Rifles

by Jim Supica

In 15th century Europe, the battlefields were rife with inaccurate weapons; canons and muskets often missed their targets completely and needed to be cleaned after each shot. Soldiers began to experiment with grooved barrels, which required less cleaning and had the added benefit of hitting targets with greater precision. These “rifled” barrels quickly caught on, and the rifle was born. Rifles explores how rifles changed over time, and how the requirements of the battlefield brought about new developments, including the advent of the semi-automatic rifle during WWI. Filled with over 200 full-color photographs of rifles, this artful book showcases beautiful antique models as well as extreme modern weapons. See all of the rifles made by top manufacturers, including Browning, Marlin Firearms, Winchester, Ruger, and Remington. Learn about different action types, including bold-action, pump-action, and semi-automatic rifles. It also includes helpful information about safe handling and storage solutions for gun owners.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

About the author

Prior to taking on oversight of the National Firearms Museum and NRA Gun Collector Programs, Jim Supica was an antique gun dealer, peddling old iron through his mail order catalog, website and auction business. He holds Juris Doctorate and Bachelor degrees from the University of Kansas. In 2020 he retired as Director of the NRA Museums Division after a dozen years.

Jim is author or co-author of six books on firearms. He's written numerous articles on gun collecting, including regular columns for American Rifleman and Shotgun News; is a contributing editor for the major firearms price guides; and appears on television, radio and webcasts.

Supica served eight years on the NRA Board of Directors, including stints as chairman of the Publications Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Gun Collectors Committee. He is a past president of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association, a former board member of the Colt Collectors Association, and a member of American Society of Arms Collectors and other collecting and shooting clubs. Jim collects 19th century big frame S&W revolvers and serial number one guns.

Reviews

[John M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quality pictures and history on gun manufacturing.










excellent