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Handguns & Rifles: The Finest Weapons from Around the World
The 20th century was among the most violent eras in human history--barely a day has passed that has not witnessed a war or uprising in some part of the world. Because of this, arms manufacturers have never been busier, and with increased business comes an accompanying advance in technology, as rival weapons makers compete with each other to produce the most accurate and powerful guns to supply the armies, police forces, and sportspeople of the world.
From the early "Suicide Special" revolvers--so called because their cheap manufacture was as likely to cause harm to the firer as to any target--to modern military rifles that are masterpieces of design and rugged durability, HANDGUNS & RIFLES examines revolvers and automatics, bolt-action and magazine-loaded rifles. The innovations and failures within the arms-making industry are also discussed, showing the patterns and shifts that have occurred as the needs and the interests of its customers--both military and civilian--have changed. It details such famous weapons as the Automat Kalashnikov (AK) 47, which has dominated the market since its design in 1946 due to its simplicity and reliability, as well as less well-known guns such as the Stechkin machine pistol, which promised much but was virtually uncontrollable when fired.
Comprehensively illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs, HANDGUNS & RIFLES traces the evolution of modern weapons from the turn of the 20th century to the present day.
From the early "Suicide Special" revolvers--so called because their cheap manufacture was as likely to cause harm to the firer as to any target--to modern military rifles that are masterpieces of design and rugged durability, HANDGUNS & RIFLES examines revolvers and automatics, bolt-action and magazine-loaded rifles. The innovations and failures within the arms-making industry are also discussed, showing the patterns and shifts that have occurred as the needs and the interests of its customers--both military and civilian--have changed. It details such famous weapons as the Automat Kalashnikov (AK) 47, which has dominated the market since its design in 1946 due to its simplicity and reliability, as well as less well-known guns such as the Stechkin machine pistol, which promised much but was virtually uncontrollable when fired.
Comprehensively illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs, HANDGUNS & RIFLES traces the evolution of modern weapons from the turn of the 20th century to the present day.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 1999
About the author
Ian V. Hogg
189 books21 followersIan V. Hogg enlisted in the Royal Artillery of the British Army in April 1945. During World War II he served in Europe and in eastern Asia. After the war he remained in the military. In the early 1950s, he served in the Korean War. Altogether he served in the military for 27 years. Upon retiring in 1972, he held the appointment of Master Gunner at the Royal Military College of Science, where he taught on the subjects of firearms, artillery, and their ammunition and use. Hogg also had an interest in the subject of fortification and was one of the founding members of the Fortress Study Group in 1975.
His first books were published in the late 1960s while he was still an instructor. After retiring from the military, he pursued the career of military author and historian. He was editor of Jane's Infantry Weapons from 1972 to 1994. He worked with a skilled artist, John Batchelor, to ensure that his books were well illustrated with cutaway diagrams. He contributed articles to a variety of journals, and his books have been translated into a dozen languages .
Hogg has been described by publishing people who worked with him as "an unassuming man, with a gift to pass on [his] knowledge at any level, and often with a dry humour". He was also respected for his professionalism as an author. He was described as "a consummate professional who (unlike most of his peers) usually submitted manuscripts on time, within agreed parameters, and accompanied by all the illustrations."
Hogg was a frequent guest on the History Channel's Tales of the Gun, as well as other military-related television programs.
-Wikipedia
His first books were published in the late 1960s while he was still an instructor. After retiring from the military, he pursued the career of military author and historian. He was editor of Jane's Infantry Weapons from 1972 to 1994. He worked with a skilled artist, John Batchelor, to ensure that his books were well illustrated with cutaway diagrams. He contributed articles to a variety of journals, and his books have been translated into a dozen languages .
Hogg has been described by publishing people who worked with him as "an unassuming man, with a gift to pass on [his] knowledge at any level, and often with a dry humour". He was also respected for his professionalism as an author. He was described as "a consummate professional who (unlike most of his peers) usually submitted manuscripts on time, within agreed parameters, and accompanied by all the illustrations."
Hogg was a frequent guest on the History Channel's Tales of the Gun, as well as other military-related television programs.
-Wikipedia
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