5 comments about Expedient Homemade Firearms: The 9mm Submachine Gun.

1. This is one of the many books I have bought in order to more fully understand the design and function of fully automatic weapons. I read through it, and felt that it did a decent job of explaining how truly easy it is to make a fully automatic gun using the simple blowback method. Once I felt I had extracted all the value and knowledge I could from the book, I actually traded it for some other gun related books at a used book store. After reading through several other books on the different theories of full auto firearms, including Brassey's book on small arms, I felt a need to review the basics that the P.A. book presented.
   
   Although it's illegal for the civilian to make the gun in Luty's book, anyone who desires to understand the simplicity of how some of the full auto's work, or future Class 3 manufacture's who might someday make machine guns for law enforcement or the government, really need to have this book as a reference.



2. As this book clearly states: 'This material is presented for academic study only.' It is clearly illegal to build the gun described in the book. And if you have enough money to pay all the taxes, you don't need to build one, you can go buy a real gun. When I say real, I mean that you'd have more confidence it wouldn't blow up.
   
   Having said that, the academic interest in this gun is just to see how simple it is to build a gun, and in turn, how impossible it is to prevent the manufacture of weapons by simply passing a law.
   
   The particular gun described here is the simplest I've ever seen. It's constructed from commonly available steel tubing. (I didn't realize that so many standard tubing sizes were so close to what was needed for gun building.) Strangely enough, you don't even need a lathe or milling machine for this gun. Everything is made using hand tools such as hacksaw and file. Normally accepted things such as rifling in the barrel and sights are simply eliminated.
   
   One final comment. He uses a series of 'steel collars' in his design. I presume that's a British term. If you look up 'steel collars' on Google you get a bunch of bondage sites. Instead look up 'shaft collars.'



3. A very interesting read, simple step by step instructions.If you can obtain the materials & trust the authors word-in no time at all you would probably have a neat little weapon on your hands.



4. This is a must have for all gun fans. It shows exactly how to build an automatic gun any size from 22 caliber to 12 gauge. Can be built by anyone from simple easily found materials, it looks great too.



5. Great shop drawings for Machining parts.. Historical information about the Metral. In a SHTF scenario this will/would be a useful book to have on the workbench.
   
   I prefer .223 or 7.62x39 for a variety of reasons.. I've built several of each with no machining from kits. Don't think I'll ever built a Mitral unless DOT.GOV decides to try and usurp the constitution and confiscate legally owned firearms from citizens, in that case, more people then myself would "redeclare our independence from tyranny."

5 comments about More Workbench Silencers.

1. I bought this book out of curiosity. Upon reading this book, I am not impressed. I am not an engineer, nor do I claim to be, But in my opinion,
   there is no information in here that anyone who even knows what a suppressor is does not know already. I am dissapointed with my purchase and wished I bought other literature.



2. The designs in this book are simple, lo-tech, and surprisingly effective. Being a good do-it-yourselfer helps, as does a good assortment of hand tools (which if you don't own, you will end up owning by the time you finish the book). Some of the designs are open to improvement, and adaptation to other circumstances. Additionally, they can be adapted to what supplies you have available. It makes for interesting trips to hardware stores.
   
   Remember safety first. Start with wide tolerances, which reduce effectiveness but increase safety. As your skills become more precise, reduce the tolerances. Oh, and of course, don't do any of it, because it is illegal.



3. You will be better off doing a search on the net. I will say this positive about the book...it proves anything can actually get published. If you spend a couple of hours on the net you could write a better book...



4. The only criticism I have of this little book is that it was way too short; I wanted to see more of these elegant designs.
   
   My favorite was the silencer for the Maverick 88 bullpup shotgun firing 575 grain subsonic slugs. With some aluminum tubing, sturdy PVC pipe and fittings, steel wool, and a clamp, the author puts together a heavy-duty silencer capable of withstanding and suppressing the blast of a 12-gauge shotgun. Although an easily-constructed "disposable" silencer, it has the lines of a professional model that was designed for that particular weapon.
   
   I don't know what the other reviewer's problem is; anyone who knows anything about silencers can attest the soundness of these designs. (Maybe it's George Hayduke trying to disparage his competition!)



5. This book is mostly useless to anyone who has any knowledge of physics, or even has a hammer and hacksaw. The suppressor designs included are garbage, and some are even made from materials a person could find in the trash. It is not worth the money to buy this book, unless you want something to make you feel more secure about your own intelligence.

3 comments about Standard Catalog Of German Military Vehicles (Standard Catalog Of...).

1. This book is a must for anyone interested in weaponry of WWII. A great source for the vehicles at the Kabinka Tank Museum outside of Moscow and the Munster Tank Museum in Germany. I was amazed that there was a listing of the 12.8 cm Selbstfahriafeete L/61, of which only two were made, the only one in existence in the Kubinka museum. Thanks to the book I could figure out what was in the museums. Oft times they were not labeled correctly.
   
   I highly recommend this book!



2. This book has every vehicle the German Army used during the war.
   A must for every modeler.Execellent pictures!!!



3. I've always wondered about the heavy German use of motorcycles with side cars. And I've been fascinated with the German use of the half track configuration.
   
   This book answered all of my questions. The German half tracks, which came in a wide range of sizes had much better tracks than did the American M2/M3 (It was said that the American machines had rubber bands for tracks), but the German units were not four wheel drive. The little motorcycle looking halftrack was not a tracked motorcycle, but a small prime mover used to do things like haul aircraft around the field. And I've decided that what I really want is a Volkswagon Schwimmwagon, the four wheel drive amphibious vehicle (You can see of these at the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles just off I-80 at Lexington, Nebraska.)
   
   This book has more photographos of German military vehicles than I would have thought existed. Of course it covers all their tanks, but you find these in lots of books. Here are the rest of the vehicles - trucks, motorcycles, prime movers, everything that the Germans produced during World War II.
   
   If these kinds of vehicles are your thing, this is a book you can't do without.

1 comments about Official NRA Guide to Firearms Assembly: Pistols and Revolvers.

1. Official NRA Guide to Firearms Assembly: Pistols and Revolvers
   This is a good basic guide to assembly and disassembly of Pistols and Revolvers. With illustrations and basic instructions on a wide variety of pistols & revolvers.
   It has a Firearm Equivalent Appendix in case your specific firearm is not covered. Which is helpful.
   The step-by-step instruction is adequate to disassemble most firearms for cleaning and part replacement. Also informs you when to have a gunsmith take over.
   A good quick reference. Detailed exploded view of 166 firearms.

5 comments about Winchester: An American Legend : The Official History of Winchester Firearms and Ammunition from 1849 to the Present.

1. This book is an eye opener for sure! Okay it is a coffee table book rather than a serious reference work, but hey, you cannot deny the shear luminous beauty of the photography and the well thought out layout and design. There is good info to be had as well, this book is a 'faster' reference than Madis' work and leaves you hungry for more. Well done Mr Wilson, I will be buying more of your work!



2. the next best thing to owning a winchester rifle itself.
   
   excellent in every respect and well recommended.



3. Just the pictures in this huge volume are enough to make it worth thumbing through, but the written information is tremendous and the author manages to cover all connections to Winchesters' Fathers, including John M Browning, my personal hero (other than my Father, Uncle, Grandfather and all other veterans of WWII and Korea). Probably not all the information on Winchester firearms and ammo history but all that I can absorb and still have a social life.



4. Beautiful to look at. Not heavy in the way of company or technical history, but what a great coffee table book. Costly - if you can find it - but wow!




5. R.L. Wilson, who wrote this book, also wrote one called 'Colt, an American Legend.' Both books are exquisite, coffee table size--eight and a half inches by eleven inches (landscape)--and each are over 400 pages, almost every page filled with extremely high quality color photographs.

   R.L. Wilson, in addition to being a collector and well-known author in the firearms field, is a historical consultant to Colt's Firearms Division.

   The subtitle on the first page says, "The official history of Winchester firearms and ammunition from 1849 to the present," which pretty much covers the entire history of the Winchester Firearms Company (now known as U.S. Repeating Arms, since a bankruptcy and change of ownership.)

   If you are a Winchester aficionado, or just a Western history buff, with an interest in "The Gun That Won the West," this is a book you will want in your library.

   It is one of my favorite books. It will probably be one of yours, also.

   Joseph Pierre,
   Author of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS: Our Journey Through Eternity

4 comments about The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing.

1. Very Informative Great book To lean about grades of stones and thier uses



2. After reading the book entitled "The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing" I now have a much clearer and detailed understanding of the process used by traditional Japanese sword polishers. The book takes the reader though all of steps from the foundation polish, used to shape and sharpen the blade, to the finish polish, which is used bring out the details of the steel and shape of the temper line, using good text and a fair number of detailed photographs. It includes some Japanese sword polish theory and how Japanese swords have changed over the historical periods. It also explains how the age of the sword can affect how the sword should be polished and what damage can and cannot be repaired by a polisher. In the last section of the book it contains a few profiles of professional Japanese sword polishers the authors of the book had interviewed which I enjoyed reading.
   As someone who studies and appreciates the Japanese sword I found the book very helpful in educating me more about the process of how a Japanese sword is polished. I would recommended this book to anyone interested in learning in detail how Japanese swords are polished.



3. Men have always decorated their weapons. The main items being decorated in the United States have been guns. But in Japan it is the traditional Japanese sword. Being more of a land of tradition, the Japanese sword became more or less standardized in shape as long ago as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and polishing the sword had to have followed shortly after that.
   
   There are many books that describe the techniques of polishing and blueing guns. But this appears to be the first book available in English that discusses the polishing techniques used by Japanese craftsmen.
   
   The Japanese practice is a strikingly different process than that used here. Polishing stones, not unlike whetstones but in far more diversity are used. A shop selling such stones is pictured with what appear to at least a couple of hundred different types of stones. And unlike here where stones are simply given numbers to indicate coarseness, in Japan they are given names.
   
   The polishing area used with Japanese swords is a traditional form as well. It sits on the floor, and the polisher typically sits in a traditional position that most of us would find difficult to get into, and impossible to maintain for any period.
   
   All in all, a fascinating book on techniques very different to those commonly used here.



4. I wish I had this book 20 years ago when I first started to investigate the art of polishing. This book provides a wealth of information on the technigues, the material and the different ways that can be used to get a sword polisihed. In fact, the diversity of the art is highlighted by the book and certainly dispells the notion that there is only one way to restore a blade. The section on foundation polish discusses how to achieve the proper shape without removing too much material. The different stones are described and how each is used to establish and refine the shape. The finishing section covers the range of materials and tools used to bring out the grain and tempered edge unique to the Japanese sword. It also shows the burnishing and how to highlight the boshi.
   There are sections that talk about the history of polishing, the schools of polishing and interviews with several modern polishers. As always there is a note warning about the perils to the blade that can be inflicted by an inexperienced person. The book doesn't reveal all the secrets to the art, such as the various forms of nugui (other than the basic hadori and sashikomi formulas),what types of stones work best with each school or era, etc. But it certainly does provide a well documented, well photographed look at this art form. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in Japanese swords.

5 comments about Do-It-Yourself Submachine Gun: It's Homemade, 9mm, Lightweight, Durable-And It'll Never Be On Any Import Ban Lists!.

1. If you do any gunsmithing, this book offers usable information that may be applied to many simple projects. Actually building the gun is out of the question because it is against the law to build, but still a good read.



2. This book is by far the best of its kind.
   
   Of course you will need a lathe and milling machine to make this firearm... it would be pure fantasy to expect to build a reliable submachine gun without them.
   
   This book is metric which is great for those of us in rational countries which adopted it long ago, for those who aren't... 1 inch equals 2.54 cm - it's not that hard guys. I've never understood why the U.S., which was the first country in the world to adopt a metric currency (common sense right?) would drag its feet so badly when it comes to adopting metric measurement! Perhaps it would be a different story it they had thought of it first ;)
   
   This gun is built around the Sten magazine, magazine manufacture is not covered in this book, but Bill Holmes book "Submachine gun" has a good section on how to manufacture a Sten magazine if they are not available; so the two work very well together. Regarding the lack of a section on the magazines... no book of this type is ever going to hand you everything on a silver platter, for example it doesn't cover how to deep hole drill a barrel or button or cut rifle a barrel, but that sort of specialist knowledge needed to create a firearm can be found elsewhere.
   
   Also a complete set of exceptional Sten gun blueprints including the magazine can be found in the book "Submachine gun designers handbook" So if you're serious I'd highly recommend it also.



3. very informative,how ever I don't believe that a person with limited machinist skills would ever be able to construct one one of these.The metric system used sucks.



4. I bout this book for a refrenece guide,so I would understand how fullauto weapons worked....



5. he has great ideas for mass underground production. other than that there are lots of usefull ideas, but better guns can be made with less work.

5 comments about The Connoisseurs Book of Japanese Swords.

1. National Living Treasure Kokan Nagayama's "Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords" is one of the definitive references on Japanese swords (nihonto) available in English translation. I bought it after either purchasing or familiarizing myself with several other essential, but much more basic tomes such as John Yumoto's "The Samurai Sword: A Handbook," Kazan Sato's "The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Guide," and Kapp and Yoshihara's "The Craft of the Japanese Sword." Each of these books has a niche, along with relative strengths and weaknesses (e.g., Yumoto's book is but a brief overview with crude hand illustrations, Kapp & Yoshihara focus on a general overview of forging, etc.) such that those seriously entering the world of nihonto would be well-served to collect them all (after all, all of these books together are going to cost a infinitesimal fraction of the cost of a nihonto and will therefore be a sound investment).
   
   The stated intent of the Connosieur's Book is to arm the novice with a beginning understanding of the types of things that one would need to learn about kantei, the art of nihonto appraisal. Having said that, the level of detail here is far beyond that found in most other introductory books about nihonto for novices, and probably more than the casual fan of "samurai swords" would benefit from. The book is really designed as a reference and includes considerable detail. It does a nice job of going through major and subtle differences of nihonto through different eras and schools of sword-making, along with a brief historical context to explain changes and influences. It likewise gives an illustrated reference to variations in sugata (shape), design (sori, mune, shinogi), hamon (hardened edge), nakago (tang), kissaki (tip), hada (steel grain), horimon (engravings) and the like. There are no photos, but there are ample oshigata-style illustrations showing the subtlest variations to match with the text. Significant detail is included listing various schools of forging and individual smiths -- all of which are essential building blocks for kantei. There's also an appendix on inspection etiquette, charts organizing smiths and characteristics of their blades, and a glossary.
   
   It's therefore a fine reference, from one of Japan's leading authorities, but as with the other books of the genre, there are strengths and limitations. The strong point of this text is its encyclopedic detail along with decent organization and illustrations. I picked this book up hoping to learn more (having read the other books, taken a course in forging of Japanese swords, and training in Japanese swordsmanship) about differences in major traditions of swordmaking. The book helps to explain that, but perhaps not in the clearest way. As but one simple example, Nagayama Sensei writes, "Swords of the Shoshu tradition typically have abundant ji-nie as well as chikei in the ji, and a hamon consisting of nie with vigorous activity such as kinsuji and inazuma." The Japanese terms can be cross-referenced elsewhere in the book, but they are presented individually and piecemeal, such that it can often be hard for the novice reader to get any kind of clear overall mental picture of the subtleties referred to in the text (e.g. what does it really mean that the nie is 'abundant' or 'vigorous?'). So what is missing? More illustrations of entire swords (and at least some photos) could be of use, along with side-by-side comparisons to understand the relative differences between styles (e.g. here is a typical Bizen, here is a typical Shoshu and here's how they're different), or maybe a few examples of swords in which the reader is taken through the process of kantei.
   
   Of course, there is only so much you can teach in a book... you can't very well expect to read a manual on swordsmanship, car repair, or reading EKG's and then get right to it -- rather the manual gives you an overview, you then take up the practice, and later you go back to the book for reference. So it is here -- I seriously doubt the book would be very helpful for those who don't plan to earnestly start collecting nihonto and studying kantei, and in fact the level of detail and complexity might very well turn some away. But for those looking for "the next level" of reference after Yumoto or Sato, this book is a good start to learn and refer back to as you then track down, join, and attend your local Token-Kai. It's probably one of the best English language references, but it's not a tutorial or class-in-a-book nor does it claim to be.



2. This book is essential for all that want to take a closer and deep knowledge on japanese swords. Complete and easy to use.



3. This book must be the most informative (almost too much) but easy (as possible considering the subject) to read book I have ever owned. It really does have everything you need to know if you are thinking about purchasing a sword. I live in Japan, and when I showed my book to the shop owner I am friends with he was very impressed. Even with a language barrier we were able to communicate about certain features of swords that he was selling in his shop. A must buy if you have any interest on the subject.



4. This book contains more info than one could even imagine! In fact, that's all I'm going to say becuase it would take to long for me to even give you even a basic idea! I will tell you this: If you don't have this book in your library then you are missing out big time!!!!! Oh, by the way, the illustrations are awesome too!!!!

   Enjoy and make sure that you have a weekend free to read.... you'll need it ;-)




5. I'm not really into sword collecting, but I nonetheless found
   this book to be fascinating. Two-thirds of it is pure reference
   material related to particular sword makers and that part would be
   invaluable to collectors, but it is not of general interest. The
   descriptions of the history of swordmaking and the attributes of
   the craftsmanship, however, stands on its own as interesting reading.
   One comes away with a much greater appreciation of the art form.

5 comments about How to Make Knives.

1. There is a lot of good info in the book if you could see the illustrations well enough to know what's going on. The book needs updating badly as far as I am concerned. Much of the photography was so dark you could tell very little about what was being shown in the picture. And did I miss the part about subhilt fighters Loveless is famous for. I was disappointed in the book overall.



2. The photo's was so bad that I am sending this book back to Amazon. What a rip-off, I got this book without thinking...it did not help me in any way, it is not for the beginner, it has no value for the novice knife maker out there.



3. This book was a big help in giving me ideas getting started in knife making. Book was recomended to me by a Mastersmith out west and it was well worth the money.



4. This could have been a great book except for one thing. Obviously the publishers did not care enough when updating this book to update or even take the time to use quality photo's in their book. I would like to see what is going on in the book but most of the photo's are so awful you can only see shades of grey and black. To let all this effort by Loveless go to waste is a shame!
   Save your money and buy an older version, one that hopefully has clear and quality photo's so you will know what R.W.Loveless is building or what step he is using.
   The book itself is a great instructional tool. However you just can't get all that Loveless has to offer in this new version because you can not make out many of the photo's.



5. If you want to make knives with modern tools this is a good book to buy. Alo if you want to smith a blade using old techniques this book has little information to learn how. The chapter on forging gives a vage view on makeing one kind of simple blade ,and even then the author still talks about useing modern equipment. Even in the chapter on makeing knives in a modern shop he only desribes one kind of knife. Which was a single edged simple blade. He never mentioned in the entire book anything about throwing knives or more egzodick knives such as parrying dagger with moving parts. Infact he never mentioned a simple dager or dirk. Even in how vage the book is and leaves you with many questions about many other kinds of knives this would be a good book for someone who wants to make hunting knives or other simple blades.

5 comments about Master Gunmaker's Guide to Building Bolt-Action Rifles.

1. I like the books by Bill Holmes, as well as many books from Paladin Press, but the drawings in this title are terrible. Having a mechanical engineering, machining background, and a decent amount of common sense, I can mostly make sense of them, but I can see where many people would have trouble. And this is a real shame, as this book, though not for the beginner to begin with, could be a real gem but loses some credibility with the very unprofessional drawings that don't actually reflect Bill Holmes' ability. Many if not all Paladin Press books appeal to the DIY person and perhaps by letting the authors create their own drawings they maintain this image and keep costs down as well. I personally would rather pay a few extra dollars for a book and have it contain quality drawings. Still, the text is worth the price of the book, and many of the other photographs and illustrations found in the book are just fine. For these reasons it definitely deserves four stars and I recommend it though to people with some experience.



2. Bill Holmes is a true gunmaker. He may not make all the screws and pins or rifle his barrels, but everything else is of his design and fabrication. Other than the work of Frank DeHass and one or two others, there has been little published work on how to produce a firearm from raw material that is competitive in function, appearance and performance to ones commercially produced. His experience in gun work spans over fifty years. In that time he has designed, modified, and produced most every type of firearm from 22 rim-fire to 50 BMG. Mr. Holmes readily admits that there may other methods and designs that can produce the same results. His goal was to develop methods that work as simply as possible within the means of his shop and with his tools. Bill Holmes has accomplished a goal that many hobbyist and professionals can only dream of. Adequate machine drawings of each part are included with photographs of tools and machine setups. The drawings are hand sketched and some of the photographs are out of focus. Mr. Holmes' book will not tell how to do everything. If you do not know how to drill and tap a hole, properly use a spoke shave, mix bluing salts, or what head space means, you will have to learn those and many other things from other sources. This is no fault to Mr. Holmes. There is no use in repeating what is listed in many other fine gunsmithing books. This review is structured with the table of contents by describing the scope of each chapter and the addition of my comments.
   
   Introduction - Mr. Holmes defines what gunmaking is and how one may become a gunmaker.
   
   Tools and Equipment - A good lathe and mill are mandatory. If you cannot acquire good machine tools and learn how to use them, then you should just forget about trying to fabricate a quality firearm.
   
   Materials - Description of high-alloy steel, chamber reamers and stock wood with sources for purchasing.
   
   Design - Bolt-action design featuring a one-piece receiver with three forward locking lugs, one-piece bolt with three locking lugs, model 70-type three position safety, model 70-type trigger, and a Sako-type extractor. The advantage of three locking lugs is that they are easier to cut with a shop-made broach. The proper scope base will have to be determined by the maker.
   
   Receiver Manufacture - Describes the design and machining process of producing the receiver. Also included are instructions on making the broach used to form the receiver locking lugs.
   
   Bolt Manufacture - Describes the design and machining process, fitting the extractor, and welding the bolt handle.
   
   Trigger Assemblies - Describes the design and machining process of a model 70-type trigger. Also included, are instructions for fitting such a trigger to the 98 Mauser, P14/17 Enfield, and US Springfield. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.
   
   Safeties - Describes the design and machining process of a three-position model 70-type safety, bolt sleeve, firing pin, and cocking piece.
   
   Bolt Stop and Ejector - Describes the design and machining process of the bolt stop and ejector.
   
   Magazines, Trigger Guards, and Floorplates - Describes the design and fabrication process of a one-piece steel trigger guard with hinged floorplate. A custom Savage 110 or Remington Model Seven would not be complete without an elegantly shaped steel trigger guard. Since none are available for purchase, you will have to make them.
   
   Modification of Existing Actions - Brief descriptions of what can be done to sporterize the Mauser 98, P-14/17 Enfield, and US Springfield.
   
   Barrel Fitting, Chambering, and Shaping - Very little is described about threading, chambering, and fitting a rifle barrel. Most of the chapter is devoted to the process of forming fluted and octagon barrels. A drawing of a barrel support tool used in machining is included.
   
   Iron Sights and Quarter Ribs - A very good description on tooling and process for producing band sight bases, and quarter ribs.
   
   Muzzle Brakes - Describes the design and machining process of making muzzle brakes. I have no doubt that Mr. Holmes muzzle brakes work well, but they add nothing to the appearance of the completed rifle.
   
   Stocks - Describes producing a one-piece wood stock from the blank by hand. Semi-inleted and shaped stocks are not readily available for such a unique rifle action. This is something that more hobby gunsmiths should consider learning. With practice, it is not really that hard to do. Brief description of quality stock wood and stock finishing.
   
   Checkering - A very good chapter with patterns on hand checkering. This is another skill that more hobby gunsmiths should consider learning. It's too bad Mr. Holmes did not include plans for making a checkering cradle.
   
   Buttplates - Describes producing and forming a curved steel butt plate and grip cap. Make or buy? You can decide, but it is still a good process to know.
   
   Heat Treatment - Describes the heat treatment of high-alloy steel. Mr. Holmes recommends that the receiver and bolt be sent to experts. The other parts can be heat treated in shop.
   
   Finishing and Coloring - Instructions are given only for metal preparation. The preparation requires most of the work and skill in producing a fine metal finish. No bluing process is explained.
   
   Adjusting and Test-Firing - Describes proper checking and testing of the trigger-safety system, feeding, extraction, and ejection before live firing. The rest is safety precautions.
   
   Conclusion - I recommend that A Master Gunmaker's Guide to Building Bolt-Action Rifles be added to any gun worker's book collection who wishes to become more than a parts-changer. Is making your own rifle worth the time, trouble, and expense when there are many surplus actions that will give the same results with less trouble? The reader will have to decide for himself. Competing against products of the major gun manufactures is not the goal of most gunsmiths. The goal of most high-level gunsmiths is to produce a small number of products with features of refinement and elegance that their customers want and major gun manufactures are unable or unwilling to produce. Another goal is the sense of pride and accomplishment of showing off a fine rifle that I made myself. A Master Gunmaker's Guide to Building Bolt-Action Rifles can be a useful guide and inspiration for one wishing to reach that level of skill, expertise, and pride.



3. I am getting into Benchrest Shooting and gunsmithing match quality rifles. I was hoping that this book would give me some good info and teach me some new techniques. Unfortunately the book is pretty dated and is more suited to hunting rifles and actions. The illustrations are sometimes blurry and all are in black & white. There is some good information but there are a lot better books out there in my opinion. For benchrest precision, I just got a book from John Hinnant titled "Complete illustrated guide to precision rifle barrel fitting", it is a lot better. YMMV



4. This book is a very interesting read and there is no doubt that Bill Holmes knows what he is doing when it comes to building a rifle. However, the drawings are not accurate and there is simply to much information left out of the plans for an individual that has never built a rifle before to read this book and build a bolt action rifle. The information that I found most useful in this book is the information about materials selection, heat treating, and the machining processes used to build a one off rifle.



5. The reason I gave this book a 4 star rating is because the way Bill Holmes wrote this is like he expects you to know what all the words mean. What I mean is that all the "hard" words dealing with gunsmithing (i.e. chuck, broach, etc.) are not told what they mean and he doesn't have a glossary. This is a good book for advanced riflesmiths but not beginners.