5 comments about Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Vol. 2.

1. Regarding AR-15 Volume #2
   Most of the reviews here are clearly for the first volume which I also enjoyed thoroughly. I could hardly wait for volume 2 to become available. However it was quite a let down. It was virtually void of the technical information Patrick usually provides and instead was filled with quips and comments. He spent too much time trying to be funny and or arrogant instead of providing his usual first class reviews. Editing left a lot to be desired as relevant pictures were often pages away from the text they supported. I have many of Patrick's books, but,I definitely would not recommend AR-15 Volume 2, sorry Patrick, you let us down with this one.



2. Interessante quanto il Vol.1. Sweeney è sempre divertente e molto competente. Comprato al prezzo di Amazon, rispetto a quanto si trova in Italia, è da non farsi scappare.



3. Sweeney gives a lot of information, most of it interesting and valuable. The comparative benefits of the AR, the AK and various calibers are well analyzed.
   
   Unfortunately, Sweeney also knows where his bread is buttered (hint - it is not by the readers who bought his book). Sweeney admits that he got a lot of free goodies from the gun manufacturers (presumably in the expectation that he would write favorable reviews) and he delivers. The readers bought the book in the expectation that Sweeney would write the whole truth about what he learned testing guns; unfortunately, the writer short changes us there. All reviews are either favorable (very) or bland. We can infer that the bland reviews mean that there wasn't much good that he could find to say about those products, but I don't pay $20+ dollars for a book to read between the lines.
   
   On a couple occasions, Sweeney discusses interesting topics, but stops short with the explanation that the public does not need to know that kind of sensitive information. Once again, I don't pay a writer to tell me that I am not entitled to know what he knows; I pay him to tell me what he knows. If he keeps the information to himself while being paid for the book, he is not delivering on the bargain.
   
   Buy this book on the remainder shelf for $5, or better yet, get it from the Amazon used book department where I am selling my copy. You don't need this book on your permanent shelf.



4. I found Vol 1 well written and very informative. However, this volume reads like it was rushed to capitalize on the success of Vol. 1. I would try other AR-15 books first. Try Volume 1. If you really need something new buy it, but do not expect it to be as well written as volume one.



5. The primary value of this effort is the evaluation of manufacturers which have changed in the two years between volumes. Otherwise this is a disorganized mess, with some of the poorest proofing I have seen in years. Typos appaar on almost every page. All of the real meat on the AR-15 is in the first volume and that is the one to buy. Leave this one in the bargain bin.

5 comments about Tactical Pistol: Advanced Gunfighting Concepts And Techniques.

1. There are some good reviews here - perhaps enough to determine whether this book is for you. I just thought a few things could be clarified. To suggest that the only viable market for this book is someone belonging to a militia is to suggest that only the militia are interested in self-defense. It is perhaps desirable to point out that not everyone purchases a firearm to be enthused. Nor does this fact equate them with more dubious individuals or groups (for all my fellows follow the law). Furthermore, to assert that this book is not intended for citizens authenticates the ignorance (or motives) of the writer.
   
   The author of this book does not advocate nor teach the indiscriminate killing of individuals. Conversely, he advocates the discriminate use of deadly force to prevent the loss of one's life. If the reader cannot determine the intended audience at introduction, he should perhaps be reading this book to fine tune his reading comprehension skills rather than skills as a marksman.
   
   The author does not "pander to our primal fears" but illustrates the need for tactics introduced. The only disturbing viewpoints that I was able to find (outside of comments to ignore some such individuals as have commented on this book) were the ones that advocated your Bill of Rights and ideas about freedom (conveniently located at the rear of the book). - I love America!
   
   For those looking to purchase this book, I will spell it out. This book is about actual combat, not sharp shooting or being enthused. If this is your first book and you do not have any formal basic training, do yourself a big favor and purchase that with this book (its for your benefit as much as anyone else's). Also, become familiar with your local handgun laws if you have not already (also suggested by this author and common sense). -peace



2. This book should be required reading for anyone looking to use a handgun in a self defense manner. Whether you have your pistol in the bedside table drawer, or carry every day, if you intend to defend your life, and those of your family this book is a must read! Mr. Suarez knows his topic. The Tactical Rifle and The Tactical Shotgun should also be on your list.



3. The author knows his stuff and presents it in a clear, logical manner. He's a regular cop, not some champion marksman that names all sorts of techniques after himself, like the "Suarez Squat Shot", like some other shooting authors do.



4. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in learning shooting from the ground up. Suarez takes a hard stance on technique and ideology in his first book, however the follow on series hits the mark.
   
   Suarez appears to speak from experience, is definitely a focused shooter, and puts the reader in a frame of mind that is engineered towards combat effectiveness.
   
   Some might find the intensity of attitude off putting but the knowledge provided far out weights the aformentioned intensity.
   
   I would definitely recommend this book, along with several others as an addition to a shooters library.



5. very very good. Interesting book from somebody who has been there, done it and is still there.

5 comments about Gunsmithin - Guns of the Old West (Gunsmithing).

1. Dave Chicoine's book places the years of this Mastercraftsmens experience and knowledge right in your hands.Long known amongst the collector's & shooters of the old firearms as THEE person to have do your repair or restoration's on these old classics, Chicoines book makes a most welcome addition to this booming field and is written in a down to earth,understandable manner,
   clear and concise, and reader friendly.The information found in this new book contains a tremendous amount of hard to find facts and details surrounding working on these "old timers" and new information about the modern reproductions of many of these classics and the "ins & Outs" of them also by the man who has the most experience to date in working,repairing and "sprucing up" these new firearms. Let us hope he produces more such works for those of us in this field down the road a piece.



2. I returned this book because I felt it did not live up to my expectations after all the hype I had read about it.



3. I found this book to be very helpful when repairing top break replicas, Colts (single and double action), and percussion revolvers. He also covers lever action rifles extensively although I have not personally used that section.
   
   Gunsmiths these days are hard to find, so a lot of us have to do it ourselves. The author thankfully covers a lot of important and common problems I have faced, so that I didn't have to go on a usually futile search for a gunsmith. Mr. Chicoine is obviously an experienced and intelligent man, and he writes clearly. Plenty of illustrations guide you through the repairs he describes.
   
   Does he cover every possible conceivable problem? Every firearm? Of course not. Who could? For the money I recommend it. It has saved me more than the purchase price already.



4. Very well presented with a wealth of information for the pro or home gunsmith.Another good reference book to add to the collection.



5. An excellent book for firearms enthusiasts and collectors. Very good tips on numerous 100-150 year old specimens that can be applied to many other types and models that are not specifically covered.
   
   Also has very useful information on gunsmithing and use of tools. The part on screw driver tips MUST be carefully read and diligently applied as many gun screws (and thus guns) are harmed and/or ruined due to use of wrong screwdrivers and techniques. A few extra bucks spent on quality screwdrivers and time used to fit them to screwslots will save many bucks, tempers and tears (including tearing off hair) otherwise encountered.

4 comments about Gun Digest Book of SIG-Sauer: A Complete Look at SIG-Sauer Pistols.

1. (I'm writing this after a quick first read-through of the book, so please forgive any error I may unintentionally inject.)
   
   I'm a pretty solid "gun nut," with an excellent and diverse gun book library. I always feel ambivalent about these books that purport to give an overview of a gun company and its product line. While I'm interested in learning stuff that I don't already know (bring on the minutiae!), many of these books (those of one particular coffee table author come to mind) turn out to contain little more than a few beautiful photos with a ton of incredibly dull rah-rah copy: recitations of annual production numbers for various models are a highlight. However, Ayoob's GUN DIGEST BOOK OF SIG-SAUER is a good example of what can be done RIGHT with this type of book.
   
   Ayoob, love him or hate him, is a major gunwriter for a reason. He can write (unlike some) and he's smart. One may disagree with some of his theories (I do, personally) and one may question whether he is right or has experience on a given legal or tactical issue, but the man knows how to write interesting articles about guns.
   
   That's what he does here. The GUN DIGEST BOOK OF SIG-SAUER has a chapter for each model of Sig-Sauer's pistols, from the P-220 through the GSR 1911 (nothing on the new 250s, alas). Ayoob covers each model in detail (you'd think this would get boring with the overall similarity of the Sig-Sauer pistols, but it doesn't) offering insights as to each model's pluses and minuses, as well as intelligent commentary on the sociological niche each model fills. There are chapters on the Sig-Sauer in training, in competition, and on the various custom options available. There are chapters on SIG handguns like the P-210 and on the SIG-H?mmerli target series. There's a chapter on tactics featuring a bunch of goofy photos showing folks performing drawstroke techniques taught by Ayoob's LFI. It's an amazingly thorough book (the NH-based Ayoob's physical proximity to SIGARMS might have helped here): well-written and informative.
   
   The book serves up hundreds of well-done photos to illuminate the text. They're not always placed right next to the text they're illminating, but that's okay. (They're not always of Ayoob, and that's great, too.) Ayoob provides photos of interesting points (e.g., comparisons between the stamped steel slide of a 220 and the milled steel slide of a 220 ST, old grip styles, comparisons of the short and long trigger styles) that fulfill the reason to have a book like this one. I know that Gun Digest books are usually full of good photos, but this one is better than most.
   
   Because of the photos and the nicely delineated text, this is a book that one can read for a couple of hours or just pick up for a couple of minutes (I foresee a lot of copies camped out in the bathrooms of their new owners) to read an article or check out some different photos. Ayoob's writing on each topic is insightful and well-reasoned, and I learned a fair amount in my first run-through.
   
   If you're a "gun nut" (or if you're shopping for one), I don't think you'll be disappointed with this book. Given my aforementioned ambivalence about these "overview" books, I thought long an hard before I bought this one. Now that I've read through it, however, I'm planning to buy another copy for a friend! (By the way, Amazon is offering a great price on the GUN DIGEST BOOK OF SIG-SAUER, which runs $28 at the retail outlets where I've seen it.) Ayoob did a great job with this one!



2. If you want to know about Sig products and how to effectively use them this is a great book. It is well written and covers basics to more advanced items. I really enjoyed it. Recommended.



3. I purchased this for my husband, and he's ecstatic. Over the last month he's shown me every picture, and read me something from nearly every page. I can only assume he's pretty happy with it, since I can't pry it out of his hands!!



4. Excellent and comprehensive review of Sig Sauer pistols. Unfortunately does not include the new Sig R-DAK models with their unique and butter smooth trigger systems, recently adopted by the Coast Guard and some other more secretive Federal agencies.
   
   Could stand an updated edition, but still well worth the money.

No comments about Jane's Guns Recognition Guide 5e (Jane's Guns Recognition Guide).

5 comments about Mauser Military Rifles of the World.

1. This is the most comprehensive work on Mauser style rifles I have seen.
   It covers rifles made from all over the world. If you are into Mauser Rifle history, this is the book for you.



2. I had hesitation to buy this book reading other reviews; but I am positively surprised when I received the book 4 days ago, and just be really happy with it. It is NOT a book to cover the technical details of mauser rifle design; that one should refer to the book by Olson. Robert Ball did a wonderful job to cover so many mauser rifle versions and its derivatives across the world, and cross-referenced as much as he could. Of course, if any one focuse on the mauser rifles in a particular country, he would probably find this book lacking the depth. With so many countries/models, it is no surprise that the situation can be very confusing; and Ball did a damn good job sorting through; and every single page is for color pictures!



3. This, the Fourth Edition, is the best yet. All-colour, with additional features such as tables of production runs by manufacturers within countries enhances the value of this book to the student of system Mauser.
   
   The photographs are in the main of high quality and the crests and markings have been enhanced by skilful techniques which show off the (sometimes) faint markings.
   
   A worthy reference to supplement the works by Olson and Smith.
   
   C Forsyth



4. I enjoy the information this book gives. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is I wish some of the info was a little more detailed. All in all a great reference book.



5. While it has a few errors and can't go into as much depth as one would like on any given rifle, this is still the most complete overview of military Mausers available, and a must have for any collector's library. No one book can do it all, but for general info and quick identification, this one is hard to beat.

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book of the 1911: A Complete Look at the Use, Care & Repair of the 1911 Pistol, Vol. 2.

1. This is a very interesting book about the workings of the 1911 and I learned a lot from it. It would have been even better if the pictures were in color, but I guess it would cost a lot more....
   I also think that the book should have more information about the trigger/sear/safety and the adjustment/replacement of those parts...



2. These reviews are MERGED reviews of two different volumes of a book. I believe people are purchasing Volume 2 and expecting the content of Volume 1. There is minimal overlap between Volume 1 and Volume 2.
   
   Volume 1 (ISBN 0873492811, 334 pages, 2001) has information on the history, calibers, disassembly, cleaning, competion, reloading, and testing. At the end of the book is a series of reviews of various 1911 models.
   
   Volume 2 (ISBN 0896892697, 336 pages, 2006) has information on barrels, mud tests, penetration, longevity, tactical illumination, holsters, defense, and competion. As with Volume 1, a series of 1911 reviews are at the end. These are different from Volume 1.
   
   Volume 2 is not meant to replace Volume 1. In fact, in Volume 2, the author writes, "this book is not designed to replace Volume 1..."
   
   I wrote Amazon.com an email indicating that this reviews are mixed up between Volumes 1 and 2.
   
   Both volumes are the best collection of information about the Model of 1911 in book form out there. However, they are two different volumes. I recommend starting with Volume 1 (search by the ISBN above) and if you crave more 1911 information, purchase Volume 2.



3. IU am doing an upgrade project on a Colt Series 80 1911 .38 Super and this book is a very good reference on what to do to get the best results, along with lots of other useful info on the 1911 and its clones.



4. Very detailed view of the modern 1911 handgun. A great read for any new or experienced 1911 owner.



5. If you like paying for advertising this is a must have.
   
   Even the table of contents was worthless since it only listed "Chapter 1; Chapter 2" and so on; never mind what the chapter is about. The front half has a few good tidbits but the back is a lot of "I owe it to the gun manufacturer to say good things" advertising reviews.

3 comments about Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop, Revised.

1. I own both editions of this book. Wayne is a personal friend, and my mentor in knifemaking. It can be intimidating to read some publications and see all the high-tech machinery that some makers use. This book shows that people can develope their passion for making knives without spending a fortune. It is clear and concise, and takes alot of the guesswork out of being a beginner. Wayne learned knifemaking by trial and error, before there were books, magazines and videos on the subject. This book is a must have in the library of any knifemaker. I read mine constantly for reference and inspiration.
   
   Craig "MADKAT"



2. Wayne's first version of this book was the first knifemaking book i purchased. Wayne has guided me and been my mentor and friend from the first (approx 4 yrs ). This latest version is one of the best books a beginner could get. All the fotos and diagrams are in color which greatly helps in understanding the lessons. It has new fotos and diagrams all in color. Although this book has approx same number of pages as the original, it seems to contain 50% more info in it. I would reccommend this book to all knifemakers...beginner and experienced. Definitely a 5 star book.



3. If you want to FORGE a knife this is the book for you....If you want to BUILD a knife===>There are others more suited for that

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book of the 1911: A Complete Look at the Use, Care & Repair of the 1911 Pistol, Vol. 1.

1. This is a MUST have for anyone interested in the 1911 pistol.



2. Quite honestly I found this book mediocre at best. It's something of a "Jack of all trades, master of none" effort. If you're a big 1911 fan then you might consider this book, but if you're not, spend your money elsewhere. One good point, there are detailed examinations of 23 different kinds of 1911 pistols which is great if you want an STI or an Auto Ordnance, but where are the various Colt models in detail?



3. Buy this to learn more about your 1911 pistol. I really followed some things written here and presto!, My gun worked better. (with the help of my gunsmith)
   Knowing your pistol can save your life and money. And knowing your pistol means that it is safer to handle and carry.



4. Read more than the table of contents! Some people have obviously rated this book without reading it. The Author explains why some guns are included in the test and others are left out (in 2 Places in the book). The author also talks about and praises his personal "Colt" 1911's. So you Rampant Pony fans should not feel left out. This book is obviously not ground breaking as there have been many books about the 1911, but it is very informative (gunsmithing, tactical course, competitions,& reloading). It provides an indepth comparison of the wide variety of the modern makes of the 1911.



5. Somehow, if I had spent the time reading the book a little before purchasing, I wouldn't have bought it. He talks extensively about competition rigs, rules, etc. which I had no interest in. I have yet to see a gun rag writer talk honestly about guns. Ever see a bad review in ANY of the gun magazines?

5 comments about Single Action Sixguns.

1. This is a very attractive volume. The abundant color photographs seem to stand out from the page and GLOW.
   The book itself is a very comprehensive exploration of the single action revolvers of history and those of the present day. From mainstream to the esoteric, the material in this book will contribute to the education of anybody with an interest in single action revolvers. There is much detailed information for the novice and a wealth of practical data for those already well steeped in the subject.



2. I have many, many books about guns, and this is without a doubt the BEST one that I have ever owned. The illustrations are superb, and Mr. Taffin's style of writing makes you think he is talking to you. I highly recommend this book for anyone that loves the single action revolver, but I have to warn you, it will make you want more and more guns!



3. From modern sixguns to antiques, the single-volume sourcebook SINGLE ACTION SIXGUNS: THE DEFINITIVE, FULLY ILLUSTRATED REFERENCE WORK covers everything in an illustrated guide and is a 'must' for gun collectors and hobbyists. Color photos appear on every page along with first-person insights on gun purchases, brands, gun tricks, production specs and more. The first-person comments throughout reflect author John Tafflin's in-depth knowledge of these guns and their history.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. I found in this book everything I wanted to learn about sixguns. There is a lot of pictures, most in color, some in black and white. Excellent!



5. Pretty good, but for gun enthusiasts like me who read a lot of gun magazines, especially Taffin's articles, there was no new material. If you've been reading Taffin's articles, there's nothing new for you here.
   
   It wasn't quite as good as "Big Bore Handguns" and not nearly as good as "Big Bore Sixguns" which had much more original information.
   
   It's pretty good eye-candy, but I'd recommend it for people who've ALREADY read the other two, above, books and are just craving for more. Even the photos weren't as good as his last two - more like leftover and staged photos.
   
   OR, ESPECIALLY...
   
   If you HAVEN'T read the above two and AREN'T familiar with Taffin's writings and are interested in single-action revolvers, then you'll benefit from this book a LOT.
   
   I hope he, someday, does a "Double-Action Sixguns" book. I'm sure it's just a matter of time.