Looking for books

[230RN]

I did a page search and "Jordan" did not come up, but Bill Jordan's "No Second Place Winner" should be mentioned. Informative, reasonably entertaining, touches on his background as a Border Patrol agent.

Of course, "Hatcher's Notebook" is an old standby that can't be ignored if you're interested in myriad firearms matters. I have said that if you read this book, you can answer about 80% of the firearms questions that come up.

I found it's great "pickup" reading because you can open it to almost any page and find it fascinating. It's somewhat dated, but most of it involves factual matter that does not change over the years. You know... guns go bang no matter how old they are. Well, he does talk about Maxim's "silencers," but that was before they became commonplace today.

You might also find information on the centrifugal machine gun kind of unusual.

Terry, 230RN

 

[Jim Watson]

Well, he does talk about Maxim's "silencers," but that was before they became commonplace today.

Why shouldn't he? That is what the patent calls them and that is what the law calls them.

Phil Sharpe was a major source in the 1930s-1950s.
'The Rifle in America'
'The Complete Guide to Handloading.'

Even earlier, 1910 with holdovers from earlier editions
'The Gun and its Development, W.W. Greener'

 

[earlthegoat2]

On that image of Ernest Hemmingway, that is a sporterized 03. It looks like it has a Lyman (or Redfield) rear aperture sight but is that a G&H QD scope base mounted on the receiver?

It is very likely that it is since it was a Griffen & Howe product. Hemingway never really liked the scope and it was not often mounted.

 

[snowman357]

A Rifleman Went to War, non fiction about sniping in world war one.

 

[doubleh]

I am a sci-fi fan. If you want to read about the biggest, baddest, guns ever you should read John Ringo and Linda Evan's " The Road To Damascus", the best ever story about Bolos, war machines that are self aware, that was dreamed up originally by Keith Laumer.

 

[doubleh]

The library I worked at for 26 years (Fresno County) automated their catalog in 1988 -- I worked a lot of Saturdays adding records back then.

If you want to see titles for potential interlibrary loan, the big resource is worldcat.org. The problem is that the database is so large that you need to have a pretty specific idea of what you are looking for before searching it -- you'll be overwhelmed with results otherwise.

My library can usually get me most of the titles I want -- the last was Czech Firearms and Ammunition. It's going for around $165+ on the used market, so it was nice to borrow a copy for free:

https://worldcat.org/title/36821865

Our library system has a website you can become a member of and do your searching from the comfort of your recliner. We are sparcely populated making our choices fewer than larger areas but we do enjoy up to date tech. Access to internet can be a problem though. If I lived a mile farther from the tower I receive wireless internet from my only option would be from sattelite. My service is extremely slow compared to fiber optic service enjoyed by town residents but will stream movies so I can live with that. The price isn't all that bad either.

 

[J-Bar]

Shotguns and Shooting by Michael McIntosh.

 

[230RN]

Me, with respect toHatcher's Notebook:
"Well, he does talk about Maxim's 'silencers,' but that was before they became commonplace today."

---------------
Jim Watson:
"Why shouldn't he? That is what the patent calls them and that is what the law calls them"
....
---------------

Regarding my remark about Maxim and silencers in that book, I was trying to point out that this was something old that Hatcher was discussing whose technology is well-known today. I understand that they are frequently referred to as "suppressors:" since, after all, they don't actually "silence" the muzzle blast.

I once jokingly commented that the only real "silencer" was 5 miles of air.

Thanks for your comment.

Terry, 230RN

 

[Jim Watson]

Yeah, I know. Internet Age jargon often trumps history.

 

[.45Coltguy]

Peter Hathaway Capstick wrote some good stuff. It's unlikely that he did everything he claimed in the books, but he was quite a good writer and the books are enjoyable.

Finn Aagaard wrote a good book about his life. Aagaard's Africa or Aagaard's African Adventures. The latter contains all of the former with additional information added by his wife after his death.

Hard to go wrong with Keith or O'Connor.

Oh boy! ALL of these are great reading. A lot of excellent reading listed in this thread. Finn Aagaard was really a gifted writer/hunter.

 

[Mk VII]

Elmer Keith's Hell, I was There is entertaining, if you can find a copy, even if you've read a lot of his anecdotes recycled into his magazine articles.

 

[tark]

Phil Sharpe was a major source in the 1930s-1950s.
'The Rifle in America'

 

[Pete D.]

Teddy Roosevelt's "African Game Trails"......an account of the year long safari Roosevelt took after leaving office in 1908.
Roosevelt wrote 47 books......about hunting, ranching, the outdoor life in general.
He did that while serving as Police Commissioner in NYC, Asst secretary of the Navy, Governor of NY, VP to Wm. McKinley and two terms POTUS

 

[doubleh]

One more author mention. If you are a single shot fan you should own both books by "Mr. Single Shot" Frank De Hass. I always intended to build a falling block rifle based on one of his but just like the "from scratch" muzzle loader build parts that have been taking up space for over 30 years I have never gotten around to doing it and have given up on both projects.

 

[Hookeye]

Captsick hunting stuff was enjoyable.
Finn Aagaard I liked as well.
For general gun stuff I reread Gunsmithing by Carmichael, hadn't read it in forever. Still liked it.
Grew up w Oconnor stories, enjoyed them then. But came to not care for them when older.
The old Askins and Keith stuff was good, but haven't revisited them for decades.

 

[tazbigdog]

Classifieds or old book store are great places to look.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

OP here!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I'm digging in now.

My local Cabela's had two books I picked up: "incredible hunting stories" which is a compilation, lots of Teddy Roosevelt's writing so far. And "in the land of the bear" about Russian bear hunters.

We'll see how they go while I shop for a bunch of others!!

 

[JJack1]

Jeff Cooper's "Another Country" (Personal adventures of the twentieth century).

One of my favorites. Not necessarily guns and shooting, but about an interesting life.

Being retired and therefore limited budget I use my local interlibrary loan for e-books to my Kindle.
And being an old goat it's good to re-read some books!
Re-read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" last month. Absolutely nothing socially redeeming but fun nonetheless.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Everyone should read more Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea
A movable Feast
The Sun Also Rises

Edwin Abbott Flatland
Orwell 1984

 

[Choctaw]

Anything written by Gene Hill.

 

[Poper]

I'll give it a shot, no pun intended.

Too lazy to type this morning, so here's a couple pix of stuff pulled off my shelves:

View attachment 1175683

BTW, I highly recommend any of Jim Corbett's books on hunting in India. His memory for detail decades after the fact was phenomenal!

View attachment 1175684

Lesser known -- Bell is up to Volume 3 of this series and all are fascinating. I'm rereading this volume right now for the third time, at the rate of one gunfight per evening:

View attachment 1175685

Bob "Boze" Bell used to be a DJ on a local radio station here in Phoenix, AZ (KSLX 100.7 FM, IIRC) back in the mid to late '80s.
Legend has it he was quite the "Bozo" in his younger days, therefor the nickname . It stuck. The man can write an entertaining story!

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Bob "Boze" Bell used to be a DJ on a local radio station here in Phoenix, AZ (KSLX 100.7 FM, IIRC) back in the mid to late '80s.
Legend has it he was quite the "Bozo" in his younger days, therefor the nickname . It stuck. The man can write an entertaining story!

He's not bad with watercolors too -- he illustrated the Gunfights series himself.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I have a number of books of interest concerning weapons of historical note but I will throw one title into the scrum since there is already a bounty of books suggested. Mine would be Firearms traps and tools of the Mountain Men by Carl P Russell. I think I bought my copy at the Ft Laramie National Monument gift shop in Wyoming. It covers a lot of territory.

 

[Captcurt]

You might have to dig deep, but two writers from the golden years of Sports Afield, Russel Annabel and Archibald Rutledge, are some good reads. For some decent
mercenary fiction try The Dogs of War by Frederick Forsythe. The book is much better than the movie that they butchered.

 

[epags]

NRA Publication "British Enfield Rifles"

Shooting & Reloading the 303 British and the 303 Epps by Stephen Redgwell

A Rifleman Went To War by H.W. McBride

Combat Leader's Field Guide (13th Edition) by Sgt. Maj. Brett Stoneberger, USA

And for laughs and giggles

RICK O'SHAY, Hipshot, and Me....A Memoir by Stan Lynde