Books that everyone should read

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younggun22

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I was wondering if we could compile a list of must read books by legends of years past. What are some of the books I should read by Keith, Skelton, Jordan, Taffin, Cooper, Etc.

I am a young guy (23) and feel that these authors/gunfighters/pioneers need to be read by a younger generation.

Thanks,
Nick.
 
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No Second Place Winner - Jordan
Sixguns - Keith
Hell I Was There - Keith
The Custom Revolver - Bowen
Fireworks - Cooper
Single Action Sixguns - Taffin
Any book by Skeeter Skelton.

This is what crossed my mind. Others may add at their discretion.
 
I make it a point to reall all the books on the American Library Association's "Banned Book List." Those are the books that the ALA deems unfit or politically incorrect for society. The stuff we aren't able to handle.

While some are pretty dry or were manditory when I was in high school, the fact that they are now banned means they must have something of value there.
 
I second the recommendation for Hatcher's Notebook
I would add The Ultimate in Rifle Accuracy by Glenn Newick if you like rifles.
 
Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting by Ed McGivern
Experiments of a Handgunner by Walter Roper
Pistol and Revolver Shooting by Walter Roper
 
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Nick:

Please excuse me if I'm reading too much into your request, but I cannot determine if you want a list of books to read for recreational or entertainment reading, or are you trying to find information to grow and develop a "combat mindset", if you will, so you can develop skills and thinking about the use of firearms to administer deadly force. If you are indeed trying to develop your skills and knowledge for the use of deadly force with a firearm - especially a handgun, I'd recommend readings from Masaad Ayoob ("In the Gravest Extreme" is a classic), Gavin DeBecker ("The Gift of Fear"), and LTC Dave Grossman ("The Bulletproof Mind").

I hope this helps.

Good luck,

Dave
 
If you're interested in handloading and rifles, and esp in wildcat cartridges, read PO Ackley's "Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders" vol 1 & 2. Circa 1961 but still interesting today.
 
For the combat mindset:

No Second Place Winner - Jordan
Click to expand...

Undoubtedly, you must read that one.

To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth - Cooper (I might not have the title exactly correct). It covers a lot of ground.

I'll assume you're sticking to handguns here so I won't meander off into modern riflery and sniper books. But I have to recommend books by the late Chris Kyle, anyway. He wrote a couple and he could have been the next famous gun writer on your list had he not been killed so tragically last winter.

John Taffin has many books out there on handguns and handgun shooting. His "Book of the .44", "Big Bore Handguns", and "Single Action Sixguns" all rank right up there as must reads.

Another must read or two are by Paxton Quigley, called "Armed and Female" and "Not an Easy Target". You do not need to be a girl to read those books.

There are Oh So Many More - and I see this thread is giving you excellent suggestions.

***GRJ***
 
Double-O-Dave said:
Nick:

Please excuse me if I'm reading too much into your request, but I cannot determine if you want a list of books to read for recreational or entertainment reading, or are you trying to find information to grow and develop a "combat mindset", if you will, so you can develop skills and thinking about the use of firearms to administer deadly force. If you are indeed trying to develop your skills and knowledge for the use of deadly force with a firearm - especially a handgun, I'd recommend readings from Masaad Ayoob ("In the Gravest Extreme" is a classic), Gavin DeBecker ("The Gift of Fear"), and LTC Dave Grossman ("The Bulletproof Mind").

I hope this helps.

Good luck,

Dave
Click to expand...


Dave,

I was compiling this list for both reasons.

I do enjoy both rifles and handguns, and I also reload. You all have really come through with a bunch of literature for me to read. Keep it coming!

Thanks.
 
I highly recommend John Taffin's "Book of the 44".

Getting away from strictly handguns, Herbert McBride's "A Rifleman Went to War" is a rather timeless piece on war and marksmanship from an experienced point of view. Henderson's "Marine Sniper" too.
 
I think the book "Practical Shooting" by Brian Enos is a worthy read if you are are interested in improving your range times or are doing any competitive shooting, even at the amateur [just for fun] level.
 
If you love to hunt ,fish,shoot or just be outdoors you must read A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC by Aldo Leopold,one of the most important nature books in years. As this book was rediscovered a few years ago by the tree huggers many were shocked to find that Aldo loved to hunt. I think any one with a loves to hunt must read this book.
 
"Alas Babylon" was written in 1959 and is an excellent book.

See also:

"Handgunner's Gunners Guide" by Chic Gaylord
"Blue Steel & Gunleather" by John Bianchi
 
Skeeter Skelton is my all time favorite gun writer. Even though he's been gone for 25 years, his stuff is still really good.
His books were a compilation of his articles in Shooting Times magazine. Try to find Hoglegs, Hipshots and Jalapenos and Good Friends, Good Guns and Good Whiskey. They are available, but really expensive. There was also a book written after his death that had good stuff in it called I Remember Skeeter. That's a softcover and should be easier to find.

Anything by Massad Ayoob or Chuck Taylor is good for reading about self defense issues.
Jim
 
Two more that belong on the list-Askins and Jinks.
 
If you get Massad Ayoob's books on combat handgunning, you need to also get Jim Cirrillo's. Add to your list the various titles on Jim Corbett's tiger and leopard hunting in India, as well as "African Game Trails" by Teddy Roosevelt.
 
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FWIW, there are several places to download free books and while few will specifically address guns and shooting, a great many...such as Churchill's works, the many stories of Rudyard Kipling or the stories of Jim Corbett, etc...can be downloaded on various machines such as the Kindle or printed directly from a printer.

A huge storehouse of such material is The Gutenberg Project, and here is Corbett's best known book (The Man Eaters of Kumaon) for free from a different site...

Man-Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett - Download Here
 
"Death in the Tall Grass" and "Death in the Silent Places" by Peter Capstick. The first may be "Death in the Long Grass".

The second includes a bio of Jim Corbett, mentioned by ikor. Corbett was a hunter of man-eating cats in India, and, as Capstick put it, nearly ended up on the menu himself a couple of times.
 
Unintended Consequences by John Ross. It doesn't exactly fit your "by legends of years past" guideance but I believe it is a "should read" as it provides a history source of our U.S.A., our gun culture, and world history. In my mind it kind of rolls a common theme together which many of the above authors touch on throughout their books. Keith, Skeeter and definitly Mr. 1911 Cooper. GunsRfun in all their forms and I think it important to keep us all tied up to a higher "family" level to ensure our endurance in the world scheme of things. UC is a little raw in some sections but the overall message is encouraging. My wife liked it. Good luck finding it as it is a "cult classic."

Please share your list!
 

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I just picked up these 3 books at the shop I work at.

Pistol and Revolver Shooting by Walter Roper

In The Gravest Extreme by Massad Ayoob

Fast and Fancy by Ed McGivern
 
This is a spectacular thread
I have consolidated the list, it seems like it should be a sticky somewhere.

No Second Place Winner by Jordan
Sixguns by Keith
Hell I Was There by Keith
The Custom Revolver by Bowen
Fireworks by Cooper
Single Action Sixguns by Taffin
Hatcher's Notebook
The Modern Rifle by Jim Carmichel
The Ultimate in Rifle Accuracy by Glenn Newick
Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting by Ed McGivern
Experiments of a Handgunner by Walter Roper
Pistol and Revolver Shooting by Walter Roper
In the Gravest Extreme by Masaad Ayoob
The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker
The Bulletproof Mind by LTC Dave Grossman
Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders vol 1 & 2 by PO Ackley
Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride by Michael Wallis
Book of the 44 by John Taffin
Big Bore Handguns by John Taffin
Single Action Sixguns by John Taffin
Armed and Female by Paxton Quigley
Not an Easy Target by Paxton Quigley
Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson
Practical Shooting by Brian Enos
The Old Man and The Boy by Robert Ruark
A Sand County Alminac by Aldo Leopold
Handgunner's Guide by Chic Gaylord
Blue Steel & Gunleather by John Bianchi
Hoglegs, Hipshots and Jalapenos by Skeeter Skelton
Good Friends, Good Guns, and Good Whiskey by Skeeter Skelton
The Man Eaters of Kumaon by Corbett
Death in the Tall Grass by Peter Capstick
Death in the Silent Places by Peter Capstick
Unintended Consequences by John Ross


Skeeter Skelton
Chris Kyle
Askins
Jinks
Jim Cirrillo
Jim Corbett's
 
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