000 02078nam a2200217Ia 4500
003 RRU
005 20220811155938.0
008 210901s2003 ||||||||| ||||||| 0|eng|d
020 _a978-1856487016
040 _aRRU
_beng
041 _aeng
082 _a683.4
_bHOG
245 0 _aHandguns & Rifles : The Finest Weapons From Around The World
_cIan Hogg
250 _a1st.ed.
260 _bThe Lyons Press
_c2003
_aGuilford
300 _a128 p.: illustrations (some color) ; 29 cm
_b;22.86 x 1.91 x 29.21 cm
520 _aThe 20th century was among the most violent eras in human history--barely a day has passed that has not witnessed a war or uprising in some part of the world. Because of this, arms manufacturers have never been busier, and with increased business comes an accompanying advance in technology, as rival weapons makers compete with each other to produce the most accurate and powerful guns to supply the armies, police forces, and sportspeople of the world. From the early "Suicide Special" revolvers--so called because their cheap manufacture was as likely to cause harm to the firer as to any target--to modern military rifles that are masterpieces of design and rugged durability, HANDGUNS & RIFLES examines revolvers and automatics, bolt-action and magazine-loaded rifles. The innovations and failures within the arms-making industry are also discussed, showing the patterns and shifts that have occurred as the needs and the interests of its customers--both military and civilian--have changed. It details such famous weapons as the Automat Kalashnikov (AK) 47, which has dominated the market since its design in 1946 due to its simplicity and reliability, as well as less well-known guns such as the Stechkin machine pistol, which promised much but was virtually uncontrollable when fired. Comprehensively illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs, HANDGUNS & RIFLES traces the evolution of modern weapons from the turn of the 20th century to the present day.
650 _aTerrorism
700 _9513
_a Hogg, Ian V.
942 _2ddc
_cBK
999 _c232
_d232