Best Books to Begin A Gun/2nd Amendment Library

[DCoats]

I already have a small library on general American History and Constitutional law. I also have a a few books on firearms in particular such as "The Handgun in Personal Defense" by R.K. Campbell, Effective Handgun Defense by Frank James, and the Gun Digest book of Combat Handgunnery by Massad Ayoob. The books by Ayoob and James were my favorites reads when I was a total newbie and didn't even know the difference between 9mm and .45.

I am looking into Boston's Gun Bible but am a bit unsure if it is a good buy after hearing mixed reviews. I need a good general guide to firearms and their place/use in American society. I want something for technical data, tactics, mindset, legal issues, history, etc. It seems well regarded on the reviews on Amazon but the few negative reviews have put a hold on it for now.

In the realm of fiction (as in survivalist/TEOTWAWKI/gun), I am looking at Enemies Foreign & Domestic. Any comments from you High Roaders?

 

[svtruth]

For 2A

I have found The Federalist Papers pertinent.
Good luck.

 

[CypherNinja]

Armed America
http://www.amazon.com/Armed-America..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1SCDC24JVDQJ6FNZSFSJ

Brassey's Small Arms (if your into design, and can find it for a sane price)
http://www.amazon.com/Brasseys-Esse...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199128062&sr=1-2

Friend recommended this:
http://www.amazon.com/Gun-Control-C...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199128168&sr=1-3

Also, an EXCELLENT DVD:
http://www.secondamendmentdocumentary.com/


Have fun!

 

[Unisaw]

Here are a few that I really like:

America Fights Back: Armed Self-defense in a Violent Age
Nation of Cowards: Essays on the Ethics of Gun Control
In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection
Handgun Combatives

 

[Cosmoline]

You should have Gun Notes, Vol. 1-2 by Elmer Keith. This includes an array of essays and technical notes he put together and I've found them extremely useful.

 

[Vermont]

Something by Jeff Cooper seems like it ought to be obligatory.

 

[DCoats]

I have the Federalist Papers. I wish our Constitution held up to what they intended a little better.

As far as something by Jeff Cooper, what book is a good one?

 

[wuluf]

my library:

Principles of Personal Defense Col. Cooper
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth Col. Cooper
Hell, I was There Elmer Keith
Sixguns Elmer Keith
No Second Place Winner Bill Jordan
Goon Friends, Good Guns, Good Whiskey Skeeter Skelton
Hoglegs, Hipshots and Jalapenos Skeeter Skelton
Armed Response David Kenik
The Tactical Pistol Gabe Suarez
Effective Handgun Defense Frank James
Defensive Shooting for Real Life Encounters Ralph Mroz
The Concealed Handgun Chris Bird
Thank God I Had a Gun Chris Bird

Heck ,more books than guns!

 

[robmkivseries70]

Hi All,
My wife and I have been perusing "Death by Gun Control". If it doesn't put 'gun control' into a historical perspective, nothing will.
Best,
Rob

 

[Jim K]

I think you will need to narrow the field a bit or spread out purchases over time as your interests evolve. There are several good books on the Second Amendment from the gun owners' perspective, but I urge you to not pass up books by the antis also. I picked up a used copy of Sherrill's The Saturday Night Special, and have gotten a lot of mileage out of it showing police officer friends that the antis really do want to disarm the police, no matter what they say. (For anti books, buy them used or remaindered so the antis don't profit!)

Then, as you develop other areas of interest (antique guns, military weapons, modern handguns, automatic weapons, etc.) you will want to buy books in those areas as well.

One important point on specialized gun books. They are not cheap. The good ones have required a lot of research and the best authors have gone to primary sources rather than spouting warmed over (and often erroneous) "information." That costs money. A writer (from outside the Washington area) can spend a month or so in the National Archives only by going to Washington, paying for food and lodging, and so forth. He will charge high for his book and he deserves it.

When I first developed an interest in guns, an old timer told me to buy a book every time I bought a gun. Not necessarily a book about that gun, but a good quality gun book, of which there were very few at the time. I have done that, and never regretted it, although many books today cost two or three times what I used to pay for good guns.

Jim

 

[Jim K]

Duplicate post.

 

[single action]

As far as fiction, I enjoyed Unintended consequences by John Ross, Patriots by J.W. Rawles, Enemies foriegn and domestic and the sequel which title escapes me now. Mathew Bracken has a third book in this series (trilogy?) soon to be released.
I really enjoyed Bostons gun bible and have read and reviewed it several times. I think it is a must have reference book, although I dont agree with everything he says. BTW, Molon labe is also good.

 

[Newguy1]

"In Search of the Warrior's Spirit" by Richard Strozzi-Heckler
"A Rifleman went to War" by H.W. McBride
Any of the books by Roy Chandler (He has many fiction and nonfiction books).
I like the view of Robert A. Heinlein on guns.

 

[chetth]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the original citation of the the second amendment, the US Constitution?

I like the small pocket version from the Cato Institute, it includes the declaration of Independence and the forward to the Bill of Rights

 

[tegemu]

"Boston's Gun Bible," by Boston T. Party.

 

[davera]

Armed America

A good one covering gun ownership and laws during the colonial/revolutionary/early republic eras.

http://www.amazon.com/Armed-America-Remarkable-Became-American/dp/B000WPKVMU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199205162&sr=8-2

 

[Legionnaire]

That Every Man be Armed by Stephen P. Halbrook. A "must have" for a 2A library.

 

[siglite]

Another vote for Armed America and Unintended Consequences

 

[Kentucky]

I have read EFAD, The Reconquista, Molon Labe, and Patriots. All are great books but to me Unintended Consequences leads the pack for fiction, especially from a historical viewpoint.

For non-fiction, Boston's Gun Bible is great. the bad reviews are likely from hobbyist's who believe the 2'nd Amendment is about target shooting or hunting birds. If you even own a copy of the Federalist Papers I have to believe you will also love Boston's Gun Bible.

 

[3/325]

Lots of excellent titles have already been mentioned so I'll just add:

"Survival Guns" and "Tappan on Survival" both by Mel Tappan

 

[Superlite27]

I am definately going to purchase most of these.

Not all at once though. My paranoia alarm has gone off. Visions of red flags blaring on some government computer that secretly tracks my book purchases are filtering into my brain through my tinfoil hat.

(Everyone does know that Amazon.com refused a request from the gov't to monitor certain book title purchases online, right?)

 

[LKB3rd]

I agree that Boston's Gun Bible is good. I also agree that you may or may not agree with everything he says. He seems to be preparing for a mass armed conflict and is advising others how to do so. Lots of useful stuff to know for a SHTF scenario.
He gets into a lot good of nuts and bolts info about tools and tactics.

 

[Redtail]

Get also The Anti-Federalist Papers, they were the one who push for bill of rights.

I just finish reading Thank God I had a Gun, the revise version which includes the NOLA hurricane Katrina. Highly recommend this book. It doesn't only tell the story of people involve but review also the what can be learn from it and legal consequences.

 

[DCoats]

So far, the ones that peak my interest and seem solid:

Boston's Gun Bible
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth

In fiction:
Enemies Foreign and Domestic

 

[RPCVYemen]

I have noticed that almost all the posters have wanted top peddle second rate blather, instead of pointing you to the primary sources - the exception being the friend who suggested the Federalist Papers.

I'd start there, and then do my darndest to find primary sources for the arguments against the Federalist view of what the nation would be. While I don't have the time right not to pursue it, the debate over the formation of the new nation was fascinating. The story of how a group consisting mainly of a drunken mob in Boston and Virginia slaveowners playing "I'm a classic Greek" (when they weren't brutalizing another race) could come together and create a nation as wonderful as this one is truly a mesmerizing. The only problem you'll have it laughing till you puke the next time some blowhard starts talking about the "Founding Fathers" as though they were a homogeneous group that had a monolithic view of anything.

But that's assuming that you want to think for yourself - most people prefer to be told what to think by someone they agree with.

By the way, I wouldn't spend a nickel on Cooper. I checked one of his books out of the library and didn't make it past the first chapter. He was prattling on about how a rifle made the difference between a citizen and a slave. Oops! I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a police state where all adult males carried AK 47's (North Yemen, mid 80's).Turns out that in fact, an AK 47 doesn't prevent your own government from arresting and torturing you to death if you disagree with them. That kind of thing happened regularly there, even to men with full auto weapons. I'd suggest checking a book of his out of the library before you spend any money on him.

Mike