5 comments about The History of Browning Firearms: Fortifications Around the World.

1. This book has some okay pictures and covers the major milestones of Browning, but there were inaccuracies which seem to make the remaining information suspect. For example, one old photograph in the "Shotguns" chapter directed the reader to notice a particular type of shotgun in the hands one of the hunters in the picture. Unfortunately, the individual in the picture is clearly in possesion of a Remington Model 81 rifle. I sent this one back and am still looking for a more reliable and authoritative guide to Mr. Brownings legacy.



2. Very interesting book about the greatest gun designer ever lived.
   As engineer and owner of a 1911 I found this book very interesting. This is a kind of history lesson I like!



3. David Miller, the author of this excellent book, is a former British military officer and writer for Janes and other military publishers. His expertise, graceful style, and thorough research are attractively packaged in this beautifully illustrated book on John M. Browning and the firearms he designed.
   
   The book itself has the slick eye-appeal of something designed for a coffee table and its photography is first-rate and full color. In fact, it's almost too pretty to take very seriously.
   
   The narrative, however, is worth the price of the book. Miller has covered all his bases in his research, from the LDS archives in Salt Lake City, Utah, to the factory archives of FN in Herstal, Belgium.
   
   Miller does an impressive job of combining a biography of John M. Browning with a description of the family of firearms he designed, including a couple (like the M-2 .50 caliber machine gun) which are still in use today by American soldiers their allies around the world today. Browning was a patriot and would doubtless be pleased to know the high regard in which some of his firearms are held by American soldiers, police officers and sportsmen.
   
   I enjoyed this book and gave it five stars. If you're interested in firearms and their development, or in Browning's designs, you will like this book. The only thing it lacks is a good bibliography.



4. The Browning gun design firm was influential in the field of American firearms ever since it was founded in Utah in 1855. For the most part, the history of Browning Firearms is about the founder's son, John Browning (1855-1926), who came into the business in the latter 1800s and headed it for decades until his death. John sold designs for hundreds of firearms to companies which then manufactured them in quantity. Because of the popularity of the Browning firearms both in their design and performance, copies of them were produced by other manufacturers; but these were inferior to authentic Brownings. Beyond the pistols, rifles, and shotguns familiar to many, Browning designed machine guns and automatic rifles for the military since the 1890s, and also knives for outdoorsmen. A complete, mostly photographic, introduction to the history of the famed Browning Firearms and the variety of its products.



5. The History of Browning Firearms uses a visual approach to capture the history of one John Browning's contributions to gunsmithing - and shows that Browning's efforts, important as they were, reflected a strong family interest in gunsmithing innovation. Chapters tell how Browning inherited the family business and patented unique productions that were to change the design and manufacture of guns decades later. From a general company history to surveys of special innovations, any gun owner must have this.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Antique Trader Indian Arrowheads Price Guide (Antique Trader Arrowhead Identification and Price Guide by Jason Hanna).

1. Although this book looked promising at first glance (nice cover, written by a member of the Archaeological Society of Ohio of which I am also a member), upon further review it was disappointing. Most of the artifacts were only field grade in quality and there were too many inaccuracies in terms of time period assigned to the artifacts and/or the names. Someone needed to edit this book more closely before it was published. It would be a decent reference guide for Midwest artifacts if it was at least corrected for errors.



2. Scale from 1 to ten. Ten being the best I would rate this book a BIG 1.



3. The book is way off on the price values with very low quality examples of points. Appears to me its nothing but a album of someones collection, with just basic names for types. It was a waist of time and money buying this book.



4. Great photos of arrowheads and other stone tools/slate items. The prices are very accurate and NOT over inflated like the Overstreet arrowhead price guide. I like the fact the artifacts shown are all authentic and not a bunch of "stamped out" fake reproductions like some guides out there. As far as some of the complaints listed: I think it should be understood that this is a price guide and not suppose to be a technical analysis of arrowheads. I like the photo album style. This book simply points the collector or antiques dealer to what to look for, what he/she may own, and what time period it is attributed to in prehistory. The best thing about the guide is the price is very affordable for this book, where else nowadays can you get 300 color pages for $13 bucks!!!



5. This is a great book for any region collectors but has an emphasis on pieces from the Ohio area. Very useful in that it contains grading data as well as value. Unlike other series, namely Best of the Midwest and Overstreet, this book reports actual prices that artifacts fetch, not inflated values. The pictures are one of the best aspects of this book, just awesome, by far the best of any artifact price guide. A nice book to add to your library.

2 comments about Vintage Guns: Collecting, Restoring, & Shooting Classic Firearms.

1. As a dealer who specializes in upper end shotguns, I think I know more than the average sportsman about shotguns... BUT... I was amazed at the ammount of great info in this book. VERY READABLE. If you have any interest in quality side by side shotguns - get it!!!



2. this is an excellent book worthy of any gun book collection; however, it is exactly the same book as Vintage Guns for the Modern Shot. Buy one but not both.

2 comments about Standard Catalog of Luger.

1. This is an extremely informative and organized source for determining the type, history and value of your lugar, as well as some accessories like clips and holsters. There is also some very helpful advice on do's and don'ts when it comes to purchasing your lugar as to what to look for and what to be weary of. The index is extremely accurate allowing you to quickly look up where your lugar was manufactured and how many were built that year, along with the general rarity of the model. An overall very valuable reference book.



2. Great book to start with as well as being handy to add to your gunshow references. Answers a lot of basic questions new collectors will have. A fine book on its own but it will not replace the much more expensive collector references which is why the four stars instead of five.

3 comments about Gun Trader's Guide - 30th Edition.

1. For at least the last five or six years I have purchased this guide. This and the Blue Book of Gun Values really work well together for me in making an educated reference point when out in the field and in the vault as well. I like this guide because of the pictures too and there's quite a bit of information and history in it too.
   jim



2. Excellent book for the photos that show most of the guns listed. Price ranges given are good.



3. This book is of little value to the serious gun buyer/seller and gives only a rough approximation of a small number of guns in the world. I strongly suggest you instead choose the 25th edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values or the 2004 edition of the Standard Catalog of Firearms. Both have much more detailed information than Gun Trader's Guide in terms of number of guns, conditions, variants, prices, and other useful reference info. The Standard Catalog also has a lot of photos, while the Blue Book has almost none. The Standard Catalog and the Blue Book are what the dealers use in pricing used guns. Either is far better than Modern Gun Values, in my opinion, and I have been a gun hobbyuist for 40+ years.

5 comments about Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop.

1. I bought this because I'm thinking I may want to make a few knives in the future, and I wanted to see what could be done in a low-commitment way.
   
   The $50.00 limit is a bit arbitrary, and perhaps outdated. It really depends on scrounging a motor and making your own grinder/sander. That sounds like more trouble than it is worth, to me.
   
   Other than that, I found the minimal equipment list a useful reference for any future excursions into this craft.
   
   The book has a lot of information about Damascus-style blades made from steel cable; although an interesting concept, I don't care for the look of the blades, so I found that information of less value than the rest of the book.
   
   The procedures for hardening and tempering, on the other hand, made me feel that this part of the process was actually accessible. Before reading this book, heat treating in general was an intimidating mystery. Now, it is just something that requires care and practice.



2. Even though he has not been able to buy an anvil yet, hubby has re-crafted several knives using the methods described in this book. It is only a few months old, but is already very worn and tattered. When ever he gets quite (no metal grinding or scraping noises), I know he has sat back down with his book for more inspiration or a bit of clarification.



3. My best basic book,will answer all your questions,and will get you started and on your way,if you are not new to knife building it will reinforce you knowledge even more..



4. I was hesitant on ordering this book, I've read or bought almost everything I can find relating to bladesmithing or blacksmithing. I got the book, and read it from front to back, then read it again. This book not only offers insight on how to make needed equipment, but also explains how to make knives of both stock removal, forging and wire damascus. I've never read a book on this subject where it felt like the author was talking directly to me, explaining things that I was thinking. This book is definitely one for the beginner smith.



5. I got this book last night and have read it cover to cover. Wayne gives great confidence to the beginner. Just the simple fact that you don't have to go broke to make knives is very fullfilling. Some great shop tips and good ways of looking at shop problems.

   Buy this book and David Boye's book, and you are well on your way.

1 comments about The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Revolvers (Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly).

1. this book supplyed us with all the information we needed. the works of the police positive colt pistol

5 comments about The Great Book of Guns: An Illustrated History of Military, Sporting, and Antique Firearms.

1. this reveiw of history's firearms has one glaring ommision. the glock was not the first polymer framed handgun, however it was a major leap forward in the world of guns. hecklern and koch did it first, but glock made the concept of polymer frame usable and affordable.
   in addition to the lack of glocks, i also disliked the tone of some of his articles.
   
   note: his book, the gun: a visual history, does include mention of the G17.



2. This book was a gift for Christmas for my grandson. He said he likes it very much. He called me in Arizona to thank me for it, I figure it is what he wanted. I guess it's fine. As long as he's happy, that's all I care.



3. The photos are great! There was little information to really tell about each gun pictured.



4. This book looks sweet on our coffee table. The pictures are beautiful- especially the ones of antique rifles. My knowledge of firearms has greatly increased just by reading it in my spare time. There is fascinating history about guns that I had never heard of previously. I like the way the book is organized by firearm type and country of origin. I'm truly glad I purchased this book.



5. I have been learning a lot about modern handguns, and I wanted a book that would give me some history of guns, how their operation has evolved, and an overview of the types of handguns in existance. This book is definitely interesting and fun to flip through, and has some great photos. I liked the photos of the older flint-lock pistols, pepperbox revolvers, and guns of the old-west. Some of the oddities were especially interesting, including the Japanese sword-gun (not a bayonet, but a full-size sword with a handle that was a gun). Also, I liked the WWII Liberator, made by GM to be cheap, easy to build, and to dropped in mass on Germany for partisans to get. However, I felt the book was lacking in a few key areas. I understand that the author can't possibly include every gun ever. But why are there so many examples of home-made guns throughout the years, and no entry for the Glock? The Glock was a revolutionary gun, with an interesting history of unknown Gaston Glock with no gunmaking experience making a gun for the Austrian army that bucked much conventional thinking regarding guns. Who would think a plastic frame would make a reliable gun? Now, every gun store you go into is packed with Glocks, and it is the favorite sidearm of many LEOs including police and FBI. Most CCW books I read recommend the Glock. Half the new guns I see today are essentially Glock copies (Springfield XD, Steyr, S&W SW, etc). The only mention of the Glock in this book is in a side-panel about SWAT teams, where it mentions that SWAT teams use Glocks among other weapons.
   
   This book was an interesting read, but I wonder what criteria the author picked for each gun he included. I would have also liked more diagrams, showing how each gun works and the progression of various styles of gun. I give the book 4 stars since it was fun to flip through, and makes a good coffee table book, but for serious study of firearm history, you might need to go elsewhere.

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book of the 1911: A Complete Look at the Use, Care & Repair of the 1911 Pistol, Vol. 2.

1. If you like paying for advertising this is a must have.
   
   Even the table of contents was worthless since it only listed "Chapter 1; Chapter 2" and so on; never mind what the chapter is about. The front half has a few good tidbits but the back is a lot of "I owe it to the gun manufacturer to say good things" advertising reviews.



2. Very detailed view of the modern 1911 handgun. A great read for any new or experienced 1911 owner.



3. IU am doing an upgrade project on a Colt Series 80 1911 .38 Super and this book is a very good reference on what to do to get the best results, along with lots of other useful info on the 1911 and its clones.



4. These reviews are MERGED reviews of two different volumes of a book. I believe people are purchasing Volume 2 and expecting the content of Volume 1. There is minimal overlap between Volume 1 and Volume 2.
   
   Volume 1 (ISBN 0873492811, 334 pages, 2001) has information on the history, calibers, disassembly, cleaning, competion, reloading, and testing. At the end of the book is a series of reviews of various 1911 models.
   
   Volume 2 (ISBN 0896892697, 336 pages, 2006) has information on barrels, mud tests, penetration, longevity, tactical illumination, holsters, defense, and competion. As with Volume 1, a series of 1911 reviews are at the end. These are different from Volume 1.
   
   Volume 2 is not meant to replace Volume 1. In fact, in Volume 2, the author writes, "this book is not designed to replace Volume 1..."
   
   I wrote Amazon.com an email indicating that this reviews are mixed up between Volumes 1 and 2.
   
   Both volumes are the best collection of information about the Model of 1911 in book form out there. However, they are two different volumes. I recommend starting with Volume 1 (search by the ISBN above) and if you crave more 1911 information, purchase Volume 2.



5. This is a very interesting book about the workings of the 1911 and I learned a lot from it. It would have been even better if the pictures were in color, but I guess it would cost a lot more....
   I also think that the book should have more information about the trigger/sear/safety and the adjustment/replacement of those parts...

2 comments about Double Guns and Custom Gunsmithing.

1. if you are interested in fine guns and especially if you are thinking about ordering a custom shotgun this is required reading. A "must have".



2. This book can be read as a book on a winter evening at the open fire place, nice stories, good pictures and a pleasure to look in. But it also gives a lot of usefull information.