America's great gunmakers are more than industrial entities. They are centers of exacting craftsmanship and precision engineering, and they are truly living legends. American gunmakers built not only the guns that won the Wild West but the guns that won both World Wars, and which today delight demanding sportsmen the world over. In this volume of America's Premier Gunmakers you will read about: Oliver F. Winchester's Company, Winchester and the Age of Smokeless Powder, The Company's Entry Into The Twentieth Century, The Western Cartridge Company, Winchester Today, Major Browning Winchester Models and Major Winchesters Through The Years. Oliver F. Winchester was born in Boston in 1810. His impoverished youth was followed by an apprenticeship with a carpenter. By age twenty-one, he became a master builder. Winchester first invested his talent and money in the gun business in 1855, when he became one of the original stockholders of the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. Winchester never failed to publicize the fact that its guns were the first choice of star performers, such as Buffalo Bill Cody. This semi-elitism became the hallmark of Winchester advertising. A typical example would read: "Look all the makes over, but if you are not swayed from your purpose of getting the gun with the maximum strength, safety, ease, and certainty, good shooting and good wearing qualities, you will surely select a Winchester." Carefully researched and illustrated with more than 100 photographs, this book tells the full story of Winchester firearms.

Looks at the guns of Remington -- from the first successful breech-loading rifle, the Double Derringer, the Remington 22, Civil War muzzleloaders, the 1905 Model 11 -- and many more.

"An acclaimed historian explodes the myth about the 'special relationship' between Americans and their guns, revealing that savvy 19th century businessmen--not gun lovers--created American gun culture"--

America's great gunmakers are more than industrial entities. They are centers of exacting craftsmanship and precision engineering, and they are truly living legends. American gunmakers built not only the guns that won the Wild West but the guns that won both World Wars, and which today delight demanding sportsmen the world over. In this volume of America's Premier Gunmakers you will read about: A History Of Remington, Civilian Arms, Military Arms, Remington Ammunition, Eliphalet Remington's First Gun, How Remington Entered The Arms Trade and A Glossary of Remington Arms. In 1816, young Eliphalet Remington decided that, despite his tender age of twenty-four, he could build a better rifle than he could buy. He was right. Within a few years, his fine rifle was the talk of the young United States. Hunters, settlers, soldiers-all beat a path to his door. By 1864, the Remington Company held the patent for the world's first successful breech-loading mechanism. And it didn't stop there. The pearl-handled Double Derringer favored by gamblers, the Remington .22 rifle carried by Annie "Little Miss Sure Shot" Oakley, the percussion rifles that helped settle America, Civil War muzzleloaders and the 1905 Model II, the first successful auto loading gun - all of these are part of not only the history of Remington, but the history of the nation itself. With the aid of beautiful color photographs, this volume tells the fascinating story of Remington. It is a treasure to delight any gun enthusiast, whether sportsman or historian.