[dance varmint]

Boston's Gun Bible, by Boston T. Party, 2002
I dove into this copious tome recently, and I give it a thumbs-up with some reservations. It's the bible of battle rifles for the citizen and a good kick in the pants for gun fanciers who suffer from complacency and apathy. There's some bigotry against the 9x19mm; he says .40 and .45 have "significantly" greater "knockdown power", and "weak wrists" might be one reason to settle for the 9. Some parts need editing; the early chapter debunking the author of The Gift of Fear turned into a long screed. There's a good dose of hearsay, and there are sections where he out-and-out shills for businesses like Mad Dog Knives; to the reader, it's like paying for cable TV and getting mostly commercials. Also, to say that shotguns get the short shrift in this book would be an understatement, but I also have a Farnam book on that subject. The author recognizes up front that it's a work in progress and he could change his opinions in future editions. It's good to have such a comprehensive and up-to-date book like this.

[GW]

I really enjoyed Boston's Gun Bible and would recommend it to anyone interested in guns.
I wish he'd left his pistol section from the 1st edition in the 2nd edition

very enjoyable reading

[GW]

I really enjoyed Boston's Gun Bible and would recommend it to anyone interested in guns.
I wish he'd left his pistol section from the 1st edition in the 2nd edition

very enjoyable reading

[Valkman]

I really liked all the comparisions of battle rifles as I wanted to get one but didn't know which one. That book helped me decide on a FAL, and then I decided to build one or two. Good stuff!

[Onmilo]

For some reason I get the feeling "Boston" is actually Tim Mullin,,,,,

[NoHarmNoFAL]

I thought that it was pretty good. I have used it several time to consider military style rifles. The last time was when I bought my FN-49. I'm glad I listened, it is a great rifle.

[GW]

Boston T Party is a fellow named Ken Royce
Though I will admit that I've never seen Ken Royce and Tim Mullin together...

[Molon Labe]

I love Boston's Gun Bible (http://www.javelinpress.com/bostons_gun_bible.html). (Look at the reviews in the front cover. See the one from "Michael in Ohio"? That's me. :D ) Keep in mind that it was not meant to be an "objective" book on firearms; it was meant to simply convey Ken's opinions on all-things guns. If you enjoy reading his opinions (which I do whole-heartedly), then you'll love the book. If not, then you won't like the book.

[carp killer]

It makes a good gift for a gun buff.

[ak47nevada]

Boston's Gun Bible is an incredible book! I must have read the last five chapters at least twenty times over before I gave the book to a friend.

Is it really bad that he may give lots of support for Mad Dog Knives? Mabye the guy who ownes the company is a personal friend and patriot? This is a non-issue (imho). I personally can't afford those knives but there are those who can.

Boston's Gun Bible 2 should be out mid this year or by the end of the year (I hope). I can't wait for his reviews of the POF-USA AR15 upper and SCAR-type weapons systems being released! I'm going to buy an XCR and if I like it say goodbye to my AKs and hello XCRs!

I've never fancied the AR10, M1A or FNFAL, but the new 6.8 has me interested, can't wait to hear what Boston has to say regarding these issues.

:D

[444]

I read and enjoyed the lastest edition of Boston's Gun Bible.
I think it should be must reading because of the logical method he uses to evaluate and compare various rifles. I don't agree with everything he says, but at least he is using logic and common sense instead of the crap I read on-line.

[Jay Kominek]

Reading it is what got me into guns. I reread portions occasionally. Lots of good stuff.

It is important to read it with a critical eye, though, as he can swing between fact and opinion very quickly. (But, hey, since you should read everything critically, that isn't a problem.)

[Molon Labe]

BTW: A revised and expanded edition of You & The Police (http://www.javelinpress.com/you_and_the_police.html) will be published this year. And if you haven’t read Molôn Labé! (http://www.javelinpress.com/molon_labe.html), read it! :cool:

[freedomlover]

Excellent book, with (IMHO) the only major shortcoming being the aforementioned, and appalling, lack of info on shotguns. Chapter 20, entitled "Shotguns," is 2 pages long. 2 pages?!! Come on, Boston, I know you're not a hardcore shotgunner, but you can do better than that.

At the very least, a brief description of the commonly available pumps and autos, with cost & performance comparisons would have been nice. Instead we get a glowing (SHORT) review of the Rem 870 Special Purpose--and this in a book that calls itself a "Gun Bible?" I like 870's as much as anybody else, including our very own Dave McC, but I expected a more comprehensive chapter on scatterguns.

OK, end of rant. I really do like the book, and don't even mind the occasional "commercials" for businesses such as Mad Dog...

shoot straight

[Schwatt]

I absolutely love the book.
I have probably read it 15 times cover to cover(in sections)
Certain sections(handguns, bolt rifles, milsurps) I have probably read 75-100 times, seriously.
He is very opinionated, but just because I love the book, it doesn't mean I agree with everything he says.


For those of you who have read it, Is Molon Labe a GUN book, or a novel with some guns in it?
I mean, is it an Unintended Consequences(Ross) GUN BOOK or a PATRIOTS(Rawles) GUN BOOK?
If you don't understand, UC and PATRIOTS are good gun books by my tastes, how does it compare to the two?


Thanks

Schwatt

[Jay Kominek]

For those of you who have read it, Is Molon Labe a GUN book, or a novel with some guns in it? I mean, is it an Unintended Consequences (Ross) GUN BOOK or a PATRIOTS (Rawles) GUN BOOK? If you don't understand, UC and PATRIOTS are good gun books by my tastes, how does it compare to the two?
I wouldn't say that it is a gun book.
Molon Labe is sort of a freedom blueprint book, written as fiction, and better executed than Patriots. (Patriots is a sort of heavy handed SHTF survival manual written like fiction. Sneaky, but poorly executed in my opinion.)
I liked it, though. And if you liked his Gun Bible that much, and understand that you can like his books without agreeing with everything in them, then I think you'll like Molon Labe, as well.

(For context, I loved Unintended Consequences and Enemies Foreign & Domestic. I was unimpressed by Patriots, and still havn't gotten past about the 3/4 mark.)

[Dave Markowitz]

Call me the odd man out, but I was underwhelmed with Boston's Gun Bible . He gave short shrift to handguns and shotguns, and let his political feelings WRT to Ruger affect his technical evaluation of Ruger firearms.

[GW]

Boston gave a lot more attention to handguns in the first edition of BGB and I really felt he could have just cut and pasted it into the second. He could have put his caveat about how only rifles win freedom, but left the handgun section in as it realy was useful info.

Molon Labe was a political novel of Boston's idea of how the Free State Project should be run. It was a good read but Unintended Consequences is still my favorite of the genre.
Thats good news that a new Boston's Gun Bible will be coming out.
I'll be first in line.

[Boston T. Party]

Thank you all for your comments about BGB, and for
supporting it so strongly.

The newest edition so far is the 2005 revision of the
2002 book. It is the 3rd printing, and has about 50
revised pages compared to the 2004 printing.

For space considerations, I had to slim down some of
the Handgun chapter, sorry.

Same reason for the Shotgun chapter. But really,
after you have a nice tactical 870, what more do
you absolutely need to know for a gun purchase?
(Also, as I wrote, I'm just not into shotguns all
that much. Others are, and they're your guys.)

Rugers:
The .22 pistols I like, and the centerfire revolvers.
Also the bolt guns. The rest I don't care all that
much for. I'm not a fan of investment casting,
which makes for larger/heavier receivers. Mad Dog
says that they're not as strong, and are currently
discussing that.

Mad Dog knives:
I get no commercial benefit from touting them.
I've known Kevin for 14 years, and have spent
hundreds of hours in his shop. If anybody makes
better fixed blade knives, I'd be very surprised!

www.mdtactical.com

Thanks again for your posts, and for your business!

Boston T. Party
http://www.freestatewyoming.org
http://www.javelinpress.com

[Boston T. Party]

The FSW Jamboree will be held this Memorial Day Weekend
26-29 May in Worland, Wyoming...in conjunction with Fred's
M14 Stocks and the Appleseed Project. www.rwva.org

All Riflemen are welcome!

Our FSW Forum has more details:
http://www.fundamentalsoffreedom.com/fswforum/index.php

[Steelcore]

You really should review the Saiga line of shotguns.They leave the Remingtons and the Mossbergs in the dust.I have the first version.its a great book for someone who is just getting into guns and a great reference for the rest of us.

[Sungun09]

This is a great book for any novice. Maybe not totally accurate for you specialists but I learned alot .

[El Tejon]

Gun Bible (2002)=Survial Guns (1980).

Hey, whatever gets you hooked I say.:D

[NineseveN]

www.swamprat.com :D

My preference to Mad Dog Knives, but to each their own.

[Sam Adams]

I agree with El Tejon that BGB is the "Survival Guns" of this decade. I didn't agree with everything in the book, but I know that the conclusions were arrived at based on the author's honest opinion, with lots of facts and experience thrown in. It is a great guide for anyone but the greatest of firearms experts, since they already know what they need to know.

I'm curious as to what new guns are reviewed in the new edition. Personally, I'd like to see Royce's opinion regarding 5.56 mm vs. 6.5 Grendel vs. 6.8 SPC vs. 7.62x51.

By the way, I am damned sorry to have either lost, sold or given away my copy of Survival Guns (its been so long that I don't remember what happened to it). The things are worth over $100 each, having been pretty rare articles to begin with.

[depicts]

I didn't get to see the edited version of the comments posted here, but I do find this conversation about guns and gun stuff and gun rights to be interesting enough that I ordered a copy of the Boston Gun Bible today from Amazon.

I might have ordered it a while back, but to me, the Boston T. Party reminds me of the old club behind Fenway park, where in my Hippie days I rocked to the music and said "Peace Man!". I couldn't relate that T.Party to this one, or the original I'm afraid.

Anyway, for abnout $21 including shipping, it will be here in two or three days, and if nothing else, it will help balance the shelf that holds my Blue Book of Gun Values. Gosh, I can't get out of Wendy's for less than $21 anymore. Now I'll have a book for reference, and night reading, and who knows, I might even learn something. Wishid I could have bought Molon Abbe and Privacy and protection too, but my card is near the max. Maybe next time.

[Boston T. Party]

depicts, thanks for your recent order.

The cheapest online credit source for BGB, ML, and Y&P is:
www.fredsm14stocks.com
__________________________

Regarding the 6.5 Grendel vs. 6.8 SPC, etc. I will test those
cartridges when ammo prices drop considerably. Right now,
very few guys could afford to train with 5,000rds of it, as
they can with 5.56 or 7.62.

While these new cartridges are very exciting to me (having
opined for such back in 1998 in Boston on Guns & Courage),
remember that my enthusiasm for them was intertwined with
the dev. of an all new service rifle using them.

Since civilian Riflemen have the option of upgrading from
5.56 to 7.62x51 (and the military does not), we won't see
much advantage in choosing the 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC
over the 7.62x51--especially in an gas tube AR platform.

An AR-180esque carbine designed for the 6.5/6.8 could be
a huge improvement over existing rifles.

Boston

[jagdpanzer347]

Hey Boston, glad to see you on THR. Really enjoyed reading BGB and pick it up occasionally to re-read certain segments. I also enjoy your buddy Fred's columns in Shotgun News. Maybe some day the "sheeple" will wake up, but I am not overly optimistic. I suppose all we can do is try to enlighten them one at a time.
-jagdpanzer

[GW]

Say, Boston! Will you be autographing copies of the new BGB when it comes out? Need 1 to pair off my autographed Molon Labe.
Its great to see you on this board. Whats your take on all the AR type lowers coming into Kalifornia?

[The Freeholder]

Read the book (2005 edition), enjoyed it and most importantly, I learned some things. Thanks, Boston.

[Boston T. Party]

Bigchoad, the 2005 printing (i.e., 3rd) is the latest edition,
and I won't be revising it this year. Maaaaybe next year,
though I'll likely be busy with other books.

www.javelinpress.com has generically signed copies for
cash customers. Unless we ever meet, I can't sign your own
copy, because I do not live near my shipping depot and don't
handle order fulfillment--sorry.

jagdpanzer, no significant portion of the sheeple have ever
woken up, in any country. They are a sociological constant,
though sometimes their %s dip slightly during times of crisis
and resulting education/action. Meanwhile, we do what we can...

Freeholder, glad you liked it!

Good shooting!
Boston

[Chui]

Awesome book. Few details were incorrect, but nothing that would cause anyone any harm. I like the comparisons of the rifles. I agree with the rifle comparison and I cannot disagree strongly with the Glock, though I prefer 9mm and .45 ACP over either .40S&W or 10 mm. Ultimately, they'll all work if placed properly - but that's nothing new and we all knew that.

Another shameless plug for Boston/Kenneth:

The best book he's written is his treatise on the Constitution EDIT: The Hologram of Liberty. It's a MUST STUDY- not read - for EVERY American.

http://www.javelinpress.com/hologram_of_liberty.html

Please feel free to pipe in, Boston. AWESOME book. Very unsettling at times. Always engrossing and definitely enlightening. It's worth it's weight in gold - and have you watched the price sky-rocket recently?

Keep up the good work!