Every winter I go back and read through 50 or so of the several thousand books on guns I have accumulated over the years. Much more fun than tromping around in the West Oregon rain, mud, etc. Something about a fire, eggnog, and a book...

Anyway, last night re-opened one of the books which influenced me a lot when I was a young cop, working my way through college after getting out of the service. It is called "Rifles - A Modern Encyclopedia - A Standard Reference Work", by Henry M. Stebbins, The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, PA, 1958, 376 p. It is an 8-1/2 x 11 hard bound book which must have sold about a zillion and a half copies in the late 50's, early 60's.

It pretty much covers all the different American-made or commonly used rifles from about the beginning of the 1900's until its publishing date. It is not overly technical and is very well-written in basic simple English with adequate, clear, B&W pictures.

It probably taught me more about various American rifles than every other book of the last 50 years. Covers very briefly the differences between the Rem 722-B, 722-A. 722 BDL, 722-B "Special" Grade, for instance. Also shows clearly the differences in thinking about rifles in those days from today, and sort of implicitly carries with it a message or two about shooting and hunting ethics, that kind of thing...also WHY some features of rifles evolved.

This book was so common in the "olde" days of almost 50 years ago, that most used booksellers seem to still have it available for $15 or so.

I can't start to list here everything it covers, and of course it likely has its share of rather unimportant errors. No writer ever has perfect knowledge of his subject. And, it is an "overview", so is not detailed about any one make enough to be a collector's guide to any specific brand. But it IS a darned good guide to generally what was out there, how it was viewed, and so on...enough to make a guy want to know more about them all.

Having said that, I heartily recommend it for anyone who really enjoys rifles.

I have that book and I skimmed it again last fall. I don't think I have ever read it thru but it got me thinking of the gun dreams that I used to have about what I might be able to get next. That book is worth having for that reason alone.

quote:

Originally posted by Savage99:
I have that book and I skimmed it again last fall. I don't think I have ever read it thru but it got me thinking of the gun dreams that I used to have about what I might be able to get next. That book is worth having for that reason alone.

Good point, Savage 99. I skimmed it a couple or three winters ago too, and the next thing I knew I had gone out and bought (again) half a dosen more rifles (well, maybe a dozen more) of the types and vintages in the book.

They were the same rifles I yearned for as a kid, then bought as a young adult, then sold as I moved on with my gun experience during the years. But really, they were more fun than the sophisticated stuff I got when I became more financially secure. So now I guess in my second childhood they'll be just as much fun....

Best wishes