Paladin Press says its sales have doubled nearly annually since the late 1970s.

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For 37 years, Paladin Press has stayed outside the mainstream of book publishing. Owner Peder Lund explains that the Boulder, Colo.-based company sets itself apart by selling books, DVDs and videos that focus on “cutting-edge issues in the fields of martial arts, military science, political science and firearms.”

Lund founded the company in 1970 with partner Robert K. Brown. Both were U.S. Special Forces veterans who, after returning home from the Vietnam War, decided to take their experiences and apply them to the publishing industry.

The company began as Panther Publications, but later changed its name to avoid being confused with the Black Panther movement. Instead, the company took the name Paladin Press, borrowing “paladin” from the knights in Charlemagne’s court in eighth-century France.

Although its founders were novices to the publishing world, “We felt our way along,” Lund remembers. “It’s very difficult to transfer military skills in the combat arms to the civilian life.”
But the two learned as they went, with the belief that there was a market for books on military and action/adventure topics.

Paladin Press’ first book was 150 Questions for a Guerilla by General Alberto Bayo, a veteran of the Spanish Civil War who mentored Fidel Castro when he was training men in Mexico for his revolution in Cuba.

Previously, the book about guerilla warfare was only available in Spanish. According to Paladin Press, Bayo’s book foreshadowed its future, as a company that printed books about controversial and suppressed subjects, for which it would receive criticism for publishing materials that some considered objectionable.

For its first four years, the company says it developed a stock of titles primarily by reprinting government military manuals. In 1974, Brown left Paladin Press and later founded Soldier of Fortune magazine.

Meanwhile, Lund sought to expand the range of topics among Paladin Press’ publications. Paladin Press’ subjects grew to include self-defense, undercover operations, espionage, covert surveillance, bounty hunting, explosives, martial arts and police science. Combat weaponry has remained one of its most popular subjects.

Its recent best sellers on the topic include The Art of the Rifle by Jeff Cooper and Living With Glocks: The Complete Guide to The New Standard in Combat Handguns by Robert H. Boatman.

Paladin Press says it also has generated controversy by publishing books that discussed potentially illegal activities without actually advocating them. Among its controversial titles was Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors, which is now out of print.

Since the late 1970s, Paladin Press says its sales and number of titles have doubled nearly annually. Today, it sells more than 800 titles, and enjoys hundreds of thousands of book sales each year.
Lund says the company has placed its offices, warehouses and print shop all under one roof at its 25,000-square-foot facility in Boulder.

In addition, “We have our own DVD company,” Lund adds, explaining that Paladin Press films several martial arts and self defense videos in a studio at the facility.

Paladin Press’ customer base not only includes police officers and members of the military, but also “people who want to be able to take care of themselves,” Lund says. “I think martial arts and self defense are the top-selling [genres] at the moment.”

‘Fascinating’ Work
Lund says Paladin Press plans to remain in its niche, where it has become known as one of the strongest publishers in the field. While it once commissioned manuscripts from experts, “People tend to come to us [today],” he says.

A new book that Paladin Press will release this November is The History of Sniping and Sharpshooting by retired Major John L. Plaster, formerly of the United States Army Reserve.

The book follows the history of sniping and sharpshooting from the 15th century to present day, and the role that sniping plays in the war on terror.

“It’s without question the most definitive book [on the subject],” Lund declares, noting that Plaster is a veteran of special operations in the Vietnam War. “He then taught sniping for a number of years when he returned to the United States.”

After 37 years, Lund says he has enjoyed his time at Paladin Press. In addition to his own interest in the subjects of its publications and videos, “We meet absolutely fascinating people from all over the world, and it provides a living,” he says.