Defensive Revolver Fundamentals

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

gerhard1

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Messages
4,548
Reaction score
3,495
Location
Enid, OK
For me, Grant Cunningham's book Defensive Revolver Fundamentals was a mixed bag. Before I go further with this, intellectual honesty--a trait that I find sadly lacking in some--demands that I make one correction to something I said somewhere else and that was that Cunningham does not seem to believe in unsighted fire. He does, but doesn't put a lot of stress on it, and he says that whenever possible we should use our sights. That is a sensible approach, because we won't always have time to get a good sight picture.

Cunningham stresses using the body's natural reactions in a fight and his (and I presume Pincus' as well) approach seems to take advantage of and use these reactions.

On accuracy, Cunningham tells us the difference between accuracy and precision when engaging in a fight, Using the example of an 8" circle in the COM he defines accuracy as a hit anywhere in that circle. OTOH, precision (a 3" or smaller circle or a much tighter group) is not needed as it is a matter of degree. I tend to agree with him on this. Accuracy is not graduated; it either is or isn't. You hit the 8" circle or you don't.

I agree wih this.

What I don't agree with is his almost worshiping at the altar of efficiency. One statement in the book is that our main goal is to be efficient. I take issue with this. Granted we should streamline the process as much as we can but this is simply a means of arriving at the real goal which is to stop the threat.

Cunningham stresses training with a partner. This partner does not have to a be a shooter but is simply a means of adding a degree of randomness, chance or unpredictability to our practice. I did this many years ago in Seattle by making six circles on a large board and I would draw and shoot at the circle whose number he called out. Cunningham says, and it stands to reason, that since real-life 'events' are almost never predictable, our training should not be either. He goes on to give other examples of good practice. Something else that I go along with is his views on what we train for and that is the most likely event.

In short, Cunningham's book is excellent even though I don't agree with everything in it and it presents the revolver as a still-viable choice for self-defense today. Much to my surprise, I found that Rob Pincus agrees with this.

It is a book that is very worthwhile and I am glad to have it in my library.
 

sanjuro893

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Aug 31, 2008
Messages
3,433
Reaction score
791
Location
Del City
For me, Grant Cunningham's book Defensive Revolver Fundamentals was a mixed bag. Before I go further with this, intellectual honesty--a trait that I find sadly lacking in some--demands that I make one correction to something I said somewhere else and that was that Cunningham does not seem to believe in unsighted fire. He does, but doesn't put a lot of stress on it, and he says that whenever possible we should use our sights. That is a sensible approach, because we won't always have time to get a good sight picture.

Cunningham stresses using the body's natural reactions in a fight and his (and I presume Pincus' as well) approach seems to take advantage of and use these reactions.

On accuracy, Cunningham tells us the difference between accuracy and precision when engaging in a fight, Using the example of an 8" circle in the COM he defines accuracy as a hit anywhere in that circle. OTOH, precision (a 3" or smaller circle or a much tighter group) is not needed as it is a matter of degree. I tend to agree with him on this. Accuracy is not graduated; it either is or isn't. You hit the 8" circle or you don't.

I agree wih this.

What I don't agree with is his almost worshiping at the altar of efficiency. One statement in the book is that our main goal is to be efficient. I take issue with this. Granted we should streamline the process as much as we can but this is simply a means of arriving at the real goal which is to stop the threat.

Cunningham stresses training with a partner. This partner does not have to a be a shooter but is simply a means of adding a degree of randomness, chance or unpredictability to our practice. I did this many years ago in Seattle by making six circles on a large board and I would draw and shoot at the circle whose number he called out. Cunningham says, and it stands to reason, that since real-life 'events' are almost never predictable, our training should not be either. He goes on to give other examples of good practice. Something else that I go along with is his views on what we train for and that is the most likely event.

In short, Cunningham's book is excellent even though I don't agree with everything in it and it presents the revolver as a still-viable choice for self-defense today. Much to my surprise, I found that Rob Pincus agrees with this.

It is a book that is very worthwhile and I am glad to have it in my library.

Thanks for the review! There was a photo in a gun magazine I read several years ago that showed a guy grappling with an assailant with a knife. The picture showed the defender drawing a snubbie and trying to stick it into his ribs and fire in the same manner that you would punch them or push them away. (I wish I could find that pic). Point of the article was similar to this stating that you should use the sights whenever possible but some scenarios just won't allow that to happen and I tried to train a little bit considering that, trying to not just move to cover as I draw but move like I'm at point blank range scuffling with a bad guy. I guess my point is I can see what this guy is saying and now I want to read this book too. Thanks again!
 

sanjuro893

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Aug 31, 2008
Messages
3,433
Reaction score
791
Location
Del City
Let me ask you this: did you find a lot of the book being geared towards "beginners", like people who never picked up a gun before? I know there's going to be some info in there for noobs but I hate getting a book thinking I'm going to learn something new and it being mostly for 1st time shooters.
 

Gunbuffer

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
7,530
Reaction score
9,498
Location
OKC
Just because my handgun (and it’s sights) are at hip level, it doesn’t mean I can’t use or see them at that level. ( I can and do)
 

bigfug

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Oct 24, 2008
Messages
5,152
Reaction score
878
Location
Moore
Thanks for the review! There was a photo in a gun magazine I read several years ago that showed a guy grappling with an assailant with a knife. The picture showed the defender drawing a snubbie and trying to stick it into his ribs and fire in the same manner that you would punch them or push them away. (I wish I could find that pic). Point of the article was similar to this stating that you should use the sights whenever possible but some scenarios just won't allow that to happen and I tried to train a little bit considering that, trying to not just move to cover as I draw but move like I'm at point blank range scuffling with a bad guy. I guess my point is I can see what this guy is saying and now I want to read this book too. Thanks again!

Exactly why I don't have an issue with legally blind people carrying. If they are attacked, they wont see it coming (no pun intended), and can still shoot on contact, or still see well enough to see shapes etc, and not use the sights.
 

gerhard1

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Messages
4,548
Reaction score
3,495
Location
Enid, OK
Let me ask you this: did you find a lot of the book being geared towards "beginners", like people who never picked up a gun before? I know there's going to be some info in there for noobs but I hate getting a book thinking I'm going to learn something new and it being mostly for 1st time shooters.
Some of it was. But the book also had some very valuable material for those who, like me, are old hands with the wheel gun. Use of the body's natural reactions in a fight was one example and the difference between precision and accuracy was another.

Grip, trigger control and reloading were perhaps things a novice could use but he also gave me an idea for use of my moon clips. His suggestion for the use of speed loaders was basically what I had been doing for more than 30 years, but I tried loading moon clips using my strong hand and it is a lot smoother the 'new' way. I had used my weak hand before but it is a lot faster now. So, the book has helped me to improve already.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom