5 comments about Custom Gunstock Carving.

1. 5 STARS...Custom Gunstock Carving!!! Fast delivery and in a condition better than expected. This is a great book for the novice carver. Easy to follow instructions with plenty of pictures and page after page of illustrations and patterns to copy. I am a novice carver, and so far this is the most informative, instructive, and easiest to follow book in my growing library. This is the book I've been searching for!



2. I realize that I made assumptions, based on other reviews, that this publication might run me through the process of carving a stock from a block of wood, and in particular, checkering - it doesn't. The writer assumes that you have a gunstock that you'd like to carve Deer or Elephants into with an Exacto blade, and only mentions checkering as an aside, as in (not a quote!), your stock may or may not have checkering on it - I wanted to throw it against the wall. The patterns may be useful to those interested in carving them, and the carving exercises could prove helpful to anyone new to working a blade on wood. Live and learn



3. This is a must book for beginning carvers. Mr. Eck's very detailed instructions, practice exercises and techniques are great in the hands on practice and development of new carvers. The patterns in the book are the best.



4. This is a great publication, however it is outdated by todays standards, of using air drills for gun stock carvings. The patterns are a great asset.



5. I recently attended an NRA sponsored class in woodcarving and checkering. This book goes beyond what I learned, which is exactly what I was looking for. If you are interested in carving gunstocks, this is a must have book.

2 comments about The History of Colt Firearms.

1. Fairly good photography but limited specimen examples. Text is of very little value to reasonable knowledgeable individuals. Very elementry. Not a true "history". No information on serial numbers or production time frames. Have seen better writing in high school research papers.



2. I shoot Peacemakers and most of the Colt Percussion pistols and am always hungry for information on them. I've found that most weapons books can fall into one of two unsatisfying categories: books devoid of illustration that descend into a level of detail that is dry and boring or books that are lavishly illustrated but suffer from sufficient text. Dean Boorman's book is a nice marriage of text and pictures laid out in an interesting way that explains the Colt phenomenon in a concise and filling way. If you like these old guns or shoot the replicas, this is a book you'll really like and want to have on the shelf.

No comments about Jane's Infantry Weapons, 1985-1986 (Jane's Yearbooks).

5 comments about The Guns of the Gunfighters: Lawmen, Outlaws & Hollywood Cowboys.

1. Many people and guns missing,Jeff Cooper,George A. Custer, Gen. George Patton, Charlton Heston, Robert Stack, Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood and many others.
   I lost my money



2. This book is about 1/3 on old gunfighters of the old west and 2/3 on the "B" Western cowboys. It is interesting to read but you should realize it is mostly movies.



3. This is the most disappointing book I have read in a long time. There is very little about the actual guns of the gunfighters and the few facts presented are very general and broad brush. The author obviously is a fan of old Hollywood westerns as half of his "gunfighters" are in fact only Hollywood actors! He also includes several modern gun magazine writers. Worse yet, many of the noteable real western gunfighters are ignored. The editing is also poor. Several photos of the same gun appear in more than one place in the book. Spend your money elsewhere.



4. The Guns Of The Gunfighters: Lawmen, Outlaws & Hollywood Cowboys by firearms historian and expert Doc O'Meara, is a meticulous and detailed survey of the weaponry carried by some of the most famous (and infamous) gunmen of the Wild West and the silver screen, including Wyatt Earp, Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers, and many, many more. Black-and-white photographs, extensive attention to detail, and a wealth of hidden gun lore make The Guns Of The Gunfighters a superb giftbook for gun buffs, Western American history enthusiasts, and those having a special interest in Hollywood portrayals of the Old West.



5. This volume by noted gun writer Doc O'Meara is a fun and informative work for fans of the Westeren, Gun Buffs and anybody who enjoyed Saturday shoot em ups. The writing is bright and jaunty, like the subject matter. Well documented, and a treasure trove of beautiful photographs of the Gunfighters and their tools of the trade. A good reference volume sure to attract attention, the books suceeds on all levels.

1 comments about Knifemakers Of Old San Francisco.

1. I REALLY liked this book.....If you are into history AND knives then this is THE book for you!!..It has tons of pictures and illustrations....Well organized....It delves into the economic situation of SF during the period (very fascinating stuff).... A lot of the info is from primary sources which is always good....It tells the story of the California Bowie and the industry surrounding it...The author is well known as THE KNIFE EXPERT so you know the book is legit...This book is a must have for any serious antique knife collector....Oh...and if anyone knows anything about the "schoolboy toad stickers" let me know!!.....I would like to get a hold of one for my collection ;)

2 comments about The Heritage of English Knives.

1. The author has mixed lots of fakes with some very good knives. He also can't tell myth from fact when it comes to American history.



2. This book is second only to the Sheffield Exhibition Knives book published a few years ago. Mr Hayden-wright is obviously well versed in the history of knife making in Sheffield and has woven his knowledge very well with the many fine examples pictured.
   
   My only complaint is that it would be great to see more detailed pictures of some of the more important pieces, but overall my thought is that many collectors and makers will be inspired by this book. Well worth the price for the serious collector and maker.

2 comments about Story of the Gun.

1. This book is a very good primer for those who viewed the A&E documentary on the gun. It even contains some basic interior ballistics to whet the reader's appetite for more - you may even be tempted to dig very deep to improve your understanding. I thoroughly enjoy the author's style of writing; you can definitely tell his love for the subject.

   It starts with the early days of the matchlock and progresses very well to the modern day weapon. It reads very easily, not getting bogged down in the minutia of interior ballistics, and can be finished in almost an evening or two. One point of note - this book deals almost exclusively with personal or small team served weapons. If you want artillery see Mr. Hogg's other books (there are plenty to keep you busy).

   This is a must have though for any gun buff.




2. Written as a companion piece to Arts and Enertainments special The Story Of The Gun this book is very well written, researched and even witty in places. My only complaint is Mr. Hogg gives very detailed descriptions of how many of the weapons work and in the case of machine guns etc some diagrams would have been very helpful. Other then that its an excellent addition to any gun buff's library.

3 comments about Counter-Terrorism Equipment (Greenhill Military Manuals).

1. This is rather technical book which outlines many of the current British weapons used in counter-terrorism operations. It's a nice reference book to put on your shelf, but I really would not recommend it to just anyone.



2. For people who have never had the opportunity to train with any of the gear, this is a good reference. It's kinda interesting which items he has determined are quote-unquote counter-terrorist equipment. He has kind of lapped the fields of EOD/PSBT, Quick-Reaction/SWAT, and I don't know what together.

   Still, if you were a writer, and needed a reference for gear for your hero replete with pictures, this book is for you!




3. Hundreds of books tell you miracles about special operations, special units - but where is the gear? this book finaly gets down to details and explains what is the gear the counter-terror organisations and units use, how they use it, and so on. bottom line - not a bad book at all.

No comments about Handguns '96 (Handguns).

5 comments about One Nation Under Guns: An Essay on an American Epidemic (Speaker's Corner).

1. This book is an essay on why we need gun control in the United States. It has some valid arguments about what we need to do in this country to curb gun violence. It is not, however, a call for the banning of guns, as others has indicated.
   
   Some of the issues discussed are closing loop holes in laws that allow sales at gun shows to anyone who wants to buy a gun, mandatory background checks for all buyers, stricter enforcement against "straw purchases" and the reinstitution of the assault weapon ban.
   
   The author is trying to find middle ground on the subject, which is what, as a nation, we should be trying to do. We need to get together, realize that there is no absolute right to own all guns, (much like the free speech right has some limitations) and figure out which controls are common sense and then implement them.
   
   This is not "the book" to end the discussion for gun control. There are some factual mistakes in the book, but the ones I found are minor. But it is generally well written and will provide a platform to start a discussion and for thought on the subject. In the wake of Virginia Tech and other tragedies, we need to start the discussion somewhere, and this is a good place to start. If you are a gun fanatic, don't bother with the book. If however, you want to open your mind a little, buy the book and think about what it has to say.



2. I have followed the various gun-related debates and concerns in our country for over 32 year now. I have lived in both restrictive and open states. I consider myself pretty well informed on most of the topics covered by this author, but I'm always checking for more information.
   
   Unfortunately, this book proved to be just another tired rehash of the anti-gun misinformation I've seen on the Brady Campaign web site. "We need more laws controlling guns." Why, when criminals - by definition - don't obey the law? For that matter why bother, when the convicted violent criminals are released back into the public despite their records? "Statistics show" ...anything you want them to show, when taken out of context, as most of these are. "Assault weapons..." are defined by the military as capable of fully automatic fire (think "machine gun") and as such have been banned from general purchase since the 1934. Even the factually challenged definition of "assault weapons" banned in the nineties described firearms that were used in .026 of One Percent(!) of firearms related crimes. See, I can quote statistics too.
   
   Bottom line: There are an enormous number of factual errors in this document. There are many quotes from the Brady Campaign, including quotations attributed to individual members of that campaign. It's quite apparent that the author spent many hours with the anti-gun organizations. On the other hand, I saw no quotations or evidence that his research was more widely spread.
   
   My recommendation: If you're reading this, you're on the Internet. Do your own research from the data available out "here" if you want real facts about this topic. If you are merely looking for a good summation of the anti-gun lobby's platform, this book is a good resource. But PLEASE check his "facts" before agreeing to the premise. You'll find many if not most of them are incorrect.



3. Like Sarah Brady and her ilk, this book is full of factual errors, absurdities, fabrications, and outright lies. For example, the author claims that anyone can buy a .50-caliber machine gun on the spot at gun shows. That ludicrous assertion displays an irresponsible ignorance of the law and what really goes on at gun shows. Even the photo on the cover is a gross deception -- it is unlawful for a juvenile to own or handle a handgun, or handgun ammunition, without a parent's written permission. The only value of this book is its role as a window into the minds of anti-gun radicals. Anyone who, like Diogenes, seeks honesty should look elsewhere. If the author is as wreckless with a gun as he is with facts and his exercise of his freedom of speech and of the press, stay well out of shooting range!



4. Gun violence is not a political issue. Violence is instead a social problem. One where one person in a senseless act can march into an Amish one-room school house and kill 5 young girls. It's true that a gun, by itself without human intervention, does not kill people - that in fact it requires a person to use the gun, to create this terrible means to an end. However, the question that we as a society need to evaluate - or at least being open to consider, is how do people that are likely to commit violent crime get the weapon to do so.
   
   It is this question that leads us back to the courts, and the laws that both protect the right to bear arms, and the need to protect the citizens of this country. I bought and read One Nation Under Guns after I heard Arnold Grossman on a Denver radio show. His arguement was sound, moderate, and leaned towards finding a solution for this exact problem, not stripping away the right to bear arms, or destroying every gun.
   
   After reading the book, and reviewing the statistics provided (which are from the FBI, ATF and the National Crime Lab - not Mother Jones). It reinforced my concern for finding a solution to this issue, where the average "smart" gun-owning American does not lose or impede his rights to own a firearm, while those at "high risk" of commiting a dangerous crime are limited in their ability to get a gun. Sure, if someone "really wants" to get a hold of a gun they will find a way on the black market, or steal one, but here is where the statistics in the US compared to other countries where guns are legal, but controls exist to keep felons from owning them are in place - prove that smart gun purchasing and ownership laws make a huge difference. Let's consider the gun violence that we hear about - it's not someone commiting some large scale assualt on the government or massive terrorist acts, it's a milk truck driver who flips out one day and decides to enter a school room and commit a senseless crime. The odds of this (idiot) guy taking the time and initiative to track down a black market contact to buy a gun to commit this crime are highly unlikely if not impossible.
   
   Grossman argues for sensible laws to be put in place - not an outright end to guns. These laws include requiring background checks so that felons and those previously convicted of violent crimes cannot buy a weapon. It includes hardening specific state laws - for example - Texas has some of the most stringent requirements of any state to receive a concealed carry permit - why don't other states follow this model? And, Grossman focuses a lot of attention on gun shows - and how the lack of stringent controls here has enabled anyone (legal, Illegal, terrorist, or felon) to walk into a local show and purchase guns without going through the existing requirements if you were to go to your local gunsmith.
   
   Those that are law-abiding gun owners, should be concerned about the fact that a select statistical few are bringing "a bad name" to guns and in turn, putting second ammendment rights at risk. You can only have so many school shootings, before someone is able to lobby a case to the Supreme Court, and if you are overly confident enough to believe that this won't happen, or that it won't pass - I'd suggest picking up a copy of the Constitution and reviewing the ammendments that have been passed, and considering some of the Supreme Court rulings that have as well.
   
   Bottomline is that One Nation Under Guns is not "liberal opinion" it is not full of weightless statistics, or hype. It's a call to a problem. That violence, where a gun is involved, is on the rise and that action should be and can be taken that keep our citizens safe and our rights in tact.
   
   Thus, 5 - Stars for Grossman for not making this a political topic, but instead providing a thoughtfully written essay that encourages people on both sides of the gun debate to communicate, stop finger pointing, and address the problems at hand.



5. This is basically a liberal opinion piece, with little to NO FACTS. The notions presented go from quasi-common sense to the ridiculous.
   
   Try "More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun-Control Laws" by John R. Lott Jr.