Book Review by David R. Chicoine 11/7/02
"The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery, 5th Edition"
by Massad Ayoob
by Massad Ayoob, 2002, softcover, 8 -1/2 x 11, 256 pages · 350 b&w photos, Price: $22.95 plus $4. shipping, ISBN 0-87349-485-7. Order this book online from: Krause Publications, Dept. BNP, P.O. Box 5009, Iola, WI 54945-5009 (800) 258-0929 (Please tell them Bullet 'N Press sent you!)
Many of our readers will already be familiar with The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery, for years it has been one of the great guides to the world of combat handguns and combat shooting. The newest version just published is the 5th edition and this time the reader is in for a real treat when he discovers the author of this edition is none other than Massad Ayoob.
Okay, so for those of you who don't know who this guy with the funny sounding name is (I can say that you see, because people have been saying I have a funny sounding name for a long time too), this fellow Massad is without a doubt the foremost expert alive today on the subject of combat shooting with handguns and the use of deadly force. Ayoob has more credentials than just about anyone who has ever been involved in this game and I can assure you, they are all real. I have been enjoying his articles and books on combat shooting and handguns for many years, and have come to respect him both for his practical approach and his writing style.
I could start by telling you what is in the book but I think I would rather start with some questions. What would you like to know about combat handguns? What is available? How do you shoot them? How do revolvers stack up against automatics? How do handguns work mechanically and what do I need to know about how they work to shoot them in combat? What kind of holster is best for me and what is available? Oh, did you say all of the above? Its all there. I do not believe I thought of a question Massad has not already answered here, in fact I discovered he had thought of a bunch that would not have occurred to me, but there is more.
More. . .like chapter eleven, that was just super. Its called "avoiding mistakes" and it deals with gun safety issues like how not to have an accident, laws pertaining to concealed carry, securing your guns when you are not carrying them and general decisions that involve the use of deadly force. Wonderful stuff, I was happy to see him cover it so well and I recommend that everyone who carries a combat handgun ought to read all of it, even if you read nothing else in the book. Too many of these are subjects that get learned the hard way so I for one am pleased with the open, frank manner in which the author has handled them.
All that, and this new book is also packed tight with great, practical tips on combat shooting. This is the real deal, by that I mean valuable information from a true expert that you can make use of right now; like gripping the gun, combat stances, trigger pulls, sights, ammunition, and a plethora of topics along those lines all written in Ayoob's unique style that will keep you entertained while you are being educated. Whether you are a police officer in any capacity that involves carrying a weapon, a civilian who carries for protection or to protect, get yourself a copy. It won't matter if you are a pro or if you are just getting started, I predict this little paperback book will quickly become your standard reference work.