What backup gun do you carry /favor

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

riddleofsteel

New member
OK guys and gals riddleofsteel has recovered from the shock of faiure of a primary carry gun on the shooting range. Now, what backup gun do you carry or favor. My response to this delemia was exaggerated at first but now i have decided to start carrying a backup gun again.
My last backup choices evolved from a Freedom arms .22 folding grip revolver to an AMT .380 DAO Backup to .38 Special air weight to an AMT DAO Backup in .400 Corbon. I can see now that over the years i traded up to larger and more powerful pocket guns until i had a pistol to large for the job it was intended to do.
Feedback please.

------------------
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what is for lunch.
Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the outcome of the vote.
Let he that hath no sword sell his garment and buy one. Luke 22-36
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. Song of Solomon 3-8
The man that can keep his head and aims carefully when the situation has gone bad and lead is flying usually wins the fight.
 
Hello. Generally, my backup is a J-frame S&W airweight in .38 Spec loaded with Federal 125 gr Nyclad HP, standard pressure, as my revolver is NOT rated for +P. Carried also is one extra Bianchi speed strip of the same ammo. Best.
 
usually my main carry piece is a cz52 or a 1911a1 commander,for a backup i use a raven 25 from phoenix 1st 2 rds are glasers 2nd 2 rds are hollow point hot loads,last 2 are hardball.this resides in a pokket or in a pancake on oppsite side.ankle if i have to go somewhere where a main carry is a bit of a problem,events,dinners etc.as soon as i pulled it outta my ammo can it all started,they claimed it wouldnt hit the target or get off 1 rd with a malfunktion of sorts,yes the insults were many.i shut poeple up at the range yesterday with it by placing all shots in a 4 inch circle at 33 ft with it .then had to let them rant on about stopping power,then i cased them back on a few sited cases where the 25 was used effectivley in self defense and moreso on a few killings this past year.if you care to experiment a bit theyre is a man in fla who is doing amazing things with solid copper conicals piercing drums etc with them and kevlar vests as well.by the way after 1750 rounds now thru my so called jamamatic i have yet to have one stovepipe or failure to feed or fire.when i rapid shot the groups into a tite pattern in 4 inches they all shut right up again,and one mentioned he was now going to get one,(funny he started the whole mess too! oddly enuff),i just smiled at them and said oh really and broke some more cookies.on the saftey i did open up the detent holes on the disc some and file the nubs on back down so i now have a positive detent and klik on it.i feel safe with it stoked up and one in the pipe,after a month long experiment to get it to move in the off position it didnt budge,this included back pokket on the car driving ,yard work all of it i could think .the saftey fix worked well.if in the event of a sd case its shot placement what counts.ive yet to see a sternum shot victim live even with a .22 i saw once.said man was only hit once directly in a drive by with a hi standard auto at 45 feet.yup what we have to deal with for what we shoot now,unreal .
 
riddleofsteel--good follow-up topic. Thanks.

I'm not sure I have an answer, but I'd like to add to the question.

I've also been giving serious consideration to carrying a backup, since my trusted Glock bobbled at the range recently. I'm looking for general guidelines on treating the primary gun/backup gun as a unified system. I'd be interested in any comments about the following statement:

"Ideally, a backup gun is as close as practicable to the primary gun in operation and to some extent caliber. So, if the primary gun is a G17, a good backup would be a G26--same operation, same caliber. If the primary gun is a P228, a P232 would be a good backup--same operation, although different calibers. Likewise a Model 19 and a Model 49, both DA revolvers. But a mixture of operating modes, like a cocked-and-locked primary gun vs. a DA/SA backup, may lead to confusion in a critical moment."

I can also see a Glock or SIG backed up by a revolver like Mr. Camp's, since none of them has a manual safety to remember to click off.

As I say, comments would be appreciated. TIA.

[This message has been edited by jimmy (edited August 26, 2000).]
 
i agree to matching the formats i.e. DAO or single action , revolver ect. however, i don't want to go down the same trail i have been down before and end up with a gun large enough to be a primary weapon. the weapon choices you mention would have to be carried, i presume in a weak side holster, an ankle holster ect. as they would not fit well in a pocket holster.
the largest backup i have comfortably carried in a pocket holster was a S&W Centennial airweight in .38 special carried in a Kramer pocket holster. however, it was so large, that i often carried it as a primary weapon the same way. in fact i once averted a car jacking attempt with that weapon.
since i still have that pocket holster and a Galco cross draw belt holster for the J frame, an airweight will be close to the top of my list while backup shopping.


------------------
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what is for lunch.
Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the outcome of the vote.
Let he that hath no sword sell his garment and buy one. Luke 22-36
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. Song of Solomon 3-8
The man that can keep his head and aims carefully when the situation has gone bad and lead is flying usually wins the fight.

[This message has been edited by riddleofsteel (edited August 26, 2000).]
 
S&W(old)model 36 with 110 gr winchester silvertips

------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
 
My backup is my .44 Bulldog. I carry that no matter what other gun I'm carrying.

------------------
***Torpedo***
It's a good life if you can survive it!
 
riddleofsteel -- sounds like you may have answered your own question. If the largest weapon you're comfortable carrying in a pocket holster is the J-frame .38, then that sounds like a good backup gun for you, with a lot of versatility in the mode of carry. It sounds like you would be able to conceal it with most any mode of dress, and could also carry it as a primary weapon in situations where you couldn't carry a larger gun or were willing to be "unarmed". Loaded with +P's, I don't think anyone would ridicule you for being too undergunned. What more could you ask for!
 
I carry as a second gun, and have carried it for many years, my Smith & Klinton Mdl. 60, with Federal 110 gr. +P JHP, in a Milt Sparks pocket holster. I also ALWAYS carry extra ammo in a Bianchi Speed Strip.

My "first" gun is a Colt's Lightweight Commander .45 ACP, in a Kramer strong side holster, and an additional 8 rd McCormick magazine. This pistol was mfg'd 1959.

FWIW. J.B.

[This message has been edited by Jay Baker (edited August 26, 2000).]
 
So your wanting a pocket or smaller sized 2nd gun?

Then I would recomend a P 32, P 11, or the lt wt 38 snubs [J frame, Taurus, etc].

I bought my P 11 to fill the role that traditionally the J frames have. Empty it weights the same as a aluminium J frame loaded with 10 rounds of 9mmm it weights 1 oz more than a empty steel frame J frame.
 
I'd think a 3 gun scenario would fill the needs more completely. The one you're carrying now, plus your next choice, say the *&* airweight for the ordinary day, plus a mousegun for days when your mode of dress or other considerations make it more difficult to carry the primary weapon, so you go .38/32, or when you can pull off the primary, but just can't squeeze the .38 in the mix. I'm NO advocate of a .32 or other mousegun, but if it's TRULY the only other gun you can get on you, it's better than nothing. I think I've read enough of your posts to know you'd never make a habit of it.
For a mousegun, I've heard that the North American Arms .32 is the best of the .32's. I know the P32 is great, and lightweight, but I've not heard of any problems or jams with the NAA, and it's not much of a backup if it breaks too.
 
I was going to suggest another handgun identical to the primary handgun carried in a mirrored-holster on the other side, but sounds like riddleofsteel already has ruled that out.

I must say that an identical handgun for secondary use sure simplifies things. In times of
-repair
-getting fitted for a new holster
-cleaning
-whatever
the secondary easily converts to primary use, sliding into its holster. Likewise, primary mags easily are used for the secondary.

On paper the mini Glocks look like great backups for the bigger Glocks, and they are. I can't help but notice the differences in grip when I go to one of the baby's, though. The "hump" on the backstrap is the same size, but are closer to the "tang" that goes above the web of your hand compared to the larger models.

One thing I like about identical handguns on opposite hips: it balances well and doesn't stress my lower back. :D

Edmund
 
Kel-Tec P-32, 6.6 ounces of concealable pocket rocket. Mine is a quality firearm and is carried both on and off duty.

7th

------------------
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.
 
As far as a .22 sternum shot killing the target, Massad Ayoob wrote a few years ago about a female cop being shot through the heart with a .357, and then killing the perp, before she fell to the ground...and she returned to duty after recovery.
I personally would never trust a weapon as a back-up that I would not use as a primary, because the back-up is only going to be used when THE **** HAS ALREADY HIT THE FAN, and the weapon you entrust your life to has betrayed you!!!
My primary is a ParaOrdnance P-14, massaged, with 10,000 reliable rounds through it, two more 14 round magazines back-up, loaded w/ 185grn Corbon +p. Secondary back-up is a P-10 loaded w/ Silvertips. Behind the seat of my p/u is either an 870 w/ 7rnd tube, 6rnds in the receiver carrier, 9rnds on the sling, or a Bulgarian AK w/ four 30rnd magazines in the case.
Yes, I know, paranoid. Function of growing up in East Oakland, CA. You know, that city located in Feces Creek?
 
Are you a cop or a civilian? If you're a civilian you don't need a "backup" gun. Just get a reliable gun in the first place. Seriously, we're over-reacting here. A "backup" for a civilian? Get real! Best, J. Parker
 
Makarov makes a fine little backup. It can be carried almost anyplace. (I guess a civilian would need a backup for the same reason that a military person would) I like the Mak. It is simple, functional, reliable and very accurate. Did I say cheap?
It all comes down to what you want and what you feel comfortable with.

------------------
You have to be there when it's all over. Otherwise you can't say "I told you so."

Better days to be,

Ed
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by J. Parker:
Are you a cop or a civilian? If you're a civilian you don't need a "backup" gun. Just get a reliable gun in the first place. Seriously, we're over-reacting here. A "backup" for a civilian? Get real! Best, J. Parker[/quote]

I'll second that notion. I'm always wonder what sort of neighborhood everyone else lives in that they carry three guns on them on two more in the truck. Most of the time I'm unarmed. You'd be really amazed how much more at ease you can be when you don't have to worry about your firarm falling out of your pants.

Backup would be a Kel Tec P-32 which is the gun I carry sometimes in the first place. Then there's the 870 behind the seat in the truck.
 
There are no civilians. Ask the employees who died in that McDonald's robbery in New York or the people who died on the Long Island commuter train or at Luby's Cafeteria. Police emergency response time in my town is up to 20 minutes and fire paramedic response time is 15+ minutes.

"This is 911. Please hold........" ;)

My choice is a Beretta Model 21. Sure it will smokestack after the first 100 rounds when things start getting gummy, but I've put 300 rounds through one in an afternoon. Wore it out after a while and got another.

Second choice is a PPK .32.




------------------
"Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true."
Homer Simpson... but attributed to Algore.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top