If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a gun lover – or yourself – take a look at the latest book from Massad Ayoob: “Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self Defense.” It’s about time he came out with another book; I know I’ve been waiting. Mas has three decades of experience as a law enforcement officer and is rightly considered one of the foremost authorities on this topic. He’s served as an expert witness for countless cases, both high-profile and not, and he has an impressive knowledge base borne of hands-on experience and years of study. And, of course, you may be familiar with his column in “American Handgunner.”

“Deadly Force discusses:

• Understand the legal and ethical issues surrounding use of lethal force by private citizens
• Learn about the social and psychological issues surrounding use of lethal force in defense of self or others
• Preparation and mitigation–steps the responsible armed citizen can/should take” (from Amazon)
  

Mas has other books as well, my favorite being “The Ayoob Files: The Book.” And if you really want to immerse yourself in his training methods, take his weekend course, MAG-40, which can also be broken down into two separate classes. By taking the full-length course you get time in both the classroom and on the range, and if you think you can’t possibly benefit by attending, believe me when I say you can. Take a look at the available courses at: http://massadayoobgroup.com/classes/

Think of “Deadly Force” as an updated version of yet another of his books I like, “In the Gravest Extreme.” Best-case scenario would be attending one or more of his courses, but getting your hands on his books is a close second. And if you’ve met him or attended one of his classes, you’re going to want his books. “Deadly Force” has a cover price of $21.99 but can be found for less on Amazon and can also be purchased through Barnes and Noble – or you can Google it and see what comes up.

Somehow it always surprises me when I run into a gun enthusiast who hasn’t heard of Mas. His logic is solid and so are his methods; when it comes to the many supposed experts in the gun world, Mas is one of the few I am truly impressed with. If you’ve never read his work, well, ordering a book is just an internet-click away, and if you are able to attend his classes, I’m here to tell you that you absolutely will not be disappointed. We can all use some honing of our marksmanship skills, and it’s our responsibility as gun owners to know the laws and be prepared in advance should the worst-case scenario occur. If you carry a gun for self-defense you should take the time to make sure you know what you’re doing with it – and what the legal implications are – and Mas is an excellent choice of teacher.

Get your hands on his newest book: Deadly Force