Tactical Pistol: Advanced Gunfighting Concepts And Techniques [Paperback]

Gabriel Suarez (Author), Jeff Cooper (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

Big-city cop and gunfight veteran Gabe Suarez teaches you the most vital lessons and techniques for prevailing in any situation where you must draw your weapon. Chapters include The Dynamics of a Gunfight, The Rules of Close-Quarter Combat, Holding Hostiles at Gunpoint and more.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gabe Suarez is a veteran of Southern California law enforcement, where he has served for many years. His extensive field experience includes single officer patrol, gang enforcement, special operations and tactical training. He was one of the founding members of his department's Special Weapons and Tactical Precision Rifle teams.

The late Jeff Cooper's accomplishments in the field of firearms are almost too numerous to list. They include founder of Gunsite Ranch, editor-at-large of Guns & Ammo magazine, rangemaster emeritus of the U.S. Practical Shooting Association, and Outstanding American Handgunner

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873648641
• ISBN-13: 978-0873648646
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #593,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good advise (and some bad), August 29, 2003

By 

Seppo Vesala (Helsinki, - Finland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tactical Pistol: Advanced Gunfighting Concepts And Techniques (Paperback)

This book is the first book written by well-known weapons and tactics instructor, Gabe Suarez. The author has himself stated that when he was writing this book, he was still formulating his gunfighting concepts. Therefore, the book contains information Suarez himself calls dated and doesn't advocate anymore (like Speed rock). Nevertheless, the book contains some valuable information.

The book covers just about all the basics about shooting from the drawstroke and the sight picture to reloading and malfunction clearance. In addition, there is also material for mental as well as tactical aspects of combat. But as you would guess, as this book is about 200 pages long and there are 22 chapters, none of the issues are given very through presentation. The information is presented in a clear and easy to understand way, but there really is not that much that you wouldn't find in other similar books.

I think that this book is a good one, and worth the purchase, but there are some issues like the ones mentioned below that bother me:
- Suarez seems to think that PTSD and related symptoms are result of conditioning. He thinks that people suffer from these symptos, because they have been told to do that. What he doesn't realize (or seems to ignore) is that PTSD symptoms have been widely known and discussed for only couple of decades, but veterans of war have suffered from these symptoms from as early as the WWI.
- In many issues, Suarez teaches only one way to do things. Take teaching the proper firing stance as an example: Suarez teaches only Weaver stance, and does not even mention that there are other shooting stances in existence. In my mind it is obvious that these are a matter of choice, and readers should be given a chance to evaluate the possibilities himself. This approach of not even mentioning the "competitive" stances gives the reader an impression that the author can't make the reasoning on the subject, and therefore chooses to avoid the issue completely.
- Suarez teaches to put the trigger finger on the trigger surface as you are in the process of drawing the gun, and the finger should start pressing the trigger even before the sights are aligned to the target! I think that this is extremely dangerous, as this demands extremely good coordination, which propably is not available in the heat of battle.
- There are at least two separate issues where Suarez tells that it is very important to learn some specific skills, but there is not a word on these skills in the book! For example, regarding to shooting from behind cover, Suarez tells that "you must develop the ability to 'roll out' from behind cover in a shooting position", and yet there is not a single word or picture on how to do it. If Suarez thinks that this is an important skill, why there is not even a single page, or couple of pictures on the subject?

Speaking of pictures, there are plenty and most of them are very good and informative, and support the text nicely. Some of the pictures are apparently so good that they have been used in other books as well. There is a strange thing that gaught my eye, however. In the chapter on operating in reduced light, there was no discussion on Surefire/Rogers firing technique in the text, but there was a photograph depicting that stance. That gives an impression of sloppiness in part of the publisher.

In conclusion, despite its few shortcomings, I would say that the book is a worthwhile investment. But this should not be your first book on the subject, as you have to examine the text with critical eye.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly entertaining; very instructive, April 19, 2002

By 

Frederic Woodbridge "Fred" (ID, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tactical Pistol: Advanced Gunfighting Concepts And Techniques (Paperback)

I first heard of Gabriel Suarez by his postings on GlockTalk, an online forum. As a (then) relative newcomer to pistol shooting, I was immediately impressed by the simplicity of his instruction and the great intelligence it belied. I searched out anything written by him and found quite a number. This, 'The Tactical Pistol', is the first I've read and my original analysis of Suarez, much to my pleasure, holds true.
Most traditional "gun authors" (for want of a better description) indulge in self-aggrandizing and pompous language, immediately betraying their low estimation either of themselves and their writing ability, or worse, of the reader. Suarez does not make the mistake of falling into the trap that has caught so many (Massad Ayoob comes to mind: great content, horrible language) and simply but clearly instructs the newbie and the experienced alike in the art of using a pistol as a tool for self-defense. He includes enlightening lessons on the pistol's use in several different scenarios: home invasions, burglary, low-light situations, self-defense outside the house with a concealed firearm, etc. Very informative.
Suarez, it turns out, has every right to write such a book. He's an LAPD police officer with some impressive credentials. The fact that he does not beat the reader over the head with them only serves to buttress my opinion of him. I heartily recommend this excellent work.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on using your head and your pistol, November 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tactical Pistol: Advanced Gunfighting Concepts And Techniques (Paperback)

Always a pleasure to read a book that is well writen, concise, and contains useful information. If you use a handgun then this book should be on your reading list. Suarez, is a police officer, who has trained with some of the best and offers his own insights - which are plentiful - to his readers. From the Mental Trigger, to stopping power, shot placement and what to do if outnumbered very good advice that could save your life.