Customer Reviews

Effective Handgun Defense: A Comprehensive Guide to Concealed Carry

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As many reviewers have said before, this book is not about handgun defense. Rather, there is some interesting information about the technical and historical aspects of handgunning. This is very odd, given the title of the book and the notion that the author makes in the book stating that tactics are more important than tools. Still, he concentrates almost exclusively on hardware.

The book is well written and interesting to read, but if you are looking for a book about effective handgun defense, don't buy Effective Handgun Defense.

I buy non-fiction books because I want another's opinion on some subject. I'm experienced with firearms, but I don't know everything about guns. My recomendation that "Effective Handgun Defense: A Comprehensive Guide to Concealed Carry" is for gun nuts only is that Frank James addressed the serious gunman. Most people who want a gun for self defense want a simple guideline. Frank James covers gunfighting history--which most would think a waste of time. I liked the history. I gave this book only four stars because I found some of James's prose convulted and confusing. I make grammar and spelling errors, too, but I hope that my editor gets me to clean up my act so that my writing is easy to understand. I thought this book was a good value for me because it is like getting a series of gun magazine articles without all of the advertising fluff periodicals stuff between their pages.

The chapter titled "Carry and Concealment--a brief look at fashion and holsters" alone was worth the cost. Warning--this is not for people who just want to have an expert select the holster system for them. Frank James states his preferences and why he prefers them. He lists most of the alternatives.

Chapters Two and Ten cover the all-important aspects of mind set. Page 32 has a monologue titled "the spirtual side of armed self-defense." I'm biased: I believe that I have to make up my mind before I get into a do-or-die situation as to when and why I'll shoot another human being. I don't think I'll have time to discuss the issue with my assailants, because if I had the time, I wouldn't have to shoot them. Frank James makes the reader think about this question: shoot or no shoot?

Other chapters cover equipment and training and tactics. Frank James preferes revolvers because not all self-defense problems walk about on two legs and revolvers can be chambered for more powerful cartridges than automatic pistols. The author freely admits that all of his defensive encounters were with the four-footed wild, feral, and domestic creatures, and he's glad that he never had to shoot another human. James demands that training be as realistic as possible. "Effective Handgun Defense" is filled with photographs of guns, holsters, and people from the gun world--in essence, a permanent gun magazine.

However, this is not a stand-alone training manual on self-defense with a firearm. The book does address the issues involved with legal concealed firearms carry, but again this is directed at the knowledgable who will get additional information and training from elsewhere. I found "Effective Handgun Defense" a valuable addition to my gun book library, but if I were developing a training program for another, I'd want other guidebooks. There is no index, but there is a bibliography and a list of equipment vendors and schools that will be useful to anyone who will take the time and make the effort to legally carry concealed firearms.

To read the title of this book you would think that it would cover such things as handgun defense. I'm affraid that although I really wanted to like this book, most of the information pertained only with particular guns that tickled the author's fancy and covered very, very little regarding tactics. Instead, this particular book focused almost exclusively on the gun itself and had little to do with defense, tactics, scenarios or even anacdotes.

The author did have anacdotal evidence to argue why say a .357 Magnum is a great fight stopper but the 9mm is sorely lacking.

His chapter title "Effective Calibers" was almost a flashback of standing in a gunstore while two old guys behind the counter argued over which caliber is more effective than the other.

To sum it up. If you want a book on defense...look elsewhere. Handgun Combatives would be a good start since little of the book actually talks about the "gun" itself but more in terms of it being a tool.

If you want a book that reads like an anectdotal Guns&Ammo magazine complete with opinions based upon bias and legend, this is a must have. Personally, I'd save my money.

EFFECTIVE HANDGUN DEFENSE is a must-buy for any person considering the daily carry of a handgun for self-defense, which has become more and more common as states adopt a "shall-issue" form of permitting.

James brings an objective, learned eye to the many issues involved in carrying guns, and he does so with style and excellent writing.

Frank James is a throwback to the old days of outdoor writing, when the person doing the writing was assumed to live the life of an outdoorsman. James has been a lifelong farmer, hunter, trapper, private investigator--he knows of which he speaks!

Frank James' latest work gives the reader an overview of a hard and principled man's life long use of handguns during his daily life as a farmer, firearms authority, tinkerer and experimenter.

Frank's conclusions and opinions are not politically correct nor follow the latest trends but they have been proven by repeated application. The book is worth the time and money. Some parts need to be read and then re read at a later date-after they jell a bit in your mind.

Plenty!

I had the rare treat of participating in one of the early National Tactical Invitationals with "Farmer Frank" James, back when no one knew what was going to befall a practitioner, not even the event organizers, because the complex scenario props often failed, and you had to solve whatever problem was thrown at you to survive!

At the end of this particular event... I think it was in '92 or '93... among all the Big Time firearms instructors and tactical trainers with high line rigs and heavily-customized semi-autopistols, there was Frank James in second place with his .41 Magnum revolver in a funky holster of his own devise, the same set-up he wore on a daily basis riding a tractor in his soy bean fields at home.

James has been a shooter and outdoorsman since he was a kid, and knows a thing or three about surviving on his own on the land... he used to run trap lines in the wild as a teenager, when it was too "Wintery" to farm. From his book, Effective Handgun Defense, it's readily apparent that he'd have had no problem making his way in an urban environment either. He has a keen mind for the requirements and nuances for "concealed carry" and personal defense, and a fluid style of presenting his material that is neither awkward nor "precious."

He is what he is, a man of the soil for whom a handgun is part and parcel of his daily "kit." There's ***nothing*** fancy, or forced, about Frank or his book. This is a terrific volume.

This book is a great handgun review book and well written. However, if you are looking for information on defensive handgun use, you should look elsewhere. If you want to read about handguns from knowledgeable person buy this book. If you want a book to assist with defensive handgun use, find another title.

Whoever decided to title this book "Effective Handgun Defense" must have been reading a different book.

While an interesting read, it is less about what I was looking for (information on Handgun Defense... go figure) and more about things I already knew (differences in calibers), found somewhat interesting if irrelevant (history of gunfighting), or the completely bizarre (rules for being a gunfighter???).

So yeah, 1 part useful information that would fall under the category of the books title and 9 parts ramblings of someone who may have a little too much lead in his blood.

If you're looking for information about what you should know/learn/do prior to getting a conceal carry permit, or a guide to how to better increase your competency with a defensive handgun then this is not the book for you.

So far 'The Concealed Handgun Manual: How to choose, carry, and shoot in self defense' has been the closest to what I'm looking for.

While I enjoyed a lot of the book, I bought it to learn how to effectively defend myself with a handgun. If that's what you want, skip this book and get the Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, or the Gun Digest Book of Handgunnery. I feel that I was misled by the title.

The book title is very deceiving. I bought this book because the author has high praises for the CZ75b combat pistol, which I own. The author goes into detail into the historical origins of today's pistols. This book depicts highly desirable pistols and calibers, and some tips on how to select a good holster and concealment. It does not describe any type of gun handling or pistol shooting. Although the author describes felt recoil on various calibers.

For me, effective handgun defense should cover awareness, weapon concealment, drawing, and using the pistol. The author only covers one of these four areas. I would have given this book more stars if the title was different.