The Story Of The Sporting Gun

Traces the history of hunting with guns, looks at the development of the shotgun, and describes changes in game shooting and management

Traces the story of game shooting from the first development of the shotgun to the present day. The captivating text is illustrated with beautiful color paintings.

The period 1850 to 1900 witnessed the most far reaching changes sporting gun and rifle design had ever experienced. Prior to this, changes had been pedestrian and the muzzle-loader still ruled the day in 1850 as it had done for previous centuries. In this major work the author details the many changes that occurred. He describes at length the pinfire, centre-fire and hammerless developments along with all the ancillary changes made to sporting guns. Likewise with rifles he outlines the many developments such as the superseding of the two groove muzzle-loading Express rifle by the multi-groove, breech-loading rifle of smaller calibre.

The best hunting guns hold a unique place in the pantheon of sporting equipment. Objects of great beauty, agents of immense force, these rifles conjure images of wild safari runs, upland game hunts, and still mornings spent huddled behind a duck blind, accompanied only by a trusted retriever. Highly prized by hunter and non-hunter alike, the great guns and their storied past are explored fully in this enthusiastic, colorful survey. Combining the lore of the hunt with exquisite historical images, Legendary Sporting Guns offers a double-barreled approach to the subject. A thorough, anecdotal opening text relates the long saga behind the creation and refinement of these arms as well as many rich stories of their use in the field, from the moors of France to the expansive veldts of Africa. Then a brand-by-brand catalog examines the finer points of the most exquisite guns in use today, providing specifications on action, barrel, engraving, weight, stock, and caliber (or gauge), along with illustrations featuring both the complete gun in profile and a detailed view of its action. In tracing the international odyssey of the gun -- from the historic manufacturing centers of Liège, Birmingham, and Saint-Etienne to the unparalleled gun makers Purdey, Holland and Holland, Francotte, and Lebeau-Courally -- Legendary Sporting Guns also tells the story of hunting itself.

Shotguns - Their History and Development (Shooting Series - Guns amp Gunmaking) This important work on the Shotgun was first published in London 1923 in limited numbers, and is now a rare find in its first edition. READ COUNTRY BOOKS have now re-published it from the original text incorporating the photographic illustrations and many fascinating gun makers advertisements. One hundred and fifty five pages are divided into eight detailed chapters: - The History of the Shotgun. - The Selection of a Gun. - Game Guns, Wildfowl Guns, and Small Bores. - Repeating, Automatic and Miscellaneous Guns. - The Shotgun Cartridge. - Ballistics. - The Gun-Room, Accessories and Dress, etc. - Shooting. Etc. Also included is a 12 page appendix on Shotgun Data and Tables. The contents are interspersed with numerous vintage photographs and other illustrations of shotguns and equipment. The author was a well known sportsman whose many years of practical experience with guns and their usage have made this book a valuable contribution to the history of shotguns, and also a recommended addition to any shooting enthusiasts library. Many of the earliest sporting books, particularly those dating back to the 1800s, are now extremely scarce and very expensive. READ COUNTRY BOOKS are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Ernest Hemingway is a mythic writer and alpha male. As a hunter and conservationist, he drew greatly from the strong example of Theodore Roosevelt, and he much enjoyed teaching newcomers to shoot and hunt. Including short excerpts from Hemingway's works, these stories of his guns and rifles tell us as much about him as a lifelong, expert hunter and shooter and as a man.