Looking for book suggestions

[high country]

I would like to find a book, or books, that discuss the lives and business ventures of the early american firearms inventors/entrepreneurs (i.e. Browning, Winchester, Smith, Wesson, Henry, Marlin, Colt... the list goes on I am sure). In my opinion, this is a very important piece of American History, and I would very much like to spend the time necessary to become well versed in the development of the industry.

Any suggestions of books that you have read and can reccomend would be highly appreciated!

 

[Ky Larry]

I did a Google search on "American Firearms Inventors" and got 976,000 hits. That should keep you busy for a while.

 

[high country]

Yes, I have google. I also looked around on Amazon and found a few books that looked interesting, but mostly coffee table books or biographies of particular individuals. I am more interested in existing work on the development of the industry.

Given the extensive knowledge that I have seen on this site of historic firearms, I thought perhaps there were some books that members had read and had found particularly enlightening on the subject that they would be willing to recommend (noticed that I misspelled recommend in my original post - oops). I would appreciate those peoples' willingness to pass on the names of those resources!

 

[max popenker]

John M. Browning: American Gunmaker: http://www.amazon.com/John-M-Browning-American-Gunmaker/dp/B000K83G76

 

[Old Fuff]

How about Sam Colt? Obviously his invention of a practical, affordable multi-shot handgun had a substantial impact on mid-to-late 19th century U.S. history.

See if you can find a copy of: Armsmear - The Samul Colt Biography. It was commisioned by his wife, Elizabeth Hart Colt following her husband's death and published in 1866. The cost of originals is out of sight, but later reprints are more available. It's important (and interesting) because it contains excerpts from a lot of his personal as well as company letters.

Buy a (paperback) copy of Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms, and use his extensive bibliography material as a guide.

Frankly, a lot of books are out there. You need to limit your focus to a few inventors/companies, and then expand outward from your base.

 

[303tom]

Have you ever read HATCHER`S NOTEBOOK ?

 

[Sam1911]

Here's on on Hiram Maxim & his gun: http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Paintbrush-Sir-Hiram-Maxims/dp/0889350566

John Ellis has written a number of books worth reading. This one (http://www.amazon.com/Social-History-Machine-Gun/dp/0801833582) provides a fascinating look at some of the great firearms designers of the early 20th century, what they did, who they did it for, why, what happened next, etc.

 

[Pat M]

John M. Browning: American Gunmaker: http://www.amazon.com/John-M-Browning-American-Gunmaker/dp/B000K83G76

Before you spend $84 on a first edition, same book, second edition is a lot cheaper here:

http://www.amazon.com/Browning-John-M-Book/dp/B0013RB8HS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1

(It's on my end table right now, about to start reading)

 

[J-Bar]

"The Muzzlelaoding Cap Lock Rifle" by Ned H. Roberts (think .257 Roberts) includes biographies of several gunsmith/inventors from the early 1800's to the early 1900's.

"The Gun and Its Development" by W. W. Greener traces history from matchlock days to the military arms of the late 1800's.

 

[Sam1911]

Another absolutely fabulous (ha! Almost said 'riveting'! ) book about a gun and maker is C.J. Civers' The Gun. Which probably gives the most accurate portrayal of Mikhail Kalashnikov's role in developing the rifle that bears his name.

One of the biggest problems in really learning about the lives and work of some of the great Soviet arms designers (the Simonovs, Tokarev, Degtyaryov, Dragunov, Fydorov, Makarov, Shpagin, Nikonov, and so forth) is that they all worked for the Soviet government and the Soviet government had a clear policy of writing inspirational histories of any Soviet of note -- and sanitizing/erasing/obliterating information that contradicted the bit of legend they created for their workers' heroes. So important parts of the real story of the lives these men led and the roles they played in designing the guns that bear their names and completely gone.