Ed McGivern's Book of Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting

by Ed McGivern and Robert McGivern

Book Overview

Ed McGivern needs no introduction to gun enthusiasts and serious marksmen. For more than 50 years he was revered as one of the top authorities in the field of small firearms. A world champion marksmen... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 160239086X
• ISBN13: 9781602390867
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Incredible book - techical and historical content

I've read some of the reviews and I've concluded I must have received a different version of the book. Ed McGivern's focus was marksmanship for law enforcement with specialized training techniques. The exhibition content was intended to make the process interesting and to create a framework for preparing students for shooting within less than ideal and dire circumstances. In fact, McGivern coined the term "practical pistol shooting" prior to 1938. Language and writing skills - Mr. McGivern wrote in the style typical for that period in time. I saw no difference between his writing and that of Julian Hatcher, Phil Sharpe or early Elmer Keith. McGivern wrote with humility, descriptively and with tone of America in 1938, including the country's values. Description of techniques - I do not believe I have ever seen a more deliberate set of descriptions, illustrations and theory of concept explanations in another training volume. He wrote and documented with a patience not found in the works of modern authors. Application - This book is for anyone who wishes to learn how to shoot a double or single action revolver, based on a premise that was incredibly advanced for the time. Essentially, McGivern suggests firearms are of fixed dimension and function as an accommodation to manufacturing. Humans are all different, so shooting stances and techniques cannot be universal. Instead, McGivern offered many approaches in component description and means for the shooter to assess what component works for them. I use material in the book, all of the time, for my own training purposes. Great book, easy to read and a must for anyone involved in defensive or recreational handgun shooting, or has an interest is the history of shooting skill development.

Nothing New

Ed McGivern's book "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting" is the book you're looking for if you want to learn to shoot. Ed McGivern was amazing, and I believe he still has records that are unbeaten. You'll see the "Taylor Speed Rock", the "Ayoob Wedge", and other tactics since named by egomaniacs who would lead you to beleive they invented them, this book was written in the late 1920s prior to most of these guys being born.

Classic Sixgunning

Written prior to WWII this book may seam dated but remember that most of the revolvers in use today where introduced in the first third of the 20th century. Ed McGivern was not an author, he was a showman. One of the best hands with a gun who ever lived. His writing style is a bit run on but the book is well worth the read. Mr. McGivern tells how to train yourself to be accurate, fast and fancy with a revolver. It's going to keep me practising for years.

Difficult reading, but absolutely worth the effort.

This is one of the greatest books on revolver shooting ever written. The use of run-on sentences and the redundancy make for difficult reading, but Mr. McGivern discusses every last minute detail with respect to equipment and technique. Jerry Miculek may be as fast on man targets, but McGivern's aerial target shooting, hip shooting ability and fanning of the Colt SAA make him the undisputed king. Long live the revolver, and long live the memory of Ed McGivern.

If your bored with regular targets than this book's for you.

This book was originally written around 1930 +/- and republished in 12/97. The author doesn't look like a "gun slinger" but his speed tests and aerial shooting displays are incredible. After reading this book just going out plinking will never be the same. I had reached a plateau with pistol shooting and needed new challenges. This book has given me many years of new challenges to try. If you can even partially relate to what I've said then you'll never regret getting this book. Besides the price is very good.