How many decades ago did we only have Bob Hinman's Golden Age of Shotguns ? When this book was written, that's all we had. When the douglegunshop bbs, which had another name, started, this book was used to answer many questions. Now, we never hear about it. The internet has progressed so that there are so many more learned shotgun lovers. The Niles book is the best since then, covering way more than Hinman did. Of course there are errors and left outs, and I see them in my limited specialty interests. But, the book is of great value to collectors. I would rate "something to say" ahead of great pictures, great editing , and where the book was published. I really don't care about pictures with tobacco pipes, tweeds, and maybe a few dried leaves. Also don't care about paragraphs full of little research, both of which we get in magazines nowadays, but informercials of how we can get there.
Now I feel bad. I guess I'm just the guy standing on the outside throwing rocks at the guy in the arena.
Niles' book is definitely chock full of information. So much information that it sometimes feels like trying to drink from a fire hose. There are so many charts and lists that you don't know where to turn. It's sort of like a library with all the books tossed on the floor.
I guess what I'm saying is while the information is great, it could have been better if it were presented more coherently.
