Historical Rifle Biblography---Lots on Paper Patching and the Shooters-Fisher Brush

[Kenny Wasserburger]

From my own personal research Library: All of the below I own.

The first 12 Books are from a list published in the Rifle in 1887.

Forest and Stream's Handbook for Riflemen, Original Copy 1876

Rifle and Marksmenship by H. Gildersleeve original Copy 1878, Pub by Spirit of the Times

The Riflemans Handbook by John Pease Original Copy 1862

Interduction to Young Marksmen by John Chapman Original Copy 1848, Plus I have 2 reprints

Manual for Rifle Practice by Gen George Wingate Original Copy 1882 and 2 reprints.

The Rifle and How to Use It by Hans Busk original copy 1860 New Edition.

Modern Observations on Rifle Shooting by Edwin Perry A reprint of the 3rd 1883 edition and also a reprint of the 1880 1st edition. Much more Info in the 3rd Edition.

Hints and Advice on Rifle Shooting by Robert McVittie Reprint 1886

The 3 Rifles by Maj Standford Sheridan Young reprint 1878

Hints to Riflemen by HWS Cleveland 1865 Reprint in 1948.

Modern Sportman Gun and Rifle by J H Walsh (aka Stonehenge) 1884 reprint

The Gun and it's Development by W.W Greener 1887 reprint.
End of list from Forest and Stream 1887 article.

My own added:

The Art of Shooting with the Rifle by Sir Henry St. John Halford reprint of the 1888 book, I am sure it would of been included as it was printed just a few months later. I have 2 copies one paperback and 1 leather bound.

E. Remington and Sons Catalog of 1878 Reprint
Accounts of the 1877 Matches at Creedmoor and the Spirit of the Times Match

Report of the Exec Committe of the Amateur Rifle Clube of the 1874 Internationl Match 1875 Reprint lots of Sats!

The Ideal #5 Handbook of Useful information for Shooters 1895 reprint info on Paper patching-Wet and Fisher Brush

The American Riflemans Encyclopedia 1902 Reprint, excellent accounts of the Creedmoor Matches and Verbage on the Fisher Brush

The Book of the Rifle by Thomas Francis Freemantle 1901 Reprint

The Kentucky Rifle by Capt John G.W. Dillion 1924 a 1959 Reprint, Excellent Forward 10 pages long by Capt William DeV. Foulke

The Muzzleloading Caplock Rifle by Ned H.Roberts 1958 5th Edition

Major Ned Roberts and the Schuetzen Rifle Original 1951 Copy Edited by Garald C. Kelver and 1 reprint

The Muzzleloading Rifle Then and Now 2001 reprint of the 1942 edition by Walter Cline

The Breach-Loading Rifle by Major Ned Roberts and Kenneth Waters 1987 Original Copy.

Broad Foot Publishing's Copys of The Rifle-Shooting and Fishing, Vol's 1-10 and #21 Excellent Resources Original 1991 Edition.

Mister Rifleman by Colonel Townsend Whelen Original 1965 edition- Foulke Referenced

Only Accurate Rifles are Intereresting by Col. Townsend Whelen March-April 1957 American Rifleman Excellent References on William DeV. Foulke and the 1900 Match and Discription of the Fisher Brush.

Modern American Rifles by A.C. Gould 1892 reprint

Sharps Firearms by Frank Sellers 1988 3rd Printing 2 copies 1 autographed to me personally.

Americans and Their Guns- NRA history lots on Creedmoor Original 1967 Copy.

Now that boys and Girls is a reference Library worth having.


Kenny W.

The Lunger-The Elder Harsh Brother.

[Chill Wills]

Ya know Kenny, As I have told you before, I would like to have a week to sit by the fire in a comfortable chair, with maybe something to sip on, and go through your books! This is a good COLD week to do it too! But, only in my dreams!
OK -back to the to-do list.

By the way, In looking through the 1954 American Rifleman, June, July, August and September issues. I found a more and different report on the "story of Creedmoor and related info than I had seen before.
Stay warm - Michael

[Doc Highwall]

Kenny, I know from experience that your collection took a while to assemble and deserves recognition.
Great collection!!
P.S I know you are still looking to add to it.

[smokeywolf]

Ya know Kenny, As I have told you before, I would like to have a week to sit by the fire in a comfortable chair, with maybe something to sip on, and go through your books! This is a good COLD week to do it too! But, only in my dreams!
OK -back to the to-do list.

By the way, In looking through the 1954 American Rifleman, June, July, August and September issues. I found a more and different report on the "story of Creedmoor and related info than I had seen before.
Stay warm - Michael

What he said. ^^^^^
An enviable collection indeed. Internet information is amazing. With a CD you can look at bright, sharply rendered photographs on a high res computer monitor. But, technology still hasn't come close to replacing books.
I go back to my old books frequently. Lately, my bathroom reading has been "The Bullet's Flight" and in the living room, "Winchester, The Gun That Won The West"

smokeywolf

[bigted]

SHOOT ... all i see is BRAGGIN here ...

congrats on the collection. i also am envious ... but unwilling to invest what it would take now to assemble a collection like yours. it be no wonder that you have results as you do. having such info at hand AND putting it to use shows a good student that is willing to impart a portion of life as well as an open wallet to his passion.

thanks Kenny for your continued sharing of this knowledge. i am ALMOST tempted to think about an apology for the stupids that fell off my fingers when i first arrived here ... ALMOST !!!

[shooter93]

I have quite a few of those myself. I also joined the NRA reprints of Classic firearms books and the Frontier series long ago...over 100 of those so far. Hard to beat a good book.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Indeed hard to beat a good book, Knowledge is usless though, unless your willing to share it in my opinion. I am lucky that I have the drive and the ability to afford the search for these books. Still the Target ranges is where my heart lies, and watching that perfect cloud of confeti at the muzzle every shot and the resulting scores. That is the sauce of life!

I think that the only true way to perfect the craft though now, is to find the time, too spend on the range and with some proper instruments to measure, wind-barometic pressure-humidity, even Light. And with a Known Zero for windage on a good shooting rifle measure the affects of said conditions on a bullet like the Money PP as the test medium. And the time to disect the information gained and learn from and improve from it.

KW
The Lunger

[Doc Highwall]

Kenny, the pursuit of excellence has no boundaries and just when we think one is approaching another discovery sets the boundary farther away.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Michael,

Thanks for the heads up on that, found a nice bound volume of Rifleman 1954 for a real decent price. It's on the way, anything to add to my knowledge on the Creedmoor era and matches is worth it for study and consideration.

Kenny

I was out in the bitter stuff all day Wed and Thur helping out on the Powder River, Infusion on Friday, and came home spending a weekend of reading-writing.

[ResearchPress]

Kenny, I too have a many of the books listed, the exceptions primarily being some of the books on American rifles. Below are some additional books in my library that add references from a British perspective on the period. All are original editions unless noted otherwise.


Proceedings of the National Rifle Association
Annual report and prize lists. Prize lists give useful primary source information on rifles used by competitors in ‘any rifle’ events. 1861, 1863, 1870, 1872, 1874, 1879, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899

National Rifle Association Annual Rifle Meeting Programme
Rules & Regulations and details of all competitions
Wimbledon: 1864, 1869, 1875, 1885
Bisley: 1897

The National Rifle Association 1859-1909 by A.P. Humphry & Lt.-Col. The Hon. T.F. Freemantle, 1914

Elcho Shield Records 1862-1926. Private printing by the English Eight Club, 1926.
Includes full shot by shot results for every competitor, plus other match information. Competition is teams of eight from England, Scotland and Ireland shooting at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. Of significant value is that the rifle used by each competitor is identified, giving a unique insight into the selection of rifles by the country’s top riflemen through the muzzle loading, black powder breech loading and later ‘smokeless’ powder era.
Also supplements for 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949

The Rifle Conference, 1864 – Report and Proceedings (with Additional Papers)
Three day conference attended by many notable riflemen of the time considering the management of rifle matches, apparatus and conditions as to weapons and men.

The Volunteer Rifleman and The Rifle by J.Boucher, 1859

A Handy Book for Rifle Volunteers by Capt. W.G. Hartley, 1859

Hand-Book for Hythe by Hans Busk, 1860 [reprint 1971]

Rifle and Volunteer Rifle Corps by Llewellyn Jewitt, 1860

Manual of Rifling and Rifle Sights edited by Lieut.-Col. Viscount Bury for the NRA, 1864 [reprint 1971]

Note on Rifle-Shooting by Captain Heaton, 1864 [reprint 1993]
Includes analysis of the various small-bore rifles available in 1864

Illustrated Hand Book of Rifle Shooting by Alex Lord Russell, 1869 [reprint 1989]

Modern Breech-Loaders 1871 by W.W. Greener [reprint 1985]

Irish Riflemen in America by Arthur B. Leech, 1875

The Martini-Henry v. Snider by Francis J. Lock, 1879

A Guide to the “Queen’s Sixty” on Martini-Henry and Snider Rifles and How to Use Them
by Herbert Percy Miller, 1884

The Volunteers, From Wimbledon to Bisley – 1859-1889 by The Ancient, 1889

The School of Musketry at Hythe by W.S. Miller, 1892

Memoir of William Ellis Metford – Published posthumously in May 1900, the greater part of this memoir was written by Major the Hon. T.F. Fremantle

The Target Rifle in Australia 1860-1900 (subtitled With Notes on Competitive Shooting and some Rifles and Riflemen of the Time) by J.E. Corcoran, 1975 [reprint 1995]

The History and Records of the Palma Match (1876-2007) by Colin C.C. Cheshire. Private subscription printing, 2007.


Patent Specifications Relating to Firearms 1588-1858 published in an edition of 1,000 copies, 1960

Patents for Inventions, Class 119 (Small Arms) - 1855-1930. [reprint 1993]
Seven volume set originally issued by the British Patent Office.


I have a large collection of papers relating to Joseph Whitworth and the Whitworth rifle. Everything listed in the Reference section at the foot of the linked page is in my library (some original copies, some photocopies).

I keep adding information to my web site when I can, much of it from primary source information.

David