Previously unknown Colt models and new material are now available in this book! Author Herbert Houze includes period production figures, development programs information and design variations to give a complete history.
The fascinating story of the American inventor and manufacturer who perfected the revolver Samuel Colt (1814-1862) first patented his "Colt" revolver in 1835 and thereby redefined the architecture of handguns. This stunning book is the first to present in detail the evolution of his most famous invention and to document the unsurpassed Colt firearms collections held by the Wadsworth Atheneum. Colt designed his revolvers with an artistic sensibility--paying particular attention to form and beauty and juxtaposing colors and finishes to heighten the visual effects. He was also one of the first American manufacturers to secure celebrity endorsements and to commission paintings by renowned artists like George Catlin to promote his arms. Colt's standards for excellence, industrial foresight, and quest for market domination are explored in light of primary documents that reveal his constant battles to protect his patents. Essays discuss Colt's personal collection of historic firearms as well as the memorial collection of Colt-manufactured firearms, the relationship between art and commerce as they pertain to the inventor's career, and his international celebrity. Richly illustrated and beautifully produced, this volume presents the artistry of the firearms that Colt worked so diligently to perfect--as well as his promotional abilities that made a tremendous impact on American culture.
Contrary to popular belief the Minie ball was not used by either side during America’s Civil War. Instead infantry soldiers fired the Harpers Ferry bullet, a hollow based, cylindro-conical bullet designed by acting master armorer James Henry Burton. His reward was to be driven from his position by partisan politics and into the lap of Great Britain where he helped to establish the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. Based heavily on Burton’s own papers, this book explains the problems and solutions to the armory production of small arms. A complete inventory of machine tools used to manufacture the Springfield rifled musket is listed in an appendix along with details and diagrams of three patents awarded to Burton.
This fascinating visual account of firearms shows everything from the earliest cannons to modern weapons of war. It also highlights how gun technology and military tactics developed in tandem over time. Centuries ago, the Chinese discovered that if they put gunpowder and a projectile into a metal tube and ignited it, they could fire the projectile with enormous force. The first guns were born. Firearms: An Illustrated History showcases over 300 firearms including pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, machine-guns, and artillery, each with annotated close-up photographs and details of their origins, barrel, and caliber. It details the use of the firearms, not just in the military but for sport, hunting, and law enforcement. This comprehensive volume traces the history of firearms, highlighting "turning points" such as the rifle with its parallel spiraled groves that could impart a spin to bullets making them fly straighter. It also showcases iconic firearms such as the Walther PPK self-loading pistol popularised in James Bond films. With information on the great gunsmiths including Beretta and Kalashnikov and a detailed guide to how guns work, Firearms: An Illustrated History is an essential purchase for everyone interested in guns and military history.
The Effect of Soldiers' Weapons on the Turning Point of the Civil War The three-day battle of Gettysburg has probably been the subject of more books and articles than any other comparable event. Surprisingly, until this work, no one has analyzed the firearms and other individual soldier's weapons used at Gettysburg in any great detail. The battle was a watershed, with military weapons technologies representing the past, present, and future--sabers, smoothbores, rifles, and breechloaders--in action alongside each other, providing a unique opportunity to compare performance and use, as well as determining how particular weapons and their deployment affected the outcome and course of the battle. Small Arms at Gettysburg: Infantry and Cavalry Weapons in America's Greatest Battle covers all of the individual soldier's weapons--muskets, rifle-muskets, carbines, repeaters, sharpshooter arms, revolvers, and swords--providing a detailed examination of their history and development, technology, capabilities, and use on the field at Gettysburg. Here we learn that the smoothbore musket, although beloved by some who carried it, sang its swan song, the rifle-musket began to come into its own, and the repeating rifle, although tactically mishandled, gave a glimpse of future promise. This is the story of the weapons and men who carried them into battle during three days in July 1863.
Watch a 700-year history unfold, from the medieval "hand-gonne" to today's technologically advanced assault weapons. Discover how gun design influenced warfare, from the 15th century when the arquebus defeated swordsmen, to the 20th century when the submachinegun gave the military vastly increased firepower. Guns: A Visual History shows in unique visual detail on how gun design evolved. It features more than 300 iconic examples, including the military AK-47 assault rifle and the pistol used by many police forces - the Glock 17. Each weapon is shown in close up with details of its design, barrel, calibre, and firepower. This comprehensive volume also features sporting guns, anti-tank weaponry and concealed assassin spy guns, such as the umbrella gun that killed Georgi Markov in 1978. It takes you inside iconic firearm firms such as Biretta, Colt and Lee Enfield, and tells stories of infamous sharpshooters from Dick Turpin to Al Capone. Whether you collect firearms or enjoy field sports and military history, Guns: A Visual History is an unmissable reference title.
The Lane Fleming collection of early pistols and revolvers was one of the best in the country. When Fleming was found dead on the floor of his locked gunroom, a Confederate-made Colt-type percussion .36 revolver in his hand, the coroner's verdict was "death by accident." But Gladys Fleming had her doubts. Enough at any rate to engage Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand—better known just as Jeff—private detective and a pistol-collector himself, to catalogue, appraise, and negotiate the sale of her late husband's collection.