In response to the challenge of the Soviet Dragunov self-loading rifle, the British Army adopted the 7.62mm L42A1 bolt-action sniping rifle in 1970. The L42A1 was deployed in Dhofar and Northern Ireland, but arguably saw its finest hour during the Falklands War in 1982. The harsh conditions of the South Atlantic laid bare the L42A1's inadequacies and a new company, Accuracy International, won the contract to replace the L42A1 and the PM Rifle, a world-beating revolutionary design, was adopted in 1985 as the L96A1. Progressively upgraded, the L96A1 went on to serve as the British Army's primary sniper system, being deployed in Northern Ireland, the First Gulf War, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The L115A3, chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, joined the L96A1 in the front line in 2008 and since 2012 has been Britain's standard issue sniping rifle. Featuring full-colour artwork and close-up photographs, this absorbing study assesses the development, combat use, impact and legacy of these three iconic British sniping weapons.

Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s, as part of a chain of fortifications protecting the great naval harbour of Portsmouth and its Royal Dockyard from a feared French invasion. It now houses the national collection of artillery, held in trust for the nation by the Royal Armouries, with over 350 big guns and historic cannon on display. Visitors can explore 19 acres of ramparts, outer fortifications, secret underground tunnels and ammunition bunkers. This fascinating guidebook is a perfect introduction to a remarkable site.

Technologically sophisticated and powerful, the crossbow has long enjoyed a popular reputation for villainous superiority because it could be used with little training as a weapon of assassination. The study of bow designs, trigger mechanisms and spanning devices reveals a tale of considerable mechanical ingenuity; advances that produced a battlefield weapon requiring comparatively little training to use. It was an extremely useful weapon, and especially effective in siege warfare for both attack and defence.

Known to the Ancient Greeks and the Chinese as early as the 5th century BC, the crossbow developed both in Western Europe and in the Far East. Advances in trigger mechanisms, spanning and bow design allowed the development of ever more powerful bows. In this study acknowledged weaponry expert Mike Loades traces the origins, development, combat record and lasting legacy of the crossbow, the formidable projectile weapon that played a key role in a host of battles and sieges across Europe and Asia.

Making its debut in 1935, the Browning High-Power was the world's most widely used military pistol for much of the 20th century. Military and law-enforcement agencies in more than 90 countries have issued the High-Power and it has seen combat in conflicts from World War II through to the 'War on Terror'. After conquering Belgium, Nazi Germany produced more than 300,000 High-Powers for use by the Waffen-SS, Fallschirmjager and others, and after 1945 the High-Power became standard for most NATO-armed forces as well as scores of others. Chambered for the 9x19mm Luger cartridge, John Browning's High-Power improved on the classic Colt M1911 design, especially in its use of a far simpler takedown system. The pistol's innovative 13-round magazine, designed by Dieudonne Saive, staggered the cartridges for higher capacity without unduly increasing the grip size. During its 82-year production run at Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium, the design evolved slightly, but a 2017 High-Power was still easily recognizable as a descendant of the original model. Packed with gripping material including detailed technical specifications, contemporary photographs and highly accurate artist's renditions, this title is a comprehensive and informative guide to the world's most iconic semi-automatic pistol.

The fascination with the British involvement in the First World War extends to all aspects of the conflict. The battles and their outcomes; the armies and their leaders; the conditions of trench warfare; and the controversies form part of the growing literature examining every aspect of a war that was to cast a shadow over the rest of the twentieth century, the effects of which are still being felt today. For the British army, the cap badge is the most easily identifiable form of insignia. It represents a distillation of the pride of the regiment, its various battle honors and symbols borne proudly on the metallic emblem that was worn on all headdress, even within the trenches. Identification of the cap badge on old photographs is a first, important step in unraveling the military service of an individual. Cap badges have been collected avidly since they were first thought of in the nineteenth century. Cap-badge collecting is as popular now as it has ever been; yet with a growing number of fakes and forgeries, there is a need for a book that illustrates clearly the main types, and allows the collector and family historian alike to understand their meaning. Surprisingly, there are no real comprehensive web-based resources; and the available books (many of which are out of print), are often dull, arcane and poorly illustrated with grey, muddy images of otherwise spectacular badges. This book illustrates, for the first time in full color and high quality, images of the main types of badges used by the British Army in World War I. In addition, contemporary illustrations of the soldiers themselves wearing the badges, and the wider importance of their symbolism, is also included. Employing the skills of an established writer (and collector) and artist, it provides a unique reference guide for all people interested in the World War I.

One of the most feared weapons in the ancient world, the gladius was lethal both on the battlefield and in the arena. Literary sources tell of the terror it inspired, while archaeological evidence of wounds inflicted is testament to its deadly effect. By pulling together strands of literary, sculptural and archaeological evidence renowned expert M.C. Bishop creates a narrative of the gladius' development, exploring the way in which the shape of the short sword changed as soldiers and gladiators evolved their fighting style. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the blades, this volume reveals the development, technology, training and use of the gladius hispaniensis: the sword that conquered the Mediterranean.

This book examines what the citizen soldiery of the mid-Atlantic states wore when they marched off to save the Union in 1861. An exhaustive search of thousands of newspapers has provided a myriad of reports and personal accounts from soldiers' letters, which offer a hitherto unpublished view of the stirring events during the first few months of the Civil War. Combined with fascinating detail from numerous diaries and regimental histories, this has helped reconstruct the appearance of the Union volunteers of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The book is enhanced by photographs of original items of uniforms from private collections, plus imagery of the day, which show with remarkable clarity the great variety of clothing and headgear worn. Sponsored by the Company of Military Historians, this is an essential reference for collectors, living historians, modelers, and curators, as well as anyone with a general interest in the Civil War.

This book, by noted SS and helmet scholars Mike Beaver and Kelly Hicks, presents the combat and parade helmets worn by the SS from its earliest days to the end of wartime production. The examples shown are genuine artifacts of the Third Reich, and most are shown here for the first time. Some of the finest collections and sources globally have been solicited in the construction of this book. The value of these SS helmet resources from the world over cannot be overstated in terms of their contribution toward collector knowledge - as well as the safety and survivability of this historical hobby. The photographic selection, and excellent quality of photo-representation, brings to life the heraldry and visual impact of these iconic objects. The reader will not only understand and become well versed in the recognized variations of SS helmets, but will also have a feel for the historical context in which they were used.

The first of two volumes on the legendary P.08 Luger (Pistole Parabellum), this illustrated book presents the design, manufacturing, and development of the various models from 1900 through the Weimar Republic period of the 1920s. Adopted by the Swiss in 1901 and then by the German army, the Luger would remain in service until the beginning of World War II and see use in the postwar East Germany, as well as many other nations throughout the world. Details include close-up views of markings, as well as a serial numbers list, and a visual breakdown of the weapon. Accessories such as magazines, ammunition, holsters, and cleaning kits are featured throughout the book, as well as rarely seen combat-related uniform and equipment items.

During the American Civil War, the mounted soldiers fighting on both sides of the conflict carried a wide array of weapons, from sabers and lances to carbines, revolvers, and other firearms. Though some sections of the cavalry placed their trust in the sabre, the advent of viable breechloading carbines -- especially repeaters such as the Spencer -- was to transform warfare within little more than a decade of General Lee's final surrender at Appomattox. However, output struggled to keep up with unprecedented demands on manufacturing technology and distribution in areas where communication was difficult and in states whose primary aim was to equip their own men rather than contribute to the arming of Federal or Confederate regiments. In addition, the almost unparalleled losses of men and equipment ensured that almost any firearm, effectual or not, was pressed into service. Consequently, the sheer variety of weaponry carried reflected the mounted soldiers' various roles in different theatres of operation, but also the availability -- or otherwise -- of weapons, notably on the Confederate side. Fully illustrated, this study assesses the effectiveness of the many different weapons arming the Civil War cavalryman and analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the decisions made after 1865 concerning the armament of the US cavalry.

Festooned with more than 200 original black-and-white illustrations by author, designer and artist Fredric Winkowski, this concise, handsomely illustrated, boots-on-the-ground guide provides a unique introduction to life on the Western Front during World War I. Readers will learn about the drastic living circumstances of the widely known archetypal foot soldiers of, respectively, Britain, France and the United States: Tommy Atkins, Poilu, and Doughboy. We all know something of how these men existed in muddy trenches, subject to shelling, snipers and waiting for the next Big Push; but it is through the unique vocabulary of those troops, with their newly-coined words, slang, and euphemisms that we can most easily enter their world. Readers will learn the meaning behind the long lost wartime language of these soldiers, with such words and phrases as: Black Hand Gang, Ace, Crummy, Barker, Dud, Come-alongs, Hush-hush, and Over the top.

For a Finn, the puukko is the most important tool and at the same time the most feared weapon. You could almost say the puukko has the same importance for a Finn as the samurai sword has for the Japanese. It is a 2,000-year-old mystical weapon that has been used for centuries with the same conviction and dexterity during times of peace and war. This comprehensive resource on the Finnish puukko is the only one available and covers the history and the various types by using extensive photos of examples. Anssi Ruusuvuori has reprocessed the history of this remarkable knife type in a form unique up to now. He deals with technical and design aspects of the puukko and guides the reader through the history of this legendary tool and weapon from the Viking era up to the present. He reports about the great master smiths of industrialization in the late 19th century and about rediscovering the puukko in the recent past. This book's initial focus is on the puukko's technology and history. In the second section, the author introduces the different puukko types according to their materials and construction. Thereafter are presented the multiple regional types and special puukkos, which are essential to know about as a collector and knife enthusiast. This book provides a comprehensive overview with respect to the topic "puukko" and transfers a rich treasure of knowledge. During its long history, the puukko was used for a great diversity of tasks, such as the production of ladles and other household tools; the carving of ornaments; scratching ice off cart wheels; cutting food; gutting and skinning of game, fish, or livestock; climbing out of an ice hole back to firm ground; and magic rituals (to protect children from evil spirits, to pray for a good harvest, and so on). It was used for self-defense and for duels. The main source of material for this book is the puukko collections of Finnish museums and private collectors. The greater part of researched knives is from the National Museum of Finland. Additional material was gathered from the Kauhava Puukko Museum, the Peura Museum, the Turku Regional Museum, the Aboa Vetus et Ars Nova Museum, the Ostrobothnian Museum, the Museum of Crime, and various private collections.

At a time when most handguns were limited to six rounds, the ten-shot Mauser caught the attention of the world for its unprecedented firepower and formidable high-velocity 7.63x25mm cartridge. This saw its ultimate expression in the first-ever select-fire handgun - the `Schnellfeuer' machine pistol, fed by a detachable magazine and offering both full-automatic and single-shot modes. The C 96 was the first semi-automatic pistol to see combat, arming both sides in the Second Anglo-Boer War, and seeing service with the German, Russian, Chinese and other militaries. Widely purchased commercially, it was carried by none other than Winston Churchill in the Sudan and South Africa, became prized by the Irish Republican Army and Soviet revolutionaries, and even armed Han Solo in the `Star Wars' movies. Featuring full-colour artwork and an array of revealing photographs, this is the engrossing story of the C 96 Broomhandle Mauser, the ground-breaking semi-automatic pistol that armed a generation of military personnel, adventurers and revolutionaries at the turn of the 20th century.

The Royal Armouries is Britain's national museum of arms and armour, and one of the most important museums of its type in the world. Its origins lie in the Middle Ages, and at its core is the celebrated collection originating in the nation's working arsenal, assembled over many centuries at the Tower of London. In the reign of Elizabeth I, selected items began to be arranged for display to visitors, making the Royal Armouries heir to one of the oldest deliberately-created visitor attractions in the country. This fully-updated edition of the Royal Armouries guidebook is packed with useful information and stunning photography, and is a perfect introduction to the collection.