"A lively and interesting overview of guns in American life; past, present, and future...Guns in America: A Reader will serve most promisingly as a long-awaited introduction to a complex and controversial issue."
--"Left History"

Firearms have long been at the core of our national narratives. From the Puritans' embrace of guns to beat back the "devilish Indian" to our guilty delight in the extralegal exploits of Dirty Harry, Americans have relied on the gun to right wrongs, both real and imagined.

The extent to which guns have been woven into our nation's mythology suggests that the current debate is only partly about guns themselves and equally about conflicting cultural values and competing national identities. Belying the gun debate are a host of related issues: contesting conceptions of community, the proper relationship between the individual and the state, and the locus of responsibility for maintaining order.

Guns in America documents and analyzes the history of firearms in America, exploring various aspects of gun manufacture, ownership, and useaand more importantly, the cultural and political implications which this history reveals.

Eschewing single-minded partisanship and emphasizing nuance and compromise, Jan E. Dizard and Robert Merrill Muth have assembled a diverse array of writings from all points on the ideological spectrum. The documents span the whole of American history, from Puritan sermons to contemporary NRA documents. The result is an indispensable panorama of the never-ending controversies over gun control, crime, hunting, and militias.

The M9 has been the United States Army's standard bayonet for over two decades - with no plans in sight to replace it. In fact, it is already the longest serving American bayonet, joining the M-16 as an enduring symbol of the American soldier. Without exaggeration, it has become an icon of the American Army in much the same way as the Gladius became symbolic of the Roman Legions. This book chiefly focuses on the M9, its manufacturers, evolution, variations, accessories, and collectability with the objective to spotlight only those M9s of military issue. Beyond that, the intention is to provide fellow collectors with a reference and a tool that will enhance their collecting experience through objective data as well as personal knowledge and experience. There is no other bayonet in all of American military history which possesses such a one of a kind individualism while at the same time displaying so obvious an American personality of design as the M9!

Over the last twenty years there has been a noticeable increase in interest, not only in the use of rifles, but also in the technical aspects of what makes an accurate rifle. However, much of this information is limited not only to the bolt action rifle but even to certain makes that are favoured above all others. This book deals instead with all types of rifle from flintlock muzzleloaders to synthetic-stocked rifles. It is written in a clear, no-nonsense style based on many years of practical experience and follows the maxim that although theories are of inteest, it is only real results that count.

Richly illustrated volume covers the development of modern German rifles and machine pistols, as well as their ammunition, and includes many rare and experimental types. Covered are the Werder rifle, Mauser rifles, the various M/71 rifles and ammunition, the 88 cartridge, the Infantry Rifle 88, the 98 rifles, the FallschirmjAger rifle, the 41 & 43 rifles, ERMA and Walther machine pistols and many more.

Many women want to join join the swelling ranks of those who have purchased a firearm to defend themselves, their honor, and their property with, but aren't sure where to start. This book explains the details of purchasing a handgun, shotgun, or rifle to defend your person, or home and hearth with.

The debate over gun control is a complex and compelling one that has created a deep divide between gun rights and gun control supporters. Student researchers can use this reference source to explore the issue through the lives of fifty people who have become actively involved in either supporting gun control and stricter laws, or in supporting the rights of people to own and carry guns. This unique approach to the debate provides profiles of these individuals, highlighting the different reasons for each person's deep involvement in the debate and the different elements involved in the debate as a whole.

Victims of gun violence, police officers, physicians, and Second Amendment scholars are among those who put a human face on this complicated debate. Readers can expect to experience a range of emotions and a questioning of their own views as they explore the complex issues of individual rights, the role of government and law enforcement, public health questions, and social issues such as gang violence and the need for safe communities from a variety of perspectives. A thorough introduction outlining the debate, references to additional sources, and complete lists of federal and state gun laws are additional tools this volume provides to help students understand the complexity of this divisive social issue.

This informative book takes the novice from choosing his first rifle to hunting techniques. In his highly individual style, John Darling explains the methods and techniques that work for him. Chapters cover the air rifle, ammunition, sights, accessories and clothing, shooting and hunting techniques, the law and safety, quarry (including rabbits, squirrels, rats, woodpigeons, doves and crows), and field target shooting. Although appealing mainly to the inexperienced shooter, the competent hunter will find invaluable advice on the maintenance of equipment and field techniques within these pages.

This is the preeminent reference on antique English knives, written by one of Great Britain's most respected 20th century authorities on weaponry. The text contains much previously unknown historical information about cutlers and their art. Chapters and over 300 color photographs and hand-drawn illustrations cover the earliest history of Sheffield, England, a directory of 19th century cutlers' names, and many groups and types of knives, from the most humble penknife to magnificent exhibition pieces. The history of the famous American designed Bowie knife, manufactured extensively in Sheffield, is explained and amply illustrated. Discussions present multi-bladed sportsmen's pocket knives, farrier's, smoker's, quill knives, curiosities, and actual knives presented to King George IV in 1821. These appear along with a veritable kaliedoscope of craftsmanship. Quoting from the author's Acknowledgements, "Sheffield's legacy is not just in the tangible dust-covered records or faded photographs rescued from destruction, but in the living art form of their craft that endures and remains the symbol of what was the centre of the cutlery world for well over a hundred years."

Shotguns are powerful, intimidating, and versatile weapons. Over time there have been many changes in the world of shotgun shooting, such as new gun models and new ammunition; however, many of the fundamentals have remained the same. With all of these factors combined, it is imperative to learn to use the shotgun correctly. Originally published in 1971, Successful Shotgun Shooting remains one of the most thorough publications on the art and science of shotgun shooting. It is an informative and concise primer that will make a better shooter of anyone -- whether a first time shooter or seasoned professional.

This volume is written about working on one of the finest sporting firearms ever invented - the shotgun. Included are types of shotgun from everyman's dream gun, the sidelock ejector, to the everyman gun, the humble economy single barrel. It covers the work a gunsmith actually encounters, much of this information has never previously been published and may help the reader appreciate the complexity and great range of skills and knowledge a gunsmith needs, something unique in the 21st century. Topics covered include: guns and gunsmithing; tooling & equipment; stripping & servicing and examination for faults; minor and advanced barrel work; rejointing barrels to actions and lockwork; minor and major stock repairs; blacking, bluing, browning and engraving, and finally gun proof and the Law.

"A lively mix of memoir, cultural and historical analysis, statistics, and cross-generational profiles of women who shoot
--blasting the notion that feminism and firearms are incompatible."
--"Peace News"

Women, we are told, should not own guns. Women, we are told, are more likely to be injured by their own guns than to fend off an attack themselves. This "fact" is rooted in a fundamental assumption of female weakness and vulnerability. Why should a woman "not" be every bit as capable as a man of using a firearm in self-defense?

And yet the reality is that millions of American women--somewhere between 11,000,000 and 17,000,000--use guns confidently and competently every day. Women are hunting, using firearms in their work as policewomen and in the military, shooting for sport, and arming themselves for personal security in ever-increasing numbers. What motivates women to possess firearms? What is their relationship to their guns? And who exactly are these women? Crucially, can a woman be a gun-owner and a feminist too?

Women's growing tendency to arm themselves has in recent years been political fodder for both the right and the left. Female gun owners are frequently painted as "trying to be like men" (the conservative perspective) or "capitulating to patriarchal ideas about power" (the liberal critique). Eschewing the polar extremes in the heated debate over gun ownership and gun control, and linking firearms and feminism in novel fashion, Mary Zeiss Stange and Carol K. Oyster here cut through the rhetoric to paint a precise and unflinching account of America's gun women.

This book examines the emergence of new international norms to govern the spread of small arms, and the extent to which these norms have been established in the policies and practices of states, regions and international organizations. It also attempts to establish criteria for assessing norm emergence, and to assess the process of norm development by comparing what actually happens at the multilateral level.
If norm-making on small arms and related multilateral negotiations have mostly dealt with 'illicit arms', and most of the norms examined here fall on the arms supplier side of the arms equation, the author argues that the creation of international norms and the setting of widely agreed standards amongst states on all aspects of the demand for, availability, and spread of both legal and illegal small arms and light weapons must become central to the multilateral coordination of policy responses in order to tackle the growing violence associated with small arms availability.
Small Arms and Security will be of interest to researchers and professionals in the fields of peace and conflict studies, global governance, international security and disarmament.

This book examines the emergence of new international norms to govern the spread of small arms, and the extent to which these norms have been established in the policies and practices of states, regions and international organizations. It also attempts to establish criteria for assessing norm emergence, and to assess the process of norm development by comparing what actually happens at the multilateral level. If norm-making on small arms and related multilateral negotiations have mostly dealt with 'illicit arms', and most of the norms examined here fall on the arms supplier side of the arms equation, the author argues that the creation of international norms and the setting of widely agreed standards amongst states on all aspects of the demand for, availability, and spread of both legal and illegal small arms and light weapons must become central to the multilateral coordination of policy responses in order to tackle the growing violence associated with small arms availability. Small Arms and Security will be of interest to researchers and professionals in the fields of peace and conflict studies, global governance, international security and disarmament.

This new book is everything the toy gun collector could ever wish for, with over 600 full-color photographs of cap guns and gun accessories and a current value guide! Cap guns have been mass-produced since the post-Civil War era, made of wood, lead and iron. Designs were unusual; some guns pictured in this book even had two-and three-dimensional figures, or were animated with moving figures! In the 20th century toy guns became realistic models, of cast iron, wood, composition, and plastic. Since 1950, most toy cap guns continue to be made of plastic or die-cast material. Cap guns from the Baby Boomer era of 1940-1965 are currently the most popular with collectors. Guns shown in this book reveal the public fascination with cowboys and westerns, from Roy Rogers and Gene Autry to Hopalong Cassidy and the Lone Ranger. The glamorous guns of this period featured character names, shiny finishes, fancy plastic grips, and holster sets with sparkling stones and studs. Interest in toy guns has grown tremendously in the past few years. Demand far exceeds what is currently available for purchase as cap guns become one of the hottest collectibles among antique toy enthusiasts.

The world's 9mm weapons are covered in this detailed volume, showing the variety of weapons and ammunition in the 9mm format from Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Israel, Austria, Poland, South Africa, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and the United States. Among the famous makes covered are the Mauser, Walther, Llama, the various Berettas including the models now used in the American Armed Forces, the UZI, Colt and Smith & Wesson. Over 500 photographs, including detailed interior shots, and numerous line drawings makes this book ideal for the collector and enthusiast.