The Future of the Gun

by Frank Miniter

The history of the American gun is intricately entwined with the history of America itself. Promising developments in gun technology could change not only America's future, but the future of the world. Unfortunately, the radical anti-gun lobby is standing between innovation and the American people. Bestselling author Frank Miniter details the amazing breakthroughs waiting to happen in gun technology that could make today's firearms exponentially safer and smarter—if the anti-gun lobby weren't halting progress in its tracks.

In The Future of the Gun , you will

Genres: History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published August 5, 2014

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Future of the Gun by Frank Miniter explores topics related to the history of guns, including the current arguments for and against the right to bear arms (as guaranteed by the Second Amendment). This best-selling author presents a history of firearms from muskets to current high tech guns of today. He also points out that the acts and aggressive anti-gun attacks actually are slowing the developments and innovations that the industry is working on to improve designs to make guns smarter and safer for users. He explains why and how anti-gun groups often oppose gun safety features and even gun safety education and training. Statistics are presented showing how often the only way a bad guy with a gun is stopped is when a good guy with a gun steps up. He also discusses why gun ownership and concealed carry are a women's' rights and safety issue and a great equalizer for their self defense. The author is a strong believer in gun training and safety as well as a nationwide concealed carry policy. He explains why the scary term assault rifle is used by those opposed to guns to describe just about any firearm and that the AR in AR-15 does not stand for Assault Rifle but rather Armalite Rifle for the manufacturer. Many other myths and outright distortions and lies about guns are addressed by the author. With recent developments to defund or abolish police departments, even veteran officers are strongly recommending that the population consider arming themselves for their own safety and protection. Many new developments that make newer guns safer and more accurate are presented and discussed as the future of guns. If you want to know the facts about guns, gun usage, gun safety, and much more, this book is a great place to start!

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that touches on a lot of important points.

1) There are 2 gun cultures in America: a criminal/violent culture of misuse and a healthy culture of safety and self reliance.

The problem is, most media and political figures act as if there is only one and spend their efforts attacking the healthy gun culture.

2) The relationship between guns and national defense: up until WW2, civilians owned and used guns with more quick shooting capability (semiautomatics) than ordinary military soldiers (who carried bolt action rifles). After WW2, in which the US finally fielded their first semiautomatic rifle, the military leapfrogged to providing ordinary soldiers with fully automatic rifles. Despite the fact that we no longer can have the same rifles the military has, the military still benefits from civilian innovation. Improvements in rifle optics and rifle accessories, in particular, came from civilian competitors.

Even today, elite military units spend a significant part of their training time teaching men who did not grow up with guns how to shoot effectively.

[Robert Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Future of the Gun

Must reading for anyone concerned about preserving the second amendment. good insight about where the firearms industry is headed as well.

[Rahman Asif]

df

[Todd Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep. It's a good one

Excellent research. Nice flowing story line. It's good to have history told in quasi story form. Again good read for sure

[John Findlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book alongside 2 others to try to get a balanced perspective on gun rights and gun control. If you are looking to get an NRA vision of these issues, this is the book for you. The author is somehow affiliated with the NRA, although that is not made clear in his bio (but he does mention his office in the NRA building). He obviously loves guns, gun history, and gun technology, and that portion of the book is very interesting. The portion of the book dealing with gun rights and gun control is VERY opinionated and sometimes misleading. For instance, the author mentions a book by John Lott entitled "More Guns, Less Crime" without commenting on the extensive debate over the findings of that book and the discrediting of Lott for writing his own reviews, posing as one of his own students, and supposedly losing some of his data when asked to produce it. He refers to the testosterone-laced atmosphere of a shooting range, and characterizes the British as a bunch of unarmed wimps for being forced to evacuate at Dunkirk (when Great Britain was the lone European country to survive Hitler's initial thrust and kept the war alive until the US entered two years later). But the book is very informative and recommended reading to get a wider view of the issues surrounding gun rights, gun violence, and gun control. I am glad I read it.

[David Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent work documenting the role of the gun in American history as well as more modern developments in gun technology that indicate the future of both military and individual firearms. Of particular value is the documentation, with specific cites, of data which support the practical value of gun ownership in terms of reducing violent crime and ensuring individual and family security. World wide data is reviewed which clearly shows the positive relationship of widespread firearm ownership and increased public safety, contrary to the emotional and disproved efforts of anti-gun groups seeking the elimination or reduction of gun ownership. Anyone interested in the role of the gun in our modern society or who is engaged on either side of the gun control issue will find this an interesting and valuable read.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miniter presents a variety of research about America's gun history and how our right to carry translates for today. The combination of personal interviews and academic articles made it more readeable, but I did admit that I found myself skimming at some points. Although I do have a slight knowledge of guns, some of the terms and models could have been better explained for the lay-person like me. I also did question some points he made, but overall a decent read for anyone who wants to learn more about their right as an American to carry a tool to protect themselves.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative but gets repetitive. Decent brief look at history of guns in US and debates, studies on violence correlation, and recent (up to early 2014) legislative efforts. Also insight to new technologies (smart gun, data algorithm targeting). Includes visits to and interviews with manufacturers and a historian or two.