dual-wielding

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ks_wayward_son

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It looks interesting...okay, downright cool...when I see a cowboy use dual sixguns to mop up the bad guys or if a fellow dispatches enemies with extreme prejudice using two 1911s or other semiautos at once in the movies. But, just how tactically sound or even possible is it in true life? I have a heck of a time still trying to become proficient with one set of sights...let alone two. Pretty much have to be supremely talented with multi-tasking and ambidexterity, I might think. So what says you fellas? Ever tried it at the range or witnessed someone able to pull it off?
 
I tried it once at the range with my S&W .38 in my right hand, and a rented 9mm Glock in my left. I'm right handed. I was doing alright with the revolver, but the Glock kept stove-piping.

Anyway, moral of the story: it's much harder than it looks.
 
There is a legitimate use for two pistols against multiple attackers, but it is last ditch desperation in a situation you'd probably not survive anyway. The offhand pistol is used to point shoot and suppress one Target. The goal is to make him run or stay down behind cover until your strong hand pistol can deal with the most imminent threat. Don't bet on it working, though. Like I said, it is desperate and not very effective.
 
I have tried it.... I failed
My brother a friend and me all tried it with a different combination of guns
A .38 snub, a m&p 40 full size, XD 5" .45, Glock 40 I don't know the glock numbers... anyway very hard to pay attention to the off hand gun while firing dominant hand.
If you are good at point shooting it is helpful because you just switch focus between targets and fire just two shots at a time. Even though I do carry two guns and they are on opposite sides, I really hope it would never come to that.. because I'm not that good at it:D
 
I've done it at the range a couple times. Beyond 5-7 yards or so it's not terribly practical. You're basically point shooting 2 guns as you can't focus on both sets of sights at the same time. As already said, an act of desperation perhaps and not a terribly effective one.
 
Movie guns have little to no recoil, so it's easy to keep your gun on target one handed and put rounds down range.

Not so much with real guns. You can put more rounds down range faster and more accurately with one firearm (and lots of practice).
 
In real life you will probably need your other hand to use a light, open doors, push away attackers, etc. I'm trying to practice at the range with one hand more often now to account for this reality.
 
I honestly don't think it is that difficult to do and I've even done it at the range. However, it helps if the two handguns are identical; very difficult otherwise. Likewise, shooting with the left hand (for right handed people) alone I always found to be very awkward, though not impossible. But with a like gun in both hands, all the awkwardness seems to vanish. But I only tried it with double action revolvers and I don't claim there is any tactical reason to shoot like that. I for one need two hands for a reload.
 
I've tried it for fun,,,

But I honestly can't see anyone,,,
Except for maybe a Hollywood hero,,,
Trying to use two handguns in a real situation.

I used my Ruger 22/45 and my Beretta NEOS,,,
Lotsa ammo downrange and lotsa fun,,,
But very few center mass hits.

I'll admit it does look really cool though,,,
Especially if you do that flying sideways through the air thing as well.

Maybe that's the new category for practical matches,,,
John McClain action shooting scenarios. :eek:

I'll pass on the bare feet and broken glass stage.

Aarond
 
In SASS competitions there is a class set aside for folks who want to shoot this way ("Gunfighter" if I recall). I've seen it a number of times and while it looks like a lot of fun, I seem to recall those folks having a higher number of misses on average than regular competitors. I think it takes a lot more coordination and focus to hit what you're aiming at (especially if you are alternating shots with each hand as the SASS folks usually do). As said before, having identical guns in each hand helps. I don't think there's a practical application aside from grins, and I'm fairly certain that most of the guys that I saw shoot that way would agree... it's for fun only.
 
Wouldn't it be better, and more effective just to put one gun in one hand and........................LEARN TO SHOOT..........instead of seeing how many rounds you can put down range regardless whether you hit anything or not.
 
Wouldn't it be better, and more effective just to put one gun in one hand and........................LEARN TO SHOOT..........instead of seeing how many rounds you can put down range regardless whether you hit anything or not.
Today 10:55 AM
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Well sometimes you just want to have some fun. However the OP is asking how effective it is and one of the measurements of effectiveness is accuracy.

I've never done it. It would be interesting to try though. I would be going for accuracy though. However I'm not expecting miracles either.

The only advantage I have is that though I am right handed I frequently practice firing with either hand. So shooting lefty is not all that odd to me. I'm an ambidextrous shooter. I'm pretty much equally as good with either hand. I do it so that should I ever have to defend myself, I can maneuver corners and cover a little better by switching hands.

Any how it would be interesting. You would have to point both barrels slightly in toward the center for a single target though, alternate trigger pulls like a set of pistons going off instead of double the recoil and use point shooting. At a max, two shots by one pistol at a time. It would take a set up of three targets and random target selection for pistol drills in dual wielding and a lot of time at the range. But like others here have said. I wouldn't dare think of doing it except if the situation went to crap and it's do or die with multiple targets coming at various angles.
 
I can draw my two 1911's & keep all rounds on two separate steel silhouette targets till the guns are out .... drop both mags reload um & do it again fast as well .. 15 yards is as far as I have practiced & kept it on target .

Super fun!!!! now would I do it in a self defense situation ?.. Don't think so

But I love "Last man standing" to much to not practice almost every time I hit the range ...lol

my girls ...
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Give it a try, it is hard. I can hit one or the other but not the two of them. I get real close on the second but it still is a miss. I saw a guy do it on TV while discussing the wild bill shootout where he shot 2 guys at the same time.

I think my eyesite is the limiter for me, my left eye is damaged and doesnt see tha same as the right one even after 2 laser surgeries.
 
At "point shooting distances" it can work.

Effectively shooting one pistol in the ISO or modified-Weaver stance would probably produce better results for most people, and it can be used over a MUCH wider variety of ranges.
 
It sounds fun, if expensive on the ammo and who knows what the second gun is going to hit... When the zombies take over I will try it during my last stand. :D
 
Wouldn't it be better, and more effective just to put one gun in one hand and........................LEARN TO SHOOT..........instead of seeing how many rounds you can put down range regardless whether you hit anything or not.
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Well it really depends on what kind you are talking about. In old West style shooting I can see it as advantageous. Reloading is measured in minutes and misfires were quite more common, so it would make sense to have two guns if ones finances allowed it.
 
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