Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Question for Campfire members: Optics or Rifle/Handloading book?

That'll do!

Either one is good by me.

Rifle/Handloading book please.

Here is why a troubleshooting and handloading book is not my first (or second or any choice.) Speaking strictly for me, of course. I have been handloading for close to 30 years and I have introduced dozens of people to it. I cannot even guess at the number of rounds I have produced in that time frame, all I can figure out is that it's in the 6 digits territory. When I was shooting IPSC, it was a thousand rounds a month. There is a vast panoply of books about handloading and the last one I got was "Handloading For competition" by Glen Zediker about 5-6 years ago. This is like a post-graduate course on precision handloading. I have been subscribing to Handloader (and Rifle) magazine for years. I just do not see what special contribution you can make to the field, but I am always open to being surprised.

Rifle troubleshooting? Meh, big deal. I have a plethora of books about the AR platform and can probably teach a course about it. My match rifles are custom made to my specifications and there is not a whole lot that most people can do to their rifles if there is an issue. You either go to a gunsmith because you do not have the tools or you send it back to the manufacturer if there is an issue. If neither of those works for you, then the subject is so wide and varied people would only be interested in their specific model. I am not sure you can fill a book, or half a book with that, but once again, I am open to being surprised.

However, a book about optics is definitely something that is new and would make a contribution. Yes, many people do reviews of scopes, but I have yet to see a treatise on scope selection, the pros and cons of the various magnifications and offering and a discussion of the reticle choices all in one book. Add to that spotting scopes, binos, LRFs, red dot or holographic optics and even shooting glasses in one book and you have something worthwhile there. Explain how a scope works, the various designs, etc and you have an outdoors bestseller.

Most people buy a 3-9X40 some power scope because they simply do not know any better; here is a chance to really compare offerings and educate the masses and, as I said before, make a contribution. I would probably buy that book.

But that's just me and I was outvoted before I even showed up.

Optics book is very appropriate with all of the new offerings in recent years.

Rifle trouble shooting and handloading.

FTR Shooter,

First, I'm not giving advice to people like you--especially if mostly what you care about is the AR "platform." Most of my advice is to hunters, who are primarily concerned about bolt-action big game rifles. They could give a schit less about IPSC or any other competitive shooting.

Mostly they want their deer rifle to shoot more consistently and accurately. They mostly like to dink around with factory bolt-actions, because that's what they use. That's who the book would be directed to, and why you wouldn't give a rat's ass about it.

I published the first comprehenive book on hunting optics back in 1999, and concentrated on telling readers how they could make their own tests. But things have changed so much that a lot of the book is not exactly out-of-date, but lacks some additional info.

The new optics book would compare products, but not so much that the results would be frozen in time. Any comparison would be out of date within a year. Instead I would, again, provide readers the tools to make their own comparisons, though of course there would be recent results.

John,
As always, your writing is clear and straight forward.

Mike

FTR's post reminds me of many, many book reviews I've read over the years: "This book told me things I already know, therefore it is of no use to anyone" Indeed, it even has the obligatory recitation of the reviewer's own knowledge, which leads one to question whether the purpose of the review is to inform others about the book or to inform others about the awesomeness of the reviewer.

Will be looking forward to your new book coming in October. Am glad the troubleshooting and handloading book will be next. I can wait awhile for the optics. I'll probably need a new scope or two in a couple of years. I'll spring for a copy of Eileen's hunting story book too.

RLD

JB, I'd say go for the rifle/handloading book.

So, what part of "speaking strictly for me" was too confusing for some people line Oregon45?

John, the reason I brought up the AR is that is about the only platform that people can work on at how without much gunsmitthing experience or a vast array of specialized tools. This is what I was refering to when I said: "...there is not a whole lot that most people can do to their rifles if there is an issue. You either go to a gunsmith because you do not have the tools or you send it back to the manufacturer if there is an issue. If neither of those works for you, then the subject is so wide and varied people would only be interested in their specific model."

I totally understand about wide appeal, trust me on that and good luck with the books. I will just wait patiently for the Optics book.

Over the years, I have read many of your (Mule Deer's) articles in both Rifle and Handloader, about trouble shooting, and problems that can occur when loading. I have always been interested in finding out why things don't always work and they are supposed to, therefore my interest in troubleshooting.

Many of your Rifle and Handloader articles could be reprinted as chapters in your book, if you are allowed to do that. One article I especially liked was about 10 years ago about lapping barrels.

Another was about stock design and fitting. Until I read your article, I could not understand why I felt the 'Classic' stock was the most attractive of all, but the Monte Carlo design is the most pleasant and comfortable for me to hold and shoot. After reading your article, I know the answer.

To some people, it is ugly and it will frighten small children, but the Weatherby Mark V stock is the most comfortable stock shape I have ever held. And has less felt recoil of other designs with comparable recoiling cartridges.

Anyway, if you haven't guessed by now, my vote is for the rifle and handloading book.

1234567,

Probably a few chapters will be articles, but I already used a bunch of Rifle and Handloader articles in the book I published last year, OBSESSIONS OF A RIFLE LOONY--including the one on stock design and fit.

This book will be far more technical in nature, and include information from more than one custom gunsmith. And unlike OBSESSIONS, which has relatively little info about ammunition, a big part of the book will be about all aspects of handloading.

Looking forward to the new book. Will we order it from you here on the c.f. or where would we have to go to get it?

I'll post here when it's ready, and tell everybody where to send a check if they want to it that way. But most people order through our website, www.riflesandrecipes.com.

I vote for rifle troubleshooting/handloading.

I vote for troubleshooting and handloading.

+ 1 more.

I think a rifle/ handloading book would be of value, Loads that work kind of thing. Along with the in and outs of getting rifles to shoot. An Optics book while nice, it will be out of date by the time its published. Things in that area just change to dam fast. While not quite as fast in the Handloading area, and it would be a a work that would be relevant for some time.