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Best Books

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Random Guy 
#1 ·
I've seen it asked many times in this and other forums,"which are the best reference books to have". I have an extensive library, but I'm constantly drawn to four books that cover the basic US Service rifles and provide a great lead up to the M14.
These include: Hatcher's Notebook, Hatchers Book of the Garand, Billy Pyle's: The Gas Trap Garand, and Canfield's: The M1 Garand Rifle. Unfortunately, these books are all out of print, but they can still be found. Little is said about the M14 in any of these. However, most of what you really need to know about the M14 can be found in them.
There are several good books specifically related to the M14 and I highly recommend Lee Emerson's: M14 Rifle History and Development. The other two excellent references are Stevens: US Rifle M14 From John Garand to the M21 and Frank Iannamico's: The Last Steel Warrior.
If you have these books in your library, you have most everything you need to know about what makes the M1 and M14 tick.
One other book that is worth having is Jerry Kuhnhausen's: The US .30 Caliber Gas Operated Service Rifles. No one who takes one of these rifles apart or assembles them should be without it.
 
#2 ·
One other book that is worth having is Jerry Kuhnhausen's: The US .30 Caliber Gas Operated Service Rifles. No one who takes one of these rifles apart or assembles them should be without it.
There is a metric crap ton of detailed information in the J.K. book and excellent illustrations too. I find myself checking that book frequently.
 
#3 ·
I was fortunate enough to get one of the first edition hardback copies of Jerry's Service Rifle book back in 1995. It's been a constant reference in my shop since. I also keep a copy of Jerry's Carbine and Colt .45 Automatic books at hand. My only complaint is that he never got around to publishing a book on the M16/AR15. He told me 20 years ago that he was working on one, but I think the subject rifle made so many changes so fast that he couldn't keep up. At least there are some good alternative references out there for the AR.
 
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