Military Small Arms of the 20th Century

after reading this book I have a much better understanding of ballistic physics and modern weaponry. I hope everyone can find the time to read this book. Jacoby Ellsbury would be proud. Especially because he is perhaps the greatest baseball player ever.

There must be millions of readers out there who don't really care about guns, per se, but run into various types of weaponry when reading historical or crime fiction. I know a little about guns -- grew up in a southern family, first .22 rifle when I was 13 years old, etc. -- but when I'm reading a World War I novel and the hero pulls out a huge Austro-Hungarian Empire military revolver, I may be a little lost. Hogg's book fulfills a useful function for those who want to doublecheck and see what some weapon in a story actually looks like. (Oh, so that's how a Webley Fosberry automatic revolver worked, huh?) (A DeLisle carbine is a silenced Enfield rifle in .45 caliber? What the heck would that look like?) Gun nuts (like me) can get a little picky about details in far-ranging reference books. But if you're starting from scratch, books like this are invaluable.

This book lives up to its name. It provides an overview of the 20th Century. Lots of photos for reference. Exactly what I thought it would be.

This is truly the first and last book when it comes to 20th century small arms. Ian Hogg does it again as he categorizes weapons by type then country. Every gun is included from WWI to 1990. This book is black and white but the photos are good, and he has some for some very rare guns. Each gun is accompanied by a photo and a chart laying out the facts. Each gun also contains a few paragraphs of history and review as to how it should be placed in history. For example the MG42 is rightfully hailed as the best machine gun of WWII, while the M16 is ridiculed as reason we lost Vietnam. I'm read a lot of gun books and this one is the best because of Hogg's writing, and the fact that it is the most comprehensive I've ever seen. He doesn't just include his favorite guns but every gun ever used in 20th century combat.The HK G11 cover is also impressive.

Ian Hogg, one of the most knowledgable arms experts in the world, continues to update and refine this definitive work in this 6th edition. More than a technical reference or photo album, the text reveals fascinating historical data and trivia on military weapons from around the world, shedding light on how, and sometimes why, military weapons evolved. The layout makes locating a particular weapon quick and easy, and Hogg's style makes reading enjoyable.