Book review: Concealed Carry Survival Guide

[Robin]

I eagerly bought this book based on Michael Bane's recommendation. As mentioned in the preface, the author Bill Murphy is a accomplished law enforcement veteran with many decades of service. This clearly shows but in the wrong way--the text is a litany of report writing mistakes including awkward grammer and typographical errors. Lest you think I'm nitpicking, multiple examples of each abound on almost every page. This book really needs a ghost writer or good editor. The book does contain some good information, but it also glosses over important areas as well. One important example of that is the "After action" section. What you should do after deploying a handgun really deserves a chapter of its own instead of the half page given here.

Here are some more examples of where I found the book wanting:
1. Retention holsters are barely mentioned. Like many other technologies adapted from military and law enforcement, I think retention holsters are an excellent idea for civilian concealed carry. Models like Bianchi's CarryLok and Blackhawk's SERPA do not detract from concealed carry and help prevent accidental drops and unauthorized access.
2. Firearm modifications aren't mentioned. While some mods are beneficial for concealed carry, most should be avoided on defensive firearms. It would have been good to mention which was which, along with a warning about the potential for increased liability in a criminal or civil trial.
3. Night sights and lasers aren't mentioned. The author is affiliated with SureFire and plugs their flashlights, but doesn't mention other forms of sighting aids.
4. The author states belt holster carry is the quickest draw. This is incorrect, as Massad Ayoob demonstrated with a S&W J-frame in a pocket holster.
5. No +P+ warning. The author recommends specific rounds in each caliber, but doesn't qualify that by warning +P or +P+ rounds should only be used in firearms rated for them.
6. There is only a brief mention of civilian tasers, but no discussion regarding their pros and cons. Since this book is presumably intended as an authoritative guide a more in-depth discussion would have been appropriate.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. What content exists is good but there should have been a lot more of it. And the sloppy writing makes it hard to parse the good information it does contain. Maybe Michael Bane should co-write the next edition with Bill Murphy.

[Big Frank]

With the scarcity of information it sounds more like a pamphlet than a book.

[Trevor]

First let me say that I taught writing for several years at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nevada.  I also worked the same writing courses in two community colleges.  I am sensitive to bad writing because I have seen too much of it.  That said, Bill Murhpy's book on concealed carry does have some obvious shortcomings in terms of grammar.  For instance, see page 82, the last paragraph; there is a comma splice, which is a typical freshman writing mistake.  On the top of the next page, 83, there is a typo or misspelling.  I have found that grammatical errors are common in self-published books because authors do not go the final step to have their work professionally proofread.  As for the other claim that the book "is a litany of report writing mistakes," this assertion seems to be a reference to either poor organization or ineffective stylistic choices for informative writing.  I do not know exactly what you mean though because you do not provide any examples.  (Failure to provides examples in support of a claim is also a commom freshman writing error.)

As to the larger overall goal of the book, it is a good basic introduction to concealed carry, the selection and use of a handgun, and some (if not all) of the legal consequences of deploying lethal force.  As to this latter point, Murphy does advise his readers to seek legal counsel in their local area when choosing to carry concealed.  Murphy is an instructor; the book covers what I guess is his course on the subject.  There is a enough information in the book to take up about two or three weeks of full-time study in the classroom and on the range.  The book is a handy resource guide for this information.  Yes, I would like to see it revised and proofread properly, but I am able to glean quite a bit of information from it as is.

As to the other issues raised, retention holsters, firearm modifications, night sights and lasers, belt holsters versus pocket carry with a J-Frame, caveats concerning +P+ ammo, and the use of tasers, these points are, I would assert, beyond the purview of an introductory book.  Discussion of them is for advanced trainees who have already made up their minds about thing or another and are already deep into the value judgments that people such as ourselves enjoying tossing about on the Internet.  They are interesting questions, worthy of debate, but they are for another time and place.  Their absence in Murhpy's book does not take away from the primary objective of the work, and this objective is to introduce neophytes to the problems and concerns of handgun selection and concealed carry.

One final comment: Review pages 86 and 87; these pages detail the application process to obtain a CCW permit in Orange County, CA.  Note, in particular, item three.  The applicant not only has to undergo a background check but may also be required to endure psychological testing by a psychologist selected by the Orange County Sheriff's Department.  My goodness, what an abomination of administrative authority.  Be grateful you do not live in this jurisdiction.  If you do, I am sorry, but leave it not to the antigunners to run our lives.  

[Fatman]

One final comment: Review pages 86 and 87; these pages detail the application process to obtain a CCW permit in Orange County, CA.  Note, in particular, item three.  The applicant not only has to undergo a background check but may also be required to endure psychological testing by a psychologist selected by the Orange County Sheriff's Department.  My goodness, what an abomination of administrative authority.  Be grateful you do not live in this jurisdiction.  If you do, I am sorry, but leave it not to the antigunners to run our lives.  

Being a psych major in college, I kinda keep up with stuff... hunting is now considered by the psych professionals to be an anti-social manifestation.  I'll have to see if they've added gun ownership to the list...

And on topic, the chapter on after action is short. But it is as long as it need be for your purposes as a CCW holder. How many words do you need for 'secure the scene', 'check on everyone' 'call it in', 'render aid', 'realize the police may take you as a threat with your gun out', 'no diarrhea of the mouth'?

[Robin]

I have found that grammatical errors are common in self-published books because authors do not go the final step to have their work professionally proofread.  As for the other claim that the book "is a litany of report writing mistakes," this assertion seems to be a reference to either poor organization or ineffective stylistic choices for informative writing.  I do not know exactly what you mean though because you do not provide any examples.  (Failure to provides examples in support of a claim is also a commom freshman writing error.)

Perhaps I should have clarified: a litany of police report writing mistakes. These are the kind of things they teach in California POST classes as examples of what not to do because they appear so often in police reports. I thought I did include examples when I mentioned grammar and typos, but since you are (or were) a college prof I'll be more explicit.
1. Typos. "Brittan" on pg. 6 and 7.
2. Incorrect punctuation/apostrophe error. "I own several Glock's" on pg. 23.
3. Grammar. "Back up guns is a common discussion" on pg. 23.
4. Excessive commas/comma error. "I carry the Smith & Wesson, Chief Special, Glock 3 0, semi-auto." on pg. 22.
5. Incorrect capitilization. "Pete, a Sergeant and Seven year veteran" on pg. 8.
6. Homophones. "While your exiting your vehicle" on pg. 27
7. Run-on sentences. "If you live in this country and are paying attention, you should by now have concluded that, if you are relying on the government for your personal protection, your safety is as uncertian as my golf game." on pg. 7.
8. Poor flow/organization. The section on revolvers and semi-autos on pg. 18-21. Single action revolvers are explained but not double action. Double action semis are explained but not single action. Discussing blowback vs. locked breech designs before explaining semi-auto components. Talking about large framed semis just before starting a section titled "Large Frame Pistols".

As to the other issues raised, retention holsters, firearm modifications, night sights and lasers, belt holsters versus pocket carry with a J-Frame, caveats concerning +P+ ammo, and the use of tasers, these points are, I would assert, beyond the purview of an introductory book. Their absence in Murhpy's book does not take away from the primary objective of the work, and this objective is to introduce neophytes to the problems and concerns of handgun selection and concealed carry.

My take is this book utilizes a "start from nothing" approach and is intended to teach beginners everything they need to know on a given subject. Going into detail regarding blowback/locked breech is an example of that. Since that's the direction the author intends to take, I find fault where he does not adequately follow through on that implicit promise.

Pg. 35 contains a table of recommended ammo that includes several +P rounds. The worst offender is a .38 +P+ round. Since Bill recommends these rounds, he really should have included a warning about use of +P or +P+ in non-rated firearms.

In Ch. 13 Bill mentions alternative force includes pepper spray, impact weapons, flashlights and taser. The rest of the chapter is spent on OC with no further mention of the other three choices.

Ch. 14 is titled "Low Light Techniques from the SureFire Institute", but how can you talk about night shooting without mention of tritium sights?

I would argue that retention holsters are a subject most CCW holders don't know or think about but should. Maybe that's just me.

Guys like to tinker with things and a common trap people fall into is thinking better equipment will make up for lack of training. That's why I think it's important to discuss which mods can be useful, which to avoid and the potential court liabilities. I can't speak to the author's mindset but most departments have strict rules against firearm mods. That may have led to the exclusion of this subject--it just wasn't something that the author gave much thought to.

As I mentioned in my original post, the book does contain some useful information. But it didn't live up to its promise and could have been so much more in terms of content. The lack of good editing makes it more difficult to get at the good info it does contain.

[Sponsor]