Books???

[Adadrian]

That’s exactly what I was looking for links and books to buy thanks guys

 

[Daveboone]

Elmer Keiths "Hell, I was There" is about as great a read for a hunter/ gun fan as any. It is his biography from growing up in the Midwest, ranching, his shooting/guiding/ competition days right through the development of a lot of firearms, and his magazine writing. He was the real deal, and called it the way he saw it.
Unrepentent Sinner , by Col. Charles Askins is another great one, following his career in shooting, law enforcement and the military. An amazing, very eye opening read....

 

[Olon]

His website is pretty good, too

Derpy edit:
I hastily quoted the wrong post.
Now I’m gonna hafta go get Jack Hinsons book

Haha now you have to

The writer does a good job of investigating a part of history which is clouded by a lot of urban (rural?) legend. A very cool book. As a nebraskan idk if I'm a yankee or not but it's an outlook on the war I hadn't considered before. That of southerners, almost completely detached from the politics we're taught they were fighting for, fighting for their families and lifestyle. Very eye opening.

 

[GEM]

Safe Force-on-Force Firearms Simulations: With Minimal Resources Kindle Edition
by Ralph Mroz (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

This about more sophisticated training that gets you beyond thinking that shooting at 7 yards on the square range is 'training'

 

[Ironicaintit]

Haha now you have to

The writer does a good job of investigating a part of history which is clouded by a lot of urban (rural?) legend. A very cool book. As a nebraskan idk if I'm a yankee or not but it's an outlook on the war I hadn't considered before. That of southerners, almost completely detached from the politics we're taught they were fighting for, fighting for their families and lifestyle. Very eye opening.

And now with your description of it, I’m even more interested!

 

[Ironicaintit]

This made me go to my bookshelf and look at stuff. I found an Ordnance Field Guide Vol 2 from 1944 that I’ve never read! Should be interesting

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'm reading Jack Hinson's One Man War. It's a good one about a Confederate sharpshooter.

I once spoke with Lt. Col. Tom McKinney. He confirmed the rifle fired a conical bullet. That was one thing that was never mentioned in the book. I should have asked him what weight.

2 books I bought and read for fun in the late nineties:

Stuart Otteson's The Bolt Action Rifle Vol. I and II. it's sort of a bible at Trinidad State when I went to the gunsmithing school there. I wish he would do a Vol. III. Anyway, if you're interested in learning about the strength and weaknesses of an action, these books are you. My classmate were scrambling to get a copy (glad I got it long before they became hot ticket items).

If you're into U.S. military arms of the Twentieth Century, anything by Bruce Canfield. His work on the M-1 Garand is both definitive and well researched. Expensive, but I think it's worth it. BTW, Larry Ruth's War Baby and War Baby II about the M-1 Carbine are great reading. Blake Stevens two books, The Black Rifle, about the M-16 are also very good (Collectors' Grade Publications).

If you're interested in sniping, check out Martin Pegler (Out of Nowhere). I consider him the Dean of Sniping authors. This was something I think Peter Senich was worthy of, but alas, poor Peter crossed the Styx (and his wife threw out all his raw material that could have made into three books). If you're into pre-nitrocellulose/metallic cartridge sharpshooters (muzzle loading era snipers), then my book: Sharpshooters (1750-1900): The Men, Their Guns, Their Story. LogCabin Shoppe in Lodi, Ohio should have them.

If you're interested in British small arms, Ian Skennerton's books are great. His book on The Lee Enfield Rifle has been updated (thicker). I'm citing it in my research (as well as his book, The British Sniper). He has numerous other books/booklets on other arms like the Webley, Sten, Bren, etc.

 

[CapnMac]

Interesting guy, studied guns back to the 14th century, plus fortifications.

Captain Hogg, Royal Artillery also has history, as his father was Royal Artillery before him. He really grew up surrounded in manual, research, and the like. (I have this rememory that his father was involved in ballistic research, as well--but that could be wrong.)

 

[Paul7]

Elmer Keiths "Hell, I was There" is about as great a read for a hunter/ gun fan as any. It is his biography from growing up in the Midwest, ranching, his shooting/guiding/ competition days right through the development of a lot of firearms, and his magazine writing. He was the real deal, and called it the way he saw it.
Unrepentent Sinner , by Col. Charles Askins is another great one, following his career in shooting, law enforcement and the military. An amazing, very eye opening read....

"Unrepentant Sinner" by Askins is fascinating, he talks about his border patrol days before political correctness. After his night shifts there were very often a few bodies of illegals floating down the Rio Grande the next day. He once inscribed a book to Craig Boddington with "If you ever need anybody shot, pardner, why just let me know".

 

[CapnMac]

The various tomes by Edward Ezell are all good (Small Arms or the World, Pistols of the World, The Black Rifle, Combat Handguns, especially)

Second (or third, or nth) Bruce Canfield's books--but, you might want to start with the more general titles first.

Edward C. Crossman's The Book of the Springfield remains a classic. (It's a thick monster, too, 462 pages).

John Weeks, WWII Small Arms is a handy reference, too.

There are plenty more, but, I have a sleeping dog on my foot, so I can't just go photograph a bookcase or two.

 

[rodinal220]

Many good references listed in the previous postings. You just have to go out and find the best place to purchase them new/used. I still like these guys:

http://www.collectorgrade.com/

 

[Weflyfast]

You like old stuff?

 

[Weflyfast]

 

[horsemen61]

I wish to read this thread at a later date

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Check out some books by William Reichenbach, Guy knows what he is talking about and has a very dry sense of humor.

 

[Jim Watson]

'A Rifleman Went To War' by Herbert W. McBride.
Sniping in WW I.

'Ordnance Went Up Front' by Roy Dunlap.
A gunsmith in the field.
He had some opinions of infantry weapons that do not endear him to traditionalists.

'Pistols, a Modern Encyclopedia' by Henry Stebbins.
The field as of about 1960. (also 'Rifles...)
Like O'Connor, a college professor. The guns are C&R but it is just a pleasure to read.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Shots Fired In Anger by John George. George was a competitive shooter, fought at Guadacanal and later became a member of Merrill's Marauders. He provides a lot of insights into the weapons used the Pacific Theatre.

Ludgwig. Olson's The Mauser Rifle was the standard book for decades.
Robert Ball's The Military Mauser picks up where Olson left off.
Deiter Stortz three books on the Mauser rifle (1871, 1888, K1898 (he never did. a fourth volume on the K98k) are outstanding.
Forgot the authors but there is a. three volume set Karabiner 98K with the third volume in two parts).

 

[Adadrian]

thanks for the replies guys i've ordered some books on amazon! any GREAT novels with a lot on guns in it and im not talking about a war or spy novel.

 

[Adadrian]

just got small arms of the world by whb smith in the mail today thanks to the recommendations here thanks guys very good book

 

[geim druth]

After all that serious reading you can kick your shoes off and relax with a free copy of Monster Hunter International:
https://www.baen.com/monster-hunter-international.html

 

[BWS]

Pictured below is a REAL gem!!

I was looking for "dope" on Thomas Blanchard 1788-1864. His duplicating lathe was a huge milestone in arms manufacture,one of which is on display at Harper's Ferry park. It's one of our "happy places". Lots of civil war history in the area....

So am digging around looking for a book on Mr Blanchard and just not coming up with a whole lot. One little mention of this book and I'm on it like stink on doodoo. I have a serious book habit.... Hi,my name is BW and... You get the idea.

This book is fantastic. It's main purpose is to show how important the armory business,and specifically the U.S. arms industry was to the burgeoning industrial revolution. 3/4'ths of the book is directed square at firearms development. The last quarter is about Henry Ford's,much later contributions. The author is of some note within the historic community,a prof of history or sumthin at U of Delaware? Just a great book that ties up a LOT of loose ends on how arms manufacture shaped our nation and global industry.

Edit to add: David A. Hounshell is the author

 

[WisBorn]

I'm currently reading A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold (again) not a gun book but a good read from the Conservationist. There is an addition with other essays on conservation from Round River by Leopold.

 

[Frulk]

Ruger and His Guns by RLWilson. An interesting, non-technical read with many insights and anecdotes from Ruger employees on how some of his great designs came to be. Chock full of diagrams and large, high quality color photographs.

 

[tipoc]

A few references on ammo and ballistics. Look for the latest editions though used versions of the older are helpful as well. As well as the basic information being good the essays that open the books and throughout are very helpful and usually topnotch.
Cartridges of the World by Frank Barnes
Ammo and Ballistics by Bob Forker
Ammo Encyclopedia by Michael Bussard
For more technical reading Robert Rinker's Understanding Firearm Ballistics
These are reference books so they are as useful 30 years from now as today. Get these as actual physical books and not E books.

Novels: Read Stephen Hunter's series of books on Bob Lee Swagger. Then read the series on his father and grandfather then his son. Just good reading and a lot of guns.
Read all of Elmore Leonard's westerns. His detective mystery stuff is good but his western's shine. Read his Raylin Given's books as well. These can be ebooks.

All available on Amazon.

 

[tipoc]

On shooting, guns, assembly and disassembly I encourage you to go over to Stephen A. Camp's website Hipowers and Handguns. Buy every book and guide there that he wrote. He died too soon a few years back. His wife runs the site and keeps his books available for order and shipping. His book on defensive handguns is a must read. It covers a number of guns from J frame revolvers to Glocks. His essays are also there and he wrote a novel.

https://hipowersandhandguns.com/Products5.html

https://hipowersandhandguns.com/Defensive Handguns.htm