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

I am really interested in learning anything and everything about shotguns. My main interest is in British made firearms but it wouldn't hurt to learn about the other gun making centers of the world.

I like a good book and i am wanting to give a family member an oh so subtle hint on what i might find good reading this Christmas.

So do any of you guy have particularly good book that is really high quality as weather its a more general book or on a specific subject, whats the best book you have read on guns that you found really informative, useful and enjoyable.

best wishes,

James.

Nigel Brown's London Gunmakers, and two volumes of British Gunmakers are really good. All of Donald Dallas' books on specific makers are first rate. Many others, of course.

The volumes of British gun makers, i have used these books at the workshop to identify unknown makers and decipher worn engraved names. Other than the lists of makers and their address's what other information do these books contain?

most michael mcintosh authored books are well written, entertaining and informative.

same for books by ed muderlak.

You may want to look at Dallas' 'The British Sporting Gun and Rifle' as a very good overview. It might help decide on the next book to buy or pass up depending on what seems interesting to you.

You mention you have used the British Gunmakers volumes, but am I misunderstanding that you are asking what is in these volumes ?

Bodio's "Good Guns Again".

The two volume set - The Modern Sportsman's Gun and Rifle by J.H.
Walsh (aka Stonehenge).

James, as a quick, easily read guide/primer on better guns made in Europe, North America as well as GB, try Michael McIntosh's 'Best Guns'.

You could then move on to Christopher Austen's 'Modern Sporting Guns' for the British market. That could be closely followed by David Baker's 'Heyday of the Shotgun'.

Next up I would suggest both of Diggory Hadoke's books 'Vintage Guns for the Modern Shot' and 'The British Boxlock Gun & Rifle'.

Once you have absorbed that lot you will have probably started to become interested in certain makers, type of guns, aspects of the market and so forth and can build up a more specialised library. Anything by Gough Thomas, Gerald Burrard and GT Teesdale-Buckell will enhance your technical and historical knowledge.

As has already been pointed out, at some stage you will wish to have the three volume Crudgington & Baker masterpiece on 'The British Shotgun', as well as the admirable three volume Brown works on 'British Gunmakers', though they are better as reference books, I find.

Donald Dallas and Don Masters have published some excellent single maker books, some of which you may wish to obtain once you know which makers you are into.

Tim

Geoffrey Boothroyd's �Directory of British Gun Makers� if you can get your hands on one is extremely useful if your interests are in guns and makers on the Brit side of the pond.