by: Frank De Haas, Wayne Van Zwoll
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Book Description:
Book Description -- Before purchasing a modern sporting rifle there are many things to consider. This updated and expanded edition of Bolt Action Rifles contains the information readers need to speak intelligently to gunsmiths, and understand their suggestions and objections. Contains years of thoroughly researched information, such as technical descriptions, instructions for takedown/disassembly, hints for reworking, and dimensional specifications of every major design manufactured since the Mauser of 1871. This massive reference also contains a remarkable amount of historical and general information clearly written, not without an occasional touch of humor, and detailed assembly drawings of featured rifles with individual reviews of the action, safety, and firing mechanism. Suitable not only for the professional and amateur gunsmith, but also for any hunter or collector who wishes to gain a more thorough understanding of his gun, and anyone who contemplates acquiring a new one. * Coverage includes most of the major military and civilian rifle actions * Features updated and expanded information
About the Author -- As a full-time journalist for the outdoors press, Wayne Van Zwoll has published five books and several hundred articles, primarily on firearms, optics, and big game hunting, over the past 20 years. He edits the specifications section of Shooter's Bible, and his work has appeared in more than two dozen magazines, including Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, and Field & Stream. As a competitive shooter, Wayne has won two state small-bore titles, and in 1996 was named "Shooting Sports Writer of the Year" by the Outdoor Writers Association of America. He also runs a Wyoming outdoor skills camp for women, and gives seminars at sports shows and teaches marksmanship. Wayne currently resides in central Washington State with his wife Alice.
Very Useful -- I have the older 2nd edition of this book, and it is one of the most dog-eared volumes in my library. Sometimes the author is not quite as technical as I might like. For example, he frequently asserts that this or that old military action "must have been" made out of high-grade steel without having done any actual analysis or even hardness testing of the material in question. But, his descriptions do convey at least as much information about the many designs covered as I would have gotten if I had the chance to disassemble and study them all myself. I don't have a hardness tester either. The book is generally well written and fun to read. If you're thinking about buying a modern sporting rifle, you might want to read this and compare the various designs before you lay down your money. If you enjoy sporterizing old military junkers, collecting old military classics, or just lurking around gun shows, you need this book.
Reviews:
A classic work on rifle actions -- This is one of the frequently-quoted "classics" in the field of firearms literature (first edition was in 1971). But even a classic deserves a critical review, such as to determine its (remaining) usefulness, and its strengthes and weaknesses. This book is not a true encyclopedia of rifles; for such a purpose, a work like John Walter's "Rifles of the World" (or, formerly, W.H.B. Smith's now outdated "Book of Rifles") would be more comprehensive. It is mainly a thorough (528 pp.) technical treatise on most of the major military (17) and civilian (56) rifle actions. Its strength lies in the very good and very thorough technical descriptions, instructions for disassembly, hints for reworking and sporterizing. Nevertheless, the book also contains a remarkable amount of historical and general information; it is therefore suitable not only for the professional and amateur gunsmith, but also for any hunter or collector who wishes to gain a more thorough understanding of his gun, and who contemplates acquiring a new one. De Haas' language is clear and simple, not without an occasional touch of humour. The author's modesty and willingness to acknowledge some limits of knowledge in such a vast field are remarkable and greatly underline his general credibility and experience. Small drawbacks of the book are the generally mediocre quality of illustrations (while often okay, they are sometimes dark, sometimes downright blotchy). The bibliography is limited to articles in the "American Rifleman" and "Gun Digest", and an expanded edition would be appreciated. And some commercial German rifle actions might be added.
An excellent reference -- If you already own one rifle and will never buy another, don't bother. Reading this would be like reading Road&Track after buying your only new car for the next ten years. If you're only going to buy one rifle and know it well, or if you collect, or especially if you are considering a conversion of an old ex-military bolt action into a sporter, you need this book. It provides an in-depth analysis of not just how rifle actions are designed, but their suitability for customization, what cartridges they can and cannot be converted to, etc. The author restocked, scoped, honed, rebarreled, or otherwise upgraded all of the common actions in the book (and many of the less common ones too). Since these upgrades are what most hunters are interested in, the book in invaluable before dropping money on changes. It is not a gunsmithing how-to, but gives the detail you will need to speak intelligently to your gunsmith and understand his/her suggestions and objections. If you are looking for a good read, you can read the history of each action, skip the assembly/disassembly and design analysis, and then read the conclusions on conversion or upgrades. Later when a greasy old war trophy follows you home from a gun show, you can eagerly lap up every detail from receiver ring to tang.
Bolt Action Heaven -- De Haas has compiled an extensive array of bolt action rifles ranging from the early military Enfields and Mausers actions to the modern commercial bolt actions of Sako, Ruger and Remington to name a few. Not only are there detailed assembly drawings of the rifles but there are individual reviews of the action, safety, and firing mechanism. Frank also passes on his comments as to pros and cons of the overall shooting system and his views on customisation and calibre combination. The book has become an invaluble reference piece in my library if only to build a wish list of bolt actions I might one day be able to afford.
Quite possibly a necessity -- For the collector, historian, custom builder,or just an avid shooter. Mr. Haas has compiled a wealth of information that would take years of research on your own. ( He already did it for you). What is not in this book is probably not needed or necessary. There may have been some obscure & virtually unknown rifles omitted but the major & important ones are fully covered. Well written & easily understandable.