doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Rifle Books!

I have to stick close to home this weekend so thought I would start a topic about books that focus on rifles. I have over the years concentrated on books about gunsmiths and pre-war classic gunmaking.

I'll start with my favorite,

The American Rifle by Townsend Whelen 1918, This book is packed with good information as well as pictures of custom rifle by Wundhammer and Adolph.

I have two copies of this book, one a reading copy and one inscribed to A.O. Niedner by Whelen.

Don't forget Wal Winfers series on British Single Shot rifles, worth every penny. All the 'Classic' British Gunmakers are covered.

Got them all so far.


Harry

I often refer to Philip Sharpe's THE RIFLE IN AMERICA, it gives a nice concise overview of production & models. Also, a small book by Stuart Otteson, THE BOLT ACTION, drawings, dimension and specs on all the major bolt actions, good reference work.

Anyone interested at all in Mausers should have a copy of Jerry Kuhnhausen's THE MAUSER BOLT ACTIONS, M91-M98, A Shop Manual. Definitely geared towards gunsmiths but a great source of why things were done they were and what to look out for in altered actions.

I'm with Harry. I just bought #6 of Winfer's series.

I love books and guns.But they both have the same problem. If you turn the lights off at night.They multiply and you are always needing a new book case or gun cabinet. Whitey

Agreed about Winfer's books; I bought a couple when they were new and relatively inexpensive and am filling in the gaps with used copies. But even with the huge availability of "used books cheap" in the metro LA area (one of the GOOD things about living here!), they are hard to find and usually not especially cheap. But the hunt is fun....

I enjoy Campbell's two Win SS volumes and especially Roberts and Waters' "Breech-Loading Single-shot Rifle" although I have only a cheapo paperback of that. I like Frank Waters' "Pet Loads" too. And I have to admit to liking Frank de Haas' "Mr. Single Shot" books, although I suspect that they have led to the "Bubbulization" of more than one fine rifle.....(I should probably have only mentioned them under "Misfires"!).

Several years ago I acquired W. H. B. Smith's book MAUSER RIFLES and PISTOLS.
On the fly page I found this hand written note by a previous owner:

"Smith writes prolifically, if not well. His inaccuracies are more than slovenly to indicate ignorance, slovenliness, shoddiness, omnipotence; hence the writing is below intellectual and scientific comment."

Unfortunately there are several gun books that have earned this type of review. We never know until we plunk our money down and take our chances.

Now days with the internet and forums like this the word is normally out before to many bad books are sold.

Gary Bush

I agree with whitey!
I've got shelves full of good rifle books... yet there are several mentioned here that I don't have.
Best, Steve

I don't think anyone's library could be big enough so they are not missing something. Anyone have a spare copy of Geschichte der Mauser Werke

My next book is also by Whelen,
Amateur Gunsmithng By Townsend Whelen, 1924, NRA
This is one of the first good gunsmithing books that deal with early bolt action custom guns.

Along the same lines but way more complete is the two volume set
The Modern Gunsmith by James V. Howe 1934, Funk and Wagnalls
This is a must have for anyone working on older sporting rifles.

My signed copy of the Modern Gunsmith takes pride of place on my bookshelf