Review by Larry S. Sterett
Contributing Editor
SHOOTER’S BIBLE GUIDE TO HOME DEFENSE, by Roger Eckstine. ©2013. Published by Skyhorse, 307 West 36th St., 11th Floor, Dept. TGM, New York, NY 10018. Price: $19.95, plus shipping. Available in most bookstores.
Following the usual Preface, Acknowledgments, and Introduction, this 210-page softbound, magazine-size volume is divided into 16 sections, from The Castle Doctrine: History and Perspective, to Overview—Author’s Picks. This final section is highly illustrated and covers a variety of objects from rifles to doors and windows. There is also a brief Afterword and a short listing of References.
We spend much time and money today defending the 2nd Amendment. According to the Bill of Rights Institute, we should also be concerned with defense of the Fourth, Fifth, and Tenth Amendments. These three can be used to support both the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground legislation; hence, self-defense.
Each chapter of this tome is amply illustrated, mostly with good detailed color photos, all relative to the subject being discussed. A couple of the chapters, Choosing a Firearm for Home Defense, and Defending the Home with a Firearm, are worth reading several times, with attention paid to the illustrations.
Readers may not always agree with some of the author’s choices in the “Author’s Picks” section, but it would be difficult to fault any of them, beginning with the first, the Browning Hi-Power. (This pistol, which will soon observe 80 years of production, has been a favorite of this reviewer for decades. It handles well, is solidly constructed and it holds 14 rounds.) Each of the author’s choices—handguns or long arms—is discussed briefly with a paragraph or more of text, followed later in a catalog-type format with a photo and specifications.
Anyone concerned with his or her personal safety in the home should find this a handy, informative manual. It does not have an index, and it may not be the last word, but it does provide an excellent means of familiarizing yourself with the basics you need to know.
