Rifles

In 15th century Europe, the battlefields were rife with inaccurate weapons; canons and muskets often missed their targets completely and needed to be cleaned after each shot. Soldiers began to experiment with grooved barrels, which required less cleaning and had the added benefit of hitting targets with greater precision. These “rifled” barrels quickly caught on, and the rifle was born. Rifles explores how rifles changed over time, and how the requirements of the battlefield brought about new developments, including the advent of the semi-automatic rifle during WWI. Filled with over 200 full-color photographs of rifles, this artful book showcases beautiful antique models as well as extreme modern weapons. See all of the rifles made by top manufacturers, including Browning, Marlin Firearms, Winchester, Ruger, and Remington. Learn about different action types, including bold-action, pump-action, and semi-automatic rifles. It also includes helpful information about safe handling and storage solutions for gun owners.

Jim Supica is the director of the National Rifle Association's National Firearms Museum, and is the founder and former president of Old Town Station, Ltd. He is the coauthor of Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, and his column "Ask the Gun Guy" appears monthly in Shotgun News. He has also served on the board of directors for the National Rifle Association and is the former president of both the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association and the Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association. Doug Wicklund is a senior curator of the National Firearms Museum, and a fourth-generation NRA life member.