The book aims to explore the role of firearms laws, and in particular those pertaining to civilian ownership of small arms, as they relate to the prevention—or enablement—of mass atrocities such as the Holocaust.

The book references German archives, diaries, and newspapers that attest to restrictions on firearm ownership for Jews and enemies of the state.

[...] The proponents of the bill challenged that and said they actually had commissioned a Library of Congress study saying there was no use of gun registration lists by the Nazis, either in Germany or in occupied countries, which was blatantly stupid.

"[2] A Washington Times review said, "It is the most extensive history to date of Nazi Germany's policies on firearms, drawing largely on original documents.

"[3] The New Republic wrote, "...the book's marketers, who are not shy at all about framing the Nazi's disarming of Jews and other political enemies as a giant, .950 caliber warning shot amid efforts in Washington and some states to pass new regulations on firearms.