# Is there any advantage to having 2 guns as opposed to one in a battle **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 4, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548 "2018-05-04T02:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/1 "2018-05-04T02:35:38Z")
I have been watching too many old movies and TV shows and noticed that it is fairly rare for anyone to use 2 guns simultaneously In a gun battle, is there any advantage to using 2 guns simultaneously as opposed a single gun. This is not the best example, the robots in this movie (Black Hole 1979) each have 2 guns and lose the battle. Of course being a Disney movie, the good guys win this battle. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oj2fpKO173w/hqdefault.jpg "The Black Hole Fight") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj2fpKO173w) Another example is the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) However, the film ends with their guns blazing and it's implied that they lose badly. Pretty well every military documentary I have seen only has the troops carrying a single gun each as generally the limitation is with the amount of ammunition that can be carried. Also, it would be easier to aim with a single gun as opposed to trying to aim 2 guns simultaneously. Even in the semi-famous Hollywood shootout, the criminals do have 2 guns (AK-47 and a handgun) but are only using one at a time. If you watch the very end of this clip, the police also are carrying 2 guns in this training exercise but the second gun is only a backup. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/I_1IvZFwj0M/hqdefault.jpg "The North Hollywood shootout, 20 years later") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_1IvZFwj0M) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/2 "2018-05-04T02:42:05Z")
_Mythbusters_ tested the a number of movie shooting techniques (handguns) and any double gun (and “gangsta”) lost out to single gun. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/3 "2018-05-04T02:43:33Z")
Two guns will get more lead down range which could keep your opponent behind cover longer allowing your buddies to flank them. But other than that, it just looks cool. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/4 "2018-05-04T02:49:09Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > _Mythbusters_ tested the a number of movie shooting techniques (handguns) and any double gun (and “gangsta”) lost out to single gun. Thanks I should have used that example. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/5 "2018-05-04T02:54:36Z")
If you are trying to shoot two guns at the same time, you’re not shooting either one well. And a person shooting one gun well will generally beat a person shooting two guns poorly. The only exception would be if you were shooting really old or poorly made weapons. In a case like that, accuracy might be impossible and it becomes valuable to be able to shoot as many bullets as possible to increase the odds of one of them randomly hitting your target. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/6 "2018-05-04T02:57:49Z")
> [@ssgenius](#): > > Thanks > > I should have used that example. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/z7aao6JKJQ4/hqdefault.jpg "Two Guns/Two Targets MiniMyth | MythBusters") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7aao6JKJQ4) ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/7 "2018-05-04T06:19:22Z")
Sure, it helps to have 2 guns. As long as you have 2 shooters too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/8 "2018-05-04T23:37:42Z")
If you are Louis “Two Gun” Alterie, having that second gun will ensure that no one will interrupt you during the battle to ask, “Hey, where’s your other gun?” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/9 "2018-05-05T01:10:31Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > _Mythbusters_ tested the a number of movie shooting techniques (handguns) and any double gun (and “gangsta”) lost out to single gun. Did they include cross-dominants in their test group? ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/10 "2018-05-05T02:21:08Z")
It looks WAY cool would be the primary advantage. Then of course switching guns might be faster than reloading if you had to get a bunch of rounds out real fast. Made me think of this. [- YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NEuZgK669zY) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/11 "2018-05-05T02:40:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If you are trying to shoot two guns at the same time, you’re not shooting either one well. And a person shooting one gun well will generally beat a person shooting two guns poorly. > > The only exception would be if you were shooting really old or poorly made weapons. In a case like that, accuracy might be impossible and it becomes valuable to be able to shoot as many bullets as possible to increase the odds of one of them randomly hitting your target. What if you’re shooting low recoil 22s with laser sights? I’d assume aiming wouldn’t be as hard with those. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/12 "2018-05-05T03:13:14Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What if you’re \*\*shooting low recoil 22s \*\*with laser sights? I’d assume aiming wouldn’t be as hard with those. Whoever you’re shooting at will just get mad. Besides, I don’t think there are any .22s(LR) that _aren’t_ low recoil. Now all you have to do is focus on two different dots and hold the guns steady while to squeeze the triggers. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/13 "2018-05-05T03:56:14Z")
I think it was Deputy Andy who said, _“I don’t wanna get killed for lack of shootin’ back.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/14 "2018-05-05T06:51:34Z")
Only in an extremely rare, perfectly set-up, highly contrived situation… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5g2en7CTUk8/maxresdefault.jpg "Silverado - Jake") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g2en7CTUk8) …in a town called Silverado. –G! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/15 "2018-05-05T08:17:25Z")
[Well…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bLR04OkC-I) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/16 "2018-05-05T11:31:14Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I think it was Deputy Andy who said, _“I don’t wanna get killed for lack of shootin’ back.”_ Yeah, but with him, he had the issue that reloading would be a mite slower, having only the one arm and all. So he gets a pass. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/17 "2018-05-05T12:45:04Z")
It’d also depend on what your target is. If your target is an individual, then aiming is important. If your target is an army, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/18 "2018-05-05T16:57:59Z")
2 guns basically the same type and shooting both at the same time – bad. 2 guns of different types (pistol and rifle for example) and switching based on need and target – good. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/19 "2018-05-05T17:28:13Z")
You can’t have a thread about two guns without [this guy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Cohen_(adventurer)). > [@](#): > > Morris Abraham “Two-Gun” Cohen (1887–1970) was a British and Canadian adventurer of Jewish origin who became aide-de-camp to Sun Yat-sen and a major-general in the Chinese National Revolutionary Army. A major bad ass and the Great Uncle of a mate of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-advantage-to-having-2-guns-as-opposed-to-one-in-a-battle/813548/20 "2018-05-05T18:04:41Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > 2 guns basically the same type and shooting both at the same time – bad. > > 2 guns of different types (pistol and rifle for example) and switching based on need and target – good. I agree although two or more pistols, not necessarily trying to shoot them at once, was the standard for pistols for a few 100 yrs of single shot muzzle loaders, and still arguably made sense with slow loading cap and ball\* or single loading gate revolvers in the 19th century. With modern handguns it’s more questionable for rate of fire, as opposed to carrying two or more for redundancy. _Carrying_ as opposed to ‘having around’ multiple long guns generally isn’t that practical. \*substituting cylinders was possible but doesn’t seem to have been actually that common.