BUG Gear: 2 mags each gun (brown & red) + holsters for primary gun (brown) and backup gun (red)

I shot my first BUG Match Sunday May 31st at The Range in Oxford, NC. BUG stands for Back Up Gun. A “BUG” match incorporates both a primary gun and a backup gun.

• Primary guns are loaded to 6 rounds
• Backup guns are loaded to 5 rounds (although the IDPA rules concerning this change tomorrow (June 1st) and then require 6 rounds.
• Roughly half the stages only require the backup gun (no primary gun).
• No stage is shot with the primary gun only.
• No stage requires a reload on the clock.
• I opted to carry both in a holster, but a holster is only required for your primary gun. You can carry the backup gun in a gun case. When it’s your turn to shoot: uncase, load, shoot, unload, re-case.
• For stages with both guns, there is a safe place to put down the primary gun after you’ve shot it.
• The BUG is always picked up from a flat surface (or a trunk, or a dashboard, or a refrigerator door shelf, or a car seat…) but not from a holster.
• Many of the shooters commented that they didn’t shoot their backup gun often and struggled with it somewhat. I shot mine for an Action Pistol match in March when I sent my 1911 back to S&W. I found that to be valuable experience prior to shooting this match.

For this match:

• We started at 1pm and were done by 3:30pm.
• I shot 68 rounds total.
• My primary gun: H&K USP Compact in 9mm shot in SSP (Stock Service Pistol: decocked with a double action first trigger pull, followed by single action trigger pulls).
• My “BUG”: XDS in 9mm.

Lessons Learned:

• These are FUN matches!
• I like shooting steel!
• I thought I’d set the primary gun down softly but on the stage with the barrel positioned to swap guns, I bounced it a bit.
• When I swapped guns in the SUV, I hesitated because it just felt like I needed to drop the magazine for a reload… which is how I usually shoot matches. So it takes a change in habits.
• I’m getting better at shooting on the move.
• I got 2 of 3 shots on the mover and didn’t hit the non-threat. So never stop trying new things.

Here’s a recap in just over 4 minutes: