Illustrated World Encyclopedia Of Guns

Product Description

This is a comprehensive highly illustrated guide to military law enforcement & antique firearms throughout history. It

Includes:: a history of firearms from the medieval hand cannon to todays FN Minimi light machine gun. It contains directories of arms from around the world organized by country of manufacture & features key specifications for each weapon including calibre magazine capacity barrel length & unloaded weight. With 1100 colour photographs & artworks including cutaway diagrams to show internal components & gun operation this comprehensive encyclopedia is both an expert reference work & stunning visual directory explaining the development of arms & showing the individual specifications of modern weapons. The history of arms begins with 14th-century hand cannons & outlines technological advances such as the percussion principle & the beginnings of the modern cartridge system as well as the rise of mass production & the craft of the gunmaker. Modern arms are then explained covering the materials & technology including Super Magnum revolvers semi-automatic pistols & assault rifles. The directories offer an unparalleled photographic guide to the most significant pistols revolvers rifles submachine & machine guns. Grouped according to country of origin each guns features are listed as are the military political & technological context in which each gun was developed.