“Why,” you ask, “do you want to shoot two guns?” That’s a legitimate question. Carrying a spare pistol – or knife, flashlight, … - is a good idea. In 1854 Jonathan R. Davis successfully defended himself against a large attack near Sacramento, California with his two Colt pistols and Bowie knife. All eleven attackers died.

In the late 80’s, early 90’s Lance Thomas, a watch dealer in L.A used multiple pistols against multiple armed robbers. He had pistols positioned all around his shop, within easy reach. Mas Ayoob tells the story of a store clerk who had his pistol taken away by the threat, drew his second, backup gun to stop the threat. It was “Just in time,” according to Mas.

If one hand/arm is injured, your “second” gun is easily acquired with the other hand. Plus, don’t forget the “New York Reload,” which applies to malfunctions, too. Carrying two pistols that are exactly the same is even better. Consistency is also good between team members. There’s lots of reasons to have several clones of your favorite pistol.

There’s plenty of dry practice involved. Revolvers are much better suited for this. (Obviously, this is assuming one already knows how to use both hands, safely and efficiently.) With time, McGivern tells us “…both guns can be fired together … .” Henry FitzGerald, in his classic, “Shooting,” recommends firing up close in the beginning, firing “… double action and pointing, no sights used, the arms stiffened when the muzzle is pointed in the right direction.”

After extensive dry practice it’s time to see some results. I started with a pair of “J” frames. These are matching pistols, which is mandatory, especially concerning trigger action. The technique that works best for me is with each pistol canted slightly inboard. This allows one sight picture using two sets of sights. These are “work” revolvers so, a few extra dings resulting from them “kissing” each other during recoil won’t matter.

Using a “flash” sight picture on the sights - a quick visual confirmation of front sights and target alignment with smooth compression of the triggers -- results in good hits. It was much better than I expected. It’s even possible to hit the chest with one pistol and the pelvic area with the other.

Later I switched to a pair of GLOCK 19s. With semi-auto pistols an aggressive stance is mandatory, rolling the shoulders forward to ensure the pistols have the resistance needed to function properly. I thought the semiautos might be difficult but they’re easier and more efficient than the revolvers. The split times between shots is shorter, and there’s a marked improvement in accuracy.

Working with two guns at once is definitely fun, and the results were rewarding. Could this be done in a fight, against an actual threat? I guess that depends on how much one practiced. I do know that the two-gun drills have improved my general shooting skills across the board. It also makes you think a lot more about gun handling and manipulations. Just remember, Safety is always your first and primary concern.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy. He is the author of The Book of Two Guns, AR-15 Skills and Drills, has a regular column in American Handgunner and makes some cool knives and custom revolvers. Visit Shootrite’s Facebook page for other details.