European Hand Firearms of the Sixteenth, Seventeenth & Eighteenth Centuries

Among the many valuable volumes in the well-tilled field of firearms history, this book stands out. Its importance lies in its detailed look at the development of weapons from the 16th to the 19th centuries from the wheel- and matchlock to the percussion system. Early in that period gunsmiths made customised individual weapons, with no interchangeable parts, and only rough parity in ballistics. Jackson looks at these early weapons, and then describes the Snaphaunce guns that followed them. The flintlocks and muskets of the 17th Century and 18th Century come next, with the percussion bullet completing the story. 'There is a substantial appendix on Scottish Firearms by Charles E. Whitelaw, accompanied by a list of Scottish gun makers. Scottish guns were finely made and had a style of their own, which is well illustrated by this section. 'There are 141 illustrations which add greatly to this volume’s value and to the feast of information it contains. Read more