Robert K. Campbell - The Gun Digest Book of Personal Protection & Home Defense: Shotguns, Rifles, Handguns

THE GUN DIGEST BOOK OF
Personal
Protection
& Home Defense

Robert K. Campbell

2009 Robert K. Campbell
Published by

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All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008937699

ISBN-13: 978-0-89689-938-4
ISBN-10: 0-89689-938-1
eISBN: 978-1-44022-443-0

Designed by Kay Sanders & Tom Nelsen
Edited by Dan Shideler

Cover Images: Courtesey of Crimson Trace,
Streamlight and Shutterstock Images

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

To all who have inspired me.

There are several sources of inspiration. The inspiration to live my life as a human being with a spirit is summed up in these words: I look to the hills (heavens) from whence comes my help.

I hope my children Robert Alan, Matthew Henry and Bobbie Ann come to understand this as well as I.

Robert Campbell

Acknowedgments

Times change. My sons grew up in the pages of popular periodicals; they now have families of their own. Matthew, my tireless helper, was away at Military Intelligence School during the bulk of the work on this book. Grandson Ryan spent more time with me than with his dad during Ryans first few months of life and this was a help for me. I had quite a few able helpers who stepped up to the plate and filled the gap with enthusiasm and vigor. These include Lee Berry, Matthew Bishop, Stacie Morrison, Caitlain and Michael Wood (JAG leads the way!) and especially Jessie McAbee.

I also must express my thanks to the industry that supported me so much, especially Black Hills Ammunition and Kimber firearms. My long-suffering editors pored over many words you will never see, all to the good. And thanks for the comments from my own favorite author, who once told me, Bob, that is a good book!

Contents

Introduction

I n todays bustling world, it is often a struggle to make time for proper training with personal defense instruments. Those who are aware of the need for personal defense realize that obtaining good tools is only part of the program. Firearms proficiency should not be an exclusive province of the well heeled or the SWAT operator. Thousands of average citizens, young and old of both sexes, go about armed with only the slightest inkling of what it is to properly use a firearm. Some regret this ignorance after suffering injury or falling into a legal pitfall.

With obligations including a family, a vocation and other concerns, few can take the time and expense to travel to a training school. Long-distance education is the norm. The only training many receive is rudimentary classroom work and qualification associated with a concealed weapons permit. Some will not receive even that level of training. Many keep a handgun in the home or business and do not carry the piece as a matter of course. Others are situationally armed, strapping the pistol on when they feel the need. Would that we all had such an early warning system!

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of information available on the subject of self-defense training. While there are certain drills that are more difficult than others, the axiom KISS Keep It Simple Stupid is nowhere more appropriate. I dont mean to imply that my long-distance students who are reading this work are stupid far from it. As diverse as we are, Americans share common traits. Among these traits are intelligence and courage. But trainers sometimes produce practice courses with demands that are unrealistic for the interested party. Some will excel at weapons craft and go on to attend any number of shooting schools and become expert shots. Others will learn the bare minimum they are comfortable with and hope for the best. The balance is somewhere between the extremes.

The simple truth is that thousands of Americans defend themselves every year, and do so successfully with a minimum of formal training. The weapons used are more often than not service grade firearms. The trained operator and his custom combat special less often get into the fray.

Over the years I have tested dozens of firearms. Some are good enough to ride with and have been given the nod. Others raise the question Why would anyone choose this piece? More than a few are triumphs of the technical over the tactical. Quite a few second-rate service firearms are still in wide use. The person serving his country at home or abroad will be issued a handgun, rifle or shotgun and must do the best he can with what he has. The man or woman behind the weapon has proven most important in endless encounters. Civilians have a much broader choice and are able to choose life-saving gear appropriate to the task at hand. In either case when the situation is bad, we go with what we know. What we know is the deciding factor in survival. But if given a choice I think most of us would choose a superior firearm and ammunition.

The knowledge contained in this book is ammunition for that choice.

What follows is a summary of over 40 years of study and knowledge gained from experimentation, constant range work, and battle with our protein-fed, ex-con criminal class. The dictum is logical: constant practice combined with proven technique works. Service-grade gear; simple, uncomplicated movement; and a fighting spirit will carry the day. Since we are primarily interested in personal defense, the majority of this book covers handguns. The handgun is a weapon of opportunity that may be carried at all times to meet an unexpected threat. The handgun will save your life and allow you to take control of a situation that might have resulted in the loss of your life.

But there have been recent incidents in America that give us pause and raise the question, is a handgun enough? On a practical scale, natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and manmade disasters such as the Los Angeles riots have shown that the threat of gangs and overwhelming numbers of miscreants make a long gun very attractive under certain circumstances.

A number of my chapters deal with long guns. You may not realize which firearm fits your situation best until you have read the entire book. While there are good choices in the modern world that maximize your chance of survival, this is not a wish book filled with firearms that cost many thousands of dollars. I want to show you how to best use what you have on hand, including common firearms such as the snubnosed .38 and double barrel shotgun. But you will also learn the advantages and best use of the 1911 automatic pistol and the Remington 870 shotgun. Whether you are a novice or a combat veteran, I believe you will learn something of interest.

I began writing to save lives, and this book is the logical end product of this ambition. I ask the student to meet me halfway. Read the book with an open mind, reflect on the information, and apply the tactics. Read, reflect, apply.