back-up gun Selection

Back-up and Undercover Weapon Selection

Service handguns are selected for their reliability and hard hitting calibers - not their small size or light weight. There are occasions when a large service pistol will be unsuitable, and yet other occasions when they will malfunction, or be lost during a struggle. In these instances a smaller handgun can be a lifesaver. The savvy cop carries a back-up weapon, and some carry two !

If you work plain clothes you will need to conceal your sidearm, and will therefore require a smaller gun than standard department issue. There was a time when this meant sacrificing accuracy, reliability, and stopping power - happily, times have changed.

There are now a number of small, concealable handguns available in decent, hard-hitting calibers. Reliability and accuracy are good too.

The handguns described here are a representative cross section of what is available. This is by no means an exhaustive listing. The guns featured here have all proven to be very reliable (the primary requirement of any defensive arm), and all come in decent defense calibers - except the Kel-Tec 32, which should be considered strictly back-up material !

Opinions differ, but in general, desirable defensive handgun characteristics in order of importance are:

1 Reliability

2 Decent caliber (32+P minimum for a back-up, and 38+P minimum for a primary weapon)

3 Firepower (number of shots before a reload is required)

4 As few controls as possible to ensure fumble free operation under stress

5 Durability, so that you can practice regularly without the gun falling apart

6 Recoil control (revolvers recoil more than semi-autos of similar ballistic performance)

7 Accuracy

The above list assumes that you've already narrowed down your choices based upon size and weight. 2 & 3 may be interchanged depending upon individual circumstances and opinion - would you rather have a Kahr K40 with 7 rounds of 40, or a Kahr K9 with 8 rounds of 9mm, for example ? Given this choice most people opt for the 40 , but there are other considerations - the greater recoil of the 40 caliber model can be punishing for lady users, and generally makes aimed follow up shots more difficult, for example.

Some people may argue that number 4 above, should be at number 2 - and they may be correct, it all depends on personal abilities and circumstances. If you reason it out, then decide for yourself, and you are comfortable with your choice of 'partner', then that's what really matters !

Figure 2

Upturned Front View

Figure 3

Underside View

Figure 4

Upturned Rear View

Weight and Size

As previously stated, above all else, your defensive handgun must be reliable. Once you've satisfied yourself that all on your shortlist are, you must then decide which other characteristics are important to you. Weight and size are the first two factors to consider in order to narrow down your list of candidate firearms.

If you live and work in a hot climate, size and weight may be important considerations - light clothing makes concealment more of a challenge. Generally speaking, concealment is not as difficult as many people believe. Strap on your gun, let your shirt fall over it, and look in the mirror. Sure, you see it 'print', but it's very unlikely that anyone else will - they don't know it's there; you do ! It is assumed that you are using a good quality, well designed inside the waistband (IWB) holster.

Many people consider weight to be very important in handgun selection. If you're a weak geriatric it may well be, but in general, if you're in good health and use a good holster & belt, the weight just disappears along with the gun. That weight is actually beneficial when you come to use the gun. The only time that weight is a big drawback is when you opt for pocket carry - especially when no holster is used.

Dimensions Can Be Deceptive !

Take a look at the side view of the guns in Figure 1 above, and the dimensions recorded in Table 1 - ignore the Kel-Tec 32 for a moment. That Glock in the picture looks attractively sized compared to the Kahr, doesn't it ?

Well, as with many things in life, there's more to this size thing than you may have realized.

The dimensions given in Table 1 are the largest dimension in any given direction. Based upon this, the revolvers look wide, but that's because they have a bulky cylinder that sticks out over a relatively small area of the gun. Conversely, some of the autos look narrow (going by the dimensions in Table 1). However, it should be remembered that the width of an auto is almost constant over its entire area, and this makes them relatively more bulky than a purely dimensional analysis would indicate.

All this makes size comparison from tables of figures rather difficult - and meaningless. The best way to obtain a realistic comparison is to look at Figures 2 though 6. Draw your own conclusions, but your attention is drawn to the relative bulk of the Glock, the excessive grip length of the Kahr, and the exceptionally small size of the Kel-Tec in every dimension.

To be fair to Kahr, they do offer a 'Covert' model with a half inch shorter grip and flush fitting magazine (not pictured, but similar to the grip in Fig 5 below)

Figure 5

S&W J Frame and

Kahr MK9 Compared

Figure 6

S&W J Frame and

Kel-Tec 32 Compared

Accuracy, Recoil, Durability, Controls, Firepower, Caliber

Just What is Important - and Why ?

As previously stated, above all else, your defensive handgun must be reliable. Once you've satisfied yourself that all on your shortlist are, you must then decide which other characteristics are important to you.

Accuracy is nice to have, but is generally not as important as some people think. Most defensive encounters will occur at less than 10 yards - many under 5 yards. It's also unlikely that you'll have time to take careful aim. A handgun that groups under 4 inches at 25 yards is nice, but one that groups 6" will still serve you well in a back-up or undercover role.

The fact that you're unlikely to have time to take aim brings us to firepower (how many rounds you can fire before you need to reload). Many people argue that they only need one or two shots. What they really mean is that they only need to hit with one or two shots - given the confusion and panic that is likely to be present in any defense situation, the more firepower you have the better chance you have of surviving unscathed. Better to have ten rounds and need 3, than have 5 and need 10 !

Recoil is another factor. If you're a strong man with large, powerful hands, then this will be less of an issue. If you're a small female with delicate hands, then this may have a significant impact upon your final choice of weapon. Both the Kahr and Glock handguns are available in 9mm or 40 caliber. The 40 caliber models have significantly greater felt recoil - some people don't notice it, others find that the difference is intolerable. If in doubt, try before you buy.

Durability is really only an issue if you intend to practice a lot (and expect your weapon to last you through to retirement). The S&W Airweight revolvers have a reputation for 'loosening up' relatively quickly - some of the components just don't hold up to frequent use very well. S&W have recently addressed this problem with the introduction of the Scandium line of revolvers; these have titanium cylinders and aluminum/scandium alloy frames - they are lighter and stronger than the old Airweights, and are also chambered for the more potent 357 magnum caliber. Beware, recoil may be fierce, and durability has yet to be proven.

Glocks are famous for their durability, and the personal sized 26/27 should be no exception - the average user will be hard pressed to wear one out. Ruger revolvers are also exceptionally durable, but the Kahr and Kel-Tec are relatively recent designs, and have yet to prove their durability.

Many users often overlook the critical importance of controls when they buy a handgun for personal protection. If you examine a firearm in a gun store, or use it at the range, you will doubtless find that it is easy to operate. Many semi-auto pistols have a lot of controls such as magazine release, slide release, safety lever, and takedown lever. Some of these may be ambidextrous, so you'll have them on both sides of your gun. In a stressful situation, too many controls lead to the 'fumble factor', and this can be disastrous. The safety lever that falls readily to hand at the range suddenly disappears, and you're left squeezing the trigger for all you're worth, and 'willing' the gun to fire. Too late; you're dead !

For this reason, all the handguns featured on this page have the minimum number of controls possible - to minimize the possibility that you will get confused when the heat is on. The revolvers have only a cylinder opening latch (nothing new there), the 'full size' autos have only magazine release and slide release, and the little Kel-Tec gets by with only a magazine release.

Caliber choice is hotly debated around the country. Every caliber has its advocates. Some prefer the large diameter 45, some the high velocity 357 magnum. Bottom line is that any gun of 32 ACP caliber or above is a suitable back-up, and any gun of 38+P caliber or above will make a suitable primary gun. Some would argue that 38+P in insufficient, and they may well have a point, but all things are a compromise, and if the biggest gun you can carry/handle is a 38+P, then so be it. 45ACP looks big and imposing, but in reality it's a relatively low energy caliber, and its size means that firepower is reduced to unacceptable levels in small handguns.

The pros and cons of each firearm featured here are listed in Table 2.

Note that, as with most things in life, your final choice will be a compromise. A feature that benefits one aspect of weapon handling or performance will usually detract from some other aspect.

Set your priorities, and choose accordingly.