THE GUN AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. By W.W. Greener. Third edition, 1885.

(1881) 1885 3rd edition. Square large 8vo (170 x 214mm). Ppviii,768 + 16pp gun ads + 12pp publisher's ads. B/w illustrations throughout. Blue cloth, spine and upper board titled in gilt with black decoration.

W. W. Greener published the first edition of this book in 1881. Rifle design and munitions were in such a state of rapid development in this period that the book ran to nine revised editions by 1910. This is the third edition, of 1885. Although originally aimed at sportsmen, much of the progress of the era was specifically military, and this is reflected in the content of the various editions. Chapters include: Early arms; Cannon; Early hand-firearms; Curious arms; The percussion system; Military breech-loaders; Breech-loading rifles; Sporting rifles; Sporting shot guns; Gun-making - history and description; The proof of gun barrels; Cartridges; Manufacture gunpowder and explosives; Hammerless guns; the choice of guns; Rook and miniature rifles and revolvers; Eccentricities in gun-making; choke-boring, a history and description; The Gun Trials of 1858-1859; 'Field' Trials of 1866; Gun Trials of 1875-1879; Notes on Gun Trials; Theories and experiments; Miscellanea; shooting notes; Foreign shooting notes (including information on the game to be had in a large number of foreign countries).