Do you carry a backup gun when you carry concealed.
I used to. I know a couple who do — and more power to them!
For those who are still on the fence about carrying a backup firearm, however, I think it’s important we take a minute and look into the issue — it’s not a minor decision.
Paul Harrell, one of my personal all-time favorite YouTubers in the world of firearms and self defense, made a video on this exact topic, looking into claims made by those who feel the need to carry backup firearms, and testing those claims out to see if they hold any water.
The results were surprising — to me, anyway.
Harrell broke down the argument for carrying a backup firearm into three main points:
1. Having a backup gun gives you the opportunity to make a non-dominant hand, single-hand presentation.
2. Having a backup gun gives you the opportunity to arm someone that can be an ally to you.
3. Having a backup gun allows you to continue firing faster than you might through a reload.
He then tested those out as best he could — in the “arm your buddy” argument, he just recounted instances in which he was glad to have a backup so that he could engage in a little defense force multiplication. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions from his tests as he does, but I will say of the three points, the second seems to hold the most water.
Now, to counter these points, Harrell outlines three arguments against carrying a backup gun:
1. Carrying a single gun can be a hassle — carrying two firearms as a practice may lead to the carrier leaving firearms at home.
2. If you encounter law enforcement while carrying two firearms, they may put you under more direct scrutiny you don’t want.
3. Carrying two guns is unlawful.
Now, the only thing I am going to have to disagree with Paul Harrell here is his comment at the very end about the legality of carrying more than one firearm, and the story I have to counter that brushes against his second point as well.
I have never heard of that being the case, and in fact Harrell’s (still very supportive) comment thread lit up with comments along the same lines.
I was disarmed by a state trooper about three years ago when I was carrying two firearms — a practice I very rarely maintain now. The trooper didn’t even blink, and was nice enough to help me get my broken down car back on the road, which is why he pulled over in the first place.
Of course, on things like that it’s always important to check your own local laws, and as mentioned before — the rest of this material is really good.
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