How many guns do you carry and why?

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I tend to carry one larger primary auto loader, a reload for it, and a small auto as a bug. My reasons are as follows:

It so easy to carry why not? (this is probably the #1 reason)

One can often access a gun in one's pocket (particularly a jacket pocket) more discretely than one on the belt under a shirt. If one's spiddy sense goes off you can go hand on gun with out freaking anyone out. In reactive situations though a pocket gun is often much slower (for me at least) to present and start putting rounds on target. So two guns offers the advantages of each mode of carry.

I like having a gun on each side lest some crazy thing happens that makes if impossible to access my primary.

If there is an unlikely but serious breakage or something that takes my primary permanently out of the fight of the first gun you still have something.

In an active shooter type situation (which as rare as they are happen and I was at the scene of one only hours before it occurred) I have second gun that might be used by another person.

I prefer a second weapon to a reload. If the primary has a mechanical failure (bad mag, broken firing pin, guide rod, etc.) , then the NY reload is a better option to me.
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It depends on the type of malfunction. Yes if something vital decides to go belly up at the most inopportune of time a second gun is probably the only thing to get you back in the fight. I have seen a few stoppages/mechanical problems that would qualify for this in training. For the more typical stoppages immediate action drills may be faster than going to a second gun. It likely depends on where the second gun is and a number of other factors.

I tend to carry a BUG simply because it is so easy to that I figure why not. I tend to pocket carry a small auto. For a typical malfunction or running dry I can get back in the fight faster by going to a mag on me belt than the second gun. Obviously which is better depends on the exact scenario and a number of factors. I like running through various drills with a shot timer to see what works best and when.



I only carried one weapon in the Marines in combat so why more now??
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You don't have a long gun you are openly carrying with a number or reloads. You don't have a dozen buddies with you who are also armed, nor air support.

What if my strong side hand or arm becomes disabled?
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Drawing with your support hand might be somewhat slower, but it is a basic skill, handgun 101 if you will. That said some mode's of carry make it much more difficult (IME). I tend to not like those modes of carry for a primary.

I've never really felt the need or desire to carry 3 guns. I think after two you have really reached the point of diminishing returns for most of my reasons for carrying a bug. Only in the serious situation where arming others is of benefit (and those are pretty rare). I would at that point rather just have additional reloads.
 
Yeah, BD, I should've also mentioned that guns ARE tools, and can and do fail at times, regardless of the manufacturer.

Last year, I purchased a new 9mm from a well-known manufacturer.

I took it to the range to test fire a few boxes through it, as I do before I assign any handgun to "carry duty".

I fired 6 rounds through it, and the trigger spring broke, relegating it useless.

This was a quality piece from a major manufacturer. I believe this to be a fluke from this manufacturer, so I'll not mention the name here. Upon contacting the company, they immediately sent a pickup notice for it, paid for the shipping for repairs, repaired the problem, checked all other parts, test fired (actually asking my okay to fire a few boxes through it), even going so far as to polish the feed ramp and couple other minor gunsmith adjustments, and paid for the return. I've had ZERO issues with it since.

Years ago, I had a sear failure on a .45 that I'd carried regularly for quite some time, as well. Fortunately, this was at the range, so no life-threatening issues, though it ended my fun that day.

My point is, regardless of the weapon being brand new or used (no matter how well maintained), weapons CAN fail. Carrying a backup means you're at least not left with a paperweight when you're stuck in a lethal fight.
 
depends on where I am going. Mostly a 2.5in Python with a speed loader, and a light in the pocket. Or a 1911 of some sort with a spare 10rd single stack mag and a 9 round in it. Sometimes Ill carry a 1911 full size and a back up super compact 1911 or a snubbie.
 
Depends on the situation, where I am going, required dress, and risk factor.
For the most part one gun with a reload suits me fine. Occasionally I will carry two.

I have carried four a time or two, but that was just to see if I could. I never felt any need for all that hardware. ;)
 
I've never needed the one I normally carry,(luck?) up to now. I'm judging by personal experience, just one will do. If I'm going into a bad area/situation, I may throw in a knife and an extra mag or two.

I usually have a flashlight with me outside at night, anyway...
 
I carry a real thin Keltec everywhere, even thou it is so small, it's really a burden to me, I carry inside my pants, it doesn't matter on what position, it always annoy me in the long run.

My favorite carrying position is in the small of the back, since there is a natural niche there already, I'm thinking seriously about a small .22 magnum revolver in my pocket.

The thought of two guns really doesn't cross my mind, in a professional setting i can see it working, since the main gun will hang from a holster already.
 
Yes at times.
We live in the sticks and I always have something close at hand.
Not because we are in the country but it has been in my nature since a long time ago.
I am always willing to help those in need but never go with the tools necessary to get the job done.
Recently there have been incidents of hunters being attacked in the woods.
Some years ago several hunters were murdered by DaVang supposedly because of being confronted about tresspassing and possibly to include some racial slurs. The hunters were close to camp and were mostly unarmed.
Having a belt gun could have turned the tide here.
Another recent one was a bow hunter who was stabbed in the back after coming down out of his stand. He barely made it out of there. He was shot at with his own bow after fending off the attack . The attacker was not caught. He made it to a farm house and was medivaced out. This was in central Wisconsin last fall.
Better to have two thn wish you had two.
 
Depends on what I'm carrying. It's my 1911, then I have 9 in it and a spare 7 rd mag. If its my Model 10 or my 856, it's a full cylinder with two speed strips. No matter what I always have my Streamlight and SOG knife.
 
I carry on sidearm and a rifle in my truck. Sometimes I take the sidearm CC, but most of the time it stays in the truck w/ the rifle. From the posts above, sounds like some of you guys hang out in some crappy areas! I must not be trained as well as others because I think multiple sidearms could confuse me if I had to draw one fast.
 
Ruger LCP in an Alessi pocket holster is the "always" gun, typically carried with one spare magazine. When conditions and clothing warrant/permit, I carry a larger sidearm typically strong-side IWB. When I do, I replace the reload for the LCP with a reload (magazine or speed loader) for the larger sidearm and the LCP gets relegated to backup duty. It's just so small and light, and since I'm used to carrying it all the time, I don't see any reason to give it up when carrying something else.
 
TimM - post #4 right much has nailed it IMO.
even when very lightly dressed I have my beretta .32 in a pocket of shorts/swim trunks. I usually have a small traveler's toiletry/accessory bag with me around pool side or boat side if takeing a dip is in the cards but can't even guess at the times that beretta has 'taken a dip' then been opened up and slung around to drain water off of. no ill effects but I've done a Norells 'moly resin' spray and bake on it and several other 'duty' type firearms both short and long. tough stuff it is.
I'm one of the unfortunates that learned the hard way to always have spare ammo/mags and/or spare pistol available.
when heading into potential bad situ I may carry 3 handguns and mags/speedloader for each. have done that several times and felt comfortable doing so.
 
2 or 3

When LEO [ now retired ] it was 3,primary BUG and last was "Onion Field "insurance .

Now mostly of the time its a G-23 and spare mag,as long as I am withing 5 miles of home [ 4 spare mags in veh as well as long gun.

But if outside that AO or on the road = its at least 2 ,G-23 G-19 and Ruger LCP.

Sometines the S&W 442 is takin in place of one of the above.

And the NYC reload is THE reason.
 
One duty-caliber handgun IWB (single-stack 9x19 or .45)
One reload IWB on weak side (often two, sometimes I use the second slot for a knife or light)
Flashlight, left rear pocket (small single AAA LED)
AO Folding knife, right rear pocket (this is a tool more than a weapon, really)

I've been known to add in a blunt insturment, but that urge has passed, mostly.

I really should set up a mousegun for weak-side coat pocket, but two things are holding that up:
1- the transition from wearing the coat to having the mousegun in the pocket needs a discreet wallet holster of some kind (working on that) and a spare pants pocket (stumped there, even if I don't plan on acessing it from the pants pocket in a hurry all that's left is the left knee pocket on cargo pants, and nothing is left in slacks/jeans)
2- I've learned that I shoot my mouseguns poorly left-handed and poorly with gloves on, except for the mini-revolver in folding holster grip ... and I can't decide if using a pistol for the sole purpose of buying time to draw a bigger gun is really a wise choice, there has to be a better way that lets me carry my preferred guns in the preferred spot.
 
1 gun and a spare mag occasionally.

An SR9c +1 and the 17 round mag that comes with it. I try to carry the spare mag as much as possible to even out the weight, but some clothes bulge way too much with it.
 
i usually carry a kimber 1911 pro carry .45 with at least one extra mag and sometimes 2. plus i keep an extra mag and box of shells in my jeep. my bug is a cz 82 with 2 extra mags that stays in my jeep with a box of extra shells.
 
Only time I carry 2 guns on my person is while hunting or travelling and one of those is generally a long gun. Why? Because I know that if the gun on my belt can't get the job done the other one will. My backup firearm is a more serious guns, not less.
 
Agreed, the only time I've ever carried 2 or more I was hunting or participating in a match, and one was always a long gun.
 
A question, is something like a P3AT or LCP easier to carry as a BUG than a spare double stack magazine?
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Well, my NAA mini-revolver fits into a single-stack 9mm mag slot ... now I'll have to see if my p32 will fit in any mag carriers.

... not in mine, but they're built for 1911 mags and single-stack 9mm ... if I removed the divider it would fit in the double carrier nicely, but I'll just put it in a properly-designed holster instead.

Now, if we're talking about an IWB mag carrier vs an IWB mousegun, I'd say that my 2-slot IWB (Tucker Gunleather) is as easy to carry as my P32 in Kydex IWB holster (SharkTac) ... because magazines don't have a grip to conceal.
 
Glock 19 (occasionaly a reload, always one in the truck) or a 1911 (at least one reload always).

I have never carried a BUG or felt the need to. But to each his or her own.

I always dress light, pack light and rarely wear loose fitting clothes. Pocket knife, wallet, cell phone and keys are about all I am willing to carry. My work keys are in my laptop bag so that I don't have very many keys on the key ring in my pocket. I am not going to change my wardrobe to make room for another weapon. For some reason, I can carry IWB in a supertuck style holster without needing the infamous +2" sizing. I hate having stuff in my pockets, so I'm not sticking an ultra compact in there.
 
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