Customer Reviews

Outgunned!: True Stories of Citizens Who Stood Up to Outlaws-And Won

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Robert Waters has done it again! OUTGUNNED! reads like a sequel in subject matter to his previous books regarding self-protection of law-abiding citizens of America against ruthless criminals. Since I am a university history instructor, please indulge me to elaborate in this review. I truly appreciate all the effort that went into writing this informative book.

Mr. Waters and his brother, John, have obviously spent much time in the research of data involving gangsters from the midwest to the great southwest. Some are well-known, and some are not. Toward the end of the nineteenth century up through the early twentieth century, all kinds of marauding gangs were running rampant throughout these territories. In the latter days of the westward expansion, settlement, and development, law and peace were not always easy to maintain. It was simple for hoodlums to hit a bank or post office, and quickly disappear into the wilds of Texas or Indian territory.

From Jesse James and his loosely knit group to John Dillinger, and the flamboyant members of the Mob in Chicago, these thugs carved their way into the minds of Americans, and some are still remembered. These people and events are described by Mr. Waters in graphic details that abound on every page through thirteen chapters. At times, by pointless mistakes made, the outlaws were brought to the dust by their intended victims. The bravery of these ordinary citizens was amazing!

There are those in America who will argue that Robert Waters advocates self-protection with the use of firearms or other weaponry, and that it is politically or religiously incorrect. Their problem may be getting invaded without a chance. I have read this study for its substance, not specific technicality, and am satisfied that Mr. Waters and his brother have written a fine piece that will hold the interest. What was the actual ignoble ending of Butch and Sundance, along with some of their disciples? Read this book!

I purchased this book almost a year ago and finally found the time to sit down and read it. I was both pleased and a little disappointed at the same time. Pleased because it was a very interesting and entertaining book loaded with a lot of historical information concerning some of the more famous or perhaps infamous cases of where common and not so common criminals met their demise not at the hands of the authorities, but at the hands of the average citizen. Which only proves that criminals fear an armed civilian more than and armed policeman.

Disappointed because all of the cases detailed here all happened 70+ years ago and some of them over 100 years ago. I was really expecting some more modern occurrences, but then I blame myself for that one by not reading the back cover more closely when I decided to purchase this book.

Now please don't take my disappointment in this book to be anything other than me not reading the back cover. Because this book is well worth the money if you know what to expect, and that is a book loaded with historical examples of where the average citizen(s) defended their homes, towns, families, and money from vicious and often not too bright criminals.

Here are some of the incidents that are detailed in this book and some good movies I would recommend concerning those incidents. Although one must remember that they are Hollywood depictions and not necessarily very accurate.

The Dalton Gangs infamous Coffeyville, Kansas debacle.

The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang

The James-Younger Gangs raid on Northfield, Minnesota.

The Long Riders

The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid

Tom Horn, famous assassin for the Wyoming cattle barons.

Tom Horn

and much, much, more.

Here are a couple of other books that I highly recommend that you get and read. They are very well written and our great case studies in more modern examples of average citizens defending themselves against criminals.

The Concealed Handgun Manual: How to Choose, Carry, and Shoot a Gun in Self Defense (Concealed Handgun Manual: How to Choose, Carry, & Shoot a Gun in Self Defense)

Thank God I Had a Gun: True Accounts of Self-Defense

America Fights Back: Armed Self-defense in a Violent Age

Ayoob Files: The Book

Shawn Kovacich
Creator of numerous books and DVD's.

Like several other reviewers, I latched on to this book thinking it dealt with present-day folks defending themselves against criminals. In point of fact, this book by Robert and John Waters relates Old West and Depression-era shootouts between bank robbers and enraged local citizens. It's exciting reading but not what I expected.

The stories in OUTGUNNED are a combination of well-known failed robberies and little-known bungled attempts. Exploits by famous outlaws - Jesse James, the Daltons, Pretty Boy Floyd - are intermixed with those of robbery rejects like Adam Richetti. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to the order of the different chapters. Chronologically you jump back and forth from events circa 1915 to 1897 to 1938. And, if the thread that holds the stories together is bank robberies, why then is a chapter devoted to Tom Horn who was a killer but never a bank robber?

All in all, a somewhat interesting but still optional choice.

I bought this book because I thought so highly of Mr. Waters' book, "The Best Defense." This is also a good book, but the subject is not what I was expecting. I should have read the commentary and reviews more carefully.

I was expecting more stories of people who had defended themselves with a firearm, but this book doesn't really cover that subject. This book is about people who banded together to defend their communities against outlaws. It is not about personal protection.

Most of the stories are about bank robberies and how the local citizenry thwarted them. The most recent event covered in this book occurred in the 1930's. This is primarily a history book.

Although the book could have been edited better, Mr. Waters has done his research well, and he gives a good accounting of each of the covered events. If you are looking for this sort of thing, you will enjoy this book. I was looking for something else.