"The Rifle in America" by Captain Philip Burdette Sharpe

My Book (seller's photo)

Mine is the edition reprinted in 1947 after Phil Sharpe's service in the ETO.  So, it has the additional information he added based on his experience.  This edition of The Rifle in America is a big book.  It is absolutely chock full of information that you just aren't going to find elsewhere.  If you want to know about the Evans rifle, Harry Pope, and see some rather outstanding illustrations to boot, you need this book.  But there's more!

It is clear that Phil Sharpe was something of an obsessive compulsive personality as he's got detail that modern writers seem to feel is unnecessary to include.  For example, while he doesn't cover ALL cartridges, he covers all those in common usage at the time and in more detail than Cartridges of the World.  For some, such as the .25 Stevens rimfires, you just aren't going to find so much info as well as photos of the cartridges.

You will likely appreciate his lively and personal writing style as well.  Firearm and ammunition specifications can be as boring as all get out but Sharpe's personal enthusiasm and actual experience shows in his descriptions.  This is one of the best aspects of this book.

For those of you in pursuit of a collection of notable firearms books I think this is a must have.  While a modern shooter can get by with just a few "how to" books, the student of firearms history needs a copy of The Rifle in America.

I would like to add that Hang Fire Books shipped promptly and packed the book extremely well (and I have some experience on both ends of that endeavor).  Their description of condition was spot on.  Don't hesitate to buy from them.