How easily accessible should your Back Up Gun be?

[lovemachine]

I've been trying to find ways to easily, and comfortably, carry a Back Up Gun. I have even researched how others carry their BUG. Some carry their support side, others pocket carry, and some ankle carry.

I know how important it is to be able to access your primary carry gun with either hand. But, for a back up gun, how easily accessible SHOULD it be?

Pocket carry can be troublesome to draw from. Ankle carry can be troublesome to draw with one hand. Carrying 1 gun on your waist is hard enough, let alone 2.

 

[actaeon277]

"Ideally" it should be very accessible. "Real World" will probably be different.
No room on my belt for BUG.
So, it's usually a .357 on the ankle and/or a NAA mini-22 in the pocket for me.

 

[Yup!]

I wish my gun was harder for me to get to!

- No one​

 

[9mmfan]

When needed, I ankle carry a 642 in an ankle glove.
Although when wearing shorts thing can get a bit exciting!

 

[AngryRooster]

Either my 642 or 442 in a left pocket holster. There may be circumstances where you need to get to it and fire using only your non dominant hand. Most people consider a backup gun as a secondary gun when your primary either runs dry or if it becomes nonfunctional. Keep in mind that it's very easy for your "backup" to become your "primary". If you are trying to fend off someone who is trying to take your primary or you have to hold them at bay with your dominant hand then you need to be able to use that back up while doing so. Ankle carry makes this near impossible.

 

[actaeon277]

Either my 642 or 442 in a left pocket holster. There may be circumstances where you need to get to it and fire using only your non dominant hand. Most people consider a backup gun as a secondary gun when your primary either runs dry or if it becomes nonfunctional. Keep in mind that it's very easy for your "backup" to become your "primary". If you are trying to fend off someone who is trying to take your primary or you have to hold them at bay with your dominant hand then you need to be able to use that back up while doing so. Ankle carry makes this near impossible.

True.
But when in a seatbelt it is accessable, unlike pocket or belt.
Are there any really any great BUG locations? Seems everything is a compromise.

 

[Yup!]

Either my 642 or 442 in a left pocket holster. There may be circumstances where you need to get to it and fire using only your non dominant hand. Most people consider a backup gun as a secondary gun when your primary either runs dry or if it becomes nonfunctional. Keep in mind that it's very easy for your "backup" to become your "primary". If you are trying to fend off someone who is trying to take your primary or you have to hold them at bay with your dominant hand then you need to be able to use that back up while doing so. Ankle carry makes this near impossible.

Locked in the safe is worse

 

[warthog]

I keep an LCP in a Desantis Ankle holster and an LC9s in my coat pocket with my SP101 in a shoulder holster.

 

[MCgrease08]

I always picture most likely scenario to be one of two things...

1) Primary gun malfunctions/ runs dry
2) You've been overtaken by one or multiple attackers and you're on the ground trying to protect yourself and can't access primary.

In scenario 1 pocket carry or iwb on the weak side is probably best. For scenario 2 you may find yourself on your back with someone on top of you and ankle carry may be an option.

I have not trained for any of these scenarios, so this is all speculative and based on very little real world experience at all. I'm curious to hear from any LEOs or FOF type guys on what they've been taught or teach.

 

[Yup!]

No matter where you put your BUG I can tell you a scenario where that doesn't work.

carry for comfort and availability, it's better than not having it.

 

[mrortega]

I carry my Glock 21 cross draw on my left side, sometimes exposed, in a Blackhawk Serpa. I carry my G30SF on my right side in a leather holster without retention under my shirt/sweater and never exposed. Both guns can use the same extra mag. I want the BUG easily accessible so that if I'm fighting to retain my primary I can draw it with my strong hand and hopefully put a couple shots into the BG's hip, crotch or ribs - whichever is the easiest to hit.

 

[Vigilant]

I've been off and on about my BUG, somedays, AIWB opposite my primary, somedays ankle carry. Opposite AIWB leaves me looking for a place for my spare mag, ankle carry comes with it's own drawbacks. One day I will figur out the Goldilocks solution, until then...

 

[N R A]

If it works on one side, it will work as a mirror image, with training.

 

[bwframe]

I've been trying to find ways to easily, and comfortably, carry a Back Up Gun. I have even researched how others carry their BUG. Some carry their support side, others pocket carry, and some ankle carry.

I know how important it is to be able to access your primary carry gun with either hand. But, for a back up gun, how easily accessible SHOULD it be?

Pocket carry can be troublesome to draw from. Ankle carry can be troublesome to draw with one hand. Carrying 1 gun on your waist is hard enough, let alone 2.

I EDC a 1911 and spare mags with arguably the best available belt and kydex. Adding a second gun in an OWB, behind my mag carrier, was surprisingly less than obnoxious. To qualify my answer, I didn't run that gear beyond BUG training day. While I want to be ready to responsibly carry the BUG at any time, I'm still not convinced I need to.

I intend to have amhenry make me a LH OWB holster for my J-frame .357. It will be my BUG if necessary, but moreover the primary in certain perhaps daily circumstances. The idea is to make the wheel gun my routine left hand gun and to master shooting it weak hand only.

 

[actaeon277]

If it works on one side, it will work as a mirror image, with training.

No room on the belt.
Out of real estate.
Phone, light, multi-tool on other side.

 

[churchmouse]

I do not carry a back up. I do carry spare mags. I feel confident with my gear.
At home is a different story.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I carry it such a manner as that its easy to get to when my primary is not. Sitting and seat belted in, for example. With this, you can cover weaknesses for your primary and have better odds during any encounter. I do not carry my BUG with the primary goal of being to replace my primary, I carry it with the primary goal of being an alternative. Although I will add that I do know of at least two incidents off the top of my head where a gun was disabled by a bullet striking it early in a fight. In that case, a BUG would be very welcome if you had the time to get to it.

 

[Yup!]

. Although I will add that I do know of at least two incidents off the top of my head where a gun was disabled by a bullet striking it early in a fight. In that case, a BUG would be very welcome if you had the time to get to it.

I've started carrying a BUG for a lot of reasons, but I had overlooked this one. Good input!

 

[MCgrease08]

Galco makes a thigh holster for dudes. I guess it would work in the summer.

 

[rhino]

I've been trying to find ways to easily, and comfortably, carry a Back Up Gun. I have even researched how others carry their BUG. Some carry their support side, others pocket carry, and some ankle carry.

I know how important it is to be able to access your primary carry gun with either hand. But, for a back up gun, how easily accessible SHOULD it be?

Pocket carry can be troublesome to draw from. Ankle carry can be troublesome to draw with one hand. Carrying 1 gun on your waist is hard enough, let alone 2.

Here is a thought process that might help:

1. When, and under what circumstances, might you need your second (or third) weapon?
2. How important under those circumstances will it be to access it quickly?