The gun book that must be written ...

[CountryGent]

There is no secret most here, myself included, are interested in all things firearms. Some of us, most certainly yours-truly, love to read to. There have been plenty of of firearms and hunting books writing over the ages; some good, some crap, some legendary, others legendarily bad. We've been blessed that in recent years that more and more niches are being covered in print.

Which brings me to my question: what is the gun book that you would like to see written? On what topic, what breadth of coverage, and most importantly — why?

Thanks for sharing.

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[Andy54Hawken]

A fiction book....
The main "character" to be a either a Long Rifle or Fowler built here in America.
The book is to follow the experiences of the gun through its use in American history.

The main character could tell of his being made in colonial America...service in our Revolution , the War of 1812....Westward expansion , etc... how it was modified , who carried it...where it "lived" etc....

Why....I don't know....just sounds like a cool idea....
Andy

 

[gmerkt]

Maybe it already exists and I haven't found it. My personal wish would be to have a book that heavily illustrates industrial weapons production during WW2. Kind of a big factory book. What it includes could vary. Might be only firearms. Or could cover all kinds of army weapons. Not aircraft, I think that would be multiple volumes by itself. There are a couple of books that I am aware of that include this material, two volumes, having to do with .30 US Carbine. Everything about them including industrial production. And there are some books about the M1 Rifle (Garand) that have some of this stuff. I have a number of books that have niche sections about WW2 production. One is a big corporate Paccar book that has a chapter about their WW2 production. I've got a couple of books about Ford Motor Company that contain highlights of their contribution. I'd like to see a big book with all this kind of stuff in it, tentage being made, shovels, radios, mess kits, you name it. Oh, and shipbuilding would be another volume or three.

One of my favorite books that shows factories making things is called, Ford at 50, a company-published book from 1953. It contains lots of pictures showing various stages of automotive production in the factories. From iron ore to finished cars rolling off the assembly line. Lots of back story stuff.

 

[Medic!]

It there a gun book not written?

A gun BS story not told?

 

[CountryGent]

A fiction book....
The main "character" to be a either a Long Rifle or Fowler built here in America.
The book is to follow the experiences of the gun through its use in American history.

The main character could tell of his being made in colonial America...service in our Revolution , the War of 1812....Westward expansion , etc... how it was modified , who carried it...where it "lived" etc....

Why....I don't know....just sounds like a cool idea....
Andy

Extremely cool, my friend!

Maybe it already exists and I haven't found it. My personal wish would be to have a book that heavily illustrates industrial weapons production during WW2. Kind of a big factory book. What it includes could vary. Might be only firearms. Or could cover all kinds of army weapons. Not aircraft, I think that would be multiple volumes by itself. There are a couple of books that I am aware of that include this material, two volumes, having to do with .30 US Carbine. Everything about them including industrial production. And there are some books about the M1 Rifle (Garand) that have some of this stuff. I have a number of books that have niche sections about WW2 production. One is a big corporate Paccar book that has a chapter about their WW2 production. I've got a couple of books about Ford Motor Company that contain highlights of their contribution. I'd like to see a big book with all this kind of stuff in it, tentage being made, shovels, radios, mess kits, you name it. Oh, and shipbuilding would be another volume or three.

One of my favorite books that shows factories making things is called, Ford at 50, a company-published book from 1953. It contains lots of pictures showing various stages of automotive production in the factories. From iron ore to finished cars rolling off the assembly line. Lots of back story stuff.

Not exactly what you are looking for (though very neat idea), but this updated, exhaustive (864 pages) book may be of interest:

 

[User 1234]

I'd like to see a book explaining exactly how the first surveyors mapped railroad and wagon routes through the mountains, all without modern technology. I'm sure that historical technology and exploration story would mention a Winchester or Marlin.

 

[Capn Jack]

In my collection I have:

Fifty Weapons That Changed The Course of History, By Joel Levy
Small Arms of the World, By Smith & Smith
The Modern Gunsmith vol. 1 & 2, By Howe
Hatcher's Notebook, By Julian S. Hatcher
Artillery Through The Ages, by Albert Manucy
America's Premier Gun Makers, Boxed set by Kirkland

I haven't read them all yet, but I'm working on it.

 

[Lesliet]

I would love to see more books on gunsmithing for specific handguns, like Jerry Kuhnhausen's books on Smith and Wesson Revolvers, and on Rugers and Colts. I have a fair number of gunsmithing books, but very few go into the level of detail that he does. Lots of good, large pictures, and a focus on craftsmanship.

 

[Capn Jack]

I was reading, "The Modern Gunsmith" on building a stock from scratch and I came to the conclusion that I'd better buy one.

According to the book, I probably wouldn't live long enough to even season the wood.

 

[Vierings]

A fiction book....
The main "character" to be a either a Long Rifle or Fowler built here in America.
The book is to follow the experiences of the gun through its use in American history.

The main character could tell of his being made in colonial America...service in our Revolution , the War of 1812....Westward expansion , etc... how it was modified , who carried it...where it "lived" etc....

Why....I don't know....just sounds like a cool idea....
Andy

Not quite, but a book a remember reading when I was young was "The Rifle" by Gary Paulson. Its definitely a youth book, but kinda along those lines.

 

[David Sherman]

I would love to see a history of ammunition and reloading tools.

 

[XoXSciFiGuy]

A fiction book....
The main "character" to be a either a Long Rifle or Fowler built here in America.
The book is to follow the experiences of the gun through its use in American history.

The main character could tell of his being made in colonial America...service in our Revolution , the War of 1812....Westward expansion , etc... how it was modified , who carried it...where it "lived" etc....

Why....I don't know....just sounds like a cool idea....
Andy

The first book to cover these weapons was probably Robinson Crusoe. Your idea is good though. There are novels out there where an animal or item tells its own story, the story of its owners, etc through the eyes of the item or the animal. Black Beauty was a real good example. So was Racing in the Rain. You just substitute a weapon instead. You might be onto something here.

(My other job is co-founder and managing editor for Adventure Books of Seattle, a SMALL US trade press. Not that it matters.)

 

[P7M13]

The main character could tell of his being made in colonial America...service in our Revolution , the War of 1812....Westward expansion , etc... how it was modified , who carried it...where it "lived" etc....

High potential to be an ultimate horror story. Lots of heroism, bravery, stupidity and offering the breadth of human emotion, to be locked away in a dark closet, and finally removed to be rendered into slag. I imagine a lot of @tac 's former guns could have told this story, as well as the craftsman bench-mates of those guns in @Andy54Hawken 's gun case. It could go the way of Walter Farley or Anna Sewell novels, or become pedantic and quickly forgotten like the books of Richard Bach.
At my bachelor party back in the '80's, the smoker titled something like "a mattress through the ages" was shown. It was howlingly bad and we shut it off to watch Flesh Gordon, which had greater value as a comedy.

The gun book that cannot be written:
One where every reader, after reading,

• comprehends the importance of firearms, now and into the future;
• understands how to use and maintain their guns;
• is a safer owner and operator because of it;
• understands the function and purpose of each type of gun.

How do you write a book that pierces the fog and drains the swamp of stupidity that most Americans seem to be mired in at this time?

 

[WAYNO]

The books and articles are already written, and they are added to daily. They are not compiled into one source.

As a young firearms enthusiast, I read every article available to me past and present. When somebody had a box of magazines (periodicals) or annuals they were getting rid of, I'd take them home and read. There are folks like Elmer Keith, and Skeeter Skelton, whose writings still exist and are very available. Their writings are as valuable and relevant today as they were 50 years ago.

If you were to read a 1974 Shooters Bible, for example, you'd learn much history, much design criteria, much performance information, specifications, and you'd be kept abreast of the latest modifications of existing guns at that time.

If I was a PhD candidate, never would I say I've read it all. There's always more to read, more to learn, and new discoveries every day.

I am now overloaded with firearms print. My kids do not care about this stuff, so someday when they clean out my house, I'm sure it will all go to the dump. Multiply me by millions of other firearms collectors over the years, and there's a whole bunch of reading material we'd love to share.

 

[doobee8]

1) Why you NEED an AR-15...or AR10! Covering topics such as Hunting, self defense, competition. Chapters Emphasized with the word NEED. For example: You NEED to Hunt. You NEED to Defend Home or Family. You NEED to Compete...AR style calibers/rifles that would work best for these situations.
2) The Ultimate 10/22 owners guide.
3) 1000 yards for a $1000 bucks..OR LESS! Rifles and equipment that will allow hits to 1000 yards for a thousand dollars or less. Improvised Sniper Rifles Part II, sort of.

 

[Snip]

How I turned a single stage press into a multi-million dollar business.

 

[WAYNO]

How I turned a single stage press into a multi-million dollar business.

Perfect example. Read the series of RCBS Reloaders Guides, and you'll discover a plethora of information related to the cartridges in his books, and the development of the guns they are used in. Fred Huntington was a very knowledgeable firearms and cartridge pioneer. He wrote extensively, and his knowledge was easily available to anyone so interested.

 

[Lesliet]

As a young firearms enthusiast, I read every article available to me past and present. When somebody had a box of magazines (periodicals) or annuals they were getting rid of, I'd take them home and read. There are folks like Elmer Keith, and Skeeter Skelton, whose writings still exist and are very available. Their writings are as valuable and relevant today as they were 50 years ago.

Currently reading Elmer Keith's " Sixguns", I think next up is Ed McGivern's " Fast and Fancy Shooting". I'd like to see Jerry Miculek write a book.

 

[Rkangel]

"AR"-15 does not stand for Assault Rifle, For Dummies...

 

[doobee8]

"AR"-15 does not stand for Assault Rifle, For Dummies...

That's two books! A history one and a For Dummies one. Oooh a for dummies guns...nice idea!