1996.
Wilson, R. L. Price Guide to Gun Collecting. New York: Ballentine Publishing Group. First edition 1998.
*Wilson, R. L. Silk and Steel: Women at Arms. New York: Random House Pub., 2003. A unique work and reference with profuse illus of European and American women (most 19th to early 20th centuries), from all walks of life, as exhibition, professional and sporting fields of shooting…and their guns; includes those courageous ladies in the military and at war; lady gunmakers, engravers, collectors and those of Wild West show fame.
Winant, Lewis. Firearms Curiosa. New York: Greenburg Publisher, 1955 (with many subsequent reprints). Classic guide to all the strange, freakish and combination type weapons including many of American origin.
Winant, L. Early Percussion Firearms. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1959. A history of early percussion firearms ignition from Forsyth to Winchester 44-40. An often cited work.
*Winter, Frederick R. U.S. Naval Handguns 1808-1911. Lincoln, R.I.: Mowbray Publishers 1990.
*Wolff, Eldon G. Air Guns. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Milwaukee Public Museum, 1958. The most important treatise on the subject; 15th to 19th centuries.
*Worman, Charles G. Gunsmoke and Saddle Leather: Firearms in the 19th Century American West. Albuquerque, N.M.: Univ. of N.M. Press, 2005. Massive in size and information by noted arms authority and researcher. Chapters dedicated to many different phases of Western history and development including others for Winchesters, Colts, Sharps and more.
Worman, Charles G. “Firearms in American History. A Guide for Writers, Curators and General Readers.” Yardley, Pa.: Westholm Pub., 2007. Development and use of them from the 16th through end of 19th century. Highly recommended.
The William M. Locke Collection. East Point, Georgia: The Antique Armory, Inc., 1973. A highly important, copiously illustrated catalog of one of the most important and famous American arms collections.
-----Guns at the Little Bighorn. Lincoln, R.I.: Mowbray, Inc., 1988. A monograph with reprint of six articles from Man-At-Arms.
-----The Rifle 1885-1888. Reprint by Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington N.C. 1990 in two volumes of the complete four year run of the first magazine (published monthly) devoted to shooting sports in U.S. Wealth of detailed text, illus, ads on all makes American arms.
-----Shooting and Fishing 1886-1906. Reprint in three volumes plus index, 1991 by Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, N.C. of the thirty volumes of monthly magazines that succeeded “The Rifle.” Significant references.
*-----Cody Firearms Museum Official Guide Cody, Wyoming: Buffalo Bill Historical Center, 1991. Also distributed by Mowbray Publishers, Lincoln, R.I.
-----Gun Report Index June 1955 to May, 1990. Aledo, Illinois: Gun Report, 1996. Index to 35 years of articles on antique arms.
*-----Guns of the Gunfighters. Los Angeles: Petersen Publishing Co., 1975. From Wild Bill Hickok to Bonnie & Clyde. Paper covers.
-----Henry of Boulton; A Pennsylvania Gunmaking Family & Its Firearms. Nazareth, Pa.: Jacobsburg Historical Society, 1988. Famous makers; good for military & Indian trade gun research. Paper covers; monograph.
-----Indian Trade Guns. Union City, Tenn.: Pioneer Press, 1982. Compilation of various historical society archeological research papers and other information that supplements Hansen’s N.W. Gun.
*-----Man At Arms 15 Year Index 1979-1993. Lincoln, R.I.: A. Mowbray Publishers, 1993.
-----Digest of Advertising For Firearms & Ammunition 1873-1940. 2 Vols. Canton, Conn.: Armsco Press, 1998.
-----Longarms In America. Vol. I & II. American Society Of Arms Collectors. Compilation by G.E. Weatherly of 98 articles from the A.S.A.C. Bulletins. 1998.
*-----Civil War Arms Makers And Their Contracts. Lincoln, R.I.: A Mowbray Pub., 1998. Facsimile reprint of original 1862 Ordnance Dept. reports. Edited by S. Mowbray & J. Heroux. Important basic research source; wealth or original data.
*-----Civil War Arms Purchases And Deliveries. Lincoln, R.I.: A. Mowbray Pub. 2000. Edited by S. Mowbray. Significant basic research source; vast amount of data.
-----John M. Browning Armory. Ogden, Utah: Browning Arms Co., 1960 pamphlet with history of the famous firm.
-----A History of Browning Guns from 1831. St. Louis, Mo.: Browning Arms Co., 1942, pamphlet; soft cover; 60 pages.
-----U.S. Military Arms; Dates of Manufacture from 1795. Brownsboro, Texas: Art and Reference House Pub., 1989. Small pocket guide with soft covers categorically listing handguns and longarms by U.S. arsenals and commercial manufacturers.
PERIODICALS
Armax ... Journal of the Cody Firearms Museum Published semi-annually by the Museum c/o Buffalo Bill Historical Center, P.O. Box 1000, Cody, Wyoming, 82414.
American Rifleman Published monthly by The National Rifle Association of America, 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
The two most widely read often cited journals almost exclusively devoted to antique arms:
The Gun Report
Published monthly by World-Wide Gun Report, Inc., P.O. Box 111, Aledo, Illinois 61231. Vol. I, No. 1, June, 1955 to present.
Man-At-Arms
Published bi-monthly by Man-At-Arms Magazine, 54 East School St., Woonsocket, Rhode Island 02895. Vol. I, No. 1, Jan. 1979 to present.
Other periodicals that have played a role in the history of antique arms collecting:
Arms Gazette
Wallace Beinfeld, Editor. Los Angeles, Cal.: W. Beinfeld Publishing. Vol. I, No. 1 Sept. 1973 to Vol. VIII, 1980.
The American Arms Collector
Hugh Benet, Editor. Towson, Maryland. Collectors’ Press, Inc. Vol. I, No. 1 Jan., 1957 to Vol. II, No. 4 Oct. 1958.
Gun Collectors Letter
(changed in 1947 to The Gun Collector). Charter Harrison, Editor and publisher, Madison, Wisconsin. Issue No. 1 Oct., 1946 to Issue No. 48 in 1953. Influential series.
The Gun Report
F.W. Funk & R.E. Patterson, Editors. Akron, Ohio: Gun Report, Inc., Pub. Vol. I, No. 1 Nov., 1939 to Vol. III, No. 6 April, 1942.
Magazine Of Antique Firearms
G.E. Brown, Editor. Athens, Tenn.: J.N. Clements, Publisher. Vol. I, No. 1 April, 1911 to Vol. IV, No.2 Aug., 1912.
Stock And Steel
F. Theodore Dexter, Editor. Marshalltown, Iowa: Associated Firearm Collectors of America Pub. Vol. I March 23, 1923 to Vol. I, No. 5 July, 1923. The first of a long list of arms publications by this noted commission dealer. All that followed were sales oriented.
Texas Gun Collector
Published