1 comments about Gunfitting: The Quest for Perfection for Shotguns And Rifles.

1. As a certified shotgun instructor, I found this book provided understandable and useful information to help me respond better to my students.

5 comments about Hatcher's Notebook, Revised Edition (Classic Gun Books Series).

1. Long before "Myth Busters" Julian S. Hatcher tested such issues as whether a bullet fired vertically will cause serious harm on its descent to earth. [.45 caliber bullets may hurt but won't cause serious injury. On the other hand a .30'06 rifle bullet can be lethal on descent due to its greater mass and greater G1 (that's G1 not GI) ballistic coefficient.] He tested the danger involved in an uncontained cartridge firing. He covers such subjects as: the developmental history of ballistic coefficients for projectiles and how to calculate bullet velocity at any range based on muzzle velocity and the bullets G1 ballistic coefficient; characteristics of burning gunpowder and its attendant pressure curves in the barrel; rotation rate of the bullet due to rifling; dangers involved in the storage of large amounts of gun powder and the massive damage capability of improperly stored gunpowder. This is just one of a myriad of subjects Hatcher covers. In some cases his information has been superseded due to analyses made possible by technological improvements in testing. In other cases his treatment of the subject matter is still relevant today. In any case, it reveals a man with phenomenal expertise in firearms made possible by his involvement in firearms development throughout his career with the US Army's Ordnance Department and his participation in competitive shooting events. It's fascinating reading and a classic treatise on firearms that is a must-have for understanding characteristics of firearms subject matter.



2. One of about a half a dozen MUST have books if you have firearms and hand load for them.
   
   Steve Adams
   AdamsQuailHunter on GunBroker & Ancientguns Forums



3. the data in this book in fundamentally timeless. Yes, some deals with specific firearms and/or circumstances, but even there, many lessons for GENERAL firearms use are still lurking.
   
   This is one of the most valuable reference manuals in my library and has been read many times over during the years.
   
   Even more important is EW Mann's "The Bullet's Flight" and it was written at the turn of the century! Some types of knowledge don't "wear out."



4. BUT... you can't be scared off by technical stuff. Hatcher has a way of explaining it for the layman, but most of the book is just insights into firearms technology as seen by an insider. Great read. Buy it before any other gun book. May I also suggest Hatcher's other masterpiece, Book of the Garand.



5. I'd read snatches from the book in our local Public Library from time to time. Finally decided to treat myself to the luxury of having it on hand all the time. Whilst it may be considered to be a little outdated now (2007) it's still a classic and an absolute mine of knowledge. Provides a fascinating and factual account of the development of modern 20th Century Small Arms, ranging from bolt action rifles, automatic pistols, Machine Guns and Sub Machine Guns. Add to this the development of modern smokeless powders, primers and the treatment of steel, then you have a veritable fount of information that is still relevant today.

5 comments about Ricochet: Confessions of a Gun Lobbyist.

1. Poorly written and interesting only to those of us who have been inside this fight. Feldman (a likeable enough guy in person) makes the ridiculous case that the NRA is TOO tough, when in fact, the NRA has folded and sold out gun owners time after time after time. The book is mostly a series of excuses for Feldman's role in some of those sell outs and comes across as whiney and childish. Much of it is just not believable, like when Feldman "recreates" conversations he had with people 20 years ago in amazing detail. Don't waste your time unless you are a working pro in the gun rights movement. It's almost unreadable.



2. Title pretty much says it all. It has been clear to me for years as an NRA member that there were many fat cats running a supposedly non-profit organization solely to provide themselves w/ a good living, to the detriment of the rank and file membership and the avowed objective of preserving our constitutional rights [all of them, not just one as the media likes to portray.] This very entertaining read, in the form of the "I was there & this is the real story behind the events" should be required reading by everyone who cares about the future of the shooting sports worldwide. The truth hurts, but it also will set you free.



3. I heard an interview with Mr. Feldman on the radio and this piqued my interest in reading the book. I am the owner of 2 Glocks, possess a concealed carry permit and am not an NRA member nor do I have any interest in joining the organization. I think reading the book confirmed my disdain with the lobbying organization as well as pointing out the weakness in the case made by many on the gun control side of the debate.
   
   If I am disappointed in any way with the book it is in the fact that Mr. Feldman should have, in my opinion, offered some insight into what he thinks would be tangible ways to bridge the gap between gun control advocates and gun enthusiasts. He spends a fair amount of time criticizing both sides but does not really touch on what he thinks would be more effective ways of squelching the conflict and doing more to keep guns out of the hands of those who are more likely to use them to commit acts of violence.
   
   For example: In my opinion, anyone who has been committed for a psychiatric evaluation or who takes prescription drugs for depression, bipolar disorder, etc. ought to be flagged by the Instacheck system and be required to pass a higher standard before being allowed to buy a firearm. It would not be an absolute barrier but a requirement to get more information. This might have prevented the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University (and others) which were carried out with legally bought weapons by disturbed young men with known psychiatric issues. I think a career gun industry advocate and lobbyist as Mr. Feldman ought to have offered his constructive opinion on issues such as this. It would have made Ricochet a more powerful work.



4. I found Ricochet: Confessions of a Gun Lobbyist a quick and interesting read. Richard Feldman provides a snapshot of a piece of history in the push and pull in the development of public policy in our pluralistic society. I gave this as a Christmas gift to my sons Lt. Scott Mayberry, USMC and Tim Mayberry so they could reflect on the excitment of life in the nation's capital.
   
   -- Richard Mayberry, McLean Virginia



5. Sorta like old home week for me...
   
   I'd quite agree you can't judge this book by its press or blog reviews. The press naturally picked up on Richard's criticism of NRA fundraising and expenditures, and the bloggers (except me, who refused to blog without reading it) reacted to that. Both made the book seem antigun, when it's very far from that. As I would have guessed, because I last saw the author at the private ceremony to dedicate the bronze of Harlon Carter: Harlon's family would not have singled him out for invitation unless he was respected by them.
   
   The book is exceptionally clearly written, and definitely a page turner. I think I took one break from reading its 300+ pages. If anyone wants to see what it's like to be a lobbyist, this is the book for them. Just one episode: at one point NY Gov. Mario Cuomo holds a tense meeting with the author and others, and tries to break the ice by deliberately sitting on a whoopee cushion. It didn't go over very well...

5 comments about Military Small Arms of the 20th Century.

1. There must be millions of readers out there who don't really care about guns, per se, but run into various types of weaponry when reading historical or crime fiction.
   I know a little about guns -- grew up in a southern family, first .22 rifle when I was 13 years old, etc. -- but when I'm reading a World War I novel and the hero pulls out a huge Austro-Hungarian Empire military revolver, I may be a little lost.
   Hogg's book fulfills a useful function for those who want to doublecheck and see what some weapon in a story actually looks like.
   (Oh, so that's how a Webley Fosberry automatic revolver worked, huh?)
   (A DeLisle carbine is a silenced Enfield rifle in .45 caliber? What the heck would that look like?)
   Gun nuts (like me) can get a little picky about details in far-ranging reference books. But if you're starting from scratch, books like this are invaluable.



2. I have had this book for a number of years and, although the research is excellent, it does indeed have substantial typo's and reference errors as if the material was compiled by a staff editor who knows nothing about firearms and has not taken the trouble to make simple corrections. Many firearms are omitted and some included, however revolutionary and ground-breaking they are not always representative of the whole. Furthermore, the entire category of combat shotguns has not even been addressed but anti-materiel rifles have, which are undeniably interesting but only a small part of the whole. The organization is good as are the photographs but I would have made a number of editing corrections as a previous reviewer has noted (I have written in the corrections in my own volume). I rely upon this volume for information but often double check the facts through other sources as the glaring errors reduces my confidence in this as a comprehensive reference. As a reference book writer myself, I have written to the publisher offering to edit an 8th edition should such a thing be in the works but of course there is no profit margin for a slightly corrected version of a popular volume. My edition is so heavily thumbed and used that I will likely acquire another and not balk at the price but would gladly pay more for an accurate reference.



3. Actually I was being lenient with 3 stars... It is an incomplete work with HUGE gaps on vital basics, leaving out prominent manufacturers and models manufactured, and above all, grossly wrong on stats on some items. Mr Hogg needs to do a lot of further work before he can claim it to be a quality reference work of note.



4. This book lives up to its name. It provides an overview of the 20th Century. Lots of photos for reference. Exactly what I thought it would be.



5. This is truly the first and last book when it comes to 20th century small arms. Ian Hogg does it again as he categorizes weapons by type then country. Every gun is included from WWI to 1990.

   This book is black and white but the photos are good, and he has some for some very rare guns.

   Each gun is accompanied by a photo and a chart laying out the facts. Each gun also contains a few paragraphs of history and review as to how it should be placed in history. For example the MG42 is rightfully hailed as the best machine gun of WWII, while the M16 is ridiculed as reason we lost Vietnam.

   I'm read a lot of gun books and this one is the best because of Hogg's writing, and the fact that it is the most comprehensive I've ever seen. He doesn't just include his favorite guns but every gun ever used in 20th century combat.

   The HK G11 cover is also impressive.

1 comments about Guns Illustrated 2008 (Guns Illustrated).

1. A good reference book with photos and descriptions. Very similar to GUN DIGEST 2008. I bought both, but next year, one or the other.

2 comments about Winchester Shotguns.

1. I peticularly enjoyed the parts on the early shotguns, especially the works of John Moses Browning and the refurence to Spencer's Pump Action shotgun. Nicely written. Wonderful pictures. Very well put together.
   
   No library on firearms should be without this book.



2. Great book on Winchester Shotguns. Interesting read with great pictures of most models.

5 comments about AK-47: The Weapon that Changed the Face of War.

1. 
   AK-47 gives a firearm way too much credit for transforming how war is fought. If the author's main premise of his book was correct, the Soviets, who were armed with AK-47s, should not have lost in Afghanistan. The author points to other recent wars or conflicts to support his premise, but in every case he comes to the wrong conclusion because his basic thesis is completely flawed.
   
   What has changed is that war in recent history is no longer waged between massive armies of warring nations. Nor is the goal of war the occupation of territory as it had been in previous wars like World War II and World War I. The strategy employed in recent conflicts is the war of attrition perpetrated by forces, though much weaker in firepower, have the advantage of not being in uniform and difficult to identify as the enemy. It's not AK-47s that have bogged the US down in Iraq and it was not AK-47s that drove the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Nor is the strategy of war of attrition new. George Washington used this strategy in waging the American Revolution. Washington knew that he could not hold territory against the much larger and better-armed British armies and instead adopted a strategy of engagement and retreat. It ultimately became too costly for Britain to continue the fight.
   
   I do agree that the proliferation of firearms around the world by the Soviets and China have contributed significantly to the instability of third world nations. This was indeed a deliberate strategy of the Communist nations to destabilize Western nations. But it is the fact that there were large industrial nations willing to supply insurgents with vast amounts of cheap firearms that's important. It was not because the weapon was the AK-47. Sure the durability and ease of use of the AK-47 was helpful, but it was the fact the AK-47 shoots bullets like any other gun that really matters.



2. I wish I would have read the reviews before I bought. The author expresses two thing extremely well. He knows NOTHING about firearms in general and the AK's in specific. He does not know an AK from an SKS. The second thing that he makes very clear is that he thinks America is the cause of all problems in the world. He thinks that people are faultless and that an inanimate object does terrible things on their own.
   The book was a terrible waste of paper and ink. If anyone wants one of these, contact me and I will give you a hell of a deal on this piece of trash.
   If you hate America and think machined steel parts make decisions to do bad things on their own, then this book is for you. As for me, I am only sorry that it was not printed in a little larger format. You see, the pages are just too small for the bottom of a bird cage.



3. I was disappointed. This book was initially well-written but rapidly devolved into the world of make-believe. Technically, some of the observations the author made were accurate and even relevent but towards the end it descended into some bizarre bashing of U.S. policy regarding gun control... the United Nations could have stepped in and provided controls over the distribution of AK-47s around the world if only the Bush adminsitration had been on board. This alone is an absurd statement. If someone can tell me of a successful UN initiative over the last 50 years I would be glad to listen to it. In the meantime, the UN's role in the sex trade in Africa and its abysmal record in limiting nuclear proliferation makes it a poor model for fixing the problems of the world.
   
   The book is remarkably under-illustrated, even in regards to some graphics and photos which would be easy to acquire. Oh, and the part added to the book about how the Coalition is getting its butt kicked in Iraq thanks to the AK-47 just seems to be a last-minute attempt to cash in on "hate America."
   
   There are better books.



4. As a firearms enthusiast and fan of the AK-47 and its variants, I checked this out from my local library without reading any reviews beforehand. I finished it in a matter of hours during two legs of a flight and now truly regret not using that time to read thru the SKYMALL magazine.
   
   AK-47 fails on every level. It fails as biography of Mikhail Kalashnikov, the gun's inventor. It fails as technical history of a rifle. And it fails miserably at what the bulk of the book is directed toward: political history. While any of these approaches (or all three) could easily, and more successfully, be distilled into a decent magazine article (and have been), none are even remotely achieved by Larry Kahaner.
   
   What begins as the story of Kalashnikov deteriorates into half-baked rehashes of global conflicts with a "the rag-tag rebels succeeded because of the affordability of the AK" thrown in each time. And while every author is indeed entitled to their own opinion with regard to firearms, Kahaner's disgust for the AK-47 (and all firearms and the 2nd Amendment and so on) is apparent - and the reader quickly feels duped into picking up what appears to be an historical overview. Kahaner even goes so far as to blame the AK for the use of child soldiers in some conflicts due to its simplicity of use.
   
   AK-47 finishes up lambasting Kalashnikov for marketing his name and spends way too many pages describing failed vodka ventures - none of which relates in any way to the subject matter at hand (or readers who care about the firearm).
   
   For shooting enthusiasts and/or history buffs, this could have been an intelligent read if approached by the right author. I am not so narrow-minded that I would not admit that the affordable, reliable AK-47 has made a difference in global conflicts - I just want to read about how it has from a reliable, objective source.
   
   Simply put, the worst piece of nonfiction regarding any subject I have read in a long, long time.



5. The other reviewers have pretty much covered the book's faults in detail, but allow me to jump in:
   
   The author's casualty figures are inaccurate, his reporting of so-called 'assault rifle' crime in the U.S. is very overstated (in fact, the class of weapons accounts for a tenth of 1% of violent crime), and he casually labels the weapon at cause for violence and hatred throughout the world.
   
   He doesn't waste an opportunity to impugne conservatives, and laud such luminaries as Senator Dianne Feinstein, who, while mayor of San Francisco, piously turned in her .25. She kept her .38 and concealed carry permit, however.
   
   I am returning this book, and my mind is poorer for having read it.

3 comments about Famous Firearms of the Old West: From Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Revolvers to Geronimo's Winchester, Twelve Guns That Shaped Our History.

1. Herring writes about guns the way McPhee writes about rocks, fish, and oranges. In an easy but confident voice, Herring describes the history and people behind a dozen firearms. He managed also to be informative but not pedantic and decidedly avoids hook and bullet assumptions. A pleasure to read.



2. For those that yearn for yesteryear and a hearty 'Hi-yo Silver!' this is the real thing. Hal delivers again. If you think you know the story of the person, it is fascinating to see how his story would not have been possible with out his particular firearm.



3. There are a lot of books out there that cover historical firearms, biographies of the men who used them, or the world they lived in. Herring's book is one of the few that combines all three of these aspects into one story. By selecting specific weapons, the men who used them, and how society looked at that particular time, Famous Firearms Of The Old West provides the reader with a glimpse of the growth of our nation.
   
   This is not just a gun book. Anyone interested in history, sociology, or firearms should find a great read in this book.
   
   Tiger McKee
   
   The Book of Two Guns: The Martial Art of the 1911 Pistol and AR Carbine

4 comments about Ruger .22 Automatic Pistol: Standard/ Mark I/ Mark Ii Series.

1. Shooting the Ruger .22 automatic target pistol is widely enjoyed by many of us and this book gives us the details of it's history, development, the many varieties, care and maintenance - including how to break it down in an easy to understand text and much more. It is a must have for all Ruger Standard, MK I and MK II pistol owners. MK III owners will be disappointed if they are looking for information on that model - no mention of it at all. My copy is copyrighted 1988. Provided D. Long is still with us it certainly would be worth his while to update this wonderful book to include the newer model MK IIIs, new ammo available, grips, optics and the list goes on.... Hats off to Duncan Long, a Ruger .22 auto pistol authority, for his most informative writing.



2. The entire history of one of the best .22 pistols ever made. For those who want to know how to care for their handgun and make it more fun to shoot, this is the book to have in your library.



3. This book is essential for the Ruger semi-auto pistol collector. It only covers the Standard, the MKI, and MKII pistols, but that is all it should cover. The MKIII pistol is not present, nor are the Ruger revolvers or the Ruger 22/45. The book does cover a few Ruger MKII facsimiles and successful gunsmithing trends, as well as proper maintenance and detail stripping.
   
   The book is not a volume worshiping Bill Ruger. Rather it is an information packed publication of the origins and development of the most popular .22 auto-pistol of all time.
   
   For under $12, it's an absolute steal. Buy it.



4. If you are thinking of buying a target pistol, can't decide exactly which to buy, but are considering a Ruger, then read this book. It will make your decision for you.

   The book covers the history of Sturm, Ruger & Company, the various models of the .22 automatic pistols, the chronology of their production, and brief descriptions of other firearms developed by the firm. Also covered are care and maintenance of the pistols, including field- and detail-stripping instructions. The book concludes with chapters on available accessories and a survey of ammunition for use with Rugers.

   The overall story is one of high quality, accuracy, continuous refinement of design, and innovation in weapons manufacture. Enjoy your new Ruger.

5 comments about Bayonets - An Illustrated History.

1. It's a wonderful work. More information you will ever see anywhere. Beautiful and detailed photos that help a lot in identification. I'm enjoying so much reading it.



2. Photography in this book is excellent and sometimes the visuals are better than the text in aiding identification. The author points out some nuances in transitions that I had not encountered before. I felt it was worth the price and very handy as a quick reference.



3. Like a few other military books Bayonets: An Illustrated History by great author Martin J. Brayley gives us an accurate descritpion and amazing, extensive photographic material to illustrate each and every example.
   For collectors and simpatizers alike this is a book worth having in any military collection.



4. Written by a military photographer of 24 years' experience, Bayonets: An Illustrated History offers an in-depth examination of the role of the bayonet in military conflicts worldwide from 1650 to present. More than 500 photographs enhance Bayonets: An Illustrated History. 300 different types of bayonets are closely scrutinized; almost every photograph features a capsule of notes specific to its topic. The text, while intended more for serious military historian than the lay reader, is highly accessible as it traces the design evolutions and purposes of bayonets as history passed. A welcome contribution to military and weapon history shelves.



5. Written by a military photographer of 24 years' experience, Bayonets: An Illustrated History offers an in-depth examination of the role of the bayonet in military conflicts worldwide from 1650 to present. More than 500 photographs enhance Bayonets: An Illustrated History. 300 different types of bayonets are closely scrutinized; almost every photograph features a capsule of notes specific to its topic. The text, while intended more for serious military historian than the lay reader, is highly accessible as it traces the design evolutions and purposes of bayonets as history passed. A welcome contribution to military and weapon history shelves.