More ammo vs. back up gun

[hog slayer]

Personally I always carry an extra mag, I do from time to time always carry a BUG, but an extra mag comes first. There are a couple of pros to a BUG for me. One is the ability to access the bug if the primary is not easy to get to in a given situation. The other that I from time to time consider is the ability to hand the BUG to someone. I know the 2nd may seem odd to some, but if I am with my significant other who can use it and doesn't always carry a gun at least has an option for me to arm her or a few select friends I find myself with frequently. Granted this doesn't fit a self defense role whatsoever and the likelihood of it coming in to play is slim to none but it makes a lot of sense in an active shooter, some home invasion and other possible scenarios. It's just something I consider. I find my primary gun being the gun I have the most confidence in, and the extra mag will help with any malfunctions in addition to additional available ammunition. Therefore I most certainly feel just fine with an extra mag. Nothing wrong with a BUG though in addition from time to time, I find carrying other things instead though to serve a better purpose most times.

Precisely! I carry a bug to hand to my son if that should ever be necessary. That's two shooters instead of one. I'm not John wick, so I probably won't need more than 120 combat load to go to the grocery.

 

[rhino]

May I suggest that someone could use a blue gun as their primary when training to drop and utilize their secondary firearm?

You could and it would be better than nothing if dropping your primary is a potential part of your plan. If you think you might drop your non-functional gun intentionally, though, it's going to take some serious mental exercise to condition yourself to actually do it in the heat of the moment if you never actually drop the gun in practice. Dropping a gun on gravel is counter-intuitive for most people and some won't do it solely because they don't want to scratch their gun. I recognize that some consider dropping a gun as an unacceptable risk management choice, but most people hesitate because they don't want their precious scuffed.

 

[hog slayer]

You could and it would be better than nothing if dropping your primary is a potential part of your plan. If you think you might drop your non-functional gun intentionally, though, it's going to take some serious mental exercise to condition yourself to actually do it in the heat of the moment if you never actually drop the gun in practice. Dropping a gun on gravel is counter-intuitive for most people and some won't do it solely because they don't want to scratch their gun. I recognize that some consider dropping a gun as an unacceptable risk management choice, but most people hesitate because they don't want their precious scuffed.

You would absolutely be the SME on this. I have personally witnessed you drop at least 2 guns maybe even a third while training. You ain't scared of scratching your precious and it caused me to consider the option.

 

[rhino]

You would absolutely be the SME on this. I have personally witnessed you drop at least 2 guns maybe even a third while training. You ain't scared of scratching your precious and it caused me to consider the option.

Well, they were just Glocks, so it's not like they really mattered.

I got over my reticence when training with Henk Iverson and some of John Farnam's associates years ago. I was ditching an empty 1911 in a dump pouch and one of the assistants asked me, "Are you always going to have that dump pouch?" So then I when I ran dry to dropped my 1911 (yes 1911) onto that sandy, dusty, rocky ground at Sand Burr. A bunch of times. After that, a Glock is no big deal.

 

[2A_Tom]

You do realize you could be excommunicated for that.

 

[Fordtough25]

Jeff Gonzalez talked on this subject a few times, his opinion was a reload was faster and the main gun was better to use. But he also said sometimes 2 guns is a good idea so each person is different.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I'm a fan of carrying two guns, carried in different positions. It gives you more options.

I carry a primary and an alternate gun, plus a reload for each. P226 and LCR, typically.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Rhino's going to be sorry when he's in the hurricaine katrina flood in New Orleans and drops his glock while fighting looters.

 

[hog slayer]

Sig man, now

 

[roscott]

Wow. To those that carry two guns, more power to you! I've never needed more than one gun, but it seems like if two G19 mags haven't covered it, a second gun would be more helpful than yet another mag.

I'm still trying to convince my buddies to carry a spare mag, let alone two spares or two guns!

 

[rhino]

Rhino's going to be sorry when he's in the hurricaine katrina flood in New Orleans and drops his glock while fighting looters.

Sig man, now

I'm going to keep carrying a Glock specifically to drop in the water. They seem to do fine in the dishwasher, so I doubt if a little fetid flood water will hurt it.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Wow. To those that carry two guns, more power to you! I've never needed more than one gun, but it seems like if two G19 mags haven't covered it, a second gun would be more helpful than yet another mag.

I'm still trying to convince my buddies to carry a spare mag, let alone two spares or two guns!

I don't really look at it as a backup gun, but as an alternate primary. No matter what carry position you use, there are weaknesses to it where it's less than ideal for situation X even though it's fantastic for situation Y. By carrying two guns in two different positions, I cover more situations where one of the carry positions is ideal. As an example, appendix is less than ideal for a concealed draw but is great for a quick draw. Pocket carry sucks for quick draw but is ideal for concealed draw. Different situations lend themselves to one or the other, so carrying both makes sense.

It's not that you run one dry then transition to the next, it's that you employ whichever makes the most sense for what you are currently facing.

 

[Vigilant]

Wow. To those that carry two guns, more power to you! I've never needed more than one gun, but it seems like if two G19 mags haven't covered it, a second gun would be more helpful than yet another mag.

I'm still trying to convince my buddies to carry a spare mag, let alone two spares or two guns!

Simple question, have you ever needed the first gun? If you have, at one time, before, during, or after, did you post-game it? I know BBI has his studies and stats, but he still carries spare mags, and a spare gun. I've had ONE civilian occasion that I needed my CCW, I only had a j-frame, and there were more than five aggressors. Luckily, for me, all of them, betwixt them, couldn't decide which would die, so I didn't have to use it. Since then, a hi-cap semi has went with me everywhere, everyday, and spare mags, knives, and most days a second gun. I'm back to better to have and not need, than to need and not have. Statistics are only numbers until you're one of them, and I choose not to be the "first" guy in a gunfight that ran out of bullets. If you don't want to carry a spare mag, or second gun, fine and dandy with me. I promise I won't be the first guy in a civilian CCW shoot that didn't have enough bullets or guns.

 

[Ryno300]

I certainly understand "both", but I think the value of a spare mag not just for capacity but for malfunction or jam is a high priority.

 

[chezuki]

You could and it would be better than nothing if dropping your primary is a potential part of your plan. If you think you might drop your non-functional gun intentionally, though, it's going to take some serious mental exercise to condition yourself to actually do it in the heat of the moment if you never actually drop the gun in practice. Dropping a gun on gravel is counter-intuitive for most people and some won't do it solely because they don't want to scratch their gun. I recognize that some consider dropping a gun as an unacceptable risk management choice, but most people hesitate because they don't want their precious scuffed.

Ain't skeered!

 

[lovemachine]

Ain't skeered!

Yuck! An M&P, almost as bad as a 1911....

 

[chezuki]

Yuck! An M&P, almost as bad as a 1911....

Shouldn't you be at your lathe making something else that oddly resembles a butt plug?

 

[lovemachine]

Shouldn't you be at your lathe making something else that oddly resembles a butt plug?

Why? Are you wanting one?

 

[rhino]

 

[roscott]

I don't really look at it as a backup gun, but as an alternate primary. No matter what carry position you use, there are weaknesses to it where it's less than ideal for situation X even though it's fantastic for situation Y. By carrying two guns in two different positions, I cover more situations where one of the carry positions is ideal. As an example, appendix is less than ideal for a concealed draw but is great for a quick draw. Pocket carry sucks for quick draw but is ideal for concealed draw. Different situations lend themselves to one or the other, so carrying both makes sense.

It's not that you run one dry then transition to the next, it's that you employ whichever makes the most sense for what you are currently facing.

That actually makes a great point. I have seen you post before about the merit of an ankle gun for seated, and hip gun for standing, and it makes perfect sense. I think I would want to train more for that before rolling that way though. I would hate to waste a second in a real situation trying to decide which gun to draw. K.I.S.S. works pretty well for me, albeit it may not be the best way out there. Besides, my skinny jeans won't fit that ankle holster...

Simple question, have you ever needed the first gun? If you have, at one time, before, during, or after, did you post-game it? I know BBI has his studies and stats, but he still carries spare mags, and a spare gun. I've had ONE civilian occasion that I needed my CCW, I only had a j-frame, and there were more than five aggressors. Luckily, for me, all of them, betwixt them, couldn't decide which would die, so I didn't have to use it. Since then, a hi-cap semi has went with me everywhere, everyday, and spare mags, knives, and most days a second gun. I'm back to better to have and not need, than to need and not have. Statistics are only numbers until you're one of them, and I choose not to be the "first" guy in a gunfight that ran out of bullets. If you don't want to carry a spare mag, or second gun, fine and dandy with me. I promise I won't be the first guy in a civilian CCW shoot that didn't have enough bullets or guns.

1. Yes.
2. I'm unsure of the definition of "post-game it." If you mean analyze it to death, definitely.
3. 5 guys vs a j-frame? Sounds like you had just the right amount!

I'm just kidding around. Seriously, that sounds like a major pucker scenario, and I would be definitely wishing I had something bigger!

I don't mean to detract from the guys that carry two guns. Two is no doubt better than one. And a shotgun would be even better, but somewhere we all make concessions when we carry, for comfort or otherwise. One gun and a spare mag works for me. Again, I'm not saying it's what anyone else needs to do, but it works for me.