What backup gun do you carry /favor
- Thread starter riddleofsteel
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Gopher .45
New member
The statement made that a backup carried by a civilian is ridiculus is a bit short-sighted given that the people making the comment are not aware of the circumstances where people have felt it necessary to carry a backup. There are a variety of civilians who need to carry if they need to carry, then need to consider a backup as well. As a merchant, it is certainly a good idea (based on previous experiences). As far as the reasons I find it necessary now, nobody needs to know. Personally, I never thought I would be carrying in the first place, but at times I do carry a primary and a secondary or backup gun. Since my primary is located on my strong side, my backup is placed on my weak side for weak side access. I practice drawing and firing weak side and one handed. My backup is a Colt Pony loaded with hydrashoks. Proficiency with your backup in the configuration you carry it is just as important as proficiency with your primary gun.
Well, I worked in the S.F. bay area for 20 years. Swing shifts, graveyards, etc. and never felt like I needed "two" guns. I worked and commuted into and through Alameda county which at one time had the "honor" of being the "murder capital of the USA". A "backup" gun is just total hysteria. 
J. Parker
J. Parker<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by J. Parker:
Well, I worked in the S.F. bay area for 20 years. Swing shifts, graveyards, etc. and never felt like I needed "two" guns. I worked and commuted into and through Alameda county which at one time had the "honor" of being the "murder capital of the USA". A "backup" gun is just total hysteria. J. Parker[/quote]
So your saying our choices should be based on your feelings?
your not offering any reasons, or even arguements for your position. Or are you trying to say that the weight/discomfort factor is not worth whatever is gained by carrying a 2nd gun?
There are several reasons for having a 2nd, or even third gun.
1) 2nd gun can be placed for drawing with weak hand.
2) 2nd gun can be given to friend/spouse/etc that knows how to use a gun but doesn't have one with them.
3) Always have a "Plan B"
4) So you can carry specialty loads [for normal "civilians" I am thinking one gun loaded with glasser Safety Slugs].
5)In a gunfight shots often cluster around the weapon, with can render gun arm or gun useless.
Well, I worked in the S.F. bay area for 20 years. Swing shifts, graveyards, etc. and never felt like I needed "two" guns. I worked and commuted into and through Alameda county which at one time had the "honor" of being the "murder capital of the USA". A "backup" gun is just total hysteria.
J. Parker[/quote]So your saying our choices should be based on your feelings?
your not offering any reasons, or even arguements for your position. Or are you trying to say that the weight/discomfort factor is not worth whatever is gained by carrying a 2nd gun?There are several reasons for having a 2nd, or even third gun.
1) 2nd gun can be placed for drawing with weak hand.
2) 2nd gun can be given to friend/spouse/etc that knows how to use a gun but doesn't have one with them.
3) Always have a "Plan B"
4) So you can carry specialty loads [for normal "civilians" I am thinking one gun loaded with glasser Safety Slugs].
5)In a gunfight shots often cluster around the weapon, with can render gun arm or gun useless.
Quantum Singularity
New member
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by riddleofsteel:
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.
[/quote]
My primary gun is a Glock 21. My backup is either a Sig Sauer 239 or Glock 26. I prefer the Sig (100 percent reliable so far), but when I need something a little smaller and lighter I goto the Glock 26.
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.
[/quote]
My primary gun is a Glock 21. My backup is either a Sig Sauer 239 or Glock 26. I prefer the Sig (100 percent reliable so far), but when I need something a little smaller and lighter I goto the Glock 26.
riddleofsteel
New member
this epithany was mine. a trusted carry weapon failed on the fireing line. first failure in 37 years.
for those of you who believe i am still over reacting, my wish for you is that when you do see the elephant your beloved gun goes BANG. because if there was ever a chance of a BG not shooting you, once you draw that is over. he or she will shoot and to kill and if your gun craps out.......YOU ARE DEAD.
THAT IS WAHY I WAS LOOKING AT A SMALL BACKUP. it does not make me feel as crazy as carrying two full size or near full guns.
anyway thanks for the responses......lets go shopping!!
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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.
for those of you who believe i am still over reacting, my wish for you is that when you do see the elephant your beloved gun goes BANG. because if there was ever a chance of a BG not shooting you, once you draw that is over. he or she will shoot and to kill and if your gun craps out.......YOU ARE DEAD.
THAT IS WAHY I WAS LOOKING AT A SMALL BACKUP. it does not make me feel as crazy as carrying two full size or near full guns.
anyway thanks for the responses......lets go 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.
Rocky Road
Retired Screen Name
Dontcha just HATE it when it seems that a first class flame fest is brewing up and then it all falls through because some fairly reasonable people begin communicating like grown-ups?
Congratulations, all. I know a couple of boards where the resolution would have been prolonged and bitter. That's why I'm here instead of there most of the time.
Best regards,
RR
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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
Congratulations, all. I know a couple of boards where the resolution would have been prolonged and bitter. That's why I'm here instead of there most of the time.
Best regards,
RR
------------------
---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
Edmund Rowe
New member
A sorta lighthearted look at backup guns:
I was going to say that the more I shoot, the more I seem to encounter "freak" malfunctions that occur only to me. It doesn't seem to matter the type of firearm I'm shooting or the reputation of the ammunition manufacturer. I have had a few WEIRD malfs in my years of shooting. It taught me that Mr. Murphy is alive and well and it takes a bit of effort to foil him.
...and I always wanted to be like Lee Majors in that show "Raven" that came out in the early 90s: He draws a handgun on the ninja, it gets kicked out of his hand, draws another handgun with the other hand, that gets kicked away, draws ANOTHER handgun, THAT gets kicked away, and draws a FOURTH handgun and BLAM finally blasts the ninja.
Picture the befuddled ninja: "When is this guy gonna run out of guns???" OK, you real ninjas out there, you don't have to lecture me on how a REAL ninpo dude would kick my butt.
Edmund
I was going to say that the more I shoot, the more I seem to encounter "freak" malfunctions that occur only to me. It doesn't seem to matter the type of firearm I'm shooting or the reputation of the ammunition manufacturer. I have had a few WEIRD malfs in my years of shooting. It taught me that Mr. Murphy is alive and well and it takes a bit of effort to foil him.
...and I always wanted to be like Lee Majors in that show "Raven" that came out in the early 90s: He draws a handgun on the ninja, it gets kicked out of his hand, draws another handgun with the other hand, that gets kicked away, draws ANOTHER handgun, THAT gets kicked away, and draws a FOURTH handgun and BLAM finally blasts the ninja.
Picture the befuddled ninja: "When is this guy gonna run out of guns???" OK, you real ninjas out there, you don't have to lecture me on how a REAL ninpo dude would kick my butt. Edmund
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JayDrummond:
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.
[/quote]
The neighborhood (with the accent on "hood") that I used to live in was the nexus of three Mexican street gangs. Gunfire was common. You bet I went out and about armed. I had the chance to move out, so I did. I moved to a small farming community. However, the little ba$tards are starting to show up here. I house sat for my ex-roommate last week. I was treated to 9 rounds of gunfire just about as soon as I got there. I read the next day that there was a shooting at a nearby park. Oh yeah, the primary house guns were an AK-47 (semi-auto version), an SKS, or a Mini-14. My backup to that was a G19, or a G26. It is worth noting that every appartment in the complex was broken into except for ours. I guess that the gangbangers thought it wasn't safe. Gee, I wonder why???
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Yeah, I got a permit to carry,it's called the friggin Constitution.---Ted Nugent
"Glock 26: 17 rounds of concealed carry DEATH comming your way from out of nowhere!!! THAT'S FIREPOWER, BABY!!!"
I'll second that notion. I'm always wonder what sort of neighborhood everyone else lives in that they carry three guns on them on two more in the truck. Most of the time I'm unarmed. You'd be really amazed how much more at ease you can be when you don't have to worry about your firarm falling out of your pants.
Backup would be a Kel Tec P-32 which is the gun I carry sometimes in the first place. Then there's the 870 behind the seat in the truck.
[/quote]
The neighborhood (with the accent on "hood") that I used to live in was the nexus of three Mexican street gangs. Gunfire was common. You bet I went out and about armed. I had the chance to move out, so I did. I moved to a small farming community. However, the little ba$tards are starting to show up here. I house sat for my ex-roommate last week. I was treated to 9 rounds of gunfire just about as soon as I got there. I read the next day that there was a shooting at a nearby park. Oh yeah, the primary house guns were an AK-47 (semi-auto version), an SKS, or a Mini-14. My backup to that was a G19, or a G26. It is worth noting that every appartment in the complex was broken into except for ours. I guess that the gangbangers thought it wasn't safe. Gee, I wonder why???
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Yeah, I got a permit to carry,it's called the friggin Constitution.---Ted Nugent
"Glock 26: 17 rounds of concealed carry DEATH comming your way from out of nowhere!!! THAT'S FIREPOWER, BABY!!!"
For those saying that a backup gun is for the hysterical or paranoid, here's a tidbit for you. I just got back from LFI-1 where my Glock 17 (noted for unbelievable reliability) had a malfunction no one had ever seen. A spent casing didn't eject properly and caused a double feed. I performed the immediate action drill but the casing flipped around inside the weapon and went back in the chamber primer first! It jammed so hard I had to get a de-jammer to get it operational again. The whole time, the exercise is continuing and I was out of action. If this had happened on the street, I'd probably be dead. As it was, I was so caught up in the adrenalin that I wanted to take my brother-in-law's weapon away from him and keep shooting. If I'd had a backup, it sure as hell would have been out at that point.
[This message has been edited by buzz_knox (edited August 28, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by buzz_knox (edited August 28, 2000).]
Are you saying that police officers don't need a backup? Or, do you think that police officers are not civilians?
I know an anti-gunner that says he "felt safer in England" even though the crime rate was higher. He was neither attacked in England nor America but he "felt" safer in England because guns are outlawed.
Feelings are not facts. It does not matter how late at night you choose to walk around in a bad neighborhood, just because you "feel" safe does not mean you are!
[This message has been edited by Red Bull (edited August 28, 2000).]
I know an anti-gunner that says he "felt safer in England" even though the crime rate was higher. He was neither attacked in England nor America but he "felt" safer in England because guns are outlawed.
Feelings are not facts. It does not matter how late at night you choose to walk around in a bad neighborhood, just because you "feel" safe does not mean you are!
[This message has been edited by Red Bull (edited August 28, 2000).]
jdthaddeus
New member
Some people see their gun as a totem that will magically save them if they ever need it. Others see it as a battle implement that they must rely on when all else has failed.
The latter type knows that when s/he pulls that weapon, that means that the sh!t has hit the fan and there is no time for error and not time for regrets. That type of person carries a reload and/or a backup gun. It is all about your mentality and what you plan for.
Some people think a cheap mousegun with a few rounds in it will ward off all evil. They can do whatever they want with their life, but I am just a lowly "civilian" and I have been in some very bad circumstances through no fault of my own.
I plan for bad days and hope for good days.
Ps- I carry a Glock 30 as primary and a pre-sellout *&* Airlite .38 snubby as my "ready gun". I don't really carry a "Backup", I carry a "Primary" with reloads, and a "Ready gun".
The latter type knows that when s/he pulls that weapon, that means that the sh!t has hit the fan and there is no time for error and not time for regrets. That type of person carries a reload and/or a backup gun. It is all about your mentality and what you plan for.
Some people think a cheap mousegun with a few rounds in it will ward off all evil. They can do whatever they want with their life, but I am just a lowly "civilian" and I have been in some very bad circumstances through no fault of my own.
I plan for bad days and hope for good days.
Ps- I carry a Glock 30 as primary and a pre-sellout *&* Airlite .38 snubby as my "ready gun". I don't really carry a "Backup", I carry a "Primary" with reloads, and a "Ready gun".
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