Customer Reviews

Tactical Reality: An Uncommon Look at Common-Sense Firearms Training and Tactics

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I started reading this book, I thought that this is one of those rare 5-star books. The thinking was unconventional and fresh, and there was a lot of humor in the text. Then when I reached about the halfway on the book, I became fed up with the constrained humor that Awebuck seems forced to cram his text with. And the subjects became less and less interesting, also. The thinking is unconventional to some extent, but Awebuck fails to find new aspects on the subject matter, and the text ends up repetiting the same ideas.

This book is comprised of articles published in several magazines berofe, and the problems with this format are obvious: The limitations on length placed on magazine column limit the way issues can be handled, the chapters in the book are not arranged by the subject handled, which forces the reader to go through the whole book if he is looking information on certain subject, there is some repetition in the book, the author is forced to end each and every chapter in some kind of conclusion that is not required in a text that is intended to be published in book form from the beginning, on some occasions is seemed that the author was short of ideas, but the monthly column was to be written anyway, and so on.

If the book were fully edited, the column format was discarded, the repetitive stuff removed, and the size of the book would be reduced to a more practical 8,5 x 5,5 size, the book would be worth at least one extra star. Nevertheless, because of the unconventional thinking, it is far more beneficial to read this book than the third or fourth book by your favorite author.

Louis Awerbuck is one of America's premier firearms trainers and instructors. He firmly believes that training and tactics are the most crucial elements in determining how people respond in a real fight.
Tactical Reality: An Uncommon Look at Common-Sense Firearms Training and Tactics brings together a decade of articles by Awerbuck in S.W.A.T. and Soldier of Fortune magazines on subjects ranging from creative target systems and firearms marksmanship under stress, to defensive survival of a deadly-force encounter.
Tactical Reality is intended to promote thought on surviving a fight in the harsh reality of the street. It’s not for the squeamish or anyone who isn't prepared to fight to defend himself or his family. It is for everyone interested in finding out how to take a realistic approach to training so that, if need be, he can turn the tactical odds in a gunfight in his favor.
Here are just a few of the many article contained in this large volume.
· You are what you practice
· Reaction time
· Ballistics: The magic bullet
· The mark of a smart shooter
· Pros and cons of various body positions
· Your back-up weapon
· Making your training realistic
· What to do in a no-shoot situation
· Using a high-intensity flashlight
· What to do when attacked on your motorcycle
· And many, many more

Awerbuck writes with a conversational style, like a couple of buddies over a brew. This buddy though, knows what he’s talking about.
Good book. I recommend it.

Tactical Reality is a book comprised of articles published by Louis Awerbuck in S.W.A.T. Magazine over the past several years. Louis Awerbuck was Chief Rangemaster at the original Gunsite Ranch until 1987 where he attained the title of Shooting Master. He also served in 1 Special Services Battalion in the South African Defence Force, and is now the lead instructor at the Yavapai Firearms Academy in Prescott, AZ.

Mr. Awerbuck certainly knows of what he speaks, and his knowledge is reflected well in his book Tactical Reality. Each article / section in the book discusses some aspect of dealing with a tactical engagement, or preventing, preparing for, or avoiding the engagement in the first place.

The articles read well individually (as was the intent when originally published in S.W.A.T. Magazine), or in series from one to the next as you read Mr. Awerbuck's concepts and ideas of what's right and what's wrong in the world of personal defense and tactical reality.

Your mind is your primary weapon, and Tactical Reality gets you thinking outside the box and off the black silhouette paper target in your training.

Tactical Reality is a worthy addition to any library.

This is a very good manual on firearms training. It is a book intended for those interested more than just punching holes in paper targetes, it is for real world martial artists who understand the importance and reality of winning lethal force encounters. I highly recommend this book.

The author seems very knowledgable and identifies quite a number of training problems. But he offers very little detail about how specifically to resolve the problems. My money was much better spent on books such as: Tactical Pistol by Gabriel Suarez, In The Gravest Extreme by Massad Ayoob, Street Smarts by Jim Grover, Combat Handgunnery by Chuck Taylor, Stopping Power by Evan Marshall, and Stressfire Vol 1 by Massad Ayoob.

Louis is probably one of the best combat shotgun instructors there is. I was fortunate enough to take one of those 3 day courses. Like others have pointed out his humor is bone dry, sort of like what you expect from Brits but Louis comes from South Africa. The book is interesting to some extent as he clears up a lot of myths and misconceptions about shooting (handguns). Do not buy this book if you want a how-to, step by step book on how to shoot or on how to shoot better. Its just not written that way. If fact those that already have a fair amount of experience will benefit the most.

This book is a good read! It gave me a lot of insight into owning a weapon; I had some rifles and pistols and used them to punch holes in paper. I have a better appreciation now about what responsibilities go with owning firearms.