Erk - a male member of the RAF of the lowest rank. An Erk was a bloke that could be found clambering all over an aircraft. The aircraft he called a Kite. Without the work that was performed by Erks, the aircrews could never have flown. If he was an engine bod, then he would take on an oily, greasy appearance. He came in all shapes and sizes and was known to be very fond of WAAF company. Whenever work was needed on a kite he would be there and hard at it. Once he had satisfied himself that his work was well done, he would then skive away until he was needed again. He could detect a NAAFI van long before it came into site. He would never fail to visit it. It was a wad and a mug of char that kept him active. When not found on an aeroplane, and if he was to be seen at all, then he would probably be riding a bike.

In this book you will find over 6,000 drawings of shotgun cartridge head-stampings. The information on these stampings is as important to the cartridge collector as the markings on coins are to the numismatist (or coin collector). In the early days of breech loading, any information to be found on a cartridge was stamped onto the base of the brass head. Many of today's shooting folk do not realise the vast amount of history that has gone in to the making of the modern cartridge. One reason for producing this book is to record some of this history so that it will not be lost to future generations. Up until the first world war, most towns in the UK had at least one firm that bought in printed and often stamped cartridge cases. These old firms, gunsmiths, gun-makers and also ironmongers, would load the cases and sell their own celebrated brands of shotgun cartridges. The paper tubes were often printed, but for just a little extra cost they would have their name and that of the town stamped in to the brass heads. Not all firms that sold their own cartridges would go to this expense, but many did and this book provides a record of many of them for the enthusiast.

The shotgun would have been no use without its cartridges. Much has already been written about the histories of shotguns but very little about the cartridges themselves. This comprehensive work has been produced to help to rectify this situation. Contained within the book are alphabetical listings of more than 1100 firms and their cartridges from the British Isles, including the Republic of Ireland. These range in time from the first years of breech loadings up until the mid 1950s. It covers the time when most shotgun cartridges were closed by rolled-turnover and an over-shot wad. It is a history of the cartridge and is well illustrated, bringing back nostalgia to many older shooting folk. It is also a history of the loading activities that once were common place in many towns and cities across the British Isles. No shooter should be without this book on his bookshelf and for the collector of cartridges it is a must.

The breech loading shotgun would have been no use without its cartridges. Much has already been written about the histories of shotguns, but very little about the many cartridges that were loaded into the breeches. This book has been written as a companion to 'Cartridges of the British Isles' [ISBN 978-1-84549-111-6]. It covers the time from the first years in breech loading shotguns up until the present day. It also includes some overseas cartridges as well as many others of the British Isles not previously published. This is, in part, a history of shotgun cartridges and it should bring back much nostalgia to many older shooting folk. The book also contains a section on cartridge head-stampings and includes over two thousand examples that have been seen on cartridges throughout the years. No shooter should be without this book on his or her bookshelf. To the historians and the collectors of old and new shotgun cartridges it will prove an essential reference.