Chitika

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Carrying a Back Up Gun

By Dustin Aaron


In today's era concealed carry is becoming more and more prevalent. It's becoming a safety factor that we all have to try to think about. There are a bunch of discussions about concealed carry. What name brand of gun, what ammunition type, what brand of ammunition and where to wear it. I hear these questions all the time. The question I don't hear a bunch is "Should I carry a backup?"

A lot of permit holders look right over this concept. They know the chances of them actually employing their weapon for self-protection is low, so they assume they will not ever need a backup. This could not be further from the proper truth. Your car has a spare tire right? And when you really need it you sure are pleased it's there.

If you are carrying a backup you have automatically amplified your chances of survival against an attacker. In a lot of robberies there is greater than one assailant involved. It will be pretty hard to take on two gun men on your own. Having a backup would allow you to pass one handgun off to a buddy or spouse, now you have leveled the playing field quite a bit.

If you find yourself in a gunfight it is possible for your gun to malfunction or you could run out of ammo. Having a backup could very well save your life. As concealed carry becomes more prominent the criminals are catching on but they are not expecting you to have a backup. Surprising the opposing force is how this country achieved 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 make or model of pistol? There are a bunch of manufacturers out there today. A lot of the companies are manufacturing really good weapons and it is hard 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 total amount of ammo you can carry. The bigger the slug the less you will usually have. This is the place where some people will exclaim "caliber doesn't matter, shot placement does". Shot placement is definitely important but how accurate are you when you're lying on your back getting attacked. You quite simply need something with stopping power. A .22 will stop anyone, tomorrow.

In self defense the top goal is to stop the attacker, not kill them. For me a .380 is the smallest I would employ when choosing caliber.

Another factor in choosing a backup is where on your body and just how you are going to carry it. You have to decide on a spot that is not noticeable but fairly accessible. An ankle holster is a good place but it limits you to only wearing slacks. Pocket carry is very popular but you are constrained to a small firearm which should be all right considering this is a backup. You need to remember that when pocket carrying you have to dedicate that pocket to your weapon only. You would not want keys getting twisted around your trigger.

There is the typical inside the waist band carry but your main firearm may already be there. Belly bands are a great holster for a backup. There is even concealment underwear out there. For the ladies there are other options. Of course a purse can be effective. 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 nestled away in my back pocket is the best backup for me. With a 6+1 round capacity and weighing less than ten ounces it will not trouble you to have it there and it will be there in case you need it. No safeties to be worried about and they are proven to be trustworthy.




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