Just curious how many people regularly carry a second (back-up) gun. I haven’t carried a second gun since retirement in ‘97 (I do carry extra ammo for a reload) but wondered how many changed their habits given today’s lawlessness in many communities.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Pretty much always have a backup gun whenever I go out, but it's on hubby's belt.

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Slava Ukraini!

Nope. Not since retiring. But I chose carefully where I retired to...and I'm alert to my surroundings when away from home.

I suppose there's always the possibility of "yet".

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642-1, M&P15 TS

I usually still do. Always an LCP in my pocket, and if I'm wearing a belt, then usually a subcompact 9mm or .45 on my hip.

Larry

When I carry my Shield 45, I carry a backup mag. When I carry my M&P 40c .357 SIG, I figure 11 rounds is enough. However, I must admit that recent events have me thinking about a BUG. If I get one, I'm leaning toward a small revolver. My top candidate right now is the 6-round Ruger LCRx in .327 Federal Magnum.

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What, me worry?

Nope.

I’m doing just fine with just one handgun at a time.

When I was much younger, I imagined I might have a use for a second gun. Then I realized I was just trying to justify buying other guns.

As I matured, I realized that I didn’t need to make up a reason to buy another gun.

Age can be liberating.

Nope. I do carry spare ammo usually. Not my job. Just want me and my family to get out safely. Then again, there may be a trunk monkey in my car if I’m on a range day.

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SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

Nope. Never. Just recently started carrying a reload.

I do keep a gun in my truck so I have a backup then.

Didn’t carry a second handgun. Still don’t.

Did usually had an 870 or a Mini-14 nearby, however.

Be safe...be well!

I haven't, probably because of the area in which I live...pretty rural. Now, when I toss the truck gun, a lever-action rifle in .45 Colt, onto the back seat of the pickup, I still have my handgun on me, so I suppose one could call that a backup.

My "back up" gun.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I'm not a LEO or a retired LEO, so I've not had a history of carrying a BUG...........but I do usually have an extra magazine either on me or within easy reach.

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

Recently got a Sig 365 and am waiting on the 12 round magazine to arrive so I would probably feel comfortable enough with just one handgun. However, the way things are going I'm close to carrying one of my AR-15s in my truck I'm just trying to figure out a good way to hide it from thieves.

If it gets real and I pray it won't, I have speed loaders.

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U.S. Coast Guard, retired CPO

Yeah, same here.

I always find it interesting when non LEOs carry as much or more gear/heat than active/retired LEOs. If I feel there’s need to carry a BUG I don’t need to go there. Not saying folks shouldn’t carry what makes em happy, I just find it interesting. However, I do think it’s a good idea to carry an intermediate level of force like OC or a Taser.

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213th FBINA

No I don’t. But no matter what I carry, I always bring a spare magazine.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I usually have a sap or pepper spray. (Sometimes both...usually when walking the dog in our forested area.)

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642-1, M&P15 TS

I carry a bug. Usually a colt pocketlite or a s&w 340pd.

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Two J-Frames all day every day.

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Two Handguns every day

Yup, still do.

.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

I have never understood the concept of carrying a small gun to back up a big gun. My thinking is if a big gun don't get the job done I need something bigger instead of smaller. A "J" frame in my front pocket is my main gun and if I carry a second gun for a bug it has more and bigger bullets than a "J" frame. Larry

I actually agree with you, I never really understood the concept of carrying a smaller gun in case your big gun failed.....but then again I guess its kind of like those cars with the donut spare tires......

Personally I dont carry a second gun as a "backup" so much as I carry it as a hand off weapon. Im usually out with family or friends and most of them are knowledgeable about weapons......cant hurt to have 2 guns facing a threat if need be.

Rarely do I ever keep a second gun on me......however my main gun does come with 1 or 2 spare mags depending on the day.

Let me preface my comments with the statement that I am not, haven't ever been, or see myself being, a member of law enforcement.

When I hear the term "BUG", I envision either a firearm carried to either replace my disabled primary arm, or to pass to a colleague that is devoid of firepower; I don't see it as a platform for a New York reload.

Using my definition of BUG, I can see a value if you are carrying a revolver with spare ammo in drop pouches, or both revolvers utilize the same size speed loader. I would suspect that with today's conditions, if carrying semi-autos as your primary and BUG, it would be counter productive to carry two different feeding devices. Using this approach, your BUG would have to function reliably with the feeding device used in your primary arm.

For example: if you were carrying a Glock 17/45/19 as your primary, then you could employ your primary magazines in a Glock 26 carried as a BUG. I am not pushing Glocks, but you have this conceptual compatibility with any double stack magazine Glock in either: 9mm, 10mm, 357 Sig, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, or 45 GAP. I freely admit that I can't answer this question, but how many current production semi-autos have this conceptual compatibility?

In today's environment, if I were called upon to defend myself, I wouldn't want to run out of ammo the same as I wouldn't want to run dry my ammo for a functional arm and be left with ammo for a non-functioning arm!

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Judge control not gun control!

Nope. One gun, no reload.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Before retiring, I always carried a backup revolver usually in an ankle holster or a pocket. During some of the more interesting times, I carried a back up to the back up.

I carry a BUG when I’m working, but generally don’t when I’m off the clock. If I was going to Philly I would, but I haven’t had a reason to go there in a while.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

Ditto.

...

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

My primaries are all subcompact glocks or J frames. So I guess I am always carrying a "BUG", just one at a time.

Before I retired, I always carried a back up when working. Now retired it's very rare, usually when I travel and then it's mostly to be able to arm the wife.

Not since Vietnam, (M-16 primary, 1911 back up).

It's not rocket surgery. It's a lot easier to carry a smaller BUG if you're already carrying a gun to begin with. Plus, it's not about the primary gun not being enough to stop a threat. It's about having something to use if the primary gun stops working, sometimes it can be faster to draw a BUG than reload your primary (especially for those who carry revolvers), with the right placement a BUG can be accessible to your offhand if your primary hand/arm is injured or otherwise occupied, and, like mentioned above, it can be used to arm someone you trust who doesn't have a gun.

For me, I carry a small snubby revolver in an ankle holster as a BUG to the Beretta PX4 Compact on my hip. The main reason is accessibility. If I need to draw a gun while seated in a car, I can actually get to my ankle gun faster and easier than the PX4 that's trapped between my body and the seat. And it can serve as a BUG in case my PX4 stops working.

...in more than forty-six (46) years carrying a gun thus my decision not to carry a second handgun.

I do, though, have a spare magazine in all my 4 wheeled vehicles for semi auto use, if needed. And usually toss a speed loader in my day bag when toting a revolver. (Day bag is my shoulder bag that carries my iPad, newspapers, planner, etc. when I am out and about.)

I do carry extra ammo when traveling. Just another mag, though.

Be safe...be well.

I EDC a Model 49 no dash (plus a reload). When dressing up in a suit or nice pants my BUG is a Beretta Tomcat on my left ankle. If I'm really expecting trouble I do two things! 1) grab a long gun! and 2) Try very hard to be somewhere else!

Ivan

a mostly very peaceful area I live in, so don't consider a back up necessary. i have carried back up from time to time. at my age there are many dangers and having to defend myself with a handgun is no where close to the top of the list. but i am always carrying, just in case that black swan event occurs.

One gun, 2 spare clips.

Yup, I said clips.

Very very very rarely more than one. Some people I ride with have arsenals, so it’s all good.

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Sure you did

I love making up reasons to buy another gun!

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What, me worry?

Been carrying a M340pd these days, bit have been considering adding a NY reload.

Either my 431pd in 32 h&r or my 649.

Still a 1911. When the protesters hit a mile from My house I carried a spare mag. Not now.

Before I retired, I carried, in turn, a S&W Model 37, a S&W Model 642-2, and a 2 inch S&W Model 12-2 as a back-up to my duty revolvers, a S&W Model 65-1 then a S&W Model 686-6.

After I retired, I generally just carried one gun, either the S&W Model 12-2 or Model 65-1, with at least 2 reloads. When traveling, I would carry both. As things have gotten weirder, for a short time I carried a S&W Model 469 with two spare 15 round magazines before giving it to my grandson. Recently, I've been carrying a Ruger EC9s with two 9 round spare mags, mostly due to excruciating pain from sciatica.

With the out of control violence we are seeing in a number of large cities, some of which I have to visit for my wife's medical care, I am considering several options for "back-ups," including putting a modern sporting rifle carbine or pistol in the SUV and/or adding a standard capacity full-size 9mm pistol to my carry options with a number of spare magazines (Think sling bag.).

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

Most of the time I don't carry a B/U gun or magazine because I work from home and don't commute often. That said, depending on what I'm doing (i.e. where I am going and for how long), I'll carry two and sometimes three guns and extra magazines (two on the body and a separate one in my vehicle, if that counts) to ensure that I have both a B/U and the quickest deployment options possible from within my vehicle. Up to now I haven't kept one in my vehicle full-time even though it is garaged every night.

Though my reasons for carrying one gun and no reload are simple (in my experience that is all I’ll need) I often wonder how someone at the other end of the spectrum will make out.

So the Three Gun Kid is in a shooting, which requires one or two rounds. The cops arrive and they have TGK empty his stuff on the trunk lid. Out comes the Glock 19 with red dot and flashlight, two spare extended mags, a Model 442, two speed strips of .38 + P, an NAA .22 Magnum, a tactical folding knife, two flashlights (one is none!), a tourniquet, and a key ring complete with mini-kubaton. At which point the copper raises his eyebrow and says: Were you looking for trouble?

Luckily it is still a free country so you can carry as many or as few goodies you want.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

For the next few minutes I’m set. I have a 9mm M&P, six mags, and 500 rounds in my car right now.

I just got home from the range. They had ammo available so I procured some. It will come in the house soon. Then I’ll be back to my normal carry.

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SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

If I am carrying a revolver, I almost always carry a BUG in the same caliber and two speed strips.

If I'm carrying an auto, I carry two spare mags.

It's overkill, but I'm ok with that.

If I ever begin to feel that I need a 3rd gun as a back-up, I would need to seriously evaluate where I was going. Glad I don’t have to go to the places you did before you retired.

Well, I've got an 870 in the trunk. I suppose that backs up my 6906?

Just a quick question. In Utah can the rifle be loaded? Here in Pa it can't.

I barely tolerate the added weight of one. LCP or very rarely an LC9 or M36. One at a time. Oh yeah, also a mini revolver in 22lr for the days I really hate the bulk. Sometimes when I see the size of some people it makes me wonder though.

Before I retired I carried a backup gun everyday, every shift. Once I retired I stopped carrying a backup until I started working in a couple gun shops, then I was back to carrying either a Kel-Tec P3AT or a Kahr Arms P380 as secondary to my primary SA Micro 45 1911. Now that I am fully retired I'm back to just my Micro 45 for daily carry.
If I am going to take a trip of any distance then I have a new backup gun that gets carried in Discrete Carry Case on the rear seat floorboard. CZ Scorpion Micro 9mm. Still classified as a pistol so it's covered under my states CCW and LEOSA.

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Religiously when I worked in uniform. Generally now, only when I travel as sometimes the choices of where I may have to stop during the trip are really poor.

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NHI, 10-8.