Carry a backup gun EDC? Why/why not?

[Cannon762]

I know most people on here carry, and that's great, but I'm curious how many of you carry two or more firearms on you as EDC. I've been considering looking at a .380 or small 9mm for backup support should I need to toss my main carry in a sticky situation and would like your recommendations.

 

[sj kahr k40]

I usually carry a DB380 as well as Kahr .40, but my reasoning is a little different than most, my left arm is broken and in a brace for the foreseeable future and reloading is hard with a bad hand

 

[dom1104]

Chance being in a situation where you need your gun.

Lets be really generous and say thats a 1 in 10 chance.

Chance of being in a situation where you need your gun and somehow your main gun runs out of ammo or is otherwise disabled or taken from you.

1 in 100? 1 in 1000? 1 in 1000000?

At some point, you need to decide what is "Enough" preparedness.

You can stockpile food for SHTF, 2 months, 6 months, 10 years, but at some point you have to say "Enough."

When I open carry I do carry a second gun.

 

[Dave Doehrman]

I know most people on here carry, and that's great, but I'm curious how many of you carry two or more firearms on you as EDC. I've been considering looking at a .380 or small 9mm for backup support should I need to toss my main carry in a sticky situation and would like your recommendations.

I carry an HK 45 Compact in an IWB holster and a Sig P238 in my hip pocket in a Bullard wallet holster. If something happens, I want a back-up. That's why we have spare tires, health insurance and back up our computers.

There are also situations where I might want to leave the .45 in my vehicle, but I still have the .380 in my back pocket.

 

[ATOMonkey]

Dual weilding FTW. If one is good, more is better.

 

[lovemachine]

I conceal carry a Glock 19. I also carry 2 spare magazines. I don't carry a back up gun. Why? I don't see myself ever needing it. I train with my Glock 19, so I'm pretty confident I can handle a threat with just that. If I ever feel my EDC and 2 spare magazines won't handle the threat or threats, then I should get the hell out of there immediately.

 

[686 Shooter]

Sometimes I don't carry a gun, and in those cases, I always carry a backup gun. My opinion is, carry what makes you comfortable, (Feel safe). I like being discrete about carrying, and if I can't conceal it and get to it when it is needed, I don't carry it. If it makes you feel comfortable with a gun on the hip and one in the pocket, there is your answer, carry what makes you feel safe.

 

[BlueEagle]

Yeah, I just posted a thread about this in the "Carry" thread. I sometimes carry two; generally a G17 and a G26, but occasionally I throw a Taurus TCP into the mix for deep-cover.

 

[dom1104]

I will also point out, a LOT of people come in talking about carrying this, or carrying that, or carrying multiple guns, and they are never ACTUALLY carrying them at the time.

Carrying 3 guns once a month to a INGO meetup is not "Carrying" in my mind.

1 gun on your person 100% of the time beats 3 guns carrying only on weekends or when in "a bad area".

Just sayin.

 

[cosermann]

Routinely carry two. Sometimes three. Four a couple of times just for fun. It's fairly easy with a bit of thought and for me the incremental, marginal inconvenience is negligable. Some reasons:

1. catastrophic malfunction of main gun.
2. gun(s) in seperate locations so another is accessible if primary can't be accessed, or for defense if struggling over primary (thus it can't be accessed).
3. primary is taken
4. arm a friend if the need arises.
5. all the good reasons for carrying any gun at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ29lGSPPV8&playnext=1&list=PL78B45098A1D534B7

 

[sonofadoublegun]

I carry a LCP in my pocket in addition to a Glock 30 on my hip...

I doubt I would ever NEED that second gun, but the darn thing is just so tiny and cool that I carry it "just because"!

SODG

 

[Sirshredalot]

Sometimes I don't carry a gun, and in those cases, I always carry a backup gun.

Hilarious...

I feel paranoid toating around more than 10 pounds of steel and brass.
I have carried two guns at once before...and I can say that I cant foresee any circumstance(that I might get into) where it would be necessary.

If I need more than the 30 rounds that I carry...I should GTFO there.

God bless
-Shred

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I think a lot of it depends on the situation. If I where going to spend a lot of time in a bad part of town, or a unfamiliar area. I would probably carry my Sig 229, and my PF9 for backup. For every day around town, I just carry one.

 

[barrelmaker_2002]

....I've been considering looking at a .380 or small 9mm for backup support should I need to toss my main carry in a sticky situation and would like your recommendations.

Recommendations for what? Whether you should carry a second gun or what type to carry.

To start, there are numerous reasons why carrying a 2nd gun is a good idea and I will not rehash them. There are some downsides too - cost being probably the primary one for most people.

However, others peoples' opinions are irrelevant as to whether or not you decide to carry a 2nd gun or not. It is a totally personal decision. For the record, I do not carry a back-up. However, one of my closest friends regularly carries 2 guns and sometimes 3 (and usually a knife or two and more recently a collapsible baton). The rest of our group of friends might chuckle about it a bit, but we do not make snide remarks behind his back about him being paranoid or anything.

As for a second carry gun, in a perfect world you would have a matched pair. However, the world is not perfect and if you are planning on pocket carry pairing two different sized Glocks is pretty much out.

Thus, I think a reasonably priced .380 or 9 MM pocket gun would work. In .380, you can get decent pocket guns from Magnum Research***, NAA, Kahr Kel-Tec, Ruger and several others. In 9MM, options are bit more limited and or a lot more expensive, though the recent intro of the Sig P290, Kahr CM9 and the Diamonback DB9 have improved selection a bit.

Here is a link to pocket guns compariosn chart: http://www.mouseguns.com/PocketAutoComparison.pdf
(there are a couple missing)

*** I have as friend with one of these and it is tiny, has a fabulous trigger and is super accurate for a gun with a 2" barrel. Read his review here: Micro Desert Eagle: Initial impressions and first 1000 rounds - THR

Finally, what if it were me? What would I buy? In .380 it would be the Micro Dessert Eagle noted above. My wallet would tell me to get an LCP and my heart would pine for a Kahr P380 - the Micro would be a middle position between the two.

In 9MM, I would get a Kahr CM9. A Ruger LC9 or Kel-tec PF9 would be cheaper, but the Kahr is a drastically better gun, a bit smaller and still just over $400 new. And darn it, I have wanted a Kahr pocket gun forever....

 

[Mad Anthony Wayne]

Those MDE's are excellent little guns. I have a buddy who has one with wooden grips thats in excellent shape who I know will sell it. Pm me if anyone is interested and I'll put you two in touch. He has an LTCH and will want to see yours.

 

[dom1104]

Those MDE's are excellent little guns. I have a buddy who has one with wooden grips thats in excellent shape who I know will sell it. Pm me if anyone is interested and I'll put you two in touch. He has an LTCH and will want to see yours.

Wow, I could not disagree more.

Pulling the trigger on those is like pulling your pickup by the trailer hitch.

Worst, Trigger, on ANY gun I have ever held. I wouldnt touch one with a 10 foot, no a 30 foot pole.

I have only handled about 8 of them, but they ALL felt absolutly 100% horrific, did they redesign them recently or something?

 

[CalebToNowhere]

I will also point out, a LOT of people come in talking about carrying this, or carrying that, or carrying multiple guns, and they are never ACTUALLY carrying them at the time.

Carrying 3 guns once a month to a INGO meetup is not "Carrying" in my mind.

1 gun on your person 100% of the time beats 3 guns carrying only on weekends or when in "a bad area".

Just sayin.

Agreed. Kimber comes off when I go to bed.

 

[cosermann]

In addition to catastrophic failures (firing pins, springs, etc. - spare mags won't help in these cases) and other reasons already mentioned, there are many historical accounts of either,
a.) backup guns saving someone's life, or
b.) someone ending up dead who might have been saved by a BUG.

 

[dom1104]

In addition to catastrophic failures (firing pins, springs, etc. - spare mags won't help in these cases) and other reasons already mentioned, there are many historical accounts of either,
a.) backup guns saving someone's life, or
b.) someone ending up dead who might have been saved by a BUG.

I would be willing to bet 10 bucks that the majority of those stories are police officers, putting themselves into harms way intentionally. With a gun hanging off their hip "take me, take me".

OF COURSE a BUG makes sense in that occupation. I remain unconvinced that it is a level of preparedness warrented by the CCW holder.

Nothing WRONG with carrying a bug, but so many people dont even carry a primary weapon it seems relatively academic.

At some point, you need to trust your maintenace and equipment to the point where you do not worry about your firing pin breaking the ONE TIME in your life you need to shoot another human being.

Because if you have fired 30K rounds, and the ONE TIME you need it your firing pin breaks....

maybe fate just wants you dead

 

[BlueEagle]

In that case, I will fight fate until the end, and they'll find me in a pile of shell casings, with a G17 locked open at my feet and a G26 locked open in my hand.