The British Sporting Gun and Rifle: Pursuit of Perfection 1850-1900

Stackpole Books, 2008-06-05. First American Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Oversize Heavy Hardcover with DJ, First American Edition 2008 Stackpole Books Mechanicsburg, PA 423 pages. Near Fine, in a NF DJ. Just a hint of shelf/edge wear to maroon cloth boards with gilt spine titles - corners sharp. Just a touch of shelf/edge wear and rubbing to DJ - now in mylar. No previous owner markings - all pages are clean and unmarked. Only flaw is a slight shelf lean. Printed on high-quality heavyweight photographic paper and lavishly illustrated with numerous color photographs of the best examples of the classic British Sporting gun and Rifle in the most productive and relentless pursuit of perfection during the years of 1850-1900. Prior to 1850, changes had been pedestrian; the muzzleloader still prevailed in then, as it had for previous centuries. In this major work, Dallas details the many changes that occurred in the latter half of the nineteenth century. He covers the pinfire, centre-fire, and hammerless developments along with all the ancillary changes made to sporting guns. He also outlines the many developments in rifles: the superseding of the two groove muzzle-loading Express rifle by the multi-groove, breech-loading rifle of smaller calibre with higher velocity and greater power, propelled by nitro powder and with many different mechanisms on offer. The definitive book on the subject. A superb copy in DJ.ISBN-0811704424.LOC SS-TS-02