Guns of the Old West


Book Description

Dramatic story of shoulder arms, hand guns, and other weapons also describes the men who used them. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the Kentucky and Sharps rifle, Colt revolver, and much more. 499 black-and-white illustrations.




Guns of the American West


Book Description

Dennis Adler, award-winning author and photographer, and contributing editor to Guns of the Old West magazine, has woven together enthralling tales of the guns and gunmen who made the Wild West wild. Beginning with the early western expansion and the California Gold Rush, Guns of the American West takes you through the development of America's most legendary handguns, rifles, and shotguns and the roles they played in our nation's history. As the Civil War erupts, the author follows the politics of a country divided and how North and South chose to arm their soldiers. In the aftermath of this great conflagration, Adler takes you step-by-step through the evolution of loose powder cap-and-ball revolvers, rifles, and shotguns to the conversion to self-contained metallic cartridges and the sweeping changes that resulted in firearms design. With a nation intent on its belief in Manifest Destiny, the author follows legendary lawmen, soldiers, and outlaws as America moves west in the 1870s and 1880s. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.




Famous Firearms of the Old West


Book Description

From Buffalo Bill to Wild Bill and from Chief Joseph to Geronimo, the most famous guns in the West and the history behind them More than a few of the actual guns once in the hands of the heroes and villains of America’s Old West still exist, housed in a dozen museums across the country—from the Model 1866 .44-40 that Chief Joseph famously surrendered to General Miles to Wild Bill Hickok’s Colt Model 1851 revolvers; from Buffalo Bill’s .50 caliber breechloading needlegun nicknamed “Lucrezia Borgia” to John Wesley Hardin’s 1860 model .44 SA revolvers. Famous Firearms of the Old West follows the life stories of a dozen actual pistols, rifles, and shotguns instrumental in shaping America’s history—using them as entrées into the lives of the shooters themselves. This is a vivid portrait of famous Western characters, paired with the guns they used to make themselves famous or, as the case may be, infamous. It is a must for anyone interested in the history and lore of the Wild West, gun hobbyists, and tourists seeking a museum experience with a difference.




Gunsmithin - Guns of the Old West


Book Description

The popularity of cowboy action shooting has greatly expanded, and so has this indispensable guide to the guns used in the sport. This updated second edition guides collectors, cowboy action shooters, hobbyists and Old West re-enactors through repairing and improving Old West firearms. New additions include 125 high-resolution diagrams and illustrations, five new handgun models, four new long gun models, and an expanded and illustrated glossary.The book offers expanded coverage of the first edition's featured guns (over 40 original and replica models), as well as updated gunsmithing tips and advice. The step-by-step, detailed illustrations demonstrate to both amateur and advanced gunsmiths how to repair and upgrade Old West firearms. This valuable knowledge is passed along to readers by a working professional with years of experience and a great reputation for quality custom gunsmithing work.·




Guns of the Wild West


Book Description

Guns of the Wild West brings the nation’s westward expansion and growing need for weaponry to life in an illustrated guide to the history of American firearms. Through vibrant imagery, Bruce Wexler showcases weapons such as the classic Colt Single Action Army and the iconic pepper-box revolver, which made their way into both military and civilian hands during the settling of the frontier. Exclusive archive photographs link the guns to famous heroes and villains, places, and historical events—from Wyatt Earp’s Smith & Wesson Model 3 to John Wilkes Booth’s Philadelphia Derringer. Wexler profiles the notable gunsmiths that hold a place in Western history, including the great American manufacturers such as Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Winchester, as well as lesser-known ones such as Merwin Hulbert and Henry Deringer. Wexler’s thorough research shows how the widespread use of new firearms—fueled in part by advances made during the Civil War—played a definitive role in America’s growth and identity. The reader is presented with detailed depictions of the various weapons used by cowboys, lawmen, soldiers, gunslingers, and Native Americans. Guns of the Wild West is a treasure for gun collectors, history buffs, and fans of Western novels and movies.




Guns of the Wild West


Book Description

On t.p.: The handguns, longarms and shotguns of the Gold Rush, the American Civil War, the Wild West and the Armed Forces.




Guns of the Old West


Book Description

Originally written in the 1950s, Guns of the Old West is a factual account of the guns used during, and after, one of the most romanticized and often misconstrued periods in American history. It covers a wide array of firearms, from the smallest of hideaway pistols - the Derringer - to the largest of Colt's single-action revolvers, the more recent Mauser "broomhandle," and the Colt 1911 auto pistol. Illustrated throughout, this book describes not only the evolution of fighting pistols and rifles during the 1800s and before, but also the men who created and used them. Of particular interest is the chapter titled "Frontier Life Insurance" that defines the code by which men lived and fought with their pistols. It was a time when the handgun was both a defensive and offensive weapon, much more than today, when it is considered mainly for defense. The chapter on "The Long Guns" covers the development of frontier rifles, from the famous Kentucky rifle of the plains and the mountain man's Hawken to the ever-popular Winchester lever actions.




Firearms of the American West, 1866-1894


Book Description

This is the second volume of a two-part encyclopedic reference to firearms in the 19th-century American West, offering both technical information and historical narrative. Covering the period from the close of the Civil War to the modern period, it draws on advertisements from newspapers, catalogues, and other primary sources to discuss the military and civilian firearms used in the settling of the West, including rifles, shotguns, and handguns, as well as the guns used by the Native Americans. Illustrated with some 500 photographs of the weapons and of the people who used them. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR




A Texas Cow-boy


Book Description




The Gunning of America


Book Description

"An acclaimed historian explodes the myth about the 'special relationship' between Americans and their guns, revealing that savvy 19th century businessmen--not gun lovers--created American gun culture"--