From the 1540s on, the handgun has been recognized as a handy weapon for individual fighters. Compared to other weapons such as the ax, sword, rifle and shotgun, it is light and compact, allowing it to be carried almost anywhere and deployed quickly when needed. For these reasons, throughout the centuries the handgun has endured as the best defensive weapon for most people, most of the time.

In Fighting Handguns, Jeff Cooper not only takes the reader through the development of this weapon from its beginnings in mid-16th-century Europe through the various iterations of single- and double-action revolvers and semiautomatic pistols, he also discusses some important aspects of carrying and shooting a fighting handgun under combat conditions.