Small Arms of the World: A Basic Manual of Small Arms

Small Arms of the World: A Basic Manual of Small Arms by W. H. B. Smith. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780811715669.

This book has grown in scope and size over the years, from a small paperback entitled a “Basic Manual of Military Small Arms,” which was limited, for the most part, to coverage of the weapons of the major combatant nations in World War II, to this, the Ninth, Revised Edition, which covers every military small arm of significant usage in the world today, many developmental weapons, plus a section of sporting arms now by George C. Nonte, Jr. The small arms field continues to be very active; significant new weapons appear with great regularity in both the non-Communist and Communist world. The importance of these most basic of all weapons is universally accepted now; some years ago there were some who questioned the “relevancy” of small arms in the nuclear age. Sadly, the grim experiences of recent years have taught us that they are still very “relevant” and that there is a strong case for continuing to expend the necessary energy and resources to ensure quality weapons in sufficient quantity for protection and sport. Part One of the book addresses Historical Weapons, while Part Two discusses Current Weapons.