John Henry ("Fitz") FitzGerald worked for Colt from 1918 till 1944. Shooting, originally published in 1930, was the culmination of Fitz's work in the firearms field. In it he discusses his work with law enforcement and the courts, his theories and practices about practical shooting of the "one hand gun" and his thoughts about target and exhibition shooting, hunting and home defense. This was the only book FitzGerald ever wrote, but his life was clearly dedicated to all aspects of handgun shooting. While his written work might be unfamiliar to some of you, those who are reading this work for the first time should be very familiar with the writings of Elmer Keith, Charles Askins Jr., Ashley Haines and Chauncey Thomas. All these men were friends of FitzGerald and thought highly of his methods and approach. After reading this book, you will feel the same way. Paladin is pleased to add this long-out-of-print volume by one of America's most renowned and colorful shooters to its Combat Classics library. The new forewords by FitzGerald scholars Timothy J. Mullin and Kevin Williams, as well as the addition of a number of never-before published photos, shed new light on FitzGerald the man and the shooter.
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John Henry ("Fitz") FitzGerald worked for Colt from 1918 till 1944. Initially he worked in the firearms testing department, and in this position he fired 1,000 shots or more every day for 10 years. By the mid-1930s, he was traveling 30,000 miles each year to give exhibitions, train police departments, hunt big game and appear as an expert witness in forensic ballistics, eventually testifying in more than 400 trials. For the premier shooting competitions of the era, especially the National Matches held at Camp Perry, Fitz was in charge of the Colt tent, where shooters came to see the latest offerings from Colt, have their handguns fixed and hear Fitz regale them with stories.
Timothy J. Mullin is a former infantry officer in the U.S. Army and deputy U.S. marshall. He is a life-long gun lover and fervent defender of the Second Amendment. His well-regarded series on combat weapons also includes volumes on handguns and rifles. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Timothy J. Mullin is a former infantry officer in the U.S. Army and deputy U.S. marshall. He is a life-long gun lover and fervent defender of the Second Amendment. His well-regarded series on combat weapons also includes volumes on handguns and rifles. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Book on Handguns,
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This review is from: Shooting (Hardcover)
I first read this book in 1967, since then I have never read a book on handgunning that even comes close to this book. A must read if you are in to handguns. No matter if you are just starting off or have been shooting for years. I have two hardbacks that are dear to me. The hardbacks are hard to find,also will cost you a bunch. Papers you can get for about 28.00 bucks. Hope you enjoy as much as I have. I know you will read it over and over. badbob38
4.0 out of 5 stars
Historical, fascinating, still useful,
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This review is from: Shooting (Paperback)
I like the older books about firearms and shooting techniques. First because I'm a history buff and a collector of older firearms. Second because many of the classic books about shooting and firearms were published before the industry was taken over by ex-Delta Force/SEAL instructors, black tactical clothing/equipment and the S.W.A.T. mentality. The earlier books are a window into the shooting culture before it became a cash cow controlled by the combat crowd.In my opinion much of the enjoyment of owning and shooting firearms has been sucked out by the 5.11 bunch. For those who don't know 5.11 is a company that makes clothing aimed at firearm instructors, cops, private security etc. Much of it is very practical and useful, but it's also become fashion and is often used to show how "tacticool" one is. It's no longer enough to go to the range for a couple hours of just target shooting. Now one has to go the range and train for war. As a police officer I understand the need for such reality based training and do engage in such training, but not all the time. There are times when it's satisfying to slowly fire off six rounds at a paper target 25 yard away and to see how close you can get the bullet holes together. It can be surprisingly relaxing and rewarding. Yet in 2011 I am constantly bombarded by the current literature that tells me I'm foolish to want to engage in target practice. It has no place and will only get me killed. It's as if I should feel guilty for even wanting to go to the range and simply fire a .38 Special revolver. Evidently if I'm not in combat boots and expending hundreds of rounds of ammo through my Glock pistol (while jumping and rolling on the ground) then I'm not serious. I should just present my throat to the terrorists and get down on my knees. Ridiculous, but that is the state of things in the 21st century. As a result I have begun to look back to the older writers for information about target shooting, trigger control, bullseye shooting and revolvers. While writers like Elmer Keith, Ed McGivern, and FitzGerald do address combat shooting it isn't the end all and be all of their writing. They understood that there were those who viewed shooting simply as a hobby or a sport and weren't constantly thinking about engaging multiple assailants while eating dinner at the local diner. The other thing that I like about the early gun writers was that they were writing for readers who weren't as submerged in the gun culture. The jargon that is understood by so many in 2011 didn't exist in 1930. Sometimes with more modern writers there is a tendency to assume that the readers know much already and explanations are skipped over. Fitzgerald and his peers couldn't make such assumptions and therefore they spelled things out. I've learned much about revolvers as a result. Information that in the modern era is often not explained and omitted. FitzGerald's writing is archaic. In many respects he was self-educated and his education occurred in the late 19th century. There is a rough-hewn quality to his writing that is both formal and folksy. But, unlike many of his peers, his writing is polished and more easily comprehended. In addition to the chapters about firearms, ammunition, shooting techniques and firearm related equipment there are some fascinating chapters about forearms forensics. FitzGerald was one of the pioneers in the field and even testified in 1921 at the Saco-Vanzetti murder trial. The chapters are short and easy to read. As I stated earlier I even found some information that I can use in the present. As a history buff the book is a real treat. It's loaded with period photographs. I've always enjoyed primary sources. To be able to read about history as it was actually taking place can be very enlightening. If you are a gun buff with an interest in the early days of the American gun culture you might want to check out "SHOOTING".
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shooting,
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This review is from: Shooting (Paperback)
I ordered J. Henry FitzGerald's book, "Shooting" to research information on the author and his famous "Fitz Special" to use in an article. I fond the book to contain much more interesting information and photos than I expected, and to be an excellent source. I recommended it to all of our readers. It's a must to see what's changed and what hasn't. Shooting
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