What makes for a good firearms manual?

[PercyShelley]

What sorts of things make for a good firearms manual? Clear language? Good illustrations? How should one be arranged?

Should the features of the gun be documented in the manual, of would the buyer be expected to know the selling points already? Aside from basic cleaning and operations, what else should be detailed? Troubleshooting?

Anyone have some examples of particularly good manuals?

 

[JohnBT]

Complete instructions for disassembly and reassembly. With pics or drawings. I know it will never happen, and that most owners don't need that much info, but that would make for a useful manual.

John

 

[foghornl]

Clear language
Good drawings/photos
Parts list with drawings
Disassembly/reassembly instructions
Less lawyer-ese
Plain instructions for use and care.

 

[cambeul41]

JohnBT is on target.

Those illustrations and directions should be tested before publication using people with little or no experience with firearms or even gadgets. Known quirks and difficulties should be addressed. Directions, illustrations and the firearm design itself should be idiot proofed.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

parts list
assembly
disassembly
maintenance
description
variations between models/generations
parts diagrams/measurements
good pictures

basically, an armorer's manual

Like sending the 2 Kuhnhausen books with each new 1911

 

[Cannonball888]

Since content has been covered I'll cover the physical aspects of a good manual:

1. wipeable pages for easy grease removal
2. spiral binding so pages stay flat
3. built-in book marker
4. edible cover in case you need to work through dinner

 

[CountGlockula]

If gun owners can read it...

Too many times at the range, folks ask..."How do I clean this?" Then I ask back, "Have you read the manual?" Replies, "Nah, don't need to".

Duh.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I value clear and accurate exploded diagrams and parts list more than almost any other section of an owners manual.
When you can't tell the difference between the recoil spring and the barrel...that's not good enough!

Step by step disassembly and reassembly instructions follow a close second.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Making it available in PDF format online for free so when I have lost the one that came with the weapon 20 years ago, the data is a click away.

 

[jeffsenpai]

color.

 

[Soybomb]

I think most casual gun owners could benefit greatly from a care and feeding section. Most don't seem to know what to clean, how to do it, what to use, and where to lubricate on reassembly.

 

[FFMedic]

A picture glossery is nice for us newbs.

FFMedic

 

[kcshooter]

Color photos, not crappy drawings, would be a big plus for most people.

What kills me is most manuals have more lawyer-installed pages than actual information.

 

[ZeSpectre]

What kills me is most manuals have more lawyer-installed pages than actual information.

Can I get an AMEN brother!!!!

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

What makes for a good firearms manual?

English



.

 

[DWARREN123]

After market. As an example the "The Complete GLOCK Reference Guide" by ptooma productions. Usually a after market manual will be larger because it carries much more detail and illustrations.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I like good exploded diagrams. Another thing that some manuals have that I like is detailed instructions about the operation of the firearm. Check out this manual from Kel-Tec starting on page 6 where it goes through everything that happens as you pull the trigger: http://www.kel-tec-cnc.com/images/downloads/p3atv2manual.pdf

 

[PercyShelley]

Oooh. Good ideas all.

Keep them coming. I'm definately not writing a firearms manual any time in the near future, so I appreciate this light-hearted, totally abstract thinking.

 

[lee n. field]

What makes for a good firearms manual?

Depends on the audience. User manual or armorer's guide?

For a user manual, it's good if the end user can find what he needs easily.

Stuff you'd find in a user manual would be

1. lawyer verbiage (hopefully small print out of the way in the back)
2. safety, the Four Rules
3. how to use it, controls, sight picture
4. field stripping and cleaning
5. periodic maintenance
6. warranty and how to contact the service department

The parts list and diagram is there so Joe End User can use mutually intelligible language when he talks to the service department, so the service tech hears "barrel bushing" instead of "the round thing at the end of the barrel".

Yes, I'm deliberately limiting what's in the user's manual.

 

[Dionysusigma]

FWIW, I'm studying to become an aircraft mechanic, so manuals are what I live by.

1) Every single part displayed and described
2) Exploded views
3) Clear, step-by-step directions
- Cleaning, including lube points with how much of what kind of lube
- Field stripping
- Disassembly of all sub-assemblies
- How to check vital stress points to determine necessity of replacement, with critical "Do Not Exceed" measurements mentioned
4) Parts list in appendix (see Point #1) for ordering of replacement bits
- Appropriately noted where serial number ranges might have discrepancies, and list the differing part as well
5) Less/ no lawyer-ese
6) A web address to an online replacement manual, forum, replacement parts store, and contact info
7) Color pictures are nice, and user-friendly
8) A page or two of history of either the gun itself, the designer, or both
9) Test target, free generic targets

If I think of more, I'll let you know.

 

[RobMoore]

Just about every gun manual I've ever looked at I skimmed once, and tossed in the back of my closet. They spend too much time on safety and the very basic operation of the gun, and never get into anything else. I hate that I have to go research internet forums to find out more about my gun than how to field strip it.

 

[jrfoxx]

I'd say the military's manuals are very good examples, based on the ones I have read for the M1 Garand and carine, M4, etc. The yhave good instructions, with illistartions, on field stripping, detail stripping, cleaning, loading, unloading, maintenance, features, operation,etc.Everything is written clearly, and so that even the most dense, or inexperianced person can follow everything with no problem.I have to give the military kudos on thier gun manuals.

Most commercial manuals that I have read are very lacking in comparasin. Usually just a short blurb on operation and field stipping, an exploded view pic, and a little on very basic gun safety.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

As Jorg said exploded parts diagrams would be great.
A basic rundown of gun safety rules and instructions on how to load/unload/disassemble/clean/store the firearm is all thats needed.

The manual for my S&W Sigma has more warnings and CAUTION! paragraphs in it than the manual for a nuclear reactor.