hand in my pocket.

I started carrying the "2nd option" two or three years ago after being approached in parking lots or at gas pumps by someone asking for money one too many times. The last time (final straw on camels back) I see the guy coming toward me I start shaking my head NO, he keeps coming, I'm shaking my head NO and saying NO. In that type of scenario it would be (is) a nice option to be able to discretely put my hand in my pocket onto a pistol (9mm minimum).

My chronically untucked shirt does a fine job of concealing pistol in pocket as well as the one IWB.
Fair enough, then you reaching into a pocket as a situation is escalating signals to me you're quite possibly going for some kind of weapon (I get that in your specific situation, which wasn't detailed when I made my comment, you could argue you would appear to be reaching for money and communicating that you were planning to give him money while reaching like that is a plan I could get behind). Hands are generally what people use to kill and that's what I and really anyone with any defensive training are usually trained to watch. Again, I get that many are oblivious. My point, again, is I don't consider it as discreet as some do. I also don't like having my hand trapped for what is I know many would say is a short period of time.

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Old September 8, 2019, 08:43 PM   #47
Blue Duck
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It depends on the situation. Usually, I carry a Colt Lightweight Commander with one spare mag and no bug. But, sometimes I opt to carry a smaller gun, maybe even a mouse gun, and in that case, I will often carry a second mouse gun instead of a reload.

And at times I have carried my primary gun and a smaller bug gun, when going to church, because, the leader of the security group is an off duty cop, who elects to not carry, off duty. He has commented that if needed he would ask for one of us to give him our gun. Well, that's Ok, as I would rather he shoots the bad guy, then me, but He will also take more risks then I will to disarm a bad guy, which might get him shot and I don't want my only gun and him on the floor, leaving me defenseless. So, I will carry a second gun in that case.
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Old September 9, 2019, 08:47 AM   #48
USNRet93
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when going to church, because, the leader of the security group is an off duty cop, who elects to not carry, off duty. He has commented that if needed he would ask for one of us to give him our gun.
Quote:
So, I will carry a second gun in that case.
Time to recommend a new leader of the 'security group'..IMHO..in this day and age..I don't think any large group of people need to worry about harsh language...somebody with a gun much more likely..

Does he have a list of who carries, carries what, when, how and where they are seated?
This is really dumb for a 'leader of a security group..IMHO.
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Old September 9, 2019, 09:09 AM   #49
TunnelRat
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I gotta admit I don't understand that logic either. From a self interest standpoint were I that security leader I'm not trusting my safety to a stranger's firearm. Who knows how well he or she takes care of it, if the manual of arms is noticeably different than what I use, if it's been modified, etc. Or what if that other person just forgets to carry it? I know it was mentioned he is or was a police officer. A number of police officers aren't necessarily gun people. They can still provide information in terms of general security practices, de-escalation, situational awareness, etc, and to be honest that's likely more important and more likely to be used than the firearm, at least on a regular basis. But if armed security is part of the solution for that location then I don't get the leader choosing not to be armed.

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Old September 9, 2019, 02:29 PM   #50
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Nope, I'm not a pack mule for carrying someone else's pistol. Nor am I going to give up my own pistol when things start to look like I am going to need one.
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