Jerry Ahern

Jerry Ahern (born Jerome Morrell Ahern, in 1946) was a science fiction and action novel author best known for his post apocalyptic survivalist series The Survivalist. The books in this series are heavy with descriptions of the weapons the protagonists use to survive and prosecute a seemingly never-ending war amongst the remnants of the superpowers from pre-apocalypse times. The series centers around the attempts of Dr. John Thomas Rourke, an ex-CIA agent, to preserve his family. In the first book, a nuclear war begins while Rourke is returning from a business trip. After surviving the crash of an airliner in the Southwest United States, Rourke fights his way across the chaotic horror of the post-war United States to his hidden subterranean survival retreat in Georgia, where he eventually reunites with his family. Survivalist #10 begins a new phase - it takes place after Earth's atmosphere has been destroyed and Rourke and his family have been in cryogenic sleep for 500 years.

Ahern was also a firearms writer, who has published numerous articles in magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Handguns and Gun World. As of May 2010, he was a contributor to the monthly "Field Issue" column to the latter publication. One of his recognized areas of expertise was holsters and leather gear for firearms, and he has produced a line of holsters. Ahern's non-fiction works include the book CCW: Carrying Concealed Weapons: How to Carry Concealed Weapons and Know When Others Are, (1996) Blacksmith Press, ISBN 978-0-941540-24-7. In his latter years, Ahern had become a non-fiction writer for Michael Bane's web site.

His fictional protagonist John Thomas Rourke's choices in firearms and equipment reflected Ahern's own: the character's main weapons were a pair of compact Detonics CombatMaster .45 pistols in a custom double shoulder holster by famous maker Lou Alessi. Rourke's other tools included a Colt Python, a Colt CAR-15 with telescopic sight, and a Detonics ScoreMaster full-size .45 pistol. His primary knife was an A.G. Russell Sting 1A boot dagger.

Jerry Ahern was the president of Detonics USA from 2004 to 2007, when it was based in Pendergrass, Georgia. In November 2007, the company was purchased by Bruce Siddle and Steve Stahle. At that time the company name changed names to simply Detonics. Soon after, the company was moved to Bellevile, Illinois.

Some of his fiction books are collaborations with his wife Sharon Ahern. He has also released books under the name Axel Kilgore.

Ahern died on July 24, 2012 after a battle with cancer.