The Pistol Shooter’s Treasury: Second Edition

This 128-page book bills itself as “A collection of classic articles by world champion shooters, eminent authorities and the editor on how to shoot a pistol and how to prepare yourself for the exacting requirements of competitive handgunning.” It contains 32 sections, including reprinted articles from past issues of the Gil Hebard Guns Catalog. First printed in 1973, The Pistol Shooter’s Treasury has been reprinted through 2011. It has the look of a homemade book—the type is a bit small, the layout isn’t very sophisticated and the photo reproduction isn’t as clear or as sharp as it could be—but that gives it a certain old-fashioned charm.

The merit of this slim volume is it contains a treasure-trove of information about how to shoot a pistol well. There are articles on everything from fundamentals of marksmanship, to the mental aspects of match shooting, as well as selecting a .22 target gun and reloading match ammo. The people who have written these articles are folks who have “been there, done that” and they have the shooting trophies and medals to prove it. If the reader takes the time to carefully read and relentlessly apply the principles, tips and techniques outlined in this book, I suspect he or she will become a pretty competent pistol shooter. Bottom line: This book is highly recommended.