Author Topic: Whats the lightest for back-up? (Read 2597 times)

EDELWEISS · « **on:** May 08, 2007, 04:49:00 AM »

I normally carry a Sig Pro (40S&W), on occasion I may use a Glock 36 (45acp). Recently Ive gotten my self and my family into a Cape Fear situation and someone suggested a back up weapon. This has gotten me thinking about lite weight options.

I dont want anything less than 380 and thats only if size/weight make a significant difference. Im large but this is a back-up so Id like it small and lite. Its most likely gonna be worn on my ankle or in a jacket pocket until the heat ends that option.

Ive got a couple snubbies 686 and a Speed Six, but neither are what I would consider as a back-up and both are heavier than what I want for this use. Im looking for suggestions. Ive handled the NAA 380 and recently saw the Kel-tec tiny version. The Kel-tec is definetly lightweight. I havent ruled out revolvers, but Im clueless about the new space age metal versions. My dealers dont have alot of options on the shelves, so before I order, Im looking for advice.

John R. · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:21:44 AM »

The Kel-Tecs are excellent guns for the money. My dad carries one

PA-Joe · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:40:35 AM »

Any one of the 32NAA's 380 necked down to 32acp.

dave375hh · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:37:54 PM »

I carry a Kel-Tec P3AT for concealed carry when wearing minimal clothing, ie; jogging shorts & T-shirt. In a pocket holster it conceals quite well in the shorts pocket. Regular carry weapon is a Glock 32 in .357 sig. in a Bianchi mod 100 IWB.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2007, 01:46:49 PM »

The Scandium J-frame .357 Magnum revolvers only weigh 12 oz. and can be carried in your front pocket.

williamlayton · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2007, 02:23:55 PM »

I like the scadium idea-I have one and it works great from pants pockets.
The PPK works great from pants pockets.
Sigs in the 239 are minimually acceptable--though this is offset because of the full sized load. I have on occasion carrie mine in the pocket.
A .50 cal zip gun---just kidding.
There are a lot of choices though I think the pocket carry too be better than the ankle.
Blessings

drdougrx · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2007, 02:30:16 PM »

I'd add one mre suggestion. Try a colt mustang pocket lite in .380 if you can find one. Mine is really great.

rockbilly · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2007, 06:38:43 PM »

Kel Tec P 9. I haven't bought opne YET, but it will be my next one. NOt only will this make an excellent backup gun, it will make you a good carry gun period. I should have my tail kicked, at a recent gun show a dealer was selling them for $300. out-the-door. OI passed thinking my buddy could get me one cheaper, but he said he couldn't even buy one wholesale at that price. They are retailing at around $389.

Turk · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2007, 03:41:02 AM »

I have a Kel-Tec P3ATwith the metal spring clip attached. I can stick on my belt inside of my pants the top of the grip shows but my regular tucked in shirt covers it. It's not a fast draw but then in the real world it will be in my hand when needed. It's so compact you hardly know it's there.

I know the 380 isn't a 45 ACP but I bet you won't find any takers if two guys faced off one with a 380 and the other with a 45 ACP and traded shots with each other and the guy with 380 takes first shot.

Turk

superjay01 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2007, 04:19:46 PM »

I have to throw in a vote for the scandium smith and wesson j frame. I have one and love it. throw on a pair of laser grips and you have a great back up gun.

petepaaz · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2007, 07:26:58 PM »

Sig 232 is a 380 with a great portable size yet is very accurate. Use hollowpoints of course.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2007, 01:30:44 PM »

Quote from: drdougrx on May 09, 2007, 02:30:16 PM

I'd add one mre suggestion. Try a colt mustang pocket lite in .380 if you can find one. Mine is really great.

That's what I was going to suggest. I really liked my colt, light and easy to conceal, and 380 would be a minimum for me. Or maybe one of the alloy framed makarovs, kind of like playing baseball with a cracked bat at the range but as a backup would be pretty practical.

257 roberts · « **Reply #12 on:** May 14, 2007, 04:22:30 PM »

I carry a Walther PPK in a Galco pocket holster,EVERYWHERE!!!

RollTide · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2007, 07:23:43 AM »

I carry a NAA 32ACP in my front, strong side pants pocket and extra mags in the off side back pocket. In real shootings, the 32acp, 380, and the 38 snub nose are all about equal in stopping a threat when compared under identical criteria. The 32 is lighter, smaller, has less recoil, and can therefore put more ACCURATE rounds on target faster, at least that is my experience. YMMV Invesitgate closely if you buy a 32. If you get a Kel-Tec, use only FMJ although it is significantly less effective than JHP. The NAA 32 and the Seecamp 32 are made for shooting JHP and will also handle FMJ as well. If females or non-shooters must use the gun in a emergency, they will find the little 32 much more "user friendly." (i.e. they are less likely to drop it when it goes off the first time.)

I have also carried a NAA 22mag as a back-up, and sometimes a primary when the situation demanded an ULTRA small hideout. I know its limitations and train to use it accordingly. This little gun makes an EXCELLENT deep concealment hideout as a second BUG. I knew one guy who thwarted a rape attempt on his wife while they were on a camping trip because he had a little 22 hideout where his assailants did not find it when the searched him. He got the drop on one of them and put the 22 in his ear, end of story.

Roll Tide

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2007, 11:00:16 AM »

S&W mod 38 body guard air weight 158 sw hp plus p w/ secrete service grips , I like the stainless finish , as a side i load snake shot when in areas where i might get a shot !
its most likely just me but a 38 plus p is about as low as i want to go in size and power , friends don't let friends carry mouse guns ! i had the honor of growing up in what was the murder capital of the south , always in the top 5 % per capita nation wide , often # 1 or #2 , I have seen people shot , most on drugs , if ya use a 30-06 to kill a 90 lb. doe why trust your life to a 32 or 380 when your attacker might be 200 or more lbs. and on drugs ?
when i have to work in the "bad" parts of town i carry a glock 23 or 21 ! stop a guy shooting out of a car with a 380 !
yea i would rather take cover also but sometimes if just don't happen that way , i spent a half hour in a ditch during a rain storm cause some dopers girlfriend got caught with another man and he started shooting up the place , i was working about 30 yards from the place he was shooting from , and it was before we could carry in VA. legal ! i dove for the ditch with a welder , we laid there until he ran out of bullets !
i just don't get that warm fuzzy feeling from a plastic 32 in my shirt pocket !

Mikey · « **Reply #15 on:** May 23, 2007, 02:51:04 AM »

Shootall: my preference for snubbies is the S&W M38 Airweight Bodyguard. Mine carries 200 gn semi-wadcutters that group together at 25 yds. No, I would not feel very comfortable taking on a car full of drive-by gangbangers with that one and you would probably find me in the same ditch you were in and right next to ya too, but I wouldn't have a problem defending myself against someone in the range of 200+ lbs with that 38 though.....Mikey.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #16 on:** May 23, 2007, 03:50:14 AM »

i carry a 38 most of the time reserve the big stuff for bad sections of town read that stored in truck , its below that i have trouble with , i have owned a 32S&W , a 32 kel-tec , 32 bretta , 32 browning , some 25's , a PPKs , sig 380 , a Mauser HSc and a couple more 380's ! none seen to have the power that makes me feel comfortable , if i up grade it will be to a light weight 357 , i have a g-27 to big , Kara's don't fit well for me , i carry in my front pocket , when i reach in the revolver seems to be easier to get a good grip on and get up and running , auto's are flat and hard to get a good grip in the pocket , i use a pocket holster also to position the gun !
I have taken courses to be a personal defense instructor , the important thing to remember with regard to equipment is it must work 100% of the time , so a revolver with 5 chances of a round going off seems better than an auto that would have to be cycled if a round failed , a couple of shots from a 38 may have a chance at slowing or stopping an attack better than a small calb. , a revolver works in a pocket , it works when the muzzle is in contact with the target ( like in a fight ) !
the rev. has no safeties that need to be wiped off nor a mag to fall out , as far as round count i would carry 2 if needed ,and to me it is important to carry the same all the time , i was taught this BUT one day i switched to a shoulder rig , got into a situation where the gun was not needed yet but a hand on it seemed a good idea , so under stress i reached in my empty pocket , so now now i keep the pocket gun even if a larger gun goes
I know this means little to the guy who wants the kel-tec in baby blue to match his girlfriends eyes but it does to me !
had a chance to go to a gun show last week-end , had to let a policeman inspect my gun at the door , he looked at my M-38 BG and smiled and said I carry mine all the time too , that was a stainless finish when it was new ?

Old Griz · « **Reply #17 on:** July 01, 2007, 10:57:27 PM »

I just recently bought a S&W 638 Airweight .38+P for a pocket pistol. I know the Kel-Tec is smaller, but I'm just a wheelgun type of guy. I like the dependability of a good (I said GOOD) revolver. What impressed me the most, however, was the way it pointed. The grip design makes it so natural that it is almost like pointing you finger at someone. After shooting it for the first time I was really impressed. Those guys really knew what they were doing.

Sir Knight · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2007, 12:26:38 PM »

Get a Colt Pocket Nine. A 9mm in the size of a PPK.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2007, 01:21:29 PM »

In this picture I am carrying the minimum carry gun that I personally would carry which is a S&W 637 airweight .38 Spl I can tell you it is not located in the small of my back or in my pockets, but is concealed.

http://www.snubnose.info/docs/M637.htm

randyb · « **Reply #20 on:** September 04, 2007, 09:46:20 AM »

Any of the lightweight j frames in .38 would work, same for the kel-tec .32 and .380. I have a kel-tec .32 currently for said purpose, but would like a NAA .380 guardian.