This new edition of Ian Hogg's classic is this century's ultimate reference work on the subject of military small arms. It has been fully updated and expanded (by 64 pages) to cover all small arms in military service during the 20th century and now includes many arms listings and photographs that did not appear in earlier editions. Recognized internationally as the leading authority on military small arms, author Ian Hogg was given free rein on this edition; he has delivered the ultimate reference edition for all interested in the history of these arms. Arms coverage includes: Pistols Submachine Guns Bolt-Action Rifles Automatic Rifles Machine Guns Anti-Tank/Materiel Rifles Ammunition

Discusses twentieth century guns with full color photographs, and includes military and sporting guns, revolvers, shotguns, and machine guns from 1900 to 1999.

From the very first handguns of the fifteenth century to modern machine guns and rifles, Small Arms Visual Encyclopedia is a highly illustrated volume that examines all the significant small arms of the world, featuring more than 1000 of the world's handguns, assault rifles, shotguns, machine guns, and other more esoteric weapons. All the famous weapons of each type are featured, such as the M-16, Colt .44 Magnum and MG42. Each featured small arm is illustrated with an excellent full-color artwork, showing the weapon in great detail with full specifications tables that list country of origin, weights, dimensions and calibre (with all weights and measures provided in both metric and imperial). With more than 800 outstanding color artworks, Small Arms Visual Encyclopedia is a comprehensive and accessible reference work that will appeal to anyone with an interest in small arms.

With modern military emphasis on whiz-bang weapons technology and the constant quest for things that make a bigger bang on the battlefield, it’s easy to forget that at the dark heart of war stands an infantryman and his individual weapons. Those who understand warfare from research or from personal experience generally realize this about the conflicts that have plagued mankind since the dawn of time. Infantry weapons—often referred to as small arms—have fascinated soldiers and scholars for decades as they are the most personal aspects of combat. Small arms come into play when contact is close and potentially lethal. This was particularly true during the long, frustrating war in Vietnam, but much of the focus in studying that conflict has been either on aerial weapons—strike aircraft or armed helicopters—or on the originally much-maligned M16 rifle. There were huge numbers of other weapons used by both sides, but they are often ignored and rarely seen being used in combat action. This book solves that problem. Divided into easily digestible sections and preceded by cogent discussions of each weapon type, the authors have presented an intriguing collection of photographs that depict the primary small (and not so small) infantry arms most common on Vietnam battlefields. There are rare and stirring images here that depict what it was like to fight in the jungle-covered mountains and in the rice paddies. Viewing these images is like studying a primer about one of America’s longest and deadliest wars. "We have a new generation of combat veterans among us these days. Men and women who carried a new generation of weapons to war into places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, who have returned with a fresh understanding about the crucial importance of small arms in warfare. They understand...that there is no strategy or tactic that equals victory in armed conflict if it does not include that muddy, grimy, dog-tired infantryman with just his personal weapon to help him survive in a life-and-death encounter." – American Rifleman "It’s an excellent book for anyone with an interest in the details of 20th-century infantry weapons, especially historians and collectors." – Booksmith

The definitive illustrated guide to the world's centerfire and rimfire rifles.

Profiles more than one thousand gun models, including antiques, military weapons, and others, providing color photos, technical specifications, and details on their origins, performance, and use.

Written by a technical expert who has fired many of the guns featured, this book includes wide and varied assemblage of weapons from each of the world’s major manufacturing countries. The Illustrated Directory series provide readers with a fully illustrated, comprehensive reference book packed with timelines, historical facts, and images designed to inform and excite. At 512 pages packed with information and photographs, this book is a necessary addition to any enthusiast's library. Complete with full specification table with each entry including type, origin, caliber, and size, The Illustrated Directory of Guns is the most ambitious and lavishly illustrated history of guns for the collector and enthusiast. It shows in clear, detailed photographs and text over 1500 guns with separate sections on Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles, Shotguns (military and sporting), Machine Guns, and Submachine guns. A few featured include: Remington Smith & Wesson Winchester Glock Vickers Mauser Browning Colt Beretta And more Organized A-Z by country and gunmaker's name, the book clearly shows the different types of gun which the world has used to hunt, wage war, break and defend its laws, hone its sharpshooting skills, and fire purely for the fun of it. The book also features an introduction on each section, which gives a brief history of the development of that particular kind of firearm.