Range Officer’s Handbook Review in Guns Australia
Range Officer’s Handbook Review in Guns Australia by Nick Harvey
Book Review – Guns Australia October/December 2009
Hard-bound 200x303mm, 523 pages, well illustrated with line drawings and photographs, index, glossary and list of contents.
The name Ron Owen is well known to the majority of Aussie shooters as an indefatigable fighter for shooter’s rights and as a firearms retailer and importer.
Ron Owen has a comprehensive background in the shooting sports starting in England when he was 12 years old. He joined the British regular army at 15 and competed in the regimental rifle team at Bisley and Pirbright. By 1967 he had settled in Victoria and was a founding member of the Bonang Branch of the SSAA. Ron has shot every different discipline on ranges in many countries around the world, reaching A grade in National competitions and coached shooters who competed in the Commonwealth Games. After 49 years in the shooting industry, with those credentials and a background like this, who better to write a firearm textbook!
The Range Officers Handbook is an omnibus of firearms and ammunition and their use. The author has condensed a tremendous amount of information into this volume’s pages. The book is a neat and handy compilation of reference data that any technically oriented gun enthusiast will want in his library. You name it and it’s got it – everything about rifles, handguns, scopes, handloading and air arms history and use – and much more.
Did I learn anything? Yes I did, and I’m sure you will too as it contains lots of sound advice about every facet of the art and science of firearms, shooting techniques, and just about everything there is to know about firearms Ron Owen’s book comes as close to being all inclusive as any I’ve seen.
It has:
90 pages of information for Range Officers
239 pages on Coaching to Win
110 pages on Air Rifle History and Training
33 pages on Hitting Clay Targets
34 pages on Reloading Ammunition
34 pages of old into new, (Chronological history of firearms)
23 pages of glossary of terminology on firearms and Optics
Over 1000 drawings and photographs.
The retail price of the book is $75, and the book can be obtained from the QIARA office at 24 McMahon Rd, Gympie 4570. Trade and club prices on application. You can also order by phone on (07) 5482 5070.
Australia Wide Postage is an additional $10.00 as the book weighs over 2 kg.
Saddle Up
‘Saddle Up’ by Rick Landers
A Book For Military Collectors, Antique Gun Collectors or for Firearm Collectors.
Australian Load Carrying Equipment of British, American & Local Origin.
This reference by Rick Landers explores the full period of Australian issue, from the First Fleet in 1788 through the various colonial governments and the Commonwealth, through two world wars and Vietnam to the year 2000 and beyond.
From bandoliers and belts to packs and pouches, for the purpose of carrying items ranging from ammunition and compasses to pistols and bayonets, this invaluable study will appeal to a broad cross section of collectors and military enthusiasts.
Buff, brown & black leather, canvas and woven webbing equipment combined to serve the soldier in the field, in a wide variety of forms. The references to contractors, trials, production and markings in the descriptive text are accompanied by about 250 illustrations which includes a section in full colour.
Any collector of uniforms, accoutrements, individual equipment or weapons will welcome this systematic presentation of such a wealth of material. The more than two hundred years of Australian kit embraces essential British patterns with a veritable sprinkling of U.S. and Canadian production as well, culminating with a fully integrated set of indigenous load carrying equipment today.
$50.
plus Australia Wide Postage $10.00
ISBN 0 646 35322 5
Textbook of Small Arms 1929
The British Army Textbook of Small Arms 1929
This book originally printed by the War Office, was intended for use by officers under instruction at the British School of Musketry at Hythe.They were also expected to take it back with them to their postings, in the regiments to teach small arms skills to the weapons instructors. It is a complete examination of everything needed to be known about smallarms, ammunition and ballistics. It looks at rifles, swords, lances and bayonets, as well as revolvers, grenades and machine guns. There is a section dealing with small arms ammunition (including pre-.303inch ammunition) which is very comprehensive. The book also looks at the ballistics of this ammunition. The book is amply illustrated with photographs, line drawings and tables, and forms a complete record of the weapons and ammunition that were in service between the two World Wars. It was the Text Book Bible referred to by all the 20th Century Gun writers such as Hatcher, Ackley, and Askins. 430 A4 pages.
Special Only $69. plus $10. post Australia wide.
British Army small arms and ammunition handbook of 1929. Includes machine guns and grenades.
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This War Office series on military technology continues with this very important publication, which gives details of weapons in use by the British Army at the end of 1929. Every military historian, war gamer, re-enactor and reader should be familiar with the technology associated with the tactics, and this series of reprints aims to provide that information. No true, objective appreciation of tactical operations is possible without a basic knowledge of the weapons and ammunition being used at a specific point in time, and the series will serve as a continuing source of the relevant information. The book was intended for use by officers under instruction at the British School of Musketry at Hythe. It is a complete examination of everything needed to be known about small arms, ammunition and ballistics. It looks at rifles, swords, lances and bayonets, as well as revolvers, grenades and machine guns. There is a section dealing with small arms ammunition (including pre-.303inch ammunition) which is very comprehensive. The book also looks at the ballistics of this ammunition. The book is amply illustrated with photographs, line drawings and tables, and forms a complete record of the weapons and ammunition that were in service between the two World Wars.