Global Sports: Carrying a Back Up Gun

Monday, January 28, 2013

Carrying a Back Up Gun

By Dustin Aaron


In today's time frame concealed carry is becoming more and more desirable. It's becoming a safety element that we all should try to think about. There are a lot of arguments about concealed carry. What style of gun, what bullet size, what brand of ammunition and where to carry it. I hear these questions all the time. The question I don't hear often is "Should I carry a backup?"

A large amount of license holders look right over this concern. They know the chances of them actually using their gun for self-defense is really low, so they assume they will absolutely not need a backup. This cannot be further from the simple truth. Your car has a spare tire correct? And when you have a need for it you sure are happy it's there.

If you are carrying a backup you have efficiently multiplied your chances of survival against an aggressor. In a lot of robberies there is greater than one assailant involved. It will be pretty hard to take on two gun men by yourself. Having a backup would allow you to pass one handgun off to a buddy or loved one, now you have equalized the playing field quite a bit.

If you end up in a gunfight it is possible for your gun to break or you could run out of ammo. Having a backup could potentially save your life. As concealed carry becomes more prevalent the criminals are catching on but they are not anticipating you to have a backup. Surprising the enemy is how this country gained its independence.

As soon as you have decided to wear a backup you are faced with just as many decisions as you were when you opted to carry concealed.

What kind of gun? There are a bunch of manufacturers out there today. A lot of the companies are crafting really good guns and it is frustrating to choose a brand.

One thing to think about is how easy the firearm is to work. If you are going to hand this gun off to someone else it should probably be an easy one to shoot. I would not look for one with a safety. There are so many of reviews on the web. With a little analysis you should be able to narrow it down.

Choosing a caliber is always one of the most difficult choices to make.

The caliber will also naturally determine the quantity of ammunition you can carry. The larger the slug the less you will typically have. This is the place where some people will say "caliber doesn't matter, shot placement does". Shot placement is very greatly important but how accurate are you when you're lying on your back getting attacked. You really need something with stopping power. A .22 will stop anyone, but not instantly.

In self defense the principal goal is to stop the assailant, not kill them. For me a .380 is the smallest I would go when choosing caliber.

Another factor in choosing a backup is where on your body and how you are going to carry it. You must decide on a spot that is not exposed but fairly accessible. An ankle holster is a good place but it confines you to only wearing jeans. Pocket carry is very well liked but you are limited to a small firearm which should be fine considering this is a backup. You need to remember that when pocket carrying you have to devote that pocket to your weapon only. You would not want keys getting twisted around your trigger.

There is the popular inside the waist band carry but your main weapon may already be there. Belly bands are a decent holster for a backup. There is actually concealment underwear out there. For the women there are extra options. Obviously a purse can work. If you keep control of it all the time. There are also thigh holsters if you are wearing a dress.

A Ruger LCP in .380 hidden away in my back pocket is the optimal backup for me. With a 6+1 magazine capacity and weighing a bit less than ten ounces it will not inconvenience you to have it there and it will be there if ever you need it. No safeties to worry about and they are tried and tested to be trustworthy.




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