[bill cameron]

I notice a lot of people talk about carrying a back up handgun, often a smith J frame. When you carry two handguns, what do you carry and how do you carry?? What do you view as the pros and cons of having both handguns in similar caliber?

 

[Duke]

Bill
When I am carrying which is daily I am carrying Wilson CQB 45 in a Kramer horsehide vertical scabbard on my strong side. On my off side I am carrying two spare 8 round Wilson 47's in a double carrier. I also carry a Kel-Tec P-32 in my left back pocket. As a retired LEO I am not on a lot of my towns occupants Christmas card list. While there is merit to carrying a back up the same caliber as your main carry gun I feel with 16 additional rounds I can get by with the 32 ACP. Thats just my opinion.
Long live the 1911
MOLON LABE

 

[Inspector Harry Callahan]

Uh oh... I hear the Glocksters stampeding in this direction to brag on the virtues of carrying a full-size Glock with a Baby backup and spare mags to fit the bigger one (thus fitting the Baby also). It's a great argument, but gets sort of old.... Especially when you know it's coming.

 

[Duke]

I second that statement Harry.
Long live the 1911.
MOLON LABE

 

[GLV]

Anyone that has the need to carry a gun, should have a backup. Sort of like a spare tire--can't remember the last time I needed one, but I still have it, and I check the air in the spare often.

Today a Colt Commander LW strong side, a Kel Tec P11 Pocket holster weak side. When I work [three days a week], P11 and p32 Kel Tecs. GLV

 

[VictorLouis]

A J-frame Smith is always around, usually in addition to a larger wheel in the same caliber, or the occasional automatic.

 

[38 Super Combat Commander]

I carry a Commander in 45 or a Para P-14 and for backup a 38 special Davis deringer in my left back pocket.

 

[Guest]

Inspector, this will get you... a 'partial' glock convert. I carry a Kimber Pro-Carry strong side iwb as primary.. 2 8rounders off-hand, and a Glock 30 on the ankle or in a left-hand iwb at 8 o'clock as backup.

 

[buzz_knox]

I can beat it. My brother-in-law sometimes carries a Glock 36 as backup to his . . . HK P7 PSP. Yup. A .45 backing up a 9mm. I love him, but he's a tad bit strange on occasion.

 

[Denny Church]

On 2001-09-28 10:34, buzz_knox wrote:
I can beat it. My brother-in-law sometimes carries a Glock 36 as backup to his . . . HK P7 PSP. Yup. A .45 backing up a 9mm. I love him, but he's a tad bit strange on occasion.

Buzz,

that is interesting. About 18 months ago, at the local indoor range (I had the rare free afternoon and decided to go and hang out) a man had ordered two Kimbers. The first was a .10mm Short (.40 Slut & Wussy)- a Pro Carry I think, and the second was a full size Custom Classic in .45. The wierd thing was that he carried the .40 strong side as his primary and the full-size .45, hung horizontal, as his back-up. I asked him if he always carried the .40 as his primary and he said yes. He also said he shot better with it.

Best gun rule...

Denny

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Denny Church on 2001-09-28 20:16 ]</font>

 

[buzz_knox]

Actually, there is some logic to that. I've heard that some cops carried an airweight on the strong side (with a std revolver as backup) because the short barrel and light weight made for an exceedingly fast draw. That way, they could put lead on target faster. If they still needed a weapon, the heavier weapon was available far faster than a reload. And if the target was still agressive, the more power the better.

 

[Denny Church]

On 2001-10-04 12:57, buzz_knox wrote:
Actually, there is some logic to that. I've heard that some cops carried an airweight on the strong side (with a std revolver as backup) because the short barrel and light weight made for an exceedingly fast draw. That way, they could put lead on target faster. If they still needed a weapon, the heavier weapon was available far faster than a reload. And if the target was still agressive, the more power the better.

Thanks for the insight Buzz. I had not considered that.

Denny

 

[SNAPCUT]

An H&K USP45 is almost never found too far away from my right hip, where it most often resides in a Kramer IWB#3, a Rosen ARG, or a few other rigs I utilize. My S&W 342PD, aside from its place on my vest when in uniform, generally sits in an Alessi ankle holster. I have some pocket holsters, but I only use them when my activities preclude the use of an ankle rig. (Motorcycle riding, specifically.)

 

[M. Hall]

Novak/Colt LW Commander in ARG right hip,
Action Works/S&W model 38 in Alessi pocket
holster-left front pocket. **Updated**
Now carrying my CAC 10mm Delta Elite Carry-
Comp in a Garrity Steadfast sharkskin,
and a Ruger SP101 .357 in a Alessi ankle
holster during the cooler months, Rosen
cross-draw during the hot ones (Arizona).
Yep, heavy-iron. Works just fine with the
right carry gear though. Hats off to all
three fine holster/belt makers!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: M. Hall on 2002-06-09 16:53 ]</font>

 

[N-Frame Guy]

STI .40 strong side w/2 spare 20 rounders. Sigma 40C under left arm attached to body armor straps. Spare 15 rounder in trauma plate pouch, over plate. 92 rounds of .40 Gold Dots. That will get me back to the trunk for the AR. Do ya think I have a problem?
I remember Massad Ayoob advocated cops carrying a DA auto in the belt holster and a wheel gun as a backup. The prevailing wisdom was that if you had to arm another person they could use your backup and if they knew how to use a gun, they knew how to use a revolver.

 

[Hany Mahmoud]

Man, I like your style!!! Makes me feel better about the G17 (safariland level II) G36 on vest and keltec 32 in left front pocket.
What duty holster are you using for that STI, I recently picked up a used Eagle, and a buddy just got an Edge in 40, but neither of us are carrying them... yet.

 

[joesaxon]

Glock 22 when on the companies dime/time backed up by a Taurus airlite .38 backed up by North American .22 mag. When I'm on my time a Glock 32 backed up by a sigma .380 or when feeling more traditional a Gov't model backed up by a Browning HP. All primary guns are carried in a shoulder rig, various makes and models and back up is IWB again various makes and mods. NAA is always carried in right front pocket.

 

[Seventh Fleet]

I have always carried two guns since I became a LEO over 27 years ago. It only makes sense to carry a backup gun, which I still call my "Onion Fields" gun, which was taken from the book by the same name.

7th

 

[shermlab]

I had a job as a guard on an armored truck when I first started college and I carried an HK USP .45 Full size as my holstered sidearm, a Smith 649 .357 in an ankle holster, and a Hold-out Beretta .25 ACP that I built a concealment device for out of a pack of cigarettes that I hid in my tac vest. I carried spare ammo for the primary and secondary. I qualified quarterly with all three weapons. People used to laugh at me for being "paranoid" until one of our coworkers got hit. Then everyone started asking me where I got all of my gear. My opinion on body armor and secondary, or tertiary weapons is that the only time you need them is when you REALLY need them.

 

[samuel farber]

I carry two firearms on a daily basis.
On my strong side I carry a 4" S&W 625 and in my left pocket (this actually works for me, I swear) I have a Kimber aluminum frame Compact.