These manuals cover close-quarters battle, street survival, and historical martial arts. Famous authors include Rex Applegate and Fairbairn. Survivalism and Preparedness
: Lockpicking, surveillance/counter-surveillance, new identity creation, and "dirty tricks" for revenge. The "Hit Man" Controversy Paladin Press is most infamous for publishing Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors .
The Paladin Press collection is a treasure trove of knowledge and expertise in the fields of self-defense and martial arts. While some titles may have sparked controversy, they have also contributed to a greater understanding of combat sports and personal protection.
Whatever your personal stance, responsible collecting requires acknowledging the harm that some of these books have enabled. Displaying, selling, or trading Paladin Press materials carries social consequences that differ from collecting, say, vintage comics or first-edition literature. The very factors that make this collection “hot”—controversy, rarity, suppressed knowledge—are also what make it ethically complicated. paladin press collection hot
The remains a subject of interest today because:
Given its content, it’s no surprise that Paladin Press attracted the attention of federal law enforcement. FBI files released following a FOIA request reveal a decades-long relationship between the bureau and the publisher.
(e.g., “Hot ____”), I can pinpoint the exact piece. Otherwise, you might be thinking of a short story or manual excerpt from their “Special Report” or “Paladin Collector’s Series.” The "Hit Man" Controversy Paladin Press is most
For now, the phenomenon shows no signs of cooling. This is a market driven by fundamental forces of supply and demand: a finite, shrinking supply of physical objects and a growing, increasingly aware demand base willing to pay premium prices for scarcity, controversy, and historical significance.
The definitive World War II manual on hand-to-hand combat used to train British Commandos.
A foundational text on close-quarters combat and combat shooting, originally written for the U.S. military. and building shelters
This article explores why the Paladin Press collection remains so popular, the most valuable titles to look out for, and how to build your own collection safely and legally. Why the Paladin Press Collection is "Hot" Right Now
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Founded in 1970 and closed in 2018, Paladin Press was a Boulder, Colorado-based publisher known for controversial, non-fiction material spanning survivalism, martial arts, improvised weaponry, and privacy. The extensive collection, often archived online, gained notoriety for titles on revenge and the legal case surrounding "Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors". Explore archived catalogs and information on this unique collection at Internet Archive .
There‘s an undeniable allure to forbidden knowledge. Paladin’s catalog specialized in exactly the kind of information that makes people nervous: how to pick locks, how to build improvised explosives, how to launder money, how to disappear. For collectors, owning a Paladin Press book is akin to owning a piece of publishing's wild west—a time when the First Amendment was tested to its absolute limits.
Paladin was a prominent source for guides on wilderness survival and "off-the-grid" living. These books focused on practical skills like foraging, navigation, and building shelters, which remain popular in the modern bushcraft community. 3. Technical Skills and Tradecraft