Armed Response: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Firearms for Self-Defense [Paperback]

David Kenik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2005

This book is written for those who have taken or may take the ultimate responsibility of the protection of themselves and the ones they love. It is the most comprehensive guide to using firearms for self-defense.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent starting text for the first-time gun owner or the citizen just beginning to explore armed self-defense." --Massad Ayoob, Director, Lethal Force Institute

"Armed Response is a must read for every gun owner." --Alan Gottlieb, Founder, Second Amendment Foundation

"Armed Response is the best and most complete overview of defensive shooting that I have seen." --Ralph Mroz, Training Director, Police Officers Safety Association

About the Author

David Kenik is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Police Officers Safety Association, a non-profit organization that offers enhanced training to law enforcement officers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Merril Press; Com edition (May 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936783451
• ISBN-13: 978-0936783451
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview for Novice to Expert, August 13, 2006

By 

Lodge2 (Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Armed Response: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Firearms for Self-Defense (Paperback)

David Kenick does a great job of covering most of the major issues you must consider if you are going to carry a firearm for self defense.

He starts off by discussing the misconceptions people have regarding police protection, the Body Alarm Reaction, the fact that action always beats reaction and empty hands defensive skills. He then covers the basics of gun handling - safety, trigger systems, jams and malfunctions, concealed carry, drawing from a holster, etc... The final parts of the book cover competitions, consequences of a shooting, other safety tools and gun control.

Some unique items in this book you will not find in others...what to do after the bad guy drops his weapon and surrenders? The reality that empty hands skills are necessary regardless of what you carry and a realistic discussion on stopping power and ammunition selection.

Overall, this is a very good book written by a responsible citizen. His lack of affiliation with law enforcement and the military, unlike many self defense authors, makes the book easier to read and understand.

58 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secret knowledge about guns for self defense can be yours, December 29, 2005

By 

Janet Guffey (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Armed Response: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Firearms for Self-Defense (Paperback)

For a gun owner or potential gun owner, there are so many necessary things to be learned. That there are so many things to know that it may, at times, just seem like noise. Here is a well written, clear and concise exciting new book that cuts through the static. One that comes in loud and clear.

What is owning a gun for self-defense really about? This book, among other things, is about understanding what responsible use of lethal force is about. It's also about the possible threats to your survival and constantly assessing their potential impact on your situation.

One of the best chapters in this book is about the dreadful impact of using your gun for self defense. Paper targets cannot shoot back or lunge forward with a knife. Your assailant may, can, probably will.

The book cuts through much of the hype and just plain wrong information that issues from gun publications and, worse, from Hollywood.

57 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointing, December 7, 2007

By 

Natasha S. (Wiesbaden, Germany) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Armed Response: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Firearms for Self-Defense (Paperback)

I bought this book hoping for what the title said: a comprehensive guide to using firearms for self-defense. Unfortunately, the book title is seriously misleading. I can only remember not finishing about 10 books in my life, and I read at least four or five a month - but this one is about to make the short list.

This book really glosses over just about everything it touches, and on top of that, it is so male-oriented as to be next to worthless for a female reader, particularly when it comes to concealment options. Women may want to see Effective Defense : The Woman, the Plan, the Gun.

The basic concepts of the book? Don't trust gun magazines; they have to please their advertisers, and both the magazine and the author are generally in it for the money. A person can cross 20 feet in 1.7 seconds. Know how to defend yourself unarmed because altercations may start or end up that way, and you won't always have time to get to your weapon. Buy a gun you shoot well. Shooting well means being able to pull from a conceled holster, not just at a range at a target. The stress of a real altercation has serious phsyiological and psychological effects that will have an impact on your shooting. Get training in combat-type situations. Know the law in your area regarding self-defense shootings. Keep track of your training.

I think you're probably better off reading In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection by Massad Ayoob if you're looking for a comprehensive look at self-defense shootings. Then read On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace by Grossman for a good look at what actually being shot at or attacked does to your body and mind, and how it affects fighting back. And then look in your area for training on shooting under stressful conditions, and unarmed self-defense training.