David Nash - Handguns for self-defense: a guide to choosing and using your weapon

Copyright 2019 by David Nash

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Tom Lau

Cover photograph: iStock.com

ISBN: 978-1-5107-3626-9

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-3627-6

Printed in China

CONTENTS

I would to thank Oleg Volk, not only for his patience and generosity in helping me find the best images to illustrate the concepts in this book, but also for his selfless and invaluable work in promoting the Second Amendment and educating Americans on the need to protect our freedoms.

http://a-human-right.com/

FOREWORD

If youre reading this book, I believe it is safe to assume that you have some level of interest in firearms. With that in mind, Id like to share a few things. First, thank you for your willingness to learn more about guns. Secondly, please know that this book is a remarkably detailed, non-biased manuscript that was designed with you in mind, as well as anyone looking for a one-stop source of relevant material about what it means to be a responsible armed citizen. I have had the pleasure of knowing author David Nash since 2009. We were introduced by a mutual friend and colleague, firearms-industry digital media master, Oleg Volk (who photographed many of this books supporting images). After our introduction, I attended Davids TN Handgun Carry Permit class, followed by his NRA Pistol Instructor course. I immediately felt an affinity to him because hes also a Marine Corps veteran, but more so because the first thing he spoke about in the permit class was the psychology of conflict. I was thoroughly impressed, and indeed elated to find that his class would revolve so much around that premise. For me, operational psychology in conflict has been a precise area of study on which I now lecture and write extensively. In that regard, David and I very much share a vocation that by far transcends the topic of guns. We also share a mutually devout respect for many of the same authors and industry leaders in our area of expertise. David makes mention of a few of them in this book. As with any educational endeavor, I encourage students to learn the course material provided as well as any of the instructors recommendations for further reading. Handguns for Self-Defense , is very much that; It is a well-chosen, thoroughly researched collection of applied concepts and ideas that every person should be aware of, not just those that are interested in carrying a gun for the purpose of defense. I was blown away by the amount of content provided in this work. David first takes you into the topic that I am most passionate aboutmind-set. I believe this to be of paramount importance. I believe the mind-set is the very first thing anyone should study prior to thinking about as much as even touching a firearm. I am so very grateful for mind-sets placement in this book. Beyond the first chapter, you will be given decades of research, trials, failures, successes, and valuable insights, all within the bindings of one piece.

More than any other nation in history, the United States has been shaped by the gun. Colonists used firearms to secure their land, then turned them on the King and his men to win their independence. Cowboys and plain-folk used revolvers and rifles to survive in the West, putting food on the table, fighting off Natives and occasionally settling squabbles. After America came of age as a world power, we used guns to beat Hitler and subdue terrorists across the world. Of course, there is another part to the story; Firearms have also torn us apart, literally and figuratively. The Civil War, bank robberies, assassination attemptsthe gun has been a tool for bad as well as good. The above excerpt is from the book, American Gun by New York Times bestselling author of American Sniper , Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, US Naval Special Warfare Command (SEAL Team Three). CPO Kyle, aka The Devil of Ramadi and The Legend, was credited with more kills (as a sniper) than any other US service member, past or present. I chose his words specifically for the last line: the gun has been a tool for bad as well as good. After admirably serving his country as a top-tier operator while surviving four combat deployments, two gunshot wounds, and six different Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonations, Chief Kyle was murdered in Iredell, Texas, on February 2, 2013 by a man... with a gun.

The idea of humans doing harm to other humans is as old as civilization itself. Since nearly 10,000 BC, there has been a savage, tit-for-tat game of arms vs. armor, defenders vs. attackers, just vs. unjust and good vs. evil. As long as there have been humans, there has been conflict between them. For well over nine hundred years, humans have continued to amplify and perfect the lethality of firearms. We just so happen to be experiencing our world at this very moment in time; we live in the age of the gun. Regardless of political views, emotional sentiments, crime rates, statistics, constitutional rights, rifle color, magazine capacity, or anything else; we live in the age of the gun. I dare say we live in the age of the idea of the gun and whats more, we live in the age of an abundant use of violence. I say idea of the gun because it is the only thing that puts the gun to use. There is nothing more powerful in the universe than an idea. Once someone has the idea and is committed to using violence along with other weaponized tools, nothing will stop them short of one thinga superior use of violence and other weaponized tools. We wish with all of our heart that we could make evil go away but we simply cannot. This is our world.

Preparing your mind-sets and skill sets for this reality is of massive significance. In support of the context of this book, Ill lean to Baruch Spinoza, who very correctly wrote The highest activity a Human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free. Without question, the vast majority of gun owners in the world do not truly understand guns. In the US, people love to keep and bear the hell out of them, but are largely ignorant as to the reality of what it actually means to go forth into society with an incredibly powerful and lethal tool that was purpose-built to do harm. I care not at all if my next statement offends, as it is 100 percent factual. Responsible armed citizens that do not seek formal, quality instruction and do not train at least one to two times each month, are actually, in fact, ir responsible armed citizens. Irresponsible armed citizens are in no way morally justified in going forth into society carrying a tool that is designed to do harm. In many ways, they are not at all an asset; they are very much a liability. I am so pleased that you are reading this book because it means there is hope for the title Responsible Armed Citizen.

I encourage you, as you make your way through this awesome book, to keep Spinoza in mind when he says learning for understanding. People tend to fear the things they dont understand. In that light, this book will rid you of that fear. David beautifully covers personal justification of arming yourself, the step-by-step process of attaining a carry permit as well as common misconceptions and irrationalities that surround and vilify firearms. He discusses at length the procurement, functionality, safe handling, manipulations, cleaning, storage, and different ways of carrying many types of firearms. You will read about what happens to your body and mind during a critical incident. You will learn how to best prepare for and mitigate stressors as well as learn what it means to apply reasonable use of force. You will learn the proper steps to take after an incident, if (God forbid) you ever have to use your gun in self-defense or defense of a loved one. The content covered is critical. Understanding this content could very well be the thing that saves your life. Ill ask you to understand that in self-defense situations, when seconds count... police are minutes away. The national average response time of law enforcement is eight to twelve minutes. That is an eternity in the midst of a life-or-death fight. This book is the continuation of your journey of preparation in this, the age of the gun. Be smart. Be open to training. Be prepared.