The books on small arms that we reference

[johan_steele]

I thought it might not be a bad idea to create a thread on small arms reference books. While I concentrate on the rifles, rifle muskets etc of the infantry I have other reference works. I want to encourage others to start showing off their favorite or most often used reference books.

I'm going to start with what I believe is the single most important book for re-enactors shooters or collectors. It's also probably the least expensive on this thread. Last time I was at an NPS site it was under $10. Coates & Thomas created a book that is the seminal introduction to ACW arms. While it is an introduction it is a superb one and likely the most used book I own for quick reference on the subject.

 

[johan_steele]

This book is dated and long out of print but is one of the more important on the subject. The detailed line drawings and detailed measurements are increadibly useful in determining if something has been cut down or altered.

 

[johan_steele]

Fuller is often mentioned as the first true look at US arms of the era for collectors. His work is well written and superbly researched in that he could actually handle what he was writing about as he likely had it in his collection. I find his work enjoyable and educational... certainly less mind numbingly boring than some. While certainly dated it is still useful. And if you want to see his collection it resides in the NPS museum at Chickamauga.

 

[johan_steele]

Edwards Civil War Guns... the book that sparked the interest in so many of us. While dated it still holds the test of time because it is so well researched and just an interesting read.

 

[johan_steele]

Written for the US Army by the Ordnance Department reprinted by Dean Thomas is full of information written at a time of development like few others. It has details on the the development of the 1855 series arms and details how they were tested as well as how they fared from other arms from the continent.

 

[johan_steele]

Any mention of reference books about the ACW cannot leave out the superb work of George Moller, his Vol III details the various American made percussion shoulder arms of the ACW. I might go so far as to call it the definitive work on the subject. While far from inexpensive if you are a budding collector and can only buy 1 book this should be it. The pictures and information make it priceless.

 

[johan_steele]

Written by our own Craig Barry; well written and superbly informative. This work gives the budding collector the ability to look and recognize the reproduction, defarbed reproduction vs the original. His work on correcting the Italian, in particular, mistakes in their reproduction of various arms has allowed me to identify reproductions at a glance. The difference in shape, weight, balance, screw threads etc vs an original can keep a new collector from making the mistake of picking up a defarbed reproduction thinking it an original.

 

[johan_steele]

Joe Bilby wrote an intriguing book on the firearms of the ACW. Another dated work but well worth the coin for anyone interested in the subject.

 

[johan_steele]

An exhaustive look at the Modell 1855 series of arms. Anyone even vaguely interested in this series of arms needs this book as it goes into in depth detail of each model and variation.

 

[johan_steele]

Originally published in 1957 it is quite dated but a fascinating read nonetheless. It covers the entire Sharps line of firearms in enough detail that even the most jaded collector might learn somethin of interest.

 

[johan_steele]

The first look at the foreign arms of the ACW I came across. While well done it is far from perfect, the 2nd Edition solved many of the problems but it remains a flawed masterpiece. Yet as flawed as it is it is a book well worth owning.

 

[johan_steele]

This book took up where Firearms from Europe left off. This work details in very good order many of the ACW era foreign arms we know so well as well as detailing many we know little about. But keep a conversion chart close to hand as all measurements are in metric. The detailed photographs and dimensions make this work well worth owning.

 

[johan_steele]

John McAulay is one of my favorite authors on the subject of firearms. Entertaining as well as informative his works are always superbly researched and nicely illustrated. Though, unfortunately, I sometimes find myself needing to delve deeper than his works allow.

 

[johan_steele]

This is an interesting work that some might wonder why a collector might need. It goes into great detail on the history of the eagle on US firearms. The author, John Jordon, did a good job detailing the various styles, sizes and locations of the Eagle on US firearms. It has helped me date and identify assorted arms that have been put in my hands with a question. The original price tag is still visible and it was coin very well spent.

 

[johan_steele]

While rather dated this is an excellent resource simply due to the excellent photographs and can be a superb quick reference when looking at things you don't quite recognize.

 

[johan_steele]

While I am a large fan of Earl Hess and his excellent scope of works I was some disappointed in this work for the simple reason that he got some things wrong that an editor or someone more familiar with the firearms of the day would have caught and kept from the book. That said this is an important book simply because it gives a different look at the impact of the Rifle Musket. While there are mistakes made in the book the conclusions are interesting and make one think, regardless of whether or not you believe them valid.

 

[johan_steele]

While certainly not directly firearms related these two work by Paddy Griffith detail how weapons were deployed. It also details the effectiveness of such with what worked and what didn't and why. Well worth picking up for the budding ACW enthusiast or the arms collector who doesn't fully grasp how the weapons were utilized from the tactical to strategic level.

 

[johan_steele]

McAulay has written what I believe is the only real look at small arms of the US Navy and the USMC of the ACW era. It looks hard at the small arms available to the sailors and Marines at the time even breaking down what small arms were available upon some Navy ships. It is an intriguing and enlightening look into the the how and why of naval boarding and shore parties. I found myself rereading it for the simple reason that there was so much new information for me.

 

[johan_steele]

Those who know me as the author of the Tool Tuesday posts know I also collect ACW era tools. So why not also collect the associated musket tools... well there are two books full of musket tools. Between these two you can identify most of the primary or common musket tools available at the time of the ACW. SO you want the proper tool for your M1842 musket or M1861 it will be detailed in one of these two books along with a variety of different models of the same tool. Pretty soon you'll have more tools, including likely a few that you didn't know you needed. Not that I'm speaking from personal experience.

 

[johan_steele]

Those interested in the shoulder arms of the infantry are also often interested in the pointy stabby bits that went on the end of those weapons. While quite dated this is still an excellent reference and one I've come across many times for the price of a pair of Big Mac meals at that fine Scottish restaurant down the road. This work in combination with a couple others helped me go through a collection of nearly 3000 edged weapons a decade ago. Without it I might have gone mad... though some say I did anyway.