BP Shooter's Library Redux 2

[J.T. Gerrity]

Once again, the subject of good books on black powder shooting has come up, so I thought I'd re post this list. I would, again, like to submit it as a stickie, though the suggestion has been made before with no result; I would guess that, even though the subject arises time and again in the forum, not enough replies accompany the list each posting for it to be considered important enough to be added. If you think this list adds to the black powder experience, then add your vote and let's see if we can get it added to the Black Powder Essentials. After all, it has been endorsed by Mykeal, and (in my opinion) you can't get much better than that.



The following is a list of books that could be considered essential for every black powder shooter to own. The suggestions range from practical use to historical record, with the gamut of use scattered in between. I would recommend that, if you're interested in one of the books, you should highlight the title and paste it into the search engine of your choice; most are available for purchase through Amazon and other book sellers. As usual, any additions or suggestions are welcome.


1. "The Complete Black Powder Handbook" by Sam Fadala
2. "Percussion Pistols And Revolvers: History, Performance and Practical Use" by Mike Cumpston and Johnny Bates
3. "They Called Him Wild Bill: The Life and Adventures of James Butler Hickok" by Joseph G. Rosa
4. "The Lyman Black Powder Handbook" from the Lyman Company
5. "Colt Blackpowder Reproductions & Replicas: A Collector's & Shooter's Guide" by Dennis Adler
6. "Colt Single Action: From Patersons to Peacemakers" by Dennis Adler
7. "Recreating the American Longrifle" by William Buchele and George Shumway
8. "Colt Revolvers and the Tower of London" by Joseph G. Rosa
9. "The Colt Gun book" by Lucian Cary
10. "Sam Colt's Own Record 1847" by Wolfe Pub Company
11. "Civil War Small Arms of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps" by John McAulay
12. "Civil War Firearms: Their Historical Background And Tactical Use" by Joseph G. Bilby
13. "Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle" by Ned Roberts
14. "Muzzle Loading Rifle Then and Now" by Walter M. Cline
15. "Dixie Gun Works catalog" from Turner E. Kirkland and Dixie Gun Works
16. "Triggernometry: A Gallery of Gunfighters With Technical Notes on Leather Slapping As a Fine Art, Gathered from Many a Loose Holstered Expert over the Years" by Eugene Cunningham
17. "My Life on the Plains: Or Personal Experiences With the Indians" by George Armstrong Custer
18. "Son of the Morning Star: Custer and the Little Big Horn" by Evan S. Connell
19. "Lakota Noon" by Gregory F. Michno
20. "Life In The Far West" by George Frederick Ruxton
21. "Ruxton of the Rockies" by George Frederick Ruxton
22. "Wild Life in the Rocky Mountains" by George Frederick Ruxton
23. "The Overland Stage to California" By Frank Albert Root
24. "Roughing it" by Mark Twain
25. "A History of The Colt Revolver and the Other Arms Made by Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company from 1836 to 1940" by Charles T Haven and Frank A. Belden
26. "The Whitney Firearms" by Claude Fuller
27. "An introduction to black powder revolvers" by Phil Spangenberger
28. "The Muzzleloading Hunter" by Rick Hacker
29. "Percussion Colt Revolvers - The Second Generation - Collectors Handbook & Price Guide" by Dennis Russel
30. " '51 Colt Navies" by Nathan Swayze
31. "How the Colt Navy .36 Revolver was Gunsmithed and Fired in the Field During the Civil War" by D.L.Rhea
32. "Colt's Single Action Army Revolver" by Doc O'Meara
33. "Metallic Cartridge Conversions" by Dennis Adler
34. "Percussion Revolvers, A Guide To Their History, Performance and Use" by Mike Cumpston and Johnny Bates
35. "Gunsmithing Guns of the Old West by D R Chicine"
36. "Black powder and the Old West" from SHOOT! Magazine
37. "The Confederate LeMat Revolver" by Doug Adams (a must for any LeMat owner)
38. "The Gun Digest Blackpowder Loading Manual" by Sam Fadala
39. "Colt - An American Legend" by R.L. Wilson
40. "Sixguns" by Elmer Keith

 

[mykeal]

Once again, I would endorse such an action.

 

[arcticap]

I entered "good books" into the advanced search engine specifying the black powder forum and your previous "BP Shooters Library" thread came up in the results. So whether the list becomes a sticky or not, all of the effort is not lost. It's still preserved in the archives.
And even if the list was a sticky, people still might not be able to locate it without performing an advanced search.

Search results:

http://www.thehighroad.org/search.php?searchid=6082886

 

[mykeal]

Articap has a point. I'm continually amazed at the questions that are asked in the forum which are answered in the Black Powder Essentials thread. To me, that thread is as valuable as the books on the list, yet it apparently gets little use.

 

[J.T. Gerrity]

Well, I guess the results are in; as of this morning, we've had over 60 views of this thread, with only 3 comments, 2 of which were from the same person. I guess this isn't as important as I had hoped it would be... too bad, because there is a lot of good information included in the books listed here, as well as valuable history covering the sport we all love. I'll not bring the subject up again.

 

[A. Walker]

Don't get discouraged, JT, I think it should be a sticky also, but, as Mykeal pointed out, who reads those things anyway! I've ordered a couple of books off of this list and found them to be quite helpful. This isn't just JT's list, but has been compiled from suggestions from several members, myself included. I think it's interesting to note that there was more response (off topic, no less) to someone's new foals than to this great list of Blackpowder references. Makes you wonder.

 

[ClemBert]

J.T., my guess is a lot of people with limited time would rather stick with the instruction manual of their firearm and spend their time and money on shooting instead of reading. Seems like a very good complete list of reading material though. Just sayin'

 

[CabofDoom]

Articap has a point. I'm continually amazed at the questions that are asked in the forum which are answered in the Black Powder Essentials thread. To me, that thread is as valuable as the books on the list, yet it apparently gets little use.

First place I stopped when I got to the BP forum was the Black Powder Essentials sticky. Damn fine body of work. If a sticky listing books useful to the hobby had been available I would have read that too.

I always figured Stickys were there as a "how to get the most out of a given forum...kinda like a legend/ key on a map

COD

 

[mec]

A gunwriter who has published several books in addition to magazine articles recently remarked that shooters don't read.
The context was that books by Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton should be reprinted because of all the demand. The writer said that the perception that there is a big demand is not valid and that 5,000 sales was a big number for any gun related book. Published books often go through one printing and the publishers don't renew because the market is saturated after that.

I would guess that black powder shooters are an exception to that writer's observation and are probably avid readers- particularly of historical material. Still, there aren't enough of us to kick something onto the NYT best seller list.