http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35796-2
iUniverse Book store
Book published this month and currently listed at the above address. In four to six weeks, it should be available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Some of the content will be familiar to members of this board as will some of the black and white pictures.
It is a non-industry-driven incapsulation of the era of percussion handguns attempting to put the arms in the proper historical context, provide useful information about shooting them and keeping them in working order. We've listed loads and tried to include enough data so that the reader can come to his own conclusions about how the original pistols and revolvers might have performed.
The pictures basic black and white and work pretty well but some of them came out a little smaller than I had anticipated. This is not a problem with the pictures that serve as diagrams but notations on a few of them may require bright sunlight magnification or a young set of eyes. I mention this because it may be a major cause of irritation to some potential buyers who should avoid buying the book.
Available in Paperback, Hardcover (expensive) and e-book (cheap)
Contents in thumbnail
iUniverse Book store
Book published this month and currently listed at the above address. In four to six weeks, it should be available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Some of the content will be familiar to members of this board as will some of the black and white pictures.
It is a non-industry-driven incapsulation of the era of percussion handguns attempting to put the arms in the proper historical context, provide useful information about shooting them and keeping them in working order. We've listed loads and tried to include enough data so that the reader can come to his own conclusions about how the original pistols and revolvers might have performed.
The pictures basic black and white and work pretty well but some of them came out a little smaller than I had anticipated. This is not a problem with the pictures that serve as diagrams but notations on a few of them may require bright sunlight magnification or a young set of eyes. I mention this because it may be a major cause of irritation to some potential buyers who should avoid buying the book.
Available in Paperback, Hardcover (expensive) and e-book (cheap)
Contents in thumbnail
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It's well known that Berdan's Sharpshooters were initiallly armed with the Colt Root Revolving rifle, but that they hated them and demanded Sharps breechloaders in their place. The Berdan Sharpshooters felt the Colt rifle was unsafe. I also have one example where one sharpshooter lost some digits because of a chainfire. 
Little wonder why they were called the Wheel of Misfortune. Still, those guns when properly used (as at Chickamauga by the 21st Ohio Infantry(?)) could be effective.