I’m still looking for the appropriate BUG and even if I’m actually going to bother with one. I don’t think one can dispute that a second handgun doesn’t have its virtues but I’m just unclear how it’s going to work, especially for me. I shot an LCR yesterday and I just wasn’t really a fan. I don’t really like the revolver concept since it seems you are limited on reloads as your primary ammo doesn’t match. It also just wasn’t as comfortable to shoot nor did it seem to be as accurate.
Since I’ve made the switch to M&P for carry I was wondering about the appropriateness of an M&Pc as a BUG. I like that it can use a full-size magazine so theoretically reloads are simplified. The concern I have is about the size.
I’m wondering if there is a certain set of criteria, accepted or clearly defined, for the whole BUG concept? What makes a BUG a BUG? When is a gun too big to be a BUG?
Just like a primary, your BUG is going to be dictated in many ways by the simple question: What are you willing to carry? You could certainly carry a M&P Compact as a BUG, but it’s far towards the “huge” size in BUG terms.
The ammo commonality concept is reasonable, but at least from a statistical standpoint it’s probably overkill. Of course, one man’s overkill is another man’s bare essential.
Personally, my ideal BUG is something that is small, unobtrusive, and easily accessed by my support hand… the thought process being that if my primary gun is unavailable it may well be because my primary hand got shot.
Todd please expound a bit on your points and other thoughts:
The_Katar made a good point about not using a different genus semi-auto as a backup gun lest one magazine be confused with another. Moreover we both agreed that micro semi-autos have drawbacks in terms of shootability.
I guess my concept of a BUG is that it’s your “last ditch” and that if you need a reload you’ve got a whole other set of problems. This is where defining a BUG seems useful. Should you have a separate reload (moon clip or speed loader) if you use a revolver as a BUG?
I totally agree with the notion of the backup being accessible to the support hand.
GSJ – Katarzan is absolutely right. In an ideal world, your backup would be identical to your primary. With a little pocket gun you’re giving up firepower, stopping power, range, speed, and possibly even reliability.
But this isn’t an ideal world. Most folks – you may be an exception – aren’t going to carry two large pistols around, especially in civilian clothes. So approach it just like you would a primary gun. Having a huge, heavy, high-capacity primary pistol doesn’t do you any good if you’re the kind of person who won’t actually carry that big everyday. So many people compromise and choose something smaller and easier to conceal. Same is true with the BUG. If you’re willing to jump through the hoops necessary to carry a M&P and a M&Pc every day, that’s certainly a valid choice to make. But if you find yourself leaving the BUG at home some days because it’s too big or doesn’t quite work with your wardrobe, etc., then it’s doing you zero good compared to something smaller.
It’s analogous to carrying a sidearm as a backup to an AR. You’re giving up a lot of those same capabilities – firepower, stopping power, range, speed – for the practical convenience of having a backup you can actually schlep around. How many people carry two ARs with them daily?
I understand the thought process that says “if I need to go to my backup I want it to be as good as my primary.” When the time comes, we’re always going to want the gun in our hand to be bigger, more powerful, more shootable, etc. It’s just a matter of figuring out what you’re willing to compromise.
Qualifications: I’m a dude who owns samples of the M&P’s in question and I regularly carry a backup.
…I wouldn’t put the M&P9C or the G26 in the backup category for most people. They are really too big for most people to pull it off. I do occasionally pocket carry the M&P 9C, but I also wear pants with some friggin’ huge pockets. Even then it looks like I have a brick in my pocket. It’s hardly the most subtle thing in the world…but since nobody spends much time staring at my crotch nobody seems to notice.
If I were to carry them as a backup daily I’d do it in a weak-side IWB holster sort of the way I’ve seen Ken pack a J frame. My personal favorite BUG option is a CT equipped J frame in the pocket. It’s much easier to pull off than an M&P 9C or a G26 in the pocket. I like the G26 and my M&P9C, but I generally carry/carried them when printing was of primary concern.
The idea of using one of the super compact Glock/M&P options to back up a larger model in the lineup is a damn good one…but from a reality standpoint most are going to be hard pressed to carry that much gun as a backup and will end up leaving it at home. The J frame is enough gun to get most jobs done but not so much that you end up leaving it at home. EDIT – and I always carry a reload (usually a speed loader for the J frame) for the BUG.
I work plain clothes narcotics every day. As an old habbit from patrol, I carry my primary (Glock 22) and a BUG (Smith J frame M&P). The G22 is in a IWB, and the J frame is on my ankle in a Glaco Ankle Glove (very light, very comfortable). I carry one spare mag for my G22 and one spare spee strip for my J frame. I don’t worry about ammo compatability, as the J frame is a last ditch weapon for me. It also comes in very handy when seated in my car during surveillance, as I can draw it much easier than my primary due to the sport contour bucket seats in my G ride.
The J frame to me is the ultimate BUG. It packs a round of decent power, is very reliable, more shootable than the compact .380’s (for me) and is light enough that I am never tempted to go without it when at work. Tactically I would probably be smarter to carry a baby glock, but it is just bulky enough and just heavy enough that I know I would eventually not wear it anymore.
[ul]
[li]same caliber and type if possible, but it’s not essential
[/li][li]be of sufficient caliber and capability to serve as a primary if needed
[/li][li]be of a size and weight efficiency to allow carry in my common modes of dress
[/li][li]be of a sufficiently similar operating method to not diverge from my muscle memory
[/li][li]be operable and accessible with either hand
[/li][li]be able to escape detection through common ranges of motion or incidental contacts with bystanders
[/li][/ul]
As we get farther out from the primary (third or fourth gun), deviations from the above become more acceptable. I’ve found that combinations of G23s, G27s, and J-frames work very well for my lifestyle.
What makes a BUG a BUG? When is a gun too big to be a BUG?
In my mind, a BUG is simply a second gun. As for when it’s too big, it depends on who is carrying it and where/for what purpose.
Years ago, I slipped on a patch of ice and landed flat on my back…and a G23. I wore a nice bruise in the shape of same for awhile, but maintained neurological function below the injury site. No SOB after that for me. Not ever.
Thats about how I feel about it. Ive decided to standardize on 9mm Glocks so I went the 19/26 route. While the 26 doesnt exactly vanish, it is small enough that I never worry about it. Ive actually been carrying the 26 in a Smart Carry all day and its comfy enough that it wont preclude me from wearing it. I like that I can wear it under sweats or other pt gear. While not the ideal holster for a back up, sometimes I require the concealment over draw speed.
As GSJ mentioned I am currently carrying an LCR (w/laser) as a BUG in my left front pocket. I thought through several scenarios and I came to the conclusion that the most likely reason that I would need to draw my BUG was not a failure of my primary… meaning I’m either fighting with someone, or I’m injured.
I prefer a small revolver over a small semi, and I prefer .38 sp over .380. I have previously considered carrying a Glock 26 but I like the pocket option and I think it’s best done with a J-Frame type gun. The holster I am using is simple and ambidextrous and I wear it on my right side if I am just carrying the LCR as a primary. There are no current speed load options for my LCR, but I would not carry one anyway. The LCR is my last ditch… you can only backup your backup so many times realistically.
I have given up trying to carry a BUG for some of the same reasons stated here. And I totally agree about the M&P9c, which I own, as not being a viable BUG for most cases, it’s just too bulky.
If I were going to carry a BUG, I’d use my Kahr PM9, which is the perfect size/weight, and my sample has been absolutely reliable. At present I just use the Kahr when I need deep concealment or a lightweight carry. Some time ago I did try the Ruger LCR for a while and loved the size/weight factor, but my sample was frustratingly hard to shoot well, it was unreliable (2x trips back to Ruger), and the more I learned about .380 (including ballistic info from Doc GKR), the less I liked the caliber. The tricky thing with BUGs in 9mm is, if you don’t like Kahr, you don’t have a lot of affordable and reliable options. Apparently it’s not easy to make a super-small, super-reliable gun in 9mm.
IMO, the ultimate way to go for a small enough, reliable enough BUG, would be a Kahr P9 or PM9, with the added reliability package provided by Cylinder & Slide. Yes this will run the cost up over $1k, but hey, I think if you want a micro-pistol in 9mm that is super reliable, looking at the current options out there, this is one of the most affordable and reliable small pistol package you can get. My Dad got one of these C&S packages on a P9 and has been very happy with the results.
Yes, if you like the Rohrbaugh. I like the size, grip, and triggerof the Kahr better, not to mention the price (I didn’t need the reliability package on mine).
I also ran across some forum threads recently where a guy who worked at a gun shop claimed to have received email from Karl Rorhbaugh, admitting the pistol was not designed to be fired for even 150 rounds at a time (http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbulletin/defensive-carry-guns/39426-lowdown-rohrbaugh-r9.html). No way of confirming that information, but I’ve heard and read similar reports, so at the very least, it made me leery of the Rohrbaugh. However, even if that info is true, you can make the case that a tiny BUG need not be as durable as a regular carry, so some may find the Rohrbaugh to be a good option.
Thanks for that link. I’ve heard about the springs having a short life, but had never heard it suggested that the pistol itself might have an unusually short life.