Spare reloads and BUGs for civilians

"Baby" Browning...

Years ago, in the early 1990s, I read a gun press article where the writer stated how he knew a veteran helicopter pilot in SE Asia who worked for "Air America". This cargo/transportation firm was a widely known front for the CIA & covert ops in the area.
The writer told how the pilot would fly missions with only 1 Browning .25acp pistol & no spare magazines or other firearms/sidearms!
Would I do that in SE Asia? #%*+ no! But some armed professionals feel less is more I guess. ;)

ClydeFrog
 
When loading individual rounds into a revolver, I hold the gun in left (weak) hand and load with my right.

With strips or speed loaders, though, I can load equally quickly holding in my right and loading with my left.

That being the case, I like to have strips or loaders on my weak side, to help balance the gun.

As far as a BUG, if primary is a revolver, I will often pocket carry a 442 weak side. (This allows either hand access to a weapon, which could be useful depending on circumstances.). If primary is a semi-auto, I always have a spare magazine, more for possible stoppage clearance than for round count. Then again, when has having more rounds ever hurt? Also, the spare helps balance the auto on my belt.
 
Who did that guy think he was?

ClydeFrog:
The writer told how the pilot would fly missions with only 1 Browning .25acp pistol & no spare magazines or other firearms/sidearms!
Would I do that in SE Asia? #%*+ no! But some armed professionals feel less is more I guess.
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That guy must've thought he was James Bond (who engaged dozens of enemies, even those wielding full-autos, with a mere .380 PPK). I hope he was better at piloting than he was at risk assessment!

If you're pretty sure you're gonna step in it, you bring a long gun. A handgun is, by definition, what you carry when you least expect trouble. That said, you should still carry the gun that can do you the most good. Concealment may be a limiting factor for some, but most days I manage to conceal a stainless Commander or even a Gov't Model, and 2 spare magazines. At minimum I'll have a .380 Mustang with 1 or 2 spare mags or a J-frame with a speed strip.

Deliberately carrying without a reload strikes me as thinking, "I want to be ready for trouble, but not too much trouble"!
 
While I can probably count the number of times I've carried a BUG on one hand, I do almost always carry spare ammo. I usually carry a revolver and a Bianchi speedstrip slips easily enough into the watch pocket of my jeans that I can't really think of a good reason not to carry one. In colder weather, a speedloader carries easily enough in a coat pocket that I usually carry one of those too. On the rare occasion that I carry a semi-auto, I always have at least one spare magazine more for mag malfunctions than anything else.
 
Right on Ringo!...

You are very right, Ringo! :)

Its important to know what works best in any given event & being prepared to deal or address the threat(s).
Handguns, revolver or pistol are NOT ideal for combat but they are sometimes needed because of practical or tactical concerns.

A gun press writer was once asked what type of sidearm he'd want to take into a firefight. "A shotgun or a rifle." was the response. ;)

CF
 
"That guy must've thought he was James Bond (who engaged dozens of enemies, even those wielding full-autos, with a mere .380 PPK)."

Actually Bond first carried a 25 ACP Beretta, then switched to a 32 ACP PPK, which BTW was also Hitler's suicide pistol choice.

I used to carry mags or speedloaders, but found that it was difficult to reload and simultaneously keep my eyes on the target. Much simpler to draw another handgun.

Nowadays I just carry a primary and as many New York reloads as necessary.
 
In my opinion... That pilot carrying the .25 was probably being prudent. These men were working as civilians, and in the same arena as the enemy. As well with war lords, and other homogenious groups. There are times when a firearm will get you into more trouble than can get you out of. At what point does he become a combatant, or a threat? The more gun he has the more threat he poses. At what point does he become enough threat to be dealt with? I think the .25 wasnt a bad idea. As long as he's unarmed he's just a delivery driver. No threat.
 
That pilot carrying the .25 was probably being prudent.
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Or more likely realistic. There was little chance of surviving a plane crash, so the gun was probably to ward off drunks or thieves bent on nefarious deeds in the "red light district" of Bankok.
 
My thoughts

I watch the EDC videos on YouTube...some of them are pretty hilarious! I mean, really, how many pockets do these guys have? My gun (or guns) are there for one purpose to get myself out of a bad situation. That is my one and only concern, just making sure when the smoke clears, I'm still standing. So, one gun might not be enough, two might not be enough, hell, even three might not be enough. Or more than one may be too much, who knows? I do know this, "It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it."
 
I listen to one expert, 23 years Detroit homicide, Detective Sergeant Evan Marshall, (retired), who never goes anywhere without at least 2 if not three sidearms. He has been there, done that, and survived numerous shootouts in his career, so I tend to listen to him a bit. His idea of traveling "light", was two handguns and an AK 74 with 4 mags in the car.
I do carry a BUG when I can, summer and a lack of the right kind of holsters can make that difficult, but I still do it when possible. If you don't carry a BUG, or even a reload, hey, it's your gun, your life, your choices, I have no more right to run you down than anyone has the right to run me down. :) We can just shake hands, happy to live in a country that recognizes our right to carry a sidearm for self defense.:cool:
 
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