For hundreds of years, the manufacture of small arms was relegated to highly specialized makers who handcrafted each component, resulting in variances that made every firearm unique.
Starting in the 18th century, European military officials sought ways to standardize manufacture, both to speed up production and facilitate repair of damaged arms.
In The Evolution Of Gun Making, Peter Smithhurst, retired senior curator of the Royal Armouries, explores the cases of two military muskets, the French Model 1777 and the Russian Model 1808.
With the benefit of extraordinarily detailed contemporary accounts, the book provides a thorough understanding of how both nations approached arms manufacture in the early decades of the Industrial Revolution.
MSRP is $40. For more information, visit casematepublishers.com.
