An illustrated history of guns and small arms - Joseph G. Rosa and Robin May

Here is the complete story of the gun traced from the first crude mixing of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur to the automatics of today. The beautiful full-colour illustrations throughout show the splendour of the varied ornamentation and the intriguing changes in appearance and mechanism over the centuries.

Every type of firearm is here from the small hand revolver to the cumbersome flintlock. First and foremost, this is a book about startling invention and fine craftsmanship, and in following the development of the gun for hostile or sporting purposes, it is fascinating to see how many of the crucial events of American and European history were shaped by a technical advance in weaponry design.