Stressfire, Vol. 1 (Gunfighting for Police: Advanced Tactics and Techniques)

by Massad Ayoob

Book Overview

paperback book. Police Bookshelf This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0936279036
• ISBN13: 9780936279039
• Release Date: June 1986
• Publisher: Police Bookshelf
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.5" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

A Must-Read for the Serious Gun Carrier

For the hard-core, dedicated gun carrier, Massad Ayoob has writen StressFire, subtitled Volume I of Gunfighting for Police: Advanced Tactics and Techniques. The first thing to strike you about this book is the absolutely awesome cover photo capturing the vortex-like fireball as Ayoob triggers one round of Federal .357 Magnum 125-grain jacketed hollowpoint out of a 4-inch barreled Smith & Wesson Model 13 revolver. Muzzle flash provides the only illumination for the photo. This shot was taken, obviously, before the era of flash-retardant powders greatly reduced the super-flamethrower effect of many .357 Magnum loads, including the Federal 125-grainers.StressFire is a book on gunfighting. In it Ayoob puts forth the techniques he believes work best, based on having debriefed hundreds of gunfight survivors. It's good stuff. Ayoob looks into this controversial topic with rare insight. He was one of the first well-known instructors, for instance, to condemn the Weaver Stance as a combat technique, recommending instead a modified isosceles. Read this book, see if you can argue with his logic.Massad Ayoob is a wonderfully articulate writer, with extremely strong opinions. Like his fellow gunwriter and instructor Jeff Cooper, he's the sort of larger-than-life personality that attracts both devoted followers and sworn enemies. Just to make it clear where I come down on the topic, I've trained with Mas Ayoob, I've read his articles and books for 20-plus years, I like the guy. But whether you love him or hate him, there's one fact that's undeniable: no one can honestly say he's done more to provide good, solid information on the use of the defensive handgun to the average citizen than Massad Ayoob.Do I agree with everything in this book? No. Every highly trained gunperson is going to have their own repertoire of preferred techniques, some of which might differ from what Ayoob puts forth in StressFire. And that's fine. I will say, however, that in order to have an informed opinion on the topic of gunfight survival, StressFire is one of the books you simply must have read.

The name Stressfire could mean: how to fire under stress

This is how to shoot and handle a pistol the Ayoob way. Ayoob's real contribution in this book is his focus on developing and teaching techniques that use gross motor skills rather than fine motor skills. The premise of the techniques in this book is that performing small, fine or complex tasks under emotional and physical stress is prone to failure. So, Ayoob teaches gun handling and shooting skills that rely on large, simple motions that a person can perform under the worst of conditons. For example, instead of slightly pivoting your grip and pushing a button with a fingertip, Ayoob might teach to use the other hand and rear-back and punch the button with the other palm. Many of the techniques that Ayoob teaches here are slight modifications of those more commonly taught. My copy of this book has frayed edges, highlights and notes written in the margins. I turn back to it once in a while. Just this year, when I was having trouble with one particular skill at local pistol matches, I pulled this book from my shelf and had the answer I was looking for immediately.

Stress proof techniques

This book is worth every penny. I have only been shooting for half a year and I've learned from different instructors. I thought I was on my way to being a true marksman until I read this book. Mr. Ayoob goes into the effects of stress on the human body and how to best cope with it and even use it to your advantage! This book teaches you the different techniques in performing under stress. If you're a competition shooter, this will definitely be of great help to your training. Afterall, when the moment of truth comes, your body will react as you are trained.

Saved my life!

A really excellent follow-up to IN THE GRAVEST EXTREME. STRESSFIRE deals with basic to advanced hanguns skills with sections covering tactics as well. A lot of good advice is delivered at a modest price. In 1995 I used some of this advice and saved my own life in a confrontation with a violent car thief. He went to hospital, I walked away....STRESSFIRE gives you a good idea of what you'll be up against when the chips are down and how to prepare yourself. I know cause I've been there.

Ayoob provides in-depth information on combat handgun skills

This is perhaps the best book I have read on combat handgun skills. Ayoob speaks from experience and research as he presents the reader with in-depth information on shooting styles and skills. Ayoob includes photo's as examples of all the information he presents. A must read for the new defensive-gun owner.