{"id":2747,"date":"2020-07-23T08:28:16","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T08:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ammoman.com\/blog\/?p=2747"},"modified":"2021-11-30T16:03:59","modified_gmt":"2021-11-30T16:03:59","slug":"book-review-in-the-gravest-extreme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ammoman.com\/blog\/book-review-in-the-gravest-extreme\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: In The Gravest Extreme"},"content":{"rendered":"

Essential Reading: In The Gravest Extreme <\/span><\/h1>\n

I decided to start this review of \u201cIn The Gravest Extreme\u201d with a quick overview about its author, Massad Ayoob. I quickly realized, though, that it is very hard to do a \u201cquick overview\u201d on who he is and his accomplishments. It is not overstating things to say that without Massad Ayoob, we would not have the Second Amendment rights we currently enjoy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn The Gravest Extreme\u201d was published in 1980. In the \u201cAbout the Author\u201d section, it describes Massad Ayoob as a former law enforcement officer and police trainer in New Hampshire. At the time, he was also the handgun editor of Guns magazine, the field editor of American Handgunner, along with many other accomplishments in practical shooting matches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 1980, however, Massad Ayoob has gone on to form two top-flight firearms training companies, Lethal Force Institute and the Massad Ayoob Group. <\/span>His MAG40 class<\/span><\/a> is still recognized as one of the best places for armed civilians to learn how to interact with the legal system, and he remains one of the top competitive shooters in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Concealed Carry Starts Here<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Kevin<\/a>

If you have a chance to take Massad Ayoob’s MAG40 class, do so. It’s well worth your time.<\/p><\/div>\n

All of this began in earnest with the publication of \u201cIn The Gravest Extreme,\u201d one of the foundational documents of the concealed carry movement. It\u2019s a short book, just 130 pages long, but what\u2019s inside of it changed American gun culture forever.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn The Gravest Extreme\u201d lays out the reality of defensive firearm use in the United States. It contains both practical advice, such as choosing a firearm for self defense and tips on how to survive a gunfight, as well as legal advice on what to do after a deadly encounter. Many things have changed since it was first published in 1980, and many things have not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some things have changed<\/span><\/h3>\n

The sections inside of \u201cIn The Gravest Extreme\u201d that talk about what guns work best for personal defense are a bit of a walk down memory lane. Today, when we think of a defensive pistol, chances are we think of a polymer-framed, double-stack 9mm like a Glock or similar gun. This was not true in 1980. Ayoob talks about snub-nosed revolvers and .38 versus .357 Magnum, some mention of using a 1911, and a few words about <\/span>Smith & Wesson\u2019s Model 39<\/span><\/a> single stack 9mm double-action pistol. The gun world had no idea that in a few short years, guns like the Glock 17 and others would turn the defensive pistol market upside down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What has also changed is the environment for concealed carry in the U.S. Prior to 1987, most states either did not permit concealed carry, or they allowed it only at the discretion of the local government, even for qualified applicants (\u201cMay Issue\u201d carry). In 1987, Florida changed their gun laws to allow for \u201cShall Issue\u201d carry, where anyone who met the qualifications would receive their permit. <\/span>Other states soon followed<\/span><\/a>, and \u201cShall Issue\u201d is now the standard for concealed carry permits in the United States.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This sea change had not yet happened when \u201cIn The Gravest Extreme\u201d was written in 1980. Concealed carry was rare, as were tests to obtain a concealed carry permit. Ayoob briefly mentions what he would consider to be a good test of shooting ability for an armed citizen. I thought it was an interesting glimpse into a world before concealed carry became commonplace for armed citizens, and so I gave it a try.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Different Take On The Concealed Carry Test<\/span><\/h3>\n

The test is not easy. The distances are longer than <\/span>the concealed carry tests we see today<\/span><\/a>. The majority of shots are taken one-handed, including the support hand. There are shots out to 25 yards. The good news is the time allotments are quite generous, with up to thirty seconds for a string of fire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is no mention of a specific target in the book, but there is a minimum passing score, 120 out of 150. This, along with the distances involved, make me think that an NRA B-21 target would be best for this test. There is also no starting position mentioned, but I assume it was meant for the low ready position. The course of fire is as follows:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n