[Halo is for Kids]

Who carries two identical handguns in left and right hand draw positions?
The Good? The Bad?

Two j frames in the left and right jacket pockets seems like an ideal winter carry backup. I know I would have to practice weak hand shooting.

Seems like two revolvers or auto's on the belt would balance each other well.

-Just to be clear I'm not talking about "Taxi Driver" or spaghetti western style two handed shooting, just easy access with either hand.

[CWL]

A brace of pistols...kinda old term, last popularly used during muzzleloader times.

The 'modernized' term is the "New York Reload", I believe a few people here actually do carry a matched pair.

[TimM]

I either carry two S&W 36 snubs but mostly carry two Colt Detective Specials. I am recently thinking that I want a .357 so I will probably end up with two (a brace) SP101s.

I have never had to draw them in a SD situation but in theory

1) If your strong hand is occupied/injured you can draw/shoot with the weak hand.
2) If one gun goes done you have a bug.
3) It is a fast reload.
4) You can supply a second person with you, who is not carrying, a weapon if need be.

It is a fact for me that the balance of have a revolver on both sides is more comfortable to carry.

[Haywood]

99% of the time I carry Two Revolvers. I don't have a identical pair. I kind of rotate my Eight 357s and Three 38spls. Today I started off carrying a 605 Taurus and a Mdl. 37 Smith. After a wile I was playing around and put the 605 away and brought out my Taurus 608. when I go to bed I'll probably grab my 617 Taurus or my SP101 Ruger because they have Nights Sights. Tomorrow???????????????

[230RN]

It's funny. I was just skylarking with my son last week about getting and carrying a brace of pistols and I had to explain it to him. I didn't realize it was an old-fashioned term.

"New York Reload." That's funny!

If you carry three, is that a thrace of pistols?

Or four, a force of pistols?

Sorry. Just got home from work and I'm decompressing.

[The Lone Haranguer]

The eighteenth century called - it wants its term back. :neener:

I've never tried it, but it seems to me, on the surface, to be a lot of bother and expense. Besides the mirror-image guns you need mirror image holsters. A main gun with a small backup gun hidden elsewhere (e.g., pocket or ankle) makes more sense to me.

[wally]

Or carry one bigger gun instead!

--wally.

[glockman19]

Who carries two identical handguns in left and right hand draw positions?
The Good? The Bad?
Well my j-frames only hold 5 rounds but my Kimber Ultra in .45 holds 8 rounds and my Glock 26 holds 10.

I'd be more inclined to carry the semi-auto pistols and an extra mag instead of two guns.

The Good?
J frame s are great little guns I have a 442 & 642.

The Bad?
# Rounds. even carrying 2 only gives you 10 rounds. Glock 26, or other semi auto will give you 10+10. Ultra 3" 1911's 8+8.

[BlindJustice]

I recall a movie a couple of decades back - it must have
been put in pre-WWII. The lead BG had a pair of 1911s in a
double holster rig. Guess you'd have to carry two double
mag pouches on the belt for that rig.

[Logan5]

I've never tried it, but it seems to me, on the surface, to be a lot of bother and expense. Besides the mirror-image guns you need mirror image holsters.

That's kind of an interesting question... I'd think that if I were carrying two of whatever, I'd have one set up for strong side draw and the other strong hand crossdraw.

I haven't really seen anything serious written about shooting with a serious CCW handgun in each hand at the same time since, umm... I think Jerry Ahern wrote the article, and the pistols were Detonics Combat Masters... What was that, like 1986?

Looked interesting, but I never actually tried it.

[Halo is for Kids]

I'd be more inclined to carry the semi-auto pistols and an extra mag instead of two guns

I'm up north, and the cold requires a zipped jacket with other layers underneath. The pocket carry of two guns would be for easy access and balance of the load.

For my use i'm considering two revo's in the jacket pockets and a semi w/reloads on the belt.

[CZ 42]

Would be simple if you had gun that fit your back pockets under a jacket. I'd probably rig up some kind of taxi driver device with string so the handles would fasten to my belt but I could yank 'em off in a hurry. I always like finding ways to carry without special hosters.

[Rexster]

Oh, yes, my brace of SP101 snubbies, carried in left and right Milt Sparks PMK holsters! :) More often, it is one in a Sparks PMK, with something else, SP101 or larger, carried somewhere other than on the belt, perhaps in a Wilderness Safepacker, but I feel well-armed with a brace of SP101s. The 4" Speed Six or GP100 gives me a bit more reach, though. Sometimes, I will wear the Speed Six in a PMK on one hip and an SP101 on the other, though that is not a matched pair, so may not count as a brace. I do not normally carry two larger weapons holstered on the belt; that gets a bit heavy. Lighter overall than my police duty belt rig, perhaps, but mercy, how much weight do I want to carry all the time? I actually started this when I thought I might need surgery on my formerly strong side wrist, and started carrying left-and-right to get used to having options, so I would not automatically associate my strong side with being my weapon side. I already had the advantage of being functionally ambidextrous with most handguns, with one side being more skilled, and the other side being stronger. It now looks like I can postpone surgeries indefinitley, so the brace concept is now less important. The main drawback to the left-and-right hip carry is having two separate points to defend during a gun grab attempt. There is no free lunch.

[Donut]

Someone relayed a quote to me that has stuck in my mind. I wish I could remember who the quote was attributed to, but I digress.

"Two is one. One is none."

I should find a cheap lefty holster and practice weak-hand draws...

[Rem700]

Clint Smith

[Donut]

Thank you!

[msb45]

I carry two 1911s. One at 3:30, the other behind. Right hand can access either and left can reach around rear to get 2nd.

Besides mechanical consideration I've read where armed opponents focus on weapons and in shooting can hit your weapon, taking it out of action.

+1 to two is one, one is none.

[ACP230]

In winter I often carry a 649 and an M38.
Not really a brace, since they aren't identical, but close.

The 649 is usually in a pants pocket in a pocket holster and the M38 in a coat pocket with a pocket holster.

[Geronimo45]

two is one, one is none.
Which means? I've seen this line all over the place. Still don't get it.

[ACP230]

Geronimo:
Here you go.

Carry one gun and if it malfunctions you have no gun.
Carry two guns and if one malfunctions you still have one that works.

Malfunctions might not even be the problem. If you have just one gun and can't get to it because your gun hand is occupied fending off someone, or is injured, you might just as well have no gun.

HTH, eh?

[armoredman]

The Phantom does...only gun toting good guy comic hero left... ;)

I have carried two similar, CZ PO1, and CZ PCR as a backup, both IWB, one SOB.

[lawboy]

I sometimes carry two.
M66-2 in strong side IWB and Colt Agent in weak side front pants pocket or jacket pocket. Easy to do and quite comforting.

[Haywood]

Acp230 Said It Best!!

[Mat, not doormat]

When I'm not driving all day, I do. A brace of 1911s, usually PT1911s, right and left, in don hume 721 OT holsters. When walking around, it's pretty comfy, balances perfectly. The trouble comes from the driver's seat in my truck. It's one of the fancy ones, with really built up side support. I can wiggle around until one gun is comfortable, but with both, it's impossible.

I'm not too far away from ambidextrous, about 60/40, right and left. I'm also left eye dominant, so shooting lefty comes easily to me. Besides that, I'm a SASS shooter, so I'm pretty used to running with two guns. I shoot one then the other, rather than both at once, though. There are some guys who are good at that, but I'm not one of them, yet.

~~~Mat

[spwenger]

One at 4:30, one at 7:30.

Why?

I consider the Centennial to be the ultimate backup gun as it will continue functioning under the widest variety of adverse conditions and as a private citizen, I regard both handguns I carry as backups (or tools to fight my way to a long gun).

Mirror-image carry allows me to draw and fire with either hand, as circumstances may dictate. The las time I had to draw on a hostile human being, one hand was occupied ensuring that he couldn't get his knife into play.

The second gun would be my first my first reload.

A second gun allows me to arm a companion who may know how to shoot but may not be carrying.

[Nomad101bc]

This has tomb raider esk mall ninja written all over it. Make sure they are copper plated so the perp. thinks you are the guy from James bond. Only load premium gold plated hollow points with cyanide inside them too...Dont forget to display your CC badge at all times lol.

[Halo is for Kids]

Made it all the way to the second page without any mall ninja comments. And 6 days too.

[CZ.22]

This has tomb raider esk mall ninja written all over it. Make sure they are copper plated so the perp. thinks you are the guy from James bond. Only load premium gold plated hollow points with cyanide inside them too...Dont forget to display your CC badge at all times lol.

Umm, not really it doesn't. A lot of people carry two handguns, and so what if they're the same model. Even better- you only have one handgun to get used to, and they can share ammo.

[hankdatank1362]

Ummm... Lorenzo , AKA Denzel Washington on "Training Day" carried dual 4506s.


I was looking for the gunbroker auction of a custom pair of AMT Hardballer 1911s with some Agent 47 grips, just like the infamous assasin on the Hitman series of video games/movie. Even came with a SOB double 1911 holster.

The auction must be over.

[jt1]

Yes, I do...

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u152/jt1jt1/PC160004.jpg

[TexasSkyhawk]

I had no idea being a civillian was so dangerous as to require multiple guns on one's person at all times (plus spare magazines or speedloaders, tactical knives, tactical flashlights, etc).

Hell, I oughta go back in the military or law enforcement where it's safer and we all managed to somehow survive while working combat zones overseas and gang turf back home--and normally doing it with just one gun.

Jeff

[jt1]

With no supporting fire and no trained and experienced team members to rely on, without a partner or back-up or any expectation of immediate assistance when confronted with a threat, or multiple threats, you have what you have, and the safety of your loved one's and yourself depends solely on your equipment, preparedness, training, awareness and will to survive. If anything, military and LE experience should serve to reinforce the realization that bad things happen to good people everyday and when things go really bad they do so very fast and you are either prepared to reduce any threat you can reasonably expect to encounter, or you are not. I choose to be prepared.

[TexasSkyhawk]

If anything, military and LE experience should serve to reinforce the realization that bad things happen to good people everyday and when things go really bad they do so very fast and you are either prepared to reduce any threat you can reasonably expect to encounter, or you are not. I choose to be prepared.

I could get run over by the Budweiser truck when I least expect it, too. So does that mean I need to start wearing helmets, knee/elbow pads and the such everywhere I walk?

Or does it mean I might need to be more careful where I walk and be more aware of my immediate surroundings? I'll choose those options as it is far too hot in Dallas in the summer to wear all that other getup.

I have no problems with folks who carry a CCW, or even those who carry a spare magazine. But when it gets down to carrying a literal arsenal of various guns and backup guns, magazines, speedloaders and mobile urban/wilderness survival tactical array just to step out and get the mail . . .

Jeff

[Halo is for Kids]

I used to live in Texas, SE Houston (Hot and humid). I know that in Texas, trying to carry a knife, a flashlight, spare magazines, and 2 or 3 guns would require quite a bit of effort. (Probably a fanny pack:barf:)

Up here in the great white north, toting all those extras is not a problem of storage space, it is a problem of easy access. To get to the gun on your belt might require two zippers and a hackathorn rip of a sweater and an undershirt. A gun or two in the jacket pockets solves that problem handily.

Why a gun on the belt then?
As a southerner I didn't know this but up here they turn up the heat just about everywhere you go, mall, movies, restaurants, everywhere inside. In order to still carry in those places I need to have a gun on the belt as well. The jacket gets locked up and I'm on my way through the icy windy cold to the heat of the great indoors.

[TimM]

I have no problems with folks who carry a CCW, or even those who carry a spare magazine. But when it gets down to carrying a literal arsenal of various guns and backup guns, magazines, speedloaders and mobile urban/wilderness survival tactical array just to step out and get the mail . . .

Tell it to Clint Smith.

BTW, I carry two Detective Specials with a total of six rounds each and one speedloader for another six......a whopping 18 rounds. What do you carry, an auto with maybe 17 or so rounds????? Big difference eh?

[Rexster]

Before condemning those who carry multiple handguns, consider that some of us do it for the entirely practical reasons of comfort and convenience. I can carry my brace of SP101 snubbies more comfortably than one Glunck of any size, with the rear of the slide poking me in the ribs. It is also easier to conceal the two snubbies than the one Glunck. Two guns also means balance. Once upon a time, when recovering from a lower back injury, I carried two alloy-framed snubbies, for the balancing effect. Yes, indeed, one Airweight was enough to set off the spasms. Two resulted in balance; balance is good. If balance is good for a bad back, it is also good for a healthy back, to keep it healthy. We can over-do this, of course; two large handguns can be a bit much over a long day. Balance also need not be perfect; I can wear a Speed Six and an SP101, on opposite sides, quite comfortably. Some have mentioned the factor of being able to arm another person, and that is a factor with me, as my peace officer status allows me to carry virtually everywhere, including places where people cannot carry with a CHL. Being able to engage a bad guy from two different angles is a huge tactical advantage.

[Dragonboy]

interesting thought on backups...

in the Glock handgun line, a subcompact (or REALLY SMALL) frame gun, which makes a good backup on an ankle holster or in a pocket, will take mags from it's big brother.

[theNoid]

Or does it mean I might need to be more careful where I walk and be more aware of my immediate surroundings?

I would venture to say that with all of the mall shootings, college shootings, McDonalds shootings, grocery store store shootings, and everyday other shootings out there in places that have always been considered "safe", I am guessing that you just stay home all the time or simply frequent places with only enough people in them where you can watch them paranoidly every second of your visit.

Let's face it, sh*t happens, and here lately it seems to be happening in the most unexpected of places at the most unexpected of times. So is it a bad thing to be prepared..just in case? Not in my book.

I do not carry at all, unless hunting or going to the range or the likes, but I am not going to sit here and ridicule those that feel they are more comfy and in their safe zone doing so.

I don't recall the OP mentioning anything about "gearing up" and going all commando here, it was simply a question regarding carry comfort and easy access more than anything...or so as I read it.

You know what, if you like your single gun and feel comfy with that...great. If these fine folks here feel better with two guns....great. Holy crap, if a guy or gal feel more comfy with their revolver on their side, their semi in a boot, a knife in a another boot, and maybe even a micro-revolver in their belt-buckle...what do I care? I don't...as long as they are comfy with it all and prepared to use it all properly...big whoopdie-doo.

I guess what I am getting at here is peope always taking the original posters question or query out of text and then we all get to throwing mall ninja names and such around and ridiculing them for it. If you don't have something helpful or productive to say, then please....don't bother.

Noidster