Books worth reading

[homatok]

The "gunsmith Kinks" series put out by Brownell's
Encyclopedia of Modern Firearms also by Brownell
Baker's "Modern Gunsmithing"
Dunlop's Gunsmithing
The 2 book series from the NRA on small arms by WHB Smith

 

[PapaG]

Field, Cover and Trap Shooting by A.H.Bogardus (late 1800s). The Bullet's Flight by Franklin Mann. Gun and Its Development by W.W.Greener, Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting by Ed McGivern, Hatcher's Notebook, Maj. Hatcher.
Anything by Corbett (Maneater series). Anything by Hunter (either Stephen or John H.)

 

[Red Wind]

Three worth reading by Cornelius Ryan:

The Longest Day The incredible events of D-Day,June 6,1944.
A Bridge Too Far The tragic Operation Market Garden, September,1944.
The Last Battle Berlin, April-May,1945.

And two by Walter Lord:

Day of Infamy Pearl Harbor, December 7,1941.
Incredible Victory Midway, June 4,1942.

 

[Art Eatman]

Heck, all of Gordon Dickson's works, as well as Jerry Pournelle's. Read, re-read, think. Reflect. A year or three later, rinse and repeat.

 

[PBR Streetgang]

A rifleman went to war...McBride

Fast and fancy revolver shooting.....MiGivern

 

[murf]

the art of revolver shooting, the modern pistol and how to shoot it, practical rifle shooting, all by walter winans.

modern american pistols and revolvers - a. c. gould

murf

 

[blarby]

Handloading for Hunters by Don Zutz

 

[JohnKSa]

Aagard's African Adventures
Jim Cirillo's Tales of the Stakeout Squad by Kirchner
Guns, Bullet, and Gunfights by Jim Cirillo
Practical Shooting by Enos (dry but worthwhile)
Ruark's stuff is pretty good, if a little dated.
Capstick is always entertaining.

 

[rszwieg]

Meditations on Hunting by Jose Ortega y Gassett

Shotgunning by Bob Brister

Shots at Whitetails by Larry Koller

The Emma Gees by McBride

 

[Bobson]

"Rifles for Watie" is a very enjoyable, easy read. Historical fiction based on the US Civil War.

Also, not specifically about guns, but as an author who focused much of his career on humor relating to the outdoors (hunting, fishing, camping, etc), Patrick F. McManus is a downright superb storyteller. He has several collections of short stories, which follow:

1. "A Fine and Pleasant Misery"
2. "They Shoot Canoes, Don't They?"
3. "The Grasshopper Trap"
4. "Into the Twilight, Endlessly Grousing"
5. "Never Sniff a Gift Fish"

If I recall correctly, McManus still writes for Field and Stream on occasion. I know he did up until a few years ago. Generally short, humorous stories on the last page. The first section I always flipped to.

 

[Bobson]

"Rabbit Hunting: Stories and Techniques"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/14952...qid=1401261290&sr=1-14&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

I first read this when I was around 14; found it buried in the back at a local library. Some of the stories in it have stuck with me for the past 15 years.

 

[RustyShackelford]

Pat McManus....

+1 for the McManus books.
My grandparents always had a few Pat McManus books up at camp in the 1970s/1980s. He wrote funny stories & could make you smile.
How true the tales were, .....

 

[geim druth]

Lots of good answers here.

I'd like to add, pretty much anything by H. Beam Piper. 'Quartered Safe Out Here' or 'The Steel Bonnets' or the Flashman books by George MacDonald Fraser.

 

[MinnesotaFats]

Silent Warrior or Marine Sniper. They're about the late great sniper Carlos Hathcock.

 

[PT92]

Great thread as there's much to be learned as well as entertained via print (IMO so [too] much focus on multi-media for knowledge though it too has its place).

That said, if you haven't had a chance to visit the NRA National Firearms Museum then I would highly recommend the book "Treasures of The NRA National Firearms Museum" which has both brilliant illustration as well as historical documentation.

A great "cop" read would be former late, great NYPD Detective Jim Cirillo's "Tales of the Stakeout Squad" which tells the story of one of our Nation's first true tactical LE Teams. It elaborates in detail about how the squad in its infancy (early 70's) relied on revolvers and pump-shotguns and how it transitioned to semi-auto technology over time.

I could go on so I better stop here...

Great recommendations in the thread to be sure!

 

[mdauben]

Survival Guns by Mel Tappin.

Somewhat dated and leaning heavily towards TEOTWAWKI scenarios. Still I read this book as a young man and it still contains a lot of sound thinking and advice on gun choices and self reliance. It was a major influence on my thinking about guns.

 

[SleazyRider]

Not so much about guns as guns, but about hunting, fishing and most importantly of all, ethics: The two collections of essays by Robert Ruark, "The Old Man And The Boy" and "The Old Man's Boy Grows Older".

The Old Man and the Boy occupies a prominent place on my bookshelf ever since Art recommended it several years ago. It's influenced the way I "help raise" my grandchildren. So, thank you, Art.

Though I fully anticipate getting shouted down, berated, and otherwise flamed for this, I found Paul Barrett's Glock: The Rise of America's Gun positively illuminating. His perspective is refreshingly unbiased, and although I don't agree with some of his assertions, his arguments are sensible and lack an agenda.

 

[Blue Duck]

The Final Frontiersman by Heimo Korth and Alaska's Wolfman by Jim Rearden.

 

[skoro]

Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights by Jim Cirillo.

Cirillo was an NYPD officer who served on their special stakeout squad and ended up on the winning side of an incredible number of gunfights vs armed criminals. Mostly with a S&W 38spl revolver.

Very relevant and enjoyable reading.

 

[ArmedLiberal]

Hatcher's Notebook - A Standard Reference for Shooters, Gunsmiths, Ballisticians, Historians, Hunters, and Collectors. By Julian S. Hatcher

Hatcher was a US Army General who was deeply involved in Army firearms science and research from WWI to WWII. Lots of info on the 1903 Springfield, Garand, machine guns and lots more. Also lots of off the wall stuff like the Army research into falling bullets that had been fired straight up. He led investigations of arsenal disasters and explosions. Helped solve many problems in firearms development.

All aspects of internal and external ballistics. "…this extensive work is probably the most useful single volume available to riflemen."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Hatcher

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...s=julian+hatcher&rh=n:283155,k:julian+hatcher

 

[shafter]

Unrepentant Sinner by Charles Askins

American Warrior by Gary O'Neil

And of course anything by Jeff Cooper

 

[theotherwaldo]

Let's get some fiction in here.
Larry Correia writes some good shooting action books,
John Ringo's Paladin of Shadows series is strong and The Last Centurion is pretty good if you don't mind some Heinlein-style diatribes.
I'm siill a big fan of H. Beam Piper's stories, most of which you can read online.

 

[wankerjake]

Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C Gwynne is a good one. It puts into perspective the design of the Colt Walker. Improvements to Colt's design suggested by Texas Ranger Samuel Walker due to his and Jack Hays' experiences fighting Comanche.

The Colt Walker is not the main focus of the book.


http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Summer-Moon-Comanches-Powerful/dp/1416591060

 

[natman]

Not so much about guns as guns, but about hunting, fishing and most importantly of all, ethics: The two collections of essays by Robert Ruark, "The Old Man And The Boy" and "The Old Man's Boy Grows Older".

A big +1.

The Old Man and the Boy should be required reading in every hunter education class.

Some others:

Almost anything by Jeff Cooper, but I'll single out Art of the Rifle.

On Hunting Rifles and Cartridges by Finn Aagard.

Popular Sporting Rifle Cartridges by Clay Harvey. I know some people have personal issues with Harvey, but point out a better book of this type and I'll recommend it instead in the future.

 

[Mainsail]

This is a good and useful use of your reading time.