John Walter. The Rifle Story: An Illustrated History from 1756 to the Present Day.John Walter
John Walter (1738/9 - November 17, 1812), founder of . The Rifle Story: An illustrated history from 1756 to the present day, Greenhill Books, London, 2006. ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 1-85367-690-X, Hard cover with dust jacket dust jacket n. 1. A removable paper cover used to protect the binding of a book. Also called dust cover. 2. A cardboard sleeve in which a phonograph record is packaged. , 304 pp., 146 b & w photos and line drawings, UK19.99 [pounds sterling] plus p&p. To those who know anything about the subject, this new book by the prolific and highly respected John Walter is sure to earn him well-deserved acclaim. To this reviewer's knowledge, the only other authority who attempted to amass information like this in one volume was WW Greener, whose The gun and its development was published in 1910, and that, of course, was nearly 100 years ago. Drawing upon his extraordinarily wide knowledge and familiarity with firearms, the author has provided the expert and the novice alike with a comprehensive "answers book" on the subject of rifles. Although not every model, manufacturer and inventor is mentioned (an impossible task in 300 pages), there is enough information to keep this volume in constant use as a valued reference when one wishes to refresh one's memory refresh one's memory v. to use a document, exhibit or previous testimony in order to help a witness recall an event or prior statement when the witness has responded to a question that he/she could not remember. on various subjects, e.g. Lee-Enfields or the Springfield. The early pages are devoted to the history of gunpowder Gunpowder was the first and only known chemical explosive until the invention of others—nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, smokeless powder and TNT—in the 19th century. , primitive firearms, then early rifles leading on to flint and percussion cap versions--all very interesting stuff. The story becomes even more interesting, for this reviewer at least, as capping breech-loaders and metallic cartridge breech-loaders are dealt with right through to the latest military rifle trends, including the mysterious Russian Nikonov AN-94. Major subjects dealt with include the M1 carbine, the Garand, the SMLE SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield SMLE Simulated Maximum Likelihood Estimation SMLE Small Medium Local Exchange SMLE Small, Medium and Large Enterprise , P14 and M17, the CETME CETME Centro de Estudios Tecnicos de Materiales Especiales , H & K's, Remingtons, Winchesters, the Savage 110 and various rifle trials. Minor, but equally interesting topics include the Martini-Henry-like Swinburn rifle, Japanese rifles in the service of the Royal Navy in WW1, the German "Postal Rifle", the "Pig Board" trials in the US, the Peddled Rifle Scheme in the UK in WW1, and spray casting of rifle barrels. For the novice interested in rifles, this will be a great primer. For the initiated, this will be a treasure trove TREASURE TROVE. Found treasure. 2. This name is given to such money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion, which having been hidden or concealed in the earth or other private place, so long that its owner is unknown, has been discovered by accident. of lots of things you never knew about, but with which you will be glad to become acquainted. The numerous illustrations are an education in themselves, as is the appendix of cartridge specifications. These complement the author's extensive research and admirable exposition of the story. Full marks. |
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