doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Good books on double guns?

The gun room for whom i have done work for has all the volumes, and i have used them to locate names and addresses for specific makers when i have been looking for things in my own collection. But i have only looked through the index to find a specific maker, and the book seems to be just pages of names and address's.

I would be more interested to read about how the industry developed over time, how mechanisms were perfected and who was responsible, in more of a narrative informative fashion. As apposed to a reference book with names dates and addresses.

Thank you for all the suggestions guys i will search for them and see which will be the most interesting to me. Just didn't to go in blind and end up asking for something that might be too simplistic.

Thanks again and all the best!

I'm not sure who compiled this, possibly Michael Petrov --

A Doublegun Bibliography


A:
Adams & Braden Lock Stock and Barrel
AKEHURST, Richard, Sporting Guns London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1970,
Akehurst, Richard Game Guns and Rifles: Percussion to Hammerless Ejector in Britain London: Sportsman's Press, 1992
Anon: Notes on the Proof of Shotguns and Other Small Arms 1976 Pamphlet.
Arthur, Robert.....The Shotgun Stock. A.S. Barnes & Co., 1971
Askins, Charles Shooting Facts 1927
ASKINS, CHARLES AMERICAN SHOTGUN New York OUTING PUB. 1910
ASKINS Capt Charles Modern Shotgun and Loads Together with A Treatise on Wing Shooting 1929,
Askins, Charles. Shotgun-ology, A Handbook of Useful Shotgun Information U.S. Cartridge Co. (1926). SOFTBOUND,
Askins, Charles; THE SHOTGUNNER'S BOOK New York, Bonanza Books, 1958 First
Austyn, Modren Sporting Guns

B:
Back, D.H.L. GREAT IRISH GUNMAKERS: MESSRS RIGBY 1760-1869 1992
Back, D.H.L. GREAT BRITISH GUNMAKERS: THE MANTONS 1782-1878 1994
Baker, David J.: The Heyday of the Shotgun Shrewsbury: Swan Hill Press, 2000
BAKER, Ezekl. Twenty Two Years Practice and Observations With Rifle Guns. By EzekL Baker, Gun Maker. London: E Baker. [1803]
BAILEY, De Witt & NIE, Douglas A.: English Gunmakers. The Birmingham and Provincial Gun Trade in the 18th and 19th Century. London, Arms and Armour Press, 1978Beaymont, R. Purdey's Bodio, Stephen, Good Guns Again Hardcover Wilderness Adventure Press, 1994,
Blackmore, Howard L. GUNMAKERS OF LONDON 1350-1850- SUPPLEMENT 1999
Blanch H.J. & Martin Rywell English Guns and Gunmakers Harriman, TN: Pioneer Press, 1956
Bradford, Charles The Wild-Fowlers NY: Putnams, 1901
Brister, Bob.......Shotgunning; The Art and the Science, Winchester Press
BOGARDUS, ADAM H. Field, cover, and trap shooting... Edited by Charles J. Foster. NY J.B. Ford 1874.
Bodio, STEPHEN. Good Guns. A Celebration of Fine Sporting Arms. (New York): Nick Lyons Books, (1986).
Bodio, Stephen, Good Guns Again
Boothroyd (Geoffrey and Susan). THE BRITISH OVER-AND-UNDER SHOTGUN. 1996 The Sportsman's Press.
BOOTHROYD, Geoffrey THE SHOTGUN: History and Development London, A. and C. Black 1985 FIRST
BOOTHROYD GEOFFREY Shotguns and Gunsmiths. The Vintage Years. A & C Black, London.1986 1st
Boothroyd (Geoffrey and Susan). BOOTHROYD'S REVISED DIRECTORY OF BRITISH GUNMAKERS. (1994) 1997 Sand Lake
Brophy, William S L C SMITH SHOTGUNS North Hollywood, Beinfeld (1977).
Brophy, Lt. Col. William S. Plans and Specifications of the L. C. Smith Shotgun Montezuma, F Brownell & Sons, 1981
Brown, Nigel LONDON GUNMAKERS 1998
Butler, D. THE AMERICAN SHOTGUN New York Winchester Press 1973.
Burrard, Major Gerald. MODERN SHOTGUN London: Herbert Jenkins, (1931-32) Three volumes
Buxton, Edward North Buxton's Guide - Foreign Firearms Greenwich, CT: John S. Herold Inc. 1963 Soft

C:
Carey, A. Merwyn American Firearms Makers. When, Where, and What they made from the Colonial Period to the end of the Nineteenth century Thomas Y. Crowell, New York, (1953),
Carey, S. Merwyn. ENGLISH, IRISH & SCOTTISH FIREARMS MAKERS NY Crowell 1954
Conley, Frank F. The American Single Barrel Trap Gun 1989
Chipmunk Wing-Shooting T. G. Davey, Publisher London, Ont 1881
CHAPMAN, Abel & Walter J. BUCK Wild Spain Records of Sport with Rifle, Rod, and Gun, Natural History and Exploration. Gurney and Jackson, 1, Paternoster Row (Successors to Mr. van Voorst). 1893.
CHURCHILL, , Robert. GAME SHOOTING. A textbook on the successful use of the modern shot-gun. London, Michael Joseph, 1955.
Churchill, Robert CHURCHILL'S SHOTGUN BOOK Alfred A. Knopf, 1955
Cox, Wallace H. Smokeless Shotgun Powders 1928
Cradock, Chris A Manual of Clayshooting
Craford & Whatley HISTORY OF W&C SCOTT GUNMAKERS 1991
Crudington & Baker BRITISH SHOTGUN VOLUME 1 1990 1850-70.
Crudgington, I. M. & Baker, D. J. The British Shotgun, Vol 2, 1871-1890 Southampton: Ashford, 1989
Curtis, Paul A. Guns and Gunning New York Outdoor Life [1941].
Curtis, Paul A., Jr. Sporting Firearms of Today in Use New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1922

D:
Dallas (Donald). BOSS & CO: BUILDERS OF BEST GUNS ONLY. 1995 1st edn. Quiller Press
Daehnhardt, Rainer & W. Keith Neal (translators). Espingarda Perfeyta Or The Perfect Gun. Sotheby Parke Bernet, London. 1974. Facsimile edition. First published in 1718

E:
Elliott, Robert W.; Cobb, Jim, Lefever : Guns of Lasting Fame
Elliott, Robert W. UNCLE DAN LEFEVER, MASTER GUNMAKER: GUNS OF LASTING FAME.
East Sussex, (Bonnett.F.) The Shotgun and Its Use. 1914

F:
Fleming, British Sporting Rifle Cartridges
Fox, George Catalogue of Fox's Patent Breech-Loading Shot Gun, Manufactured by the American Arms Co., Boston, Mass. J.A. Cummings Boston 1876

G:
Gardner, Robert Edward ARMS FABRICATORS, ANCIENT & MODERN. A Compilation of the Names & Dates of Gunsmiths, Bladesmiths, Armourers, Boweyrs and Cannoniers. Ohio. R.G. Adams & Co. 1936.
Gardner, Robert E. AMERICAN ARMS AND ARMS MAKERS Columbus 1938.
Thomas, Gouth: Shotguns & Cartridges. London. Adam & Charles Black, 1970
Garwood, G.T. Gough Thomas's Gun Book, Shotgun lore for the sportsman Winchester Press New York 1970
Garwood, G.T. Gough Thomas's Second Gun Book London: A & C Black, 1975
George,J.N. English Guns and Rifles the Development, Design and use of English Sporting Rifles and Shotguns. Plantersville,S.C. Small-Arms Technical Pub. 1947.
Goddard, Lt. Col. Calvin Proof Test and Proof Marks Washington 1933
Gooding, S.J. THE CANADIAN GUNSMITHS 1608-1900 West Hill, ON: Museum Restoration Service, 1962
GLOAN' (Logan, Thomas A.). BREECH-LOADERS. Geo. E. Woodward, NY: 1873.
Greener, William Gunnery in 1858: Being a Treatise on Rifles, Cannon, and Sporting Arms ... London Smith, Elder 1858.
Greener W. W.: The Breech- loader Cassell & Co. 1892
Greener, W.W. Sharpshooting for Sport and War New York: Truslow, Hanson &
Grozik, Richard S. Game Gun
Comba, 1900
Greener, William THE SCIENCE OF GUNNERY AS APPLIED TO THE USE AND CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE ARMS London: Longman & Co., 1841.
Greener, W.W. Modern Shot-Guns London: Cassell & Company,
GREENER, W.W.: The Gun and its Development.
Greener, W. MODERN BREECH-LOADERS: SPORTING AND MILITARY London Cassell, Petter & Galpin 1872.
Greener, Graham The Greener Story ,2000
Greener, (W.W.).: The Breech-Loader, and How to Use it. With notes on rifles. Cassell and Co. 4th. ed. 1894
Gunther, Mullens, Parker, Price THE PARKER STORY Vol 1 & II
Gyngell, Dudley S Hawtrey. Armourers Marks Being a Compilation of Known Marks of Armourers Swordsmiths and Gunsmiths. Thorsons Publishers LTD,1959. 1st ed.

H:
Harris, Clive The History of the Birmingham Gun-barrel Proof House 1946
HARTNIK, A. E. ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF SHOTGUNS & OTHER GAME GUNS THE NETHERLANDS REBO PRODUCTIONS 1998.
Hill, Gene.......A Shotgunner's Notebook
Hinman, Bob THE GOLDEN AGE OF SHOTGUNNING New York: Winchester Press, 1971
HASTINGS, Macdonald. The Other Mr. Churchill; A Lifetime of Shooting and Murder. 1965
Hastings,Macdonald ENGLISH SPORTING GUNS AND ACCESSORIES London Ward Lock & Company 1969
HASTINGS, Macdonald THE SHOTGUN Newton Abbot, David and Charles 1983
Hoffman, Harold SHOTGUN BARREL BOOK 1992
Herter, George Leonard; Herter, Jacques P How to Reload Shotgun Rifle & Pistol Shells Waseca MN: Herter's Inc, 1966
Hearn, Arthur, Shooting and Gun-Fitting. London, Herbert Jenkins.C1941
Houchins, John L.C. SMITH THE LEGEND LIVES Jostens 2006
Hughes, Steven, Fine Gunmaking: Double Shotguns

I:

J:
Johnson, Derek VICTORIAN SHOOTING DAYS: East Anglia 1810-1910 London: The Boydell Press, 1981 Cloth
Johnson, Peter H. PARKER: AMERICA'S FINEST SHOTGUN New York: Bonanza Books ,1960
JOHNSON, CURTIS GUNMAKERS OF ILLINOIS 1683-1900 VOL.1 GEORGE SHUMWAY PUBLISHER, FIRST EDITION 1997

K:
Kauffman, Henry J. EARLY AMERICAN GUNSMITHS,1650-1850.Illustrated and documented Stackpole/Telegraph Press 1952.
Keith, Elmer Shot Guns Harrisburg, Pa Stackpole 1950
KEPHART, Horace. SPORTING FIREARMS. NY: Outing Publishing Co., 1912
King, Peter The Shooting Field 150 Years with Holland & Holland London: Quiller Press, 1985
Knight, Richard Alden Mastering the Shotgun NY: Dutton, 1967


L:
Lancaster, Charles AN ILLUSTRATED TREATISE ON THE ART OF SHOOTING London: Charles Lancaster & Co. Ltd. 1924
Leffingwell, William Bruce SHOOTING ON UPLAND, MARSH AND STREAM Rand, McNally & Co. 1890,
Leffingwell, William Bruce WILD FOWL SHOOTING Rand, McNally & Company 1889
Lewis M.THE GUNSMITHS OF MANHATTAN 1625-1900 Museum Restoration 1991
Lippard, Karl C. PERAZZI SHOTGUNS 1996
Lippard, Karl, Fabbri Shotguns,

M:
Mills & Barnes, Amateur Gunsmithing, British Shotguns
McIntosh, Michael BEST GUNS Traverse City, MI Countrysport Press 1999.
McIntosh, Michael THE BIG-BORE RIFLE Countrysport 1990
McIntosh, Michael A.H. Fox "The Finest Gun in the World" Countrysport
McIntosh, Michael Shotgun Technicana
McIntosh, Michael SHOTGUNS AND SHOOTING Countrysport 1995
McIntosh, Michael THE GUN REVIEW BOOK Down East Books 1997
McIntosh, Michael THE BEST GUNS EVER MADE in AMERICA Scribners 1981
Money, Capt. Albert W. "Blue Rock" PIGEON SHOOTING 1896
Money, Capt. Albert W. and others GUNS, AMMUNITION & TACKLE, The Macmillan Company 1904
Muderlak, Ed. Parker Guns The "Old Reliable"
Munson, H. Lee MORTIMER GUNMAKERS 1753-1923 1992

N:
Neal, W. Keith & Back, D.H.L. The Manton Supplement New York: 1966 Walker & Co.
Neal, W. Keith SPANISH GUNS AND PISTOLS London: G. Bell and Sons, 1955 102pp
Neal, W. Keith & Back, D.H.L. Forsyth & Company: Patent Gunmakers London: 1969 G. Bell & Sons
Neal, W. Keith, and Back, D. H. L. Mantons: Gunmakers, THE New York: Walker and Co. 1966
Neal, W Keith and Back, D.H.L. Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790.The History of John Twigg and the Packington Guns Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications, London 1975
Neal & Back GREAT BRITISH GUNMAKERS 1540-1740
Neal W Keith and Back D H L British Gun Makers Their Trade Cards-Cases and Equipment 1760-1860 The Compton Press 1980
Nichols, J.C.M. Shooting Ways and Shooting London, 1945
Nobili, Marco E. Fucili D'autore (Best Guns)
Nobili, Marco E. Modern Engraving real book
Nobili, Marco E. Lebeau Courally
North, Anthony and Hogg, Ian V. The Book of Guns and Gunsmiths London New Burlington Books 1977.

O:
O'Connor, Jack Shotgun Book Alfred A. Knopf 1965

P:
Purdey, T D S THE SHOTGUN. Adam & Charles Black. London. (l969).
PURPLE HEATHER Something About Guns and Shooting Alexander & Shepheard, London, 1891.
PURPLE HEATHER Loads for Modern Game Guns, London 1893
Q:

R:
Robinson, Capt. Beverley W. With Shotgun and Rifle in North American Game Fields D. Appleton and Co. New York, 1925

S:
Schwing, Ned. The Browning Superposed
Schwing, Ned WINCHESTER�S FINEST THE MODEL 21
SHARP, HENRY Modern sporting gunnery. A manual of practical information for shooters of to-day. London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. 1906.
SHARP (Henry): PRACTICAL WILDFOWLING. London, L. Upcott Gill, [n.d.] 1895
SHARP (Henry): THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT. London: Chapman & Hall 1904.
Sellers, Frank AMERICAN GUNSMITHS 1983
SOLOMON, R.C THE CONVICTED GUNSMITHS OF NEW SOUTH WALES A Definitive History 1788 - 1850 Sydney: Self-publ. 1990.
SHANNON,, Robert B. COLONIAL AUSTRALIAN GUNSMITHS. With a list of Convicts associated with the Gunmaking Trade transported to New South Wales, 1813 - 1842, and a list of Proprietary Firearms advertised by Australian Dealers, 1890 - 1914.
Shelton Lawrence P. CALIFORNIA GUNSMITHS, 1846-1900. Far West Publishers, 1977.
STANBURY,PERCY & CARLISLE,G.L.: SHOTGUN MARKSMANSHIP LONDON: HERBERT JENKINS 1962
Stadt, Ronald W. Winchester Shotguns & Shotshells Armory Pr. (1984)
Starr, V. M. The Muzzle Loading Shotgun - Its Care And Use
Stockel, Johan F. A Consideration of Gunmakers Danish 2 Vol, 1938 * New edition 1997 German
Stonehenge The Shot-Gun and Sporting Rifle: and the Dogs, Ponies, Ferrets, &c used with them in the various kinds of shooting and trapping London: Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1859
STANBURY, PERCY & CARLISLE, G.L. Shotgun Marksmanship Barrie & Jenkins Fine, Fine DJ.1971
STEVENSON, JAN: Modern Sporting Guns - Salamander Books, 1988.
Semmer, Charles G., Remington Double Shotguns
Snyder, W., The Ithaca Gun Company - from the Beginning 2nd Ed.

T:
Taylor, African Rifle and Cartridges
Taylor, Leslie B. A BRIEF HISTORY OF WESTLEY RICHARDS FIRM 1812-1913 Shakespeare Head Press, Stratford-upon-Avon, England,1913,
Tate, Douglas BIRMINGHAM GUNMAKERS 1997 This
Teasedale-Buckell, G.T. .........Experts On Guns & Shooting, Ashford Press
Publishing 1986 (reprint)
TURNER, G.D. (ed): The British Association For Shooting & Conservation - Handbook Of Shooting - The Sporting Shotgun. London: Pelham Books, 1983. PB.
Truesdell, Rifle and It's Development for Big Game Hunting

U.

V:
Van Rensselaer, Stephen. AMERICAN FIREARMS. An Histology of American Gunsmiths, Arms Manufactures & Patentees with Detailed Descriptions of Their Arms. Watkins Glen, NY: Century House, (1947).
Vorisek, J.T. SHOTGUN MODEL IDENTIFICATION GUIDE 1986

W:
Walsh, John Henry Notes on the Proof of Guns 1888
Walsingham and Gallwey Shooting: Field and Covert; Moor and Marsh London Longman's Green 1886. Two volumes.
Walker, Ralph T. Shotgun Gunsmithing , Gun Digest Book Of DBI - 1983
WESTERN AMMUNITION FOR RIFLE, REVOLVER AND SHOTGUN Western Cartridge Co East Alton, IL 1929
Wieland, Terry SPANISH BEST Countrysport 1994
Wilson, The Shotshell in the U.S.
Wingate, William SHOTGUN St. Martin's Press 1980; FIRST
Winchester Ammunition Guide: Shot Shells and Metallic Cartridges for Every Kind of Shooting with Shotguns, Rifles, Revolvers and Pistols New Haven: Winchester Repeating Arms Co. 1941 Paperback.
Wright, Shooting the British Double Rifle
Wirnsberger, Gerhard The Standard Directory of Proof Marks (with WWII German Ordnance Codes) Blacksmith Corp: no date, ca. 1985

Y:
Yardley (Michael). Positive Shooting
Yardley (Michael). GUNFITTING: THE QUEST FOR PERFECTION. 1993

Z:
Zutz, Don. Shotgun Stuff Auburn, Ca: Shotgun Sports Inc. 1991
Zutz, Don. THE DOUBLE SHOTGUN. New York, Winchester Press, 1978.

Burrard, The Modern Shotgun

To the technical point, consider "Gun Craft" by Vic Venters. For pure dee 'ole eye candy, get a copy of "The Best of British - A celebration of British Gunmaking" by David Grant and Vic Venters.

DDA

I'm afraid we've been no help at all. While not knowing specifically where you're at in your double gun experience, whether you were more in need of an instructive book on the double gun and its maintenance, perhaps including the shooting of these guns, or more an enjoyable read about a certain facet of the history of these guns we've fired a barrage of book titles filled with all things double gun, from soup to nuts.

Then to confuse matters, you later give a vague indication of working intimately with British double guns in your daily employment.

Perhaps you could help us help you by indicating which aspect of double guns you would enjoy reading most, whether a history of a specific make of gun, or perhaps a primer on the shooting of double guns or something on an altogether different double gun path. I think you get my drift on this. While not wanting to "go in blind and end up asking for something that might be too simplistic" you've gotten a ton of suggestions which you say you "will search for them and see which will be the most interesting", which if you DO you will surely end up blind.

Again, just a hint of what you'd like to read will get you a collection of titles that will both serve that purpose andn be easily tracked down.

Could I recommend another book which I found to be extremely helpful in the Brit gun how and why sort of thing while giving a very good overview is �Game Guns and Rifles� by Richard Akehurst it is an early book and the illustration photographs are unfortunately in black and white but even so an interesting book.

It sounds like the Crudgington and Baker volumes would be what you are looking for. Wonderful history of the gun development.

I was going to introduce how and where my interest in double guns comes from but got a bit carried away. The lists givven certainly help, essentially what i wanted to avoid was anything that approaches the subject too simplistically so i think going with the respected authors and reading samples and reviews online i will be able to work out whats the most interesting. What i didn't want was to read the blurb to find i had bought a book explaining the difference between a sidelock and a boxlock.

In any case for my own amusement and your boredom i will explain where my interests in double guns comes from. ( okay so this basically turned into a biography, so i added some pictures )

I am from a non shooting family, therefore i never had "dads gun" or "grandads gun" as a historical curiosity and my first gun was a winchester supergrade 101 which i got when i was 15. Rough shooting, ferreting and driven game is generally my sport.

Around the same age i shaped my first lump of walnut into a air rifle stock and learn a little about tuning airguns, and ended up making some stocks to sell.


( one of the stocks i made to sell )

They were fit for purpose but aside from oil finishing my Winchester, i wouldn't have dreamed of opening up a shotgun to see how it works or to repair it. Which was unusual as i was one of those children who aged five would have received a gift on Christmas day, and have broken it by boxing day due to opening it up to see how it works.


( My first gun which i still have which i refinished )

I have always been a history nerd, i say nerd as its a blinkered imaginative version of history, while i love to read accounts and i love accurate detail, i am not the type to learn dates and events in an academic sense.

This lead to the purchase of my second gun which was a horrid muzzle loading repro hawken smooth rifle it was unreliable as hell and i had to fettle the lock and swap out the nipple to get it where it would work reliably for me.


(that Hawken .54 smooth rifle )

What was important about this is that the guy who sold me the hawken had seen some of the air rifle stocks i had made, and showed be this beautiful box lock non ejector, which sadly had a broken stock. The kind gent offered it to me for free provided i promised him i would try and restock it.



At this time i had already fostered an interest in double guns but they were out of the depth of my pocket at the time. As an aspirational interest i read widely to find out more about different guns and along the way learned bits and bobs and met collectors and learned mostly through speaking to collectors, taking the guns i had available to me apart to see how they worked, so i already had a good idea of what was a nice gun and what was junk and restoration methods.

Anyway so i was thrown in at the deep end and had to restock this boxlock non ejector which took me the best part of a month of work with tools limited to a 6mm chisel and a pointy tool i made by grinding a screwdriver (Yes i used other things but as far as inletting goes that way my lot ).


(restocking that boxlock non ejector)

As you might not expect i genuinely spent a ton of time on it and worked very patiently, and did a good job and really loved the process. After shooting it for three seasons its as good as it was when i made it and it just continually brings me joy and has become like an extension of my body.


(too fat two seasons ago )

I learned to love double guns and sold my repro muzzle loader to buy an original double percussion gun which i restocked - the original having been cracked and repaired extensively. As a collector the thought of restocking due to and ugly but sound repair now horrifies me but it was just how i thought at the time.


(while there was nothing wrong with the stock i did here it was just wrong for the time period of the gun in pretty much every respect. As i became more collector - ish i realized i had committed a horrible crime here -not legally i mean i just should have been true to the history of the gun- so i threw this stock away and intend to restock it properly and in keeping with how it should have been done)

I began collecting, being severely limited by crossing what i wanted with what i could afford which lead to a couple other restocking projects


(backing the action on to the head of the stock. Not quite there yet. This is a back action sidelock gun and is the gun i was taught to relay ribs on )

At one point i ended up with a gun needing the ribs relaying and had to take it to my gun smiths, after being quoted twice the value of the gun for the work i talked him to a very reasonable price which involved me doing most of the work and him just doing the soldering.


(Being able to re lay ribs comes in really useful )

I left it with him over the weekend and he rang me back on the monday and we came to a deal where i would make and chequer a forend from scratch for him and he would help me out with the barrels and it would benefit everyone.


(that forend, pretty good contact? )

Which then introduced me to a world of gunsmiths and gunsmiths repairs. The work i carry out at the moment is all wood work, repairs and alterations, but in my own collecting and restoring i am constantly learning more and more mechanical stuff and metal working which is obviously great.

As a collector i want the stuff that i collect perfect, as a poor guy i am stuck with the obscure lower grade guns usually in poor condition, as a smith i know to restore these lower grade guns, and it all works out happily.


(before the picture below shows the gun after some restoration - an ebony ramrod was made later.)


( I got lucky with this gun, pretty, well made and fast handling by Calderwood of Dublin )

Generally as a history nerd and some what of a collector i am more interested in Hammer guns, pinfires, percussion guns all made as part of the british gun trade. Would really like to have a double flinter but they are just so expensive so at the moment i just have the idea of collecting up some parts to make one as a kind of test of skill and just for the enjoyment of it.

Anyway its a lot of writing there. I am a reader and i love shooting, but most of all i love smiting particularly the wood working aspect of it. I am very practically minded and can do anything when i put my mind to it ( pretty much ). I could read anything on guns and find it interesting.


( loss under a lock plate, mistakes happen and i managed to lose the orientation of the grain while i was making a repair as can be seen in the next image )


(it was so nearly a good repair. Luckily once it was darkened to match the rest of the wood you could not tell.)

Believe me the lists have been helpfull from my searching on your suggestions; gun craft by vic venters looks like it could be of interest and also Richard Game Guns and Rifles: Percussion to Hammerless Ejector in Britain London certainly looks to be interesting. So i think I'll go with those two to start with.

I'm looking to back up what i know from learning from the old boys and from my collecting and other reading and so on with that which is written academically. My collecting has not lead me to one specific maker, at the moment i just collect different mechanisms, bites, bolts, locks, which leaves me a good open field for my collecting on such a limited budget, kind of anything goes.

I think for future reading Michael McIntosh's 'Best Guns', as someone mentioned it also covers European and American guns of which i know very little about and its always good to broaden knowledge but i don't think I'll go for that one at this time.

Hopefully the pictures broke up the monotony of this post.