EDC & Training Gun Matched Set?

[Craig_AR]

In the January 2021 Rangemaster Newsletter Tom Givens described his EDC as an upgraded G17 (grip, trigger, sights) and then told us,

"Ben also built me an identical twin as a training/practice gun. I do 99% of my shooting with the training gun, and only shoot the EDC gun a couple of times a year, to burn up carry ammo and replace it with fresh. This allows me to transfer training/practice skills directly to the identical carry gun, without putting wear and tear on the gun I depend on for defense."

I understand the logic here, given the amount of training I assume Tom does each year, but now I am curious. How many others here have a training gun in addition to a low-use EDC? If so, it it identical to the EDC or just the same model, without upgrades?

 

[Jeff White]

I have a nearly identical 1911 to my carry gun, but it's so that I am still armed if I were to have to use the EDC and then lose it for who knows how long because it's evidence. I shoot them both but I train mostly with the EDC. I take a different approach then Tom. I think the wear and tear on the carry gun is a good thing. When you train with it you are going to (a) break it in, (b) discover any faults or quirks and fix them before you need to use the gun for defensive purposes.

Tom doesn't mention breaking in his EDC so I don't know how many rounds he puts through a semi auto before he considers it reliable enough for duty use.

 

[lemaymiami]

Must speak up here... As a cop I carried nearly 24/7 when I was awake and over many years had an assortment of sidearms - my duty gun plus whatever I thought was a good idea for off-duty (and this was when the Miami area was "interesting" from 1974 up to 1995 when I was lucky enough to get an early retirement. Those last five years though things changed for me as I got more and more experienced (and lived through a few moments that I'd like to forget...).

Here's what I decided - and that was that I wanted the most capable sidearm with me on or off duty - so that's exactly what I did... carrying my duty weapon (a SigSauer, 40 cal, P229) with night sights. It's what I practiced with and carried both on and off duty, period. I even carried it on an ankle holster off duty.

I'm not a competitive shooter or anyone that spends a lot of time at the range. A sidearm was just a tool that I was required to have and that's how I regarded it. In fact I always figured that a handgun was what you used - because you couldn't get to something more powerful at that moment... I also made a point of having a shotgun in hand on any hot call or when there was the possibility of weapons involved...

A second duplicate gun for range work? Not this guy, not ever... Must also admit that I haven't carried a sidearm on my person even once in the 25 years since I retired from police work. If that's a mistake... I'll be the first one to learn about it...

 

[Armored farmer]

I have a 1911 22lr to help me stay tuned with point-shooting skills.
I often carry a 1911 commander as a ccw.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

A second duplicate gun for range work? Not this guy, not ever... Must also admit that I haven't carried a sidearm on my person even once in the 25 years since I retired from police work. If that's a mistake... I'll be the first one to learn about it...

You'll get no criticism from me! But I'll admit, I get a really queasy feeling in my guts if I even think about ceasing to CCW! Never in the 25+ years or so that I've had a permit have I ever drawn my sidearm, but there's maybe two or three times that I thought I might have to. And while it's a bit different than urban CCW, I have needed my sidearm in the woods (although I hasten to add, not for people!).

 

[JohnKSa]

I have backups/duplicates for all my carry/self-defense handguns (except one) that could be pressed into service if there were an issue with the primary.

Although, to be fair, (again with one exception) I didn't really buy them with that specifically in mind.

Must also admit that I haven't carried a sidearm on my person even once in the 25 years since I retired from police work.

There's not just a single reason I carry, but one consideration was that I realized that I knew the self-defense & carry laws of my state, I was already in the mode of being situationally aware because that's how I enjoy living my life, and I had spent a lot of time getting good at my hobby, which was primarily shooting handguns.

I thought to myself what a tremendous waste it would be to have that knowledge, skill and mindset, and then not have a handgun available when it was actually needed. That wasn't when I started carrying, but it was the point when I started making an effort to always carry when it was feasible/legal.

I think it's a personal decision and I wouldn't tell anyone else that they should follow my lead. But I feel the same sort of thing would be true if another person with the skill and mindset to carry ended up needing a handgun and didn't have one when they needed it. It wouldn't be wrong for them not to have it, but it would be sort of a waste--and sad.

 

[lemaymiami]

In all of the 25 years I've been retired I have, and kept current, a concealed carry permit (the first one was part of my retirement package - then renewed every five years since I never knew whether I'd need to take a job again that required a permit..). Fortunately that never happened but I still have a current carry permit. I just have never carried a sidearm since October 1995 - but that doesn't mean I don't have one nearby - in case... I'm not completely foolish...

In my case it was a way of getting me out of the mindset of jumping into things if needed -no matter where I was... You'll also have a slightly different attitude about carrying if you've ever seen newspaper articles accusing you of murder... something I went through many years ago for the single shot I ever fired on the street....

As I've said previously, if I'm making a mistake, I'll be the first one to learn about it....