Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters knowledge base?

Today I lucked into a John Taylor Big Game and Big Game Rifles for 24.95. I was thinking about how many looneys my age do not have the proper book reading to really appreciate all the things associated with guns and hunting.

I also collect Samurai Swords(sorry real authentic ones) not those carried by mall ninjas. To really get into the field you need to have a good library. We are talking about 1100 years of manufacture and more than 35,000 known smiths.

How many on this forum and others do not know who Elmer Keith, Jack O'Connor, Townshend Whelen, Howard Hill, Fred Bear, Jeff Cooper, or who John Taylor was? In this time with the Internet and TV people are more likely to know Michael Waddell or Jim Shockey than the writers of the past.

So here is what I would like to do?

Name 10 books that every rifle looney should have in their collection.

Go.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Obsessions of a Rifle Looney - Barsness
Art of the Rifle - Cooper
Sixguns by Keith (hey, even Rifle Looneys need handgun info)
Horn of the Hunter - Ruark
Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills - Henderson
The Rifle Shooter - David Tubb
Game in the Desert - O'Connor

Something by Boddington - but I'm not sure exactly which one...

Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway

The Old man and the Boy by Ruark

Pet Loads by Ken Waters

The Rifle book by Jack O'Connor

One Man's Wilderness by Warren Page

Hell I was There by Elmer Keith

Alaska Yukon Trophies Won and Lost by G.O. Young

Hunting and Fishing in Alaska by Russell Annabel

An Unrepentant Sinner by Charles Askins Jr.

Safari Rifles by Craig Boddington

The Rifle Book, The Shotgun Book, The Big Game Rifle, The Art of Hunting Big Game in North America (O'Connor)

Sixguns by Keith, Shotguns by Keith (Keith)

The Complete Book of Practical Handloading (Wooters)

The Modern Rifle (Carmichael)

Shotgunning: The Art and the Science (Brister)

Good Friends, Good Guns, Good Whiskey (Skelton)


I know I'm O'Connor heavy, but his writing is my favorite...I can reread and it is just as good. I didn't include Mule Deer for the simple reason that he is contemporary, and I chose writers who are, for one reason or another, no longer writing regularly. I would also include "The Best of John Jobson," but it's just too hard to get to recommend to a new reader. It was hard to stop at ten. I included a couple of shotgun books cause they're fun too. I might add that "Hunting on Three Continents," a two volume compilation of O'Connor's work when he was with Peterson's Hunting, is now available. I just got them for Christmas, and though it is among O'Connor's latest works (1970s), it seems like he still had his touch with a typewriter.

I couldn't point to ten....that would be a warmup.

But anything related to hunting and shooting by authors like:Bob Hagel,Warren Page,John Jobson,JOC,Elgin Gates,Jim Carmichael,Craig Boddington,John Wooters,John Barsness,Finn Aaggard,Les Bowman,Jim Corbett,John Taylor,Elmer Keith,Walter Prothero,Phil Shoemaker,Jay Mellon,George Hoffman,John Kingsley-Heath,Tony Dyer,Pondoro Taylor.....the list is extensive and there are many I have forgotten.By and large,these guys "hunted" very widely,and were very experienced.

You could do a lot worse than invest in as many back issues of Rifle and Handloader magazine to the very beginning in the 60's(bound volumes are avaialble as well as CD's from Wolfe Publishing and back issues are frequently seen for sale).

With some of these, the technical stuff is dated (not always by as much as you might think),but by and large these guys were not only great riflemen hunters in the context of their days, but the writing is free of a lot of the hyper technical blather hawked as "experience" today and provides good insight into the practical use of rifles in the field across a broad spectrum of game and different places,not just static advise, useful in only one region.....Still very useful today.

I think you are spot-on in your assesment regarding lots of young shooters/hunters.It shows here quite a bit.

If a guy is a whitetail hunter,the books done by Bryce Towsley on the Benoits should not be missed....great insight into the tactics used by arguably the finest whitetail hunters on the continent.Useful to the western hunters as well.

If your font of knowledge springs from Michael Waddell and the likes,you got problems....seems like a sincere young guy,entertaining, but more of a pop culture icon than anything else....you sure won't learn much there.

I like Shockey....more of a hard scabble background and seems like a hardcore hunter with a flair for promotion.Obviously he has been around a lot.

Lots of good stuff out there.

BOOKS? Why read when you have TV?

Santa gave me a new book last night: A Thousand Deer, by Rick Bass. Rick is my favorite living Texas writer (with apologies to John Graves). He left Texas years ago, alas, and calls the Yaak Valley home nowadays.....

I don't believe anyone has mentioned Game Loads and Practical Ballistics for the American Hunter, by Bob Hagel, so I will.

[/quote]

I couldn't point to ten....that would be a warmup.

But anything related to hunting and shooting by authors like:Bob Hagel,Warren Page,John Jobson,JOC,Elgin Gates,Jim Carmichael,Craig Boddington,John Wooters,John Barsness,Finn Aaggard,Les Bowman,Jim Corbett,John Taylor,Elmer Keith,Walter Prothero,Phil Shoemaker,Jay Mellon,George Hoffman,John Kingsley-Heath,Tony Dyer,Pondoro Taylor.....the list is extensive and there are many I have forgotten.By and large,these guys "hunted" very widely,and were very experienced.

You could do a lot worse than invest in as many back issues of Rifle and Handloader magazine to the very beginning in the 60's(bound volumes are avaialble as well as CD's from Wolfe Publishing and back issues are frequently seen for sale).

With some of these, the technical stuff is dated (not always by as much as you might think),but by and large these guys were not only great riflemen hunters in the context of their days, but the writing is free of a lot of the hyper technical blather hawked as "experience" today and provides good insight into the practical use of rifles in the field across a broad spectrum of game and different places,not just static advise, useful in only one region.....Still very useful today.

I think you are spot-on in your assesment regarding lots of young shooters/hunters.It shows here quite a bit.

If a guy is a whitetail hunter,the books done by Bryce Towsley on the Benoits should not be missed....great insight into the tactics used by arguably the finest whitetail hunters on the continent.Useful to the western hunters as well.

If your font of knowledge springs from Michael Waddell and the likes,you got problems....seems like a sincere young guy,entertaining, but more of a pop culture icon than anything else....you sure won't learn much there.

I like Shockey....more of a hard scabble background and seems like a hardcore hunter with a flair for promotion.Obviously he has been around a lot.

Lots of good stuff out there. [/quote]
+1
Howard Hill is a real test of the memory. Plus, some of the writers that seem to have the talent to make you think about the hunting experience, Gene Hill & George Bird Evans, for example, remain high on my list.

fishdogs: I agree...GH and GBE are among my favorites in the world of upland hunting....but when it comes to grouse,could anyone top Burton Spiller or Frank Woolner?

Both hardcore New England grouse hunters from the old school whose writings are tough to beat I think.

The Wilderness Of Denali, by Charles Sheldon.

Dangerous River, by R.M. Patterson.

They broke the mold on these two guys....

Pat I did read Sheldon....has been awhile. Veddy good!

James C. Clark..."Great Arc of the Wild Sheep"(?) Did I get that right?

I have some of these old books hanging around...I should dust some of them off!

Who wrote "Alaskan Yukon Trophies Won and Lost"? I forget now...

Jay Mellon, African Hunter, is a great book as well.

YES, YES, & YES, nearly all I know about have been listed.





IMPoliteO - a Rifle Loony is NOT a complete Loony w/o

Bob Hagel's "Game Loads and Practical Ballistics For the American Hunter".

Yes, I saw his name mentioned 2 or 3 Xs but did NOT see the Title of the book.

some good ones....ill just stick to ones not listed..

The Rifle and its Development for Big-Game Hunting by S.R. Truesdell(the guy prolly read most the major works by hunters between 1834 and 1946 and lists what rifles they used and why)

given someone listed James Mellon's African hunter ill add John Brandt's Asian Hunter.....he followed Mellons layout but applied it to Asia, thinner book, and a bit dated like Mellon's but very good especially given more and more of Asia is opening up to hunting....

for DIY hunters that want something other the North American hunts: Buffalo, Elephant, & Bongo by Reinald von Meurers, over 20 DIY hunts into the rainforests of Cameroon

Since signing up here I've learned more about rifles-and still know little compared to most here-than from most published writers.

JB, Stick, Bob, Steelhead, Dober, Sceaner, Montana Marine, Brad, etc. Along with a few others I apologize for forgetting right now. Practical stuff that just works. There is more than a little proven real world info written here every day.

A few books for the Rifleman, this is not complete or entirely accurate, plus it was done some years ago, the library is much bigger today.

Bibliography of Books for Rifleman
MP
�A�
Akehurst, Richard The World of Guns Hamlyn 1972
Akehurst, Richard Game Guns and Rifles
Akerhurst, Richard Sporting Guns Octopus 1972
Andrews, Roy Chapman Ends of the Earth Wolf 1929/1988
Aniger Firearms Blueing and Browning 1936
Askins, Charles Rifles & Rifle Shooting Macmillian 1912/1938
Askins, Charles The African Hunt Stackpole 1958
Austyn, Christopher Modern Sporting Guns 1994

�B�
Baird, John D. Hawken Rifles 1968 First
Baker Baker's Remarks on the Rifle Standard Pub 1835
Baker, Clyde Modern Gunsmithing 1933
Berman, Vladimir Masterpieces of Tula Gun-making Planeta-Moscow
Bevis, J.R./Donovan, Jno.A Modern Rifle Practical Exterior Ballistics 1917
Bourne, Richard A. Co. Karl F. Moldenhauer Collection Bourne 10-1980
Boutell Arms and Armour 1893
Brophy, W The Springfield 1903
Brophy, W Marlin Firearms
Burrard Notes on Sporting Rifles Edward Arnold Co. 1953
Butler U.S. Firarms 1776-1875 1971
Byron Gunmarks 1980

�C�
Campbell, C. S. The 03 Springfield
Campbell, The Winchester Single-Shot
Canfield 03 Springfield
Carey, A. Merwyn English, Irish & Scottish Firearms Makers Arco 1967 $28.00
Carey, A. Merwyn American Firearms Makers
Carmichael, Jim The Modern Rifle 1975
Cary, Lucian Lucian Cary on Guns 1957
Cary, Lucian The New Lucian Cary on Guns Arco 1957 Hardback
Cary, Lucian Lucian Cary on Guns 1950
Cary, Lucian Antique Guns 1953
Caswell,John Sporting Rifles and Rifle Shooting Appleton 1920
John Chamberlain Early Loading Tool and Bullet Moulds Farm Tribune 1970
Chapel, Charles E. Gun Collecting Coward-McCann 1939
Chapel, Charles E. Guns of the Old West 1961
Cleveland Hints to a Rifleman
Cline Muzzle loading Then and Now
Corcoran, J. E. The Target Rifle in Australia 1860-1900 R&R Books 1995
Cowan, Sam K. Sergeant York and His People Funk & Wag 1922
Crossman, E.C. The Springfield Rifle
Crossman, E.C. Small Bore Rifle Shooting 1927
Crossman, E.C. Military and Sporting Rifle Shooting
Curtis, Paul A Jr. Sporting Firearms of Today in Use E.P. Dutton 1922
Curtis, Paul A. Captian Guns and Gunning Penn Pub Co. 1934 first
Curtis, Paul A. Jr. American Game Shooting E.P. Dutton 1927

�D�
Davis A Forgotten Heritage
De Hass, Mister Single Shot's Gunsmithing Idea Book
De Hass, Single Shot Rifles and Actions
De Hass, Bolt Action Rifles
Dexter, F.T. 35 Year Scrapbook Vol II 1947 Vol I &!! No. 1201
Dexter, F.T. 35 Year Scrapbook Vol I 1947 Vol I &!! No. 1201
Dixie 45-70 Trapdoor Springfields Dixie Collection Curley 1975
Dunlap Gunsmithing 1950
Dunlap, R.F. Ordnance Went Up Front 1948
Dutcher, John Ballard Book

�E�
Edwards Civil War Guns 1962

�F�
Farrow, Milton W. How I became a Crack Shot 1980 (1880)
Ferris C.S. The Rock Island 03 Ferris 1992 Paper
Flayderman Guide to American Firearms Vol III
Foral , James Gun Writers of Yesterday 1993
Frazer Elementary Gunsmithing 1938
Fuller, Claud E. The Rifled Musket
Fuller, Claud E. Breech-Loader in the Service 1816-1917 Flayderman 1965

�G�
Garavaglia-Worman Firearms of the American West 1803-1865 U of New Mexico
Gardner, Robert E. American Arms and Arms Makers 1938
Gardner, Robert E. Small Arms Makers
George, J. N.. English Guns and Rifles 1947
George, John B. Shots Fired in Anger NRA 1981 Reprint 14.00
Gluckman American Gunmakers
Gluckman U.S. Muskets, Rifles and Carbines 1965
Gooding, James S. The Canadian Gunsmiths 1608 to 1900
Gould, A.C. Modern American Rifles 1947
Grancsay-Lindsay Illustrated British Firearms Patents Winchester1969 781/1000
Grant, James J. Boys Single Shot Rifles 1967
Grant, James J. Single Shot Rifles 1967
Grant, James J. More Single Shot Rifles 1976
Grant, James J. Still More Single Shot Rifles
Grant, James J. Single Shot Rifle Finale
Greener W.W. Morden Breechloaders Sporting & Military Cassel 1874 23.50
Greener W.W. The Gun Niedner's

�H�
Hackely-Wooden History of Modern Small Arms Ammo Vol I 1967
Hamlyn The Worlds Great Guns Hamlyn Publishing 1977 10.00
Hanson The Plains Rifle
Harrison, G.C. The Gun Collector Magazine 1946-1957 Issue 18-48
Harrison, G.C. The Gun Collector Magazine 1947-1949 Issue 18-26
Hastings, MacDonald English Sporting Guns and Accessories Ward Lock 1969 16.00 2/96
Hatcher, Julian S. Hatcher's Notebook Stackpole 1966 29.95
Hatcher, Julian S. Hatcher's Book of the Garand Gun Room Press 1948/1977
Hayward The Art of the Gunmaker Vol I
Held, Robert The Age of Firearms 1957
Held, Robert Arms and Armor annul 1973 1973
Hermitage Fine Arms from Tula Aurora-Leningrad 1977
Herold, John S. Buxton's Guide Foreign Forearms Herold 1963 25.00
Hicks, James E. Our Arms and Weapons W.W. Norton 1941 3/96 $12.50
Hogg, Ian V. Guns and Gunsmiths Quarto 1977
Hornaday, William T. Camp-Fires in the Canadian Rockies Charles Scribner's 1906
Howe Professional Gunsmith
Howe The Amateur Gunsmith
Howe, James V. The Modern Gunsmith Vol II 1941
Howe, James V. The Modern Gunsmith Vol I 1941
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1889-1900 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1867-1876 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1916-1930 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1877-1888 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1909-1915 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1901-1908 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hoyem, George Patents for Inventions Small Arms 1855-1866 Armory Publications 1993 $225.00 (7 Vol)
Hughes, Steven Dodd, Custom Rifles in Black and White
Hull, Edward A. Providence Tool Co. Military Arms 1979
Hull, Edward A. The Burnside Breech Loading Carbines Mowbray 1986
Hutslar, Donald A. Gunsmiths of Ohio 1973

�J�
Jacobs, Charles R. Offical Gun Book Crown Publishing 1950 First Ed.
James, Edsall The Golden Age of the SS Rifle 1974
James, Edsall The Revolver Rifles 1974
Jennings, Bruce Charles Newton Father of High Velocity 1985
Johnson Rifles and Machine Guns Morrow 1944
Johnson, Curtis L. Illinois Gunsmiths Geo. Shumw 1982 Paper
Johnson-Haven Automatic Arms 1941

�K�
Kauffman, H.J. Early American Gunsmith
Kauffman, H.J. The Gunsmith Century House 1959 paper
Kauffman, H.J. The Pennslyvania-Kentucky Rifle
Keith, Elmer Elmer Keith's Big Game Hunting 1954 28.00
Keith, Elmer Keith Autobiography Winchester Press 1974 20.00
Keith, Elmer Keith's Rifles for Big Game
Keith, Elmer Big Game Rifles and Cartridges
Keith, Elmer Hell I Was There Peterson Pub. 1979
Keith, Elmer Guns & Ammo for Hunting Big Game Petersen Pub 1965
Kelver, Gerald 15 Years on the Western Frontier
Kelver, Gerald Freund and the Sharps Rifle
Kelver, Gerald Major Ned Roberts and the Schuetzen Rifle 1951
Kelver, Gerald 100 Years of Shooters and Makers of SS Rifles
Kelver, Gerald Single-Shot Rifle Notes
Kelver, Gerald Reloading Tools, Sights & Telescopes for SS Rifles
Kelver, Gerald Schuetzen Rifles History and Loading
Kennedy, Monty Checkering and Carving of Gunstocks Samworth 1952
Kindig, J. Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in it's Golden Age George Shumway 1960/76
Kirkland, K.D. American Premier Gunmakers: Remington Exeter books 1988
Kirkland, K.D. American Premier Gunmakers: Browning 1989

�L�
Lachuk, John, Frank A. Pachmayr
Lancaster, Charles The Art of Shooting McCorquodale 1889/1962
Landis, C.S. .22 Cal Varmit Rifles
Landis, C.S. Woodchucks and Woodchuck Rifles
Landis, C.S. Hunting With the Twenty-Two SATPCo 1950 22.00
Landis, C.S. Riflecraft Sportsman's Digest 1925 27.00
Landis, C.S. The Shooter's Guide Hercules Powder co. 1925 15.00
Landis, C.S. .22 Cal Rifle Shooting
Lee, Kenneth F. Big Game Hunting & Marksmanship SATPCo 1941 First 16.00
Lentz Muzzle Flashes
Lentz, Ellis, C Rifleman's Progress Standard 1946
Lewis, B.R. Small Arms Ammo in the International expo 1876 1972
Lewis, B.R. Small Arms Ammunition in the U.S. Service
Linden, Alvin Firearm Design & Assembly Springfield 1941
Linden, Alvin Firearm Design & Assembly Mod. 70 1958
Lister Antique Firearms
Liu American Sporting Collectors 1976
Logan, Herschel C. Underhammer Guns 1965
Logan, Herschel C. Cartridges
Logan, Herschel C. Buckskin and Satin Stackpole 1954
Logan, Herschel C. Hand Cannon to Automatic
Lugs, Jaroslav A History of Shooting Hamlyn Hou 1968

�M�
Madis The Winchester Book 1971
Mahrholdt, Richard Waffen-Lexikon Mayer 1963
Mahrholdt, Richard Waffen-Lexikon Mayer 1952
Mahrholdt, Richard Waffen-Lexikon Mayer 1937
Mallory, F.B. Serial Number Vol I II III
Mallory, F.B. DMC Rifle Sales 1922-1942 Springfield Research 1976 Paper
Mann, F.W. The Bullets Flight 1942-48-80
Marksman Dead Shot American News Company 1873
Mattern, J.R. Handloading Ammunition 1926
Mauser The Original Mauser Magazine Sporting Rifle Stoeger 1964
McBride, H.W. A Rifleman Went to War SATPCo. 1935 DJ
McFarland Gunsmithing Simplifield 1950
McFarland, Earl Textbook of Ordanace and Gunnery John Wiley &sons 1929
McIntosh, M. The BIg Bores
Metschl, J. R.J. Nunnemecher Collection
Miller, Martin The Collectors Illustrated Guied to Firearms
Myatt Modern Small Arms 1978
Myatt, F. Major 19th Century Firearms Cresent Books 1979
Naramore Handloaders Manual Samworth 1937
Naramore Principles and Pratice of Handloading 1954

�N�
Neal and Back The Maton Supplement
Ness, F.C. Practical Dope on the Big Bores Wolf 1984 620/1500
Ness, F.C. Practical Dope On The .22 Stackpole 1950 17.50
Newell, A. Donald Gunstock Fnishing and Care Samworth 1949
Nobili, Marco E. Best Guns
Nobili, Marco E. Modern Engraving Real Book
North Book of Guns and Gunsmiths
Note Modern Handloading 1976

�O�
O'Connor, Jack Sportsman's Encyclopedia Outdoor Life 1947/49
O'Connor, Jack Hunting Rifle Winchester 1970
O'Connor, Jack Jack O'Connor's Big Game Hunts Outdoor Life 1963
O'Connor, Jack The Big Game Rifle Safari Press 1952/1994
O'Connor, Jack Horse and Buggy West Knopf 1969
O'Connor, Jack The Best of Jack O'Connor Amwell Press 1977
O'Connor, Jack Complete Book of Rifles and Shotguns Outdoor Life 1961/1965
O'Connor, Jack Arms and Amuunition Manual Outdoor Life 1952 1st.
O'Connor, Jack The Art of Hunting Big Game Outdoor Life 1967
O'Connor, Jack Game in the Desert Revisited Amwell Press 1984 O'Connor, Jack Complete Book of Shooting Outdoor Life 1965
O'Connor, Jack The Rifle Book Knopf 1964
Oliver's Jack Appel Collection 5-1989
Olson, Ludwig Mauser Bolt rifles Brownells 1976
Outdoor Life American Hunting and Firearms Time Mirro 1976


�P�
Pacific Gun Sight Co. Gun Sights Reloading Tools Pacific 1943
Page, Warren The Accurate Rifle Winchester 1973
Penrose Catalog Of Firearms Muesum Victoria 1949
Peterson The Great Guns 1971
Peterson Guns of the World
Peterson Pagent of the Gun 1967
Peterson Guns of the Gunfighters
Peterson Guns and Ammo Blackpowder
Peterson Basic Gun Repair
Peterson, H.L. Encyclopedia Of Firearms 1964
Peterson, H.L. The Remington Historical Treasur 1966
Peterson, Harold L. A History Of Firearms CharlesScribner's 1961
Petrov, Michael Custom Gunmakers of the 20th Century
Petzal The Expert's Book of Shooting Sports 1972
Popp, Von. H. Waffenkunde und Schiesslehre fur Jager Neumann-Neudamm 1966
Pourie, DeWitt R. Gateway Gunsmiths 1990 Paper
Preuss, Albert Jagerwaffen Neumann-Neudamm 1930
Prichard, Hesketh Sniping In France Lancer Military Reprint
Pulling, Pierre Game and the Gunner Winchester 1973 8.00 2/96

�R�
Rae, William E. A Treasury of Outdoor Life 1982
Ramage, K.C. Lyman Centennail Journal 1878-1978 1978
Remiger, Leo Enclopedia of Bufflo Hunters & Skinners
Remiger, Leo Enclopedia of Bufflo Hunters & Skinners Vol E-K
Richards, Westley Catalog 1912
Riling, R. The Powder Flask Book
Roberts and Waters Breechloading SS Rifle
Roberts, Ned H. Muzzeloading Caplock Rifles
Robinson, Beverley W. With Shotgun & Rifle in North American Game Fields D. Appleton Co. 1925
Roosevelt, T.R. African Game Trails 1995
Rosa-May The Pleasure of the Gun 1974
Rule, Roger C. The Rifleman's Rifle Kokin 1996
Russell, Carl P. Guns on the Early Frontiers Barnes & Noble 1996
Russell, Carl P. Firearms Traps and Tools of the Mountian Men 1967
Russell, Carl P. Guns on the Early Frontier
Rywell, M. Sharps Rifle
Rywell, M. American Antique Guns Pioneer Press 1968 Paper

�S�
Salisbury, Howard M. Duck Guns, Shooting & Decoying Crown 1967 First 9.50
Saterlee 14 Old Gun Catalogs 1953
Saterlee 10 Old Gun Catalogs 1953
Satterlee, L.D. Catalog of Firearms Self 1939 51/200
Sawyer, Charles W. Firearms in American History Vol I Sawyer 1910
Sawyer, Charles W. Firearms in American History Vol II
Sawyer, Charles W. Our Rifles Cornhill 1920
Schroeder Arms of the World 1911
Schwartz-Dell The Modern Schuetzen Rifle 1995 #196/300
Sellers Sharps Firearms 1982
Sellers American Gunsmiths
Serven, James E. The Collecting of Guns
Serven, James E. Rare and Valuable Antique Arms 1976
Serven, James E. Americans and Their Guns
Serven, James E. 200 Years of American Firearms 1974
Shaffer-Rutledge-Dorsey Gun Tools Collectors 1992
Sharp Complete Guide to Handloading 1947
Sharpe The Rifle in America 1953
Sharps Catalog Sharps Catalog 1859 Paper/Reprint
Shelton California Gunsmiths
Sherlock, H.A. Black Powder Snapshots 1946
Short, Richard D. Firearms for Collectors & Shooters Catalog
Simmons, Richard F. Wildcat Cartridges 1947
Simmons, Richard F. Custom Built Rifles 1949
Smith Small Arms of the World 1969
Smith The Story of Pope Barrels 1960
Smith W.H.B. A Basic Manual of Military Small Arms Military Service Publishi 1943/1944
Smith, W.H.B. A Basic Manual of Military Small arms Military Service Pub 1943/1944 paper
Smith, W.O. The Sharps Rifle
Smith, Walter H.B. Mauser Rifles and Pistols 1950
Smith-Smith The Book of Rifles 1963
Snyder, Harry Col. Snyder's Book of Big Game Hunting Greenberg 1950 Auto-
Speed, Jon Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles
Stebbins Small Game and Varmite Rifles
Stebbins Rifles a Modern Encyclopedia
Stebbins, Henry Your Big Game Rifle Combat Forces 1952
Stelle & Harrison Gunsmithing Manual 1945
Stroble, Nick, Old Gunsights
Stroble, Nick , Old RifleScopes
Stone A Glossary of Arms and Armour
Stumpf, Manford Waffen Almanach Stoytscheff 1960?
Suydam, Chas R. The American Cartridge 1960
Swenson, G.W.P. Pictorial History of the Rifle Bonanza 1972

�T�
Taylor, John Big Game and Big Game Rifles Safari Press 1993
Taylor, John Pondoro 1955
Taylor, John African Rifles and Cartridges 1960
Teasdale-Buckell, G.T. Experts on Guns and Shooting Buckskin Press 1900/1981 #37/200
Thomas Allen and Wheelock Firearms
Treadwell, Major T.J. Metallic Cartridges, at Frankford Arsenal Pioneer Press 1873 Reprint
Trench, Charles, C. A History of Marksmanship Exeter books 1972
Truesdell, S.R. The Rifle It's Development for Big Game Hunting Military Service Publishi 1947
Tryon, T.B. The Complete Rehabilition of the Flintlock Rifle Limbo Library 1972 Paper

�U�
U.S. Cartridge Co. Where to Hunt American Game USCC 1898
U.S. Cartridge Co. Collection of Firearms

�V�
Vickery Advanced Gunsmithing 1940

�W�
Waite-Ernst Trapdoor Springfield 1980
Walker Hobby Gunsmithing
Wallack, L.R. Modern Accuracy in Bench Rest Greenberg 1951
Wandrus, Harry The Hobbies Firearms Index 1948
War Deparment TM9-270 M1903A4 Sniper Rifle War Department 1943
Waterman, C.F. The Treasury of Sporting Guns Random House 1979 3/96
Whelen, Townsend The American Rifle 1918 Niedner's
Whelen, Townsend The Ultimate in Rifle Precision Sportsmans Press 1951
Whelen, Townsend Small Arms Design & Ballistics Vol I Samworth 1945
Whelen, Townsend Why Not Load your Own
Whelen, Townsend "Handbook & Catalog ""National Target& Supply" NT&Sco. 1938
Whelen, Townsend Small Arms Design & Ballistics Vol II Samworth 1946
Whelen, Townsend Small Bore Rifle Handbook 1936 7.50
Whelen, Townsend Amateur Gunsmithing NRA 1924 35.00
Whelen, Townsend Mister Rifleman 1961
Whelen, Townsend the Care and Cleaning of Modern firearms Conveversion Products 1922
Whelen, Townsend The Ultimate in Rifle Precision 1954
Whelen, Townsend Telescopes 1944
Whelen, Townsend On your own in the Wilderness 1973
Whelen, Townsend Wilderness Hunting and Loading 1927
Whelen, Townsend Hunting Big Game Vol II Military Service 1946
White, Stewart Edward The Blazed Trail Grosset&Dunlap 1902 1st
White, Stewart Edward The Rediscovered Country Wolfe 1914 1/1000
White, Stewart Edward The Land of Footprints Wolfe 1912 1/1000
White-Munhall Cartridge Headstamp Guide 1963
Wilkinson, F. Flintlock Guns and Rifles Stackpole 1971
Wilkinson, F. Small Arms 1966
Wilkinson, Frederick The World's Great Guns Hamlyn 1977
Williams, Jay Alaskan Adventure Stackpole 1952
Williamson, Harold F. Winchester Barnes 1952
Wilson, R.L. Antique Arms Annual Waco, TX 1971
Wilson, R.l. Winchester
Winant, Lewis Firearms Curiosa
Winant, Lewis Early Percussion Firearms Bonanza 1959
Wirnslerger, G. The Standard Directory of Proof Marks
Wolfe, D. The Art of Bullet Casting 1981
Wolff Master Index Handloader 1987 Paper
Wolff E. G. Ballard Rifles in the H.J. Nunnemacher Collection North American Pess 1961 Paper
Wolley, Clive-Phillipps Big Game Shooting Vol I Longman's, Green 1894
Wolley, Clive-Phillipps Big Game Shooting Vol II Longman's, Green 1894
Woroniecki, Thomas Guns Vol III No. 1 1-1948
Worthington, T. Manual of Arms

Ok---how on earth did you know what I read last night...

Dober

MPetrov: WOW!

We began by talking about Riflemen so I have to place Whelen first
The American Rifle, 1918 (available free as a download), the Hunting Rifle, 1940, both books, while old, have relevance in today�s hunting world.
Why Not Load Your Own still has one of the best basic description of setting up reloading dies, Only R. F. Wells wrote it better in an easier to understand booklet.
Elmer Keith�s Rifles For Large Game (1946) combines the hunting, cartridge and rifle discussion quite well. While this used to be a RARE and EXPENSIVE book, the NRA�s Firearms Classics Library has changed this. If you are a Gun Crank and interested in all types of firearms you should be a member of the FCL.
Handloading Ammunition by J. R. Mattern is a very good book about how it used to be done and it is informative today.
Earl Naramore�s Handloaders Manual is a good little book for the basics of how cartridge brass is made, a basic study of primers and powders. Naramore wrote clearly and was easy to follow. His Principles and Practices of Loading Ammunition is bigger, better, and more expensive.
Practical Dope on the Big Bores and Practical Dope on the 22�s by F.C. Ness are well worth the money.
The Landis books, 22 Caliber Rifle Shooting, Hunting With the 22, Rifle Craft and Twenty Two Caliber Varmint Rifles all deal with rifles. Scopes, reloading and hunting.
Gosh, you can add a lot of books to your list. I didn�t even touch the real Riflemen like Francis Sell and Kenneth Fuller Lee�

I want to revive this post. I know that there are probably 10 threads on Michael Petrov. However, I think his spirit is found in this one. The reason that it is is that he didn't gloat, shine on or preach from the pulpit. He came up with a very
list of books for the rifle enthusiast. Since he posted this, I have worked to build that same library with perhaps more books on hunting and several books on archery. I am no Michael Petrov. However, I think that for posterity sake, it would be useful for site mods to take M. Petrov's thread on building a library or knowledge base and make it into a stickie.

Sincerely,
Thomas

"Hunting and Fishing in Alaska by Russell Annabel"


As a lad I so loved his articles!

I've got over 1,000 gun reference books in my collection; some are more valuable (for the knowledge) than others, but I could not limit a list to 10.