The Concealed Handgun Manual:
How to Choose, Carry, and Shoot a Gun in Self Defense.
The Sixth Edition of The Concealed Handgun Manual contains more than 500 pages and is packed with advice and information for anyone who carries a concealed handgun for protection or is thinking of doing so. The book includes many actual incidents of ordinary citizens using handguns to defend themselves against criminal threat or attack.
- Find out why Joe Zamudio in Tucson and Jeanne Assam in Colorado Springs ran to the sound of gunfire.
- How did grandmother Sylvia Hall and Old Betsy foil an attempted home invasion?
- Ralph Williams knew what to expect after he shot an attacker because he had read an earlier edition of The Concealed Handgun Manual.
You will learn:
- Methods of carrying a handgun and how to draw it from concealment.
- The advantages and disadvantages of laser sights.
- How to avoid trouble and stay safe.
- The legal, physical, and psychological effects of dropping the hammer on another human being.
The reciprocity information in the last chapter has been completely revised and updated. Read about changes in state concealed-carry laws, including how you now don’t need a license to carry concealed in Arizona or, if you are a resident, in Wyoming.
Chapter Contents
- Mass Shootings: In Search of Answers.
- Victims or Survivors: Fighting Back Against Criminals and Terrorists.
- Why Carry a Gun? The Police Can’t Protect You.
- Staying Out of Trouble:
Non-Violent Dispute Resolution.
- Choosing A Handgun: Semi-automatics
and Revolvers.
- How To Carry: Holsters and Other Accessories.
- Avoiding Accidents:
Safety and Handling.
- Basic Handgun Shooting: Watch the
Front Sight.
- Advanced Shooting: Shooting on the Move and Stoppage Drills.
- Winning a Gunfight:
Mind-Set and Tactics.
- Deadly Force: When to Use It and What Happens
When You Do.
- Practice: Your Life Depends On It.
- State Concealed-Handgun Carry
Laws.
Publishing Information
Title: The Concealed Handgun Manual, Sixth Edition
Author: Chris Bird
ISBN: 978-0-9656784-8-3
Pages: 563
Photographs: 194 B&W
Binding: Paperback, perfect bound, 5½ X 8½
Retail Price: $24.95
Reviews and Kudos for Previous
Editions of The Concealed Handgun Manual
“The Concealed Handgun Manual is a ‘must read’ for
every serious defensive shooter. Chris Bird's recommendations are
firmly grounded in reality, unlike so much of what masquerades as
good advice on this subject. Each new edition contains even more
timely, useful information. I regularly distribute the Manual to
my own defensive shooting students.” – Emanuel
Kapelsohn, law enforcement firearms instructor, author, attorney
and expert witness in firearms cases.
“I’m impressed with the ‘street reality’ of
this book. Chris Bird goes beyond the usual hardware and into the
critical software: the ethics, the morality, the emotional and psychological
elements of preparation, survival, and aftermath in a way that gives
his book the third dimension of depth. I would recommend The Concealed
Handgun Manual for the library of anyone who goes armed in public.” – Massad
Ayoob, author and Director of Lethal Force Institute.
“Chris Bird’s work on concealed carry comes at an appropriate
time on this important issue. The book is well written, illustrated,
and very informative.” – Clint Smith, director,
Thunder Ranch shooting school.
“An excellent guide to responsible, safe, and lawful exercise
of the right to bear arms. Useful for persons who carry licensed
firearms for protection, and for persons who want a better understanding
of this controversial, important subject.” – Dave
Kopel, author and research director, Independence Institute.
“Mr. Bird has relied on his own years of experience and extensive
research to compile an intelligent and well laid-out work. Detailed
case studies have been used to validate theories and techniques.
Not only does the book cover firearms and their safe and tactical
use, The Concealed Handgun Manual also offers some interesting and
poignant commentary on current societal views. Recommended reading
material.” – Louis Awerbuck, president, Yavapai
Firearms Academy.
“Through Chris Bird’s significant journalistic talents,
the reader ‘meets’ numerous gun owners, and learns why
they carry a defensive firearm. A good number of Bird’s anecdotes
concern women and how they came to carry a gun. Expect stories about
female stalking survivors, women who used cunning and courage to
emerge unscathed from home burglaries, survivors of infamous shoot-outs
and more.” – Gila Hayes, staff instructor of
The Firearms Academy of Seattle and author of Effective Defense,
in Women & Guns.
“After reading The Concealed Handgun Manual by Chris Bird,
it is apparent that a book has finally been written that teaches
the proper techniques needed to safely carry a handgun concealed.
The techniques used and applied are both life-saving and practical.
Survival is what this manual is about, and for that reason I personally
recommend it to everyone who carries a concealed handgun, both civilian
and law enforcement. . . . survival is our number one objective,
and I believe that Chris Bird’s number one objective is the
same.” – Jerry D. Lane, law-enforcement firearms
instructor.
“Outstanding! What I like is the anecdotes. It’s a really
good book for someone who is not sure if they want to carry. It definitely
fills a need.” – Jerry Patterson, Texas Land
Commissioner and former state senator who sponsored the Texas Concealed
Handgun Law.
“One thing that jumped out at me as I was reading The Concealed
Handgun Manual was the ‘easy-to-read’ text layout and
the fantastic use of pictures. The photos in this book are top notch.
It is imperative to have explanatory photographs in a handgun manual.
The quality and quantity of the images used in this book really put
it into its own category of professionalism. In addition to these
great pictures, the author writes in a very appealing easy-to-read
style.” – Timothy J. Schmidt in Concealed Carry
Magazine.
“The Concealed Handgun Manual is a truly universal manual, covering
virtually every conceivable aspect of carrying and using a concealed
handgun.” – Tony Fabian, president of the Colorado
State Shooting Association.
“The book explores all aspects and ramifications
of carrying a concealed firearm. In addition to shooting instruction
and guidance as to when it would be necessary to fire a gun in self-defense,
the book also recounts many real-life events. This is an extremely
useful guide for those who want to learn more about the world of
concealed carry.” – Michael O. Humphries
in the American Rifleman.
“The chapter that I find the most interesting is Chapter Nine,
entitled Advanced Shooting: Back Up and Move to Cover. Even experienced
instructors can learn something from this chapter.” – John
Krull in Gun Week.
“This book has made me re-evaluate my life and more importantly,
my expectations of myself and the police. I do have the power to
avert an attack either subtly or with direct action on my part. I
thoroughly enjoyed reading the personal accounts throughout the book
from real people who I can identify with.” – Toni
Winchester – Colorado
Shooting.
“The fourth edition adds two-hundred pages to the original
book. Given the quality of the original the question is what could
be added? The answer is, a great deal. The author has not simply
fleshed out his basic work; he has provided layers of illustrative
detail to owning, carrying, and using firearms for self-defense.
The author has conducted an impressive amount of research to gather
incidents with illustrate the many aspects of carrying and using
firearms in self-defense.” – K.L.
Jamison on the website of the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance.
"A must for those looking to carry a concealed handgun." -
The Second Amendment Foundation Reporter.
"Carrying a deadly weapon is too serious a matter to go unstudied.
Chris Bird's work serves as a fine textbook for those who have made,
or are considering making, that commitment." - Will
Cox in Gun Week.
"Sound advice, clear explanations, and proven techniques. He
(Bird) delves into what goes on in your head and what happens to
your body when faced with a deadly threat. These are all things you
need to know to cope with the emotions that overwhelm you in such
a situation. He also shows what can go wrong and how the consequences
may not be what you expect. If you wear a gun, this is a book you
can't afford not to read." - Bill Clede
in the NRA's American Guardian magazine.
"Chris Bird's The Concealed Handgun Manual is easy to read
and understand. It would make a very valuable gift for someone new
to carrying and shooting handguns for self-defense. But, it goes
far beyond that level. It contains much useful information for those
of us who may have heard it all before but need to hear it again!
Each chapter contains real-life accounts of gunfights, often by the
persons involved. The reports of the Luby's horror-story, and Gordon
Hale's episode which became Texas' 'first use' incident are worth
the price of the book!" - Craig Palmer,
president of the Kentucky Firearms Foundation, Inc.
"Stay out of trouble when you can , but stay in practice for
when you can't: that is the theme on which San Antonio journalist
Chris Bird constructed one of the most practical books around on
choosing, carrying, and shooting a gun in self defense." - Donna
Fielder, Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle.
"Bird begins with the very pertinent question, 'Why carry a
gun?' He goes on to answer the question with, 'Because the police
can't protect you.' To illustrate his answer, he discusses many of
the well-known instances of violence against citizens left helpless
both by the inability of police agencies to provide protection and
by laws which prohibit self-protection. He also talks about lesser-known
incidents from his own experience and throws in a bit about the history
and political debate surrounding gun control and the right to keep
and bear arms." - Dave Thomas, editor Front
Sight, official journal of the U.S. Practical Shooting Association.
"Provides useful information on how to keep fender benders
for escalating into homicidal nastiness (and helps to put you onto
firmer legal ground if they do). . . . Far from being 'psychobabble,'
this chapter is an honest look at the psychological dynamics of conflicts
and how to deal with them, and covers some of the warning signs of
an impending attack." - Charles M.B. Smith,
The Sharpshooter, newsletter of the Oklahoma Rifle Association.
"OK, you know everything about handguns, however, this book
may just be what your spouse wanted to know about concealed handgun
carrying without you instructing them. It is the basics to advanced
reading. The first step before going to take the handgun carrying
permit class. An easy way to learn the fundamentals at your own pace
and in the comfort of your home." - Tennessee
Shooting Sports Association newsletter.
"The Concealed Handgun Manual fills a definite niche. . . a
comprehensive guidebook that the student could refer to after the
(handgun) course has ended. . . . Packed with easy to read text and
numerous photographs it covers everything from choosing the firearm
and ammunition, firearm safety to basic handgun shooting procedures.
Other topics covered are: how to carry, advanced shooting, mind set
and tactics, and deadly force." - Irv Benzion,
editor Gun News, journal of Washington Arms Collectors.
"There are may thought provoking ideas for the license holder,
especially in the legal aspects. The book emphasizes three things
that every permit holder needs to remember. Using your weapon is
always the last resort, not just because it's the right thing to
do, but because if you have to fire your troubles have just begun.
Of course balance that thought with the fact that you have to be
alive to have problems. Second it's not the gun that wins the fight,
it's the person. Just because you are carrying, don't forget to think.
Finally, practice because when all else fails your skill may be the
only advantage you have." - Newsline, newsletter
of the Arkansas Rifle & Pistol Association.
"I would recommend your book to anyone applying for a concealed
carry permit. It would also make an excellent text book for those
teaching a concealed carry class. It presents the material necessary
to understand the rights and responsibilities of concealed carry;
along with very helpful information for choosing the proper equipment,
all in a very readable and interesting form." - Rep. Roy L.
Brun, an author of the Louisiana Concealed Handgun Carry Law.
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