The Complete Encyclopedia Of Hunting Rifles: A Comprehensive Guide to Shotguns and Other Game Guns from Around the World

by A.E. Hartink

2006, 2nd hardcover edition (of a title first published in the Netherlands in 1997), Rebo Publishers, 320 pages. Translated into English by Stephen Challacombe. In English throughout. "... history of the development of firearms, a full explanation of the technical language of guns; extensive technical information about the working and technology of guns in general and shotguns, combination guns and game rifles in particular; an alphabetical listing of more than 500 modern shotguns and other game guns; a concise and easy to follow review of cartridges for game guns; an extensive index of guns and other subjects; more than 600 superb color photographs."

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

A. E. Hartink grew up with firearms; both his father and his grandfather were in the Royal Dutch Navy. In his youth, he graduated from his first Diana air rifle to a small bore carbine, and then to large caliber handguns. During his military service, he was a sergeant weapons instructor.

He later joined the Dutch state police, where he soon became a detective, extending his already vast knowledge of firearms. Following the reorganization of Dutch police forces in 1994, Hartink became a specialist firearms detective with a regional police force, and since 1995 he has worked for a regional firearms department, where his main activities are related to the control of legal and prevention of illegal firearms.

In addition to being a regular contributor to various publications, he has written extensively on weapons of every kind under a variety of pen names (as well as his own), and has translated books about weapons, ammunition, and the reloading of cartridges.