Found old gunsmithing books

Mike Repp

Well-known member
Well actually refound, putting Christmas stuff away in the attic I found these books while I was looking for something. Last reprinted in 1946 first edition 1934 written by James Howe and printed by funk & wagnall. Kind of rough shape as they saw some water damage sometime in there lives.
View attachment IMG_2764.JPG
Some great drawings of tools and fixtures
View attachment IMG_2767.JPG
One of my favorites M1 Garand
View attachment IMG_2768.JPG
How about some checkering sorry its alittle fuzzy dont have my tripod with me right now.
View attachment IMG_2769.JPG
View attachment IMG_2777.JPG
Just some of the nifty pictures drawings and information in these 2 books. they have illustrations in here of fixtures for making military rifles into sport rifles which was very common after the 2 world wars.

View attachment IMG_2764.JPG
View attachment IMG_2767.JPG
View attachment IMG_2768.JPG
View attachment IMG_2769.JPG
View attachment IMG_2777.JPG
 
Bill you right there is so much cool stuff packed into these two books. How to make your own screwdrivers to formulas for blueing and browning. definitly covers just about everything there is on gunsmithing for that time period.
 
Hang on to those books out of print could be quite valuable and rare. I have a friend who is a gun stocker and rifle maker. One of his most valued possessions is a book on gun stocking by one of the masters of the trade which is long out of print. There was a article in the Antigo Journel not to long ago about two gun makers that lived in the area. They both made beautiful guns. One of them made rifles and wrote a book on gun stocking. The other one made shot guns. Their guns are now in collectors hands. They evidently were gun smiths in the old country and came to America to better themselves. They could not support themselves just making guns at first but did it as a side line. My friend was a school teacher and did gun stocking on the side. He has a complete machine shop. I drool at some of the rifles he has made. It is a very time intensive job and every detail has to be just right. Some of his stock blanks cost more then any rifle I own.
 
Wow Mike,
Those pictures alone are amazing.
I could read that stuff for quite a while next to the wood stove.
 
Mike,

I love the title...."The Modern Gunsmith". Not many more years and the'yll be 100 years. If not valuble now your kids and grandkids have a couple of priceless books with a lot of history.

Ed L.
 
Back
Top