Anyone got any suggested reading material with pics? My main area of interest is mausers, surprise surprise. Needing to expand my library and knowledge base.

thanks.

z1r-

Michael Petrov, of this forum, is an author.

As is gnmkr, Steven Dodd Hughes.

I expect both of these gentlemen would welcome direct orders.

(Authors make little enough as it is, so it's nice for them to get what would otherwise be the retail markup.)

Actually, I would be surprised if there weren't more on AR.

flaco

The Gun Digest Review of Custom Guns edited by Ken Warner (1980)

Custom Rifles in black & white - Steven Dodd Hughes (1999)

Modern Custom Guns - Walnut, Steel, and Uncommon Artistry - Tom Turpin (1997)

Contemporary American Stockmakers - Ron Toews (1979)

Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles - Jon Speed (1997)

Custom Gunmakers of the 20th Century - Michael Petrov (2005)

quote:

Originally posted by GrandView:
The Gun Digest Review of Custom Guns edited by Ken Warner (1980)

Custom Rifles in black & white - Steven Dodd Hughes (1999)

Modern Custom Guns - Walnut, Steel, and Uncommon Artistry - Tom Turpin (1997)

Contemporary American Stockmakers - Ron Toews (1979)

Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles - Jon Speed (1997)

Custom Gunmakers of the 20th Century - Michael Petrov (2005)

Turpin's and SDH's books are readily available, reasonably priced, and definitely worth adding to your library.

The Gun Digest Review is still available in used book stores or on ebay.

Ron Toews' book is more difficult to find. It's a large book of 13 stockmakers with several examples each of their work. Tons of b&w photos.

Jon Speeds Oberndorf book is also readily available and a good one for Mauser freaks.

Michael Petrov's research and photos of the pre-WWII custom makers and their guns is a must-have for custom gun aficionados.

GV

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
Anyone got any suggested reading material with pics? My main area of interest is mausers, surprise surprise. Needing to expand my library and knowledge base.

thanks.

Jack Belk when he was posting recommended to me the Video put out by the American Custom gunmakers Guild. He was the host BTW. It's excellent.

Regards
JohnT

"Mauser Bolt Rifles" by Ludwig Olson isn't about custom rifles per se but is a wealth of info on Mausers and Mauser derivatives, lots of pics.

"Custom Rifles" by Jeff Cooper is an older publication available used on Amazon or Ebay from time-to-time.

"Bolt Action Rifles" by Frank de Haas is a standard reference too.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
Anyone got any suggested reading material with pics? My main area of interest is mausers, surprise surprise. Needing to expand my library and knowledge base.

thanks.

Mike,

If you don’t already have it, I’ll loan you my copy of Jerry Kuhnhasusen’s book: The Mauser M91 through M98 Bolt Actions...a Shop manual. As you know, I don’t have any Mausers and the book just sets there in my shop gathering dust.

Wish you have told me when you were here the other day and I could haved saved you a trip.

Pertrov’s book is also really nice, I just got a copy a few weeks ago. Ludwig Olson’s book is also a good one...I think Brownell’s carries it.

Rick,

Thanks. Kuhnhausen's book was the first I ever bought. I certainly appreciate the thought though!!!

Michael Petrov's book is en route, thanks Michael!

I have Ludwig Olson's, fantastic resource, just not as many pics as I'd like. Still, a must have though!

de Hass' book is a nice general reference especially of factory rifles.

I definitely want Jon Speed's book, just waiting to find it at a price I'm wiling to pay, lol.

I'll look up SDH as his input regarding my stock was helpful.

I'll also look into Turpin's book.

Lastly, anyone have an feedback on CUSTOM BUILT RIFLES by Dick Simmons.

Thanks for the help so far, I'd welcome more suggestions and/or feedback.

I just posted ordering info for my Custom Rifles book in Classifieds. Will be happy to sign & inscribe.
GrandView, Please tell them what you think of the book.

Also one copy of Simmons, Custom Built Rifles, 1st edition, 1949. SOLD, THANKS!

SDH

quote:

Originally posted by gnmkr:

GrandView, Please tell them what you think of the book.

Gladly.....it's excellent.

My five favorite custom gun books are those I listed above....in addition to Speed's Oberndorf book.

I frequently review these books because they basically yield a chronology of the custom gun field.

Petrov's book deals with the pre-WW II makers.

The Gun Digest Review and Tom Turpin's Modern Custom Guns are both overviews of the field, giving examples of components, and articles of why and how. Each has sections each of wood, metal, finish, engraving, and more. The review is B&W....Tom's is color with excellent photos. Most interesting is the ability to see the advancement of the profession in the almost 20 years between these books.

Toews' Contemporary American Stockmakers and SDH's Custom Rifles in black & white are both serious works on specific makers and guns.....complete with multiple B&W pictures and text specific to each gun. The photography is excellent...with many close-ups. Once again, the almost 20 years between the publication of these two books is interesting for it's display of the subtle differences in the advancement of the "state-of-the-art".

BTW.....After a lengthy hiatus, Tom Turpin's Custom Gun section in Gun Digest has prompted me to begin purchasing that annual again. John T. Amber's affection for custom guns was the highlight of Gun Digest for me.......Tom's treatment of the subject is most welcome.

GV

PS...SDH, I PM'd you about the Simmons book.

What do you guys think of Al Linden's works? I don't have them.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
What do you guys think of Al Linden's works? I don't have them.

I think they're excellent books to have in your library. And they're certainly historically significant. I wouldn't hazard a guess how many custom stockers have started out by using those pamphlets as reference. They're a mixture of home-spun humor and detailed stockmaking as it was then. Definitely worth tracking down a copy of each of the three pamphlets. Failing that, the combined book is a bit easier to find. A good collection will contain the three Linden pamphlets, and the original publishing of Monty Kennedy's checkering book in the same cover format. I had 3 complete sets at one time, but I'm down to only one now. I do have an original Kennedy book to match.

I have a Linden Springfield, so his books are quite meaningful to me. I also leave on my annual fishing trip tomorrow, where I visit Linden's grave site, and check to see if his original shop still exists. As of last year it was still there, but I fear for not much longer.

GV

Many good sugestions here. I also concur that Jon Speed's book is a must for Mauser lovers regardless of price. I also have a book called "The commercial Mauser '98 sporting rifle" by Lester Womack that I like quite a bit.

I always felt a little cheated that Alvin Linden didn't have more on making a stock for a Mauser. His three books basically cover the Springfield, Model 70 and the 1917 Enfield. It would have been nice to see a few pictures of his Mauser stocked rifles. Monty Kennedy's checkering book has several pictures of Mausers done by various stockers also. I condsider it well worth the money even if a person insn't interested in checkering rifles. The second hardcover one has several pages added over the original softcover one. The introduction of Jerry Fisher almost makes it worth the price alone.

GrandView

Good luck on your fishing trip. I trust the two families will have another great time together.

quote:

GrandView: I also leave on my annual fishing trip tomorrow, where I visit Linden's grave site, and check to see if his original shop still exists.

Please post more pics of his shop like you did last time. I wonder if you can get inside?

GrandView, All:

Thanks for the kind words on Modern Custom Guns and the custom gun and engraving section of Gun Digest. Alas, both MCG and the follow on book Modern Firearms Engraving are now out-of-print, but copies can be found on Amazon, eBay, etc.

Be sure and get the 2006 Anniversary issue of Gun Digest. It will feature much more color than in the past. It should be hitting the bookstores any day now.

I am also taking a break to answer this thread from finishing up the next book which, they tell me, should be out in time for the SCI 2006 Convention in January. The working title is Anatomy of a Custom Rifle. What the published title will end up being I can't say at this point.

Tom Turpin

This books isn't about Mausers, but I would highly suggest it if you are interested in custom guns. its written by David Wesbrook and its Called StockMaking. Great Book on custom stockmaking.

Tsquare2

Many thanks for the update Tom. I am patiently waiting for you new book. The first two were both winners and I have no reason to doubt the third one will be too.

Thanks also for the great color in the latest Gun Digests. I am sure John Amber would be happy to see it carried on by one of his friends. As Grandview said it is once again worth buying the annual Gun Digest.

Great buy on one of Tom's books if someone is looking for one.

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