How Weapons Work

by Christopher Chant (Editor)

Large-scale, analytic diagrams, photographs, and specifications on size, range, and capabilities explain exactly how modern weapons, from handguns to guided missiles, work

Genres: Nonfiction, Military Fiction

248 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 1976

About the author

Christopher Chant is a successful writer on modern military matters, and has a substantial number of authoritative titles to his credit. Military history, and the history of military aviation in particular have long been his passion. Having been part of the editorial team on Purnell's best-selling 'History of the First World War' and 'History of the Second World War', he became a full-time writer and editor in 1974, working extensively on military and aviation subjects. He is also a regular contributor to specialist journals.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated now, since it was published in 1981, otherwise I'd give it five stars, but still outstanding as a clear explanation of, as the title says, how weapons work. A necessary adjunct for anyone who studies military history - you can't study a profession without understanding its tools, which both shape and are shaped by strategy and tactics. Full of extremely well-done illustrations. Not only for anyone interested in military history, but for a reader intrigued by technology in general, this is worth picking up, even though it's outdated and out of print.

[Paul A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely illustrated and covers a wide range of topics. Explanations are generally easy to follow, but as the weaponry advances, a deeper knowledge of the relevant terms becomes necessary. At this point, the book is quite dated, but it's still a good resource for what it does cover.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

better titled: a history of weapons develppment