Die vorliegende Enzyklopädie schildert die Entwicklung der Handfeuerwaffen, technische Einzelheiten, Sicherheitsregeln und -systeme, Verschlusssysteme und die Kurzwaffenmunition. Anhand ausführlicher Explosionszeichnungen wird der Aufbau der Waffen deutlich. Über 400 Modelle von mehr als 50 Herstellern werden detailliert beschrieben: Kaliber, Abzugssystem, Magazinkapazität, Maße, Sicherung, Merkmale der Waffe. Auf über 500 Farbfotos sind alle beschriebenen Modelle abgebildet.
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.
A very useful reference book. Mr. Hartink is a retired Dutch police officer and according to his bio much of his career was spent working with firearms. Though now about sixteen years old it provides descriptions of models made up to that point of publication (late 90's) as well as brief histories of the various manufacturers . This is especially useful for American shooters who might be interested in different companies that do not import their product to the United States. This is not an in-depth technical book so if that's what you're looking for I don't advise this book. Incidentally this is not "Gun Tests" either. If you want an easy to use book that provides micro info then here you go. I'm a big believer in having a good reference library and Mr. Hartink's book is a valued addition.