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Massad F. Ayoob

In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection Paperback – January 1, 1980

by Massad F. Ayoob (Author)

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When I decided to write this book, I resolved not to fill it with grisly cases of criminals shot by citizens in self-defense. Those who believe that the private citizen should not be permitted to possess defensive firearms rely heavily on anecdotes of murder for shock effect; Carl Bakal's "No Right to Bear arms" is a case in point. Actually, almost every incedent Bakal and the others depict can be argued either way. Their opinion is that each atrocity could have been averted if the assailants could have been prevented from having guns; my contention is that almost every one could have been prevented or mitigated had the intended victims been armed and able to fight back against their murderers. An exception is the accicdental shooting, a statistically unlikely occurence that can, in my opinion, be eliminated by proper training. This book makes no attempt to convince the private citizen to acquire or carry firearms. It speaks to those who have already made the decision to do so, and endeavors only to advise them in the legal, ethical, and practical use of the deadly weapons they already own. The above was taken from part of the introduction from the book. 131 pages Gluded Softcover.

Print length

130 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Police Bookshelf
Publication date

January 1, 1980
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.25 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

0936279001
ISBN-13

978-0936279008
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Police Bookshelf (January 1, 1980)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 130 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0936279001
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0936279008
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.25 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #177,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Massad F. Ayoob

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Massad Ayoob is one of the pre-eminent fighting handgun trainers in the world. He operates the Lethal Force Institute, which trains both U.S. and international clients. His methods of reflexive, high speed yet accurate shooting has been adopted by the U.S. army as part of its standard pistol-training course. Massad has written many books for Krause Publications, including Combat Handgunnery, The Gun Digest Book of Sig-Sauer, and The Gun Digest Book of Beretta Pistols.

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IT'S 33 YEARS OLD, AND STILL A MUST READ TO CONCEAL AND CARRY

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

This is an important book for defensive firearm use. The copywrite is 1980. Thirty Three years have passed from its authorship. During that time violence has escalated to dominate the news more and more these days. Thirty Three Years ago there were fewer Public mall, school, and restaurant shootings by armed perpetrators killing random unknown targets. Just last week a school shooting in Russia made our national news saying, it is not only in America this is going on. There were fewer conceal weapons available in 1980, and there were fewer carriers of those weapons.

This book cries out for a second edition update. But the material is still relevant. If you take your conceal and carry class you will be introduced to gun law. One of the things about any law is that you find out laws are made by lawyers for lawyers. They are intentionally obscure to read because you may not figure out the definitions of those legal terms. But if you land in court because of your firearm, you'll get an education on those terms and it will be expensive!

You better get a handle on "JAM" if you are going to conceal and carry a weapon. "J" is for jeapardy. Your weapon is for that time when you fear for your life or the lives of your loved ones. It may be a split second, because after the attack comes and the attacker starts to flee you are no longer in jeapardy, you can't then pull your firearm. "A" is for ability. It basically refers to the FBI's 21 foot rule. Is your possible threat within 21 feet. That is the distance that can be covered in the span of some 2 seconds where your attacker would be on you. "M" stands for means. Is your attacker armed? This is where it gets a little ambiguous. You don't see a weapon, but you see a disparity between you and your attacker, or attackers. I'm a 65 year old senior. A younger more agile attacher is easily an overmatch situation for an overweight arthritic man. Especially if that attacker is multiplied...there are three of them. You do not have to wait till you have been shot or shot at. He does not have to produce his combat knife before you defend yourself. You have to be sure in your mind that it is "The Gravest Extreme," life and death. You need to be sure.

Moreover, you need to make a concertive effort to retreat, hide, flee if possible. You cannot be the instigator or escalator in some conflict which starts with words, and goes up from there to deadly force. If you do not avoid escalating an incident to deadly force, you will be in another kind of JAM. You will be jammed up in court, dole out attorney fees, or end up in prison, It may cost you in every way to use deadly force when it is not legally and ethically correct. Be afraid. Be prepared by getting informed. Conceal and Carry can be a lifesaver, literally. But spell that lifesaver... R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. There are places you can't carry. There are things you can't do. Knowledge of these things is key. Be informed.

If you ever have to pull and once you do, it is deadly force on your part. You can't claim to shoot to wound. It has to be the gravest extreme, life and death. If you ever pull let alone shoot, you better not then flee, rearrange anything on the scene, or run your mouth. When the police come it is, "I was afraid for my life, and I don't think I will say anything else without an attorney." You may be tempted to run off at the mouth. Trust me, you don't want to do that.

Your incident is not going away without a thorough investigation. Second, that investigation may not clear you of the civil liabilities that you may get from the family of the attacker. They think their Billy Bob is harmless, never mind that he came after you with a Louisville Slugger or a .357 magnum. Your words at the scene can land you in a pickle even if you were in the right. We're living in a day when right is wrong, and wrong is right legally speaking.

If your life is on the line, there is no time to do all these mental gymnastics unless you prepared before hand. Defensive firearm carry is a mindset to be ready. Be aware of your surroundings, have a sense of where the exits are, and if you ever have to run for your life, be ready for that. If your attacker comes for you when you are trying to retreat and get away, and as the last resort, you pull and shoot. It will matter that you tried to get away...You tried not to shoot. You will be seen in a much more favorable light if you make every effort to avoid using deadly force first.

This book and this subject have never been more relevant than 2014. I would suggest Ayoob's Second Edition Gun Digest Concealed Carry book. Another important read might be Ayoob on combat shooting.

God help us to be vigilent and righteous in the carry and potential use of deadly force. I am a Baptist pastor. I do not believe in murder. I know how to "turn the other cheek" in accepting insults without retaliation. But I believe in self defense. Recently in our denomination a gunman entered that church and shot and killed the young minister on Sunday morning in front of his wife, family and congregation with a .45. I wish instead that he had been carrying, that he had knealt and drawn from an ankle holster and sent that gunman attacker onto next world. Churches have been targets of armed criminal action. Even the clergy should conceal and carry these days.

31 people found this helpful

Christian D. Orr

Classic self-defense book

Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2023

Verified Purchase

I've been a fan of Massad Ayoob's writings since 1990, when I was a mere 14 y/o. Surprisingly now, I've only now finished reading "In the Gravest Extreme," arguably his most famous and best-regarded book. It's been out for 43 years now, but it's still considered one of the best books ever written on the subject of owning and carrying a firearm for self-defense. The only thing that keeps me from giving this book a perfect 5-star writing is that the specific recommendations for handgun makes & models and ammunition & calibers alike are outdated; thank God so many options and improvements in all of those categories have come along in the past 43 years!

Nonetheless, I still highly recommend this book to novice gun owners or those contemplating a first-time firearms purchase for self-defense usage, whether home defense and/or concealed carry outside of the home.

One person found this helpful

Justin Playfair

Some good information and some bad

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

In hindsight I wish I had made a list of the problems with this book while reading it, but given the large number of glowing reviews I didn't expect to find so many, and now I hardly know where to start.

As many have pointed out, some of the legal information in this book is wrong, perhaps partly due to its age (now 40 years old), but I suspect some of it wasn't applicable in every state even when it was first published. I won't go into detail on this point because it's already been mentioned by several other reviewers, but to those who say, "What do you expect from a 40-year-old book?" I'd say, "A new edition". After all, regardless of when it was first published, the fact that it's sold today implies that it's still applicable.

Another problem I have is the author's advice -- mentioned multiple times in the book -- to always carry $5 or $10 and use it to buy off hoodlums who'd try to mug you (or worse). I agree with his statement that it's worth that amount to avoid having to shoot someone; it's worth far more than that, in fact. However, that's like suggesting you leave a television outside your home hoping would-be burglars will be satisfied and not break in: it just doesn't stand up to reason, and if people actually did that it would only embolden criminals. What's more, the author apparently doesn't even take his own advice; he says as much explicitly in the book (p. 92) and also described two incidents where he scared hoodlums away by brandishing a handgun (p. 66 & pp. 76-77). Where I live at least, brandishing a weapon can get you arrested, which the author claims is one of the things he wants you to avoid. Sure, you probably wouldn't be charged if you could show you pulled a gun to defend yourself, but all a would-be mugger has to do is claim that he approached you politely and now you may be the one in trouble. So at best, the author's guilty of giving "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" advice, and at worst he's going to make it even more likely you'll be robbed or arrested.

He also makes what I think are some pretty big leaps of logic. For example, he talks at length about why you shouldn't shoot someone just because a cop asks you for help. Here again, it's not that I disagree with his position that you shouldn't shoot, but I think it's unlikely anyone would interpret "get him!" shouted by a cop chasing a fleeing suspect to mean "shoot him" (p. 29). Has this really been a problem and, if not, why does the author seem so concerned with this scenario?

Finally, at least one of his anecdotes appears to be false. He claims to, "recall reading of one situation, the invasion of a dinner party by a group of armed men who forced sexual acts on some of the women present" (p. 53). Being a person who follows the news fairly closely and has since before this book was written, I was surprised I hadn't heard of this incident before, and as best I can tell, that's because it never DID happen. What I found was that the events he described occurred in a "sexploitation" movie from 1980 (the same year this book was published) titled, "The House on the Edge of the Park". So it appears that the author is either guilty of sloppy research or that he tried to pass off a movie plot as something that happened in real life.

Is Ayoob a very knowledgeable man and are there good bits of information in this book? Yes, absolutely to both, but much of what's written here sounds like the kind of off-the-cuff advice you'd get from a stranger at a bar who's trying to impress people after having had a few too many drinks.

20 people found this helpful

This is the README FIRST for Gun owners.

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2014

Verified Purchase

If you have recently purchased a firearm or if you are considering buying a firearm for the first time. GET THIS BOOK. Get it now, and read it first. There are a ton of books on self defense and guns out there. Forget them all for now. Get this book first and after you read this, go and get more training and education.

The book is not so much about using a firearm but the role that the firearm plays and some of the legal concepts that you need to understand before you hold a firearm in your hands.

Bottom line aside from a motor vehicle, a firearm is very likely the second most dangerous machine that any of us will likely operate in our lives. Guns are designed to be extremely simple to operate and to be rugged and reliable. Their purpose is to stop or kill animals or humans. You should never ever handle a weapon casually, loaded or not.

Beyond that you need to know the law of where you live and that's what this books gets you to think:
- Are you ever justified in shooting an assailant who has given up or is retreating?
- do you have a duty to retreat before you use lethal force? in your home? on the street? in your state? what about other states?
- is simply pointing a gun at someone a crime? what if the gun is empty?
- what is brandishing?
- can you keep shooting an assailant over and over even after s/he has stopped being a threat to you?
- when are you justified in shooting a home invader?

There are dozens of questions like the above and the answer to the question is that depending on the situation and your actions, you could land you in jail even if you survive a confrontation in the gravest extreme.

What I'm saying is that if you own a firearm, you owe it to yourself to know and understand the law as it pertains to you and the use of a firearm because by and large, you can't just shoot people without there being a ton of repercussions. Simple mistakes can cost your your freedom, your home, your life, your family and their well being.

This book is not the end all or be all of firearms education and it is dated in many ways and there are minor idiosycracies to the book but to me at least, it was the very first stepping stone on a long road that I don't think will ever be complete. Preparing for a situation that I hope never happens.

Whenever anyone asks me for advice regarding firearms, I suggest they:
1) Get this book and read it first
2) Read as much as they can on the law
3) Talk to an attorney

It's old and it's dated but it's probably the single book that I think everyone should who owns a firearm should at least read. I have personally given away half a dozen of these to friends who tell me they are first time gun owners or who are thinking of getting a firearm and who start asking questions -- I tell them to start here.

3 people found this helpful

Definitely dated, but still demonstrates timeless principles

Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book comprises a series of articles that were published by Masaad Ayood many decades ago in a Guns magazine (as is described in the book itself). Some of the chapters are obviously dated. This is especially apparent as he talks through things like firearm selection and mentions specific models and their merits. Consider that this book was published in 1980 - four years before the first Glock, today's most popular handgun, was ever sold to the public. Things has certainly changed. The same can be said (to a lesser degree) in his discussion of calibers.

Still - the other chapters of the book are solid. But don't misinterpret this book for something that it is not. Mas doesn't try to explain tactics or techniques for how to use a firearm. But he more discusses the repercussions from doing so on the individual. These are timeless and profound lessons that will always be true.

So yes, the book is certainly dated. At times it's humorous. But the core of the writing is timeless and excellent. I'm very glad I read it.

Read this or forget Carrying a CDW

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2022

Verified Purchase

If you want to know how to become a Force multiplier, and come out on the right side of the law, Read this before you carry a CDW !

One person found this helpful

Very hard read, but worth it if you want to be a RESPONSIBLE gun owner.

Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2011

Verified Purchase

This book is not a "rah-rah" about gun ownership. Nor is it a manual for gun noobs. (although it does discuss some practical considerations).
It is more a book that makes you question and think about how/why/when you might use a gun and consider the results that can occur in different situations.

I found it to be a hard read, but worth it if you want to be a RESPONSIBLE gun owner. I highly respect Mr. Ayoob, I have bought and read 3 books by him.
This one is not the best edited/written example, and is a hard read. However I highly recommend it to people who wish to carry or store a firearm RESPONSIBLY and with FORETHOUGHT to the possible outcomes. Mr. Ayoob examines just about every conceivable outcome of the last-resort use of a firearm, and raises all the questions you should ALREADY have considered and have answers for.

Not all questions are answered in this book, nor could they be. The laws in all states and the variables in every situation are innumerable.
However the possible moral, ethical and legal issues are considered from most conceivable perspectives and given thoughtful consideration.

This book is not a "rah-rah" about gun ownership. Nor is it a manual for gun noobs. (although it does discuss some practical considerations).
It is more a book that makes you question and think about how/why/when you might use a gun and consider the results that can occur in different situations.

My recommendation is that if you keep a firearm within reach, then you should read and STUDY this book. Think about it and then come back and read it again a year later.

3 people found this helpful

Great intro to self defense

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2022

Verified Purchase

This is great, but dated as laws and judgments have slightly changed the topic, still a good study on self defense.

One person found this helpful

Excellent, Desperately Needed, But Sadly Dated

Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2012

Verified Purchase

"...The taking of one citizen's life by another is an unnatural act, justified only as a last desperate escape from grave criminal danger" sums up the philosophy of this excellent primer on self-defense.

Books like this are desperately needed now more than ever in light of the how easily half truths and outright false information can be spread and perpetuated. The fact that concealed carry is more popular than ever only increases the need for an easily digestible treatise on self defense laws for the lay audience written by someone with great knowledge and experience in the subject.

"In the Gravest Extreme" is just that; it's easily digestible for the non-expert in law and the author is one of the foremost authorities on self-defense law in the country. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who considers keeping firearms for personal protection, either in their home or on their person. However in recommending this book I must issue several caveats.

The first is that the book is, as many other reviewers have mentioned, outdated. The sections on technical equipment are over 30 years old. Since then lightweight, reliable polymer framed pistols have spread like wildfire throughout the public and the law enforcement community. New cartridges have been developed that aren't even mentioned in the book. Weaponlights are now commonplace.

Secondly, this is a general treatise based on a survey of the law as it was 30 years ago. The law has changed, and multiple court decisions have changed the legal landscape of personal defense.

Despite these caveats much of this book still holds true. The duty to train and become familiar with one's firearm is as great now as it ever was. The advice on how to maintain one's home or on how to instruct one's children to behave around guns is still valid. In general terms, much of the book still holds true.

As this is meant to be a general primer on self defense law I do not fault the book for considering state to state variations in homicide statutes. However, the fact that it is a general primer and not an exhaustive reference must be stressed; there are going to be variations in the law from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The core philosophy of "In the Gravest Extreme" is that the use of lethal force by the public is justifiable only "when undertaken to escape imminent and unavoidable danger of death or grave bodily harm [to the innocent]", a philosophy is deeply grounded in US law.

I like this book, it's readable and authoritative. It's very straightforward and simple to understand. I still recommend it even with all of it's problems simply because there is not another book out there, to my knowledge at least, that is comparable.

Michael Hartman

Excellent book but needs updating

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2007

Verified Purchase

This book is a "must read" for anyone contemplating the use of a handgun for personal defense whether it be in the home or for concealed carry. Masssad Ayoob is "the man" when it comes to the use of firearms for personal protection. His straight forward approach and no-nonsense style are the perfect combination for this most serious subject.

The only complaint is that the book is slightly outdated when it comes to pistol and ammunition information. Since the book was written in 1980 many changes have taken place most notibly is the wide spread use of semi-auto matic handguns. The book refers to the .38 special revolver as the definitive weapon for law inforcement. I think today you would be hard pressed to find any police officer carrying a revolver or that caliber.

The author also sites several legal cases and presidents. I suspect these also are very outdated. It would be hard to imagine that many, many changes haven't taken place in the legal system regarding this issue in the last 25 years!

In conclusion, if you're going to carry a gun for personal defense, read this book first. However keep in mind that the information on gun types, ammunition, and the legal stories are very outdated. And therfore I would like to make this plea to Massad - please write an updated version.

5 people found this helpful

Wonderful read!!

Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

I'm a young female who just moved into an apartment of my own, where guns are allowed, so I got a CCW permit and bought a gun. And this book. My firearms instructor recommends it to every one of his students. It should be required reading for every gun owner, new and experienced.

When to use self defense is often a grey area legally and circumstantially, and while every situation is different, Ayoob does a fantastic job of covering as much detail as he can in this compact book. He describes specific situations in which defense was an only option, and instructs you on what your own options are before, during, and after a deadly incident. And that's not all-he also discusses training with your weapon, knowing your weapon and your rights at all times, among many other important aspects of gun ownership and defense. The book helped me to become more vigilant and responsible, and to take my right to self defense even more seriously.

The only thing I warn against is that the book is outdated in terms of the laws and firearms he discusses. These have changed, so be sure to check with law enforcement or another reliable source for the most recent updates.

30 people found this helpful

obviously dated but still very relevant

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2014

Verified Purchase

The primary information you need to get out of this book is the mindset you need to have to carry a firearm and to know when you should resort to using it. While it was published a couple decades ago all of the information is still relevant minus the short section on handgun selection as for most concealed carriers they will probably be going with more modern guns. The sections on cartridge selection however remain very relevant.

I had hoped the book would be a little longer, i read through it in just a few hours, One thing Ayoob stresses is that carrying a firearm is a huge responsibility and that you should never have the attitude that "hey, i am not scared of a damned thing I have a gun" Having the firearm really is for an absolute last resort and if you draw you should be absolutely ready to fire.

Overall an excellent read for someone who wants to carry or already does. I was personally surprised that Ayoob describes two separate incidents where he was forced to draw his weapon and this was as a civilian before he was a LEO. It also sounded like he learned important lessons in each of them and shares them in this book.

4 people found this helpful

Excellent, timeless book on the responsibilities of Concealed Carry

Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is one of the finest books on Concealed Carry I have read. The book is well written. Although it was published in 1980, the advice on safely carrying and possibly using a concealed firearm is timeless. Mr. Ayoob has long established credentials. His bona fides are unquestioned. I have several of his other books and have found them all very useful.

As the title implies, using a firearm is your very last resort. Society as a whole takes a dim view of a private citizen administering lethal force. After carrying for a few years, there is a natural human tendency to become somewhat complacent. Mr. Ayoob points out the inherent dangers in this state-of-mind.

There are probably only three occasions when using lethal force will not subject the user to possible criminal and/or civil prosecution. One is a home invasion. A second is an armed robbery. And, the third is an active shooter situation, where the fact of, and identity of, the bad guy is crystal clear. All other incidents are very problematic.

I highly recommend this excellent book on an important topic.

5 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Legal use of a firearm for self-defense remains valid.

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

Although this book is copy righted in 1980, the factors of the legal application of deadly force or lethal force remains most salient. It can easily be stated that topics as Women's Issues and available firearms are clearly outdated, but the main factor of legal self-defense with a firearm remains solid. As the U.S. Supreme Court has clearly stated that Law Enforcement Officers (LEO's) have No Legal Obligation To Respond To Urgent 9-1-1- Calls For Immediate Assistance as it is at their "Option" (even under a Court Order Of Protection), the right to use armed self-defense remains moot. This book and its following book will give the reader a clear insight where the boundaries lie. As an armed security officer/guard in the Fanatical Anti-firearms State of New Jersey, this person keeps one edition at living quarters and one in the automobile, and review it constantly. Be reminded that 9-1-1 calls are an "Optional Item" for LEO's set by the Highest Court of the U.S.A.!

4 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2010

Verified Purchase

Anyone who uses or plans to use a firearm for self-defense needs to read this book. This is information that you are not going to find easily anywhere else. Many books can tell you how to shoot, move, use cover, etc., but this is the first (and still one of the few) that goes into "when" and "when not" to shoot in self-defense...and what to expect afterwards.

Yes, the publication date is 1980. But like "Harvey Penick's Little Red Book" for golf, the lessons here are time-tested and fully applicable today. And while the information on handgun laws and recommendations on holsters, calibers, and weapons are outdated, Ayoob corrects this with his 2008 release The Gun Digest Book Of Concealed Carry ...another "must-read".

My sole warning to readers here is an unexpected and jarring use of the f-word in one or two places...not something you expect in an instructional piece and the only place I've ever seen Ayoob use them in print. But it should not prevent you from learning from a man who has used handguns in a self-defense mode since his youth, including service in law enforcement.

This book makes a great (and inexpensive) gift for someone you know is contemplating purchasing or already owns a gun for self-defense. Both books are great reference works for a personal library.

2 people found this helpful

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