Bolt Action Rifles

by Frank de Haas

Book Overview

Work out all the details of every major design since the Mauser of 1871 with this essential volume. Author Frank de Haas analyzes 121 turnbolt actions -- how they function, takedown/assembly, strengths and weaknesses, and dimensional specs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0910676690
• ISBN13: 9780910676694
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: DBI Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 8.3" x 10.7"

Customer Reviews

Excellent resource.

Perhaps a bit dated but very detailed, full of drawings. Great addition.

Great Book!

I have taken my guns apart and looked at the design, but now I am learning more about my guns with this book. De Haas can take guns apart, see more, and write more than I can for myself. If you have a zillion bolt action rifles, get this book and read about what you have got. De Haas lists advantages and disadvantages of each rifle design. This is not light reading from some stupid gun writer, this is like engineering, and may be too much for some readers. 700 pages, and he shows drawings of the threads and shanks of the barrels, for those into re barreling.

Very Useful

I have the older 2nd edition of this book, and it is one of the most dog-eared volumes in my library.Sometimes the author is not quite as technical as I might like. For example, he frequently asserts that this or that old military action "must have been" made out of high-grade steel without having done any actual analysis or even hardness testing of the material in question. But, his descriptions do convey at least as much information about the many designs covered as I would have gotten if I had the chance to disassemble and study them all myself. I don't have a hardness tester either.The book is generally well written and fun to read.If you're thinking about buying a modern sporting rifle, you might want to read this and compare the various designs before you lay down your money. If you enjoy sporterizing old military junkers, collecting old military classics, or just lurking around gun shows, you need this book.

An excellent reference

If you already own one rifle and will never buy another, don't bother. Reading this would be like reading Road & Track after buying your only new car for the next ten years. If you're only going to buy one rifle and know it well, or if you collect, or especially if you are considering a conversion of an old ex-military bolt action into a sporter, you need this book. It provides an in-depth analysis of not just how rifle actions are designed, but their suitability for customization, what cartridges they can and cannot be converted to, etc. The author restocked, scoped, honed, rebarreled, or otherwise upgraded all of the common actions in the book (and many of the less common ones too). Since these upgrades are what most hunters are interested in, the book in invaluable before dropping money on changes. It is not a gunsmithing how-to, but gives the detail you will need to speak intelligently to your gunsmith and understand his/her suggestions and objections. If you are looking for a good read, you can read the history of each action, skip the assembly/disassembly and design analysis, and then read the conclusions on conversion or upgrades. Later when a greasy old war trophy follows you home from a gun show, you can eagerly lap up every detail from receiver ring to tang.

Bolt Action Heaven

De Haas has compiled an extensive array of bolt action rifles ranging from the early military Enfields and Mausers actions to the modern commercial bolt actions of Sako, Ruger and Remington to name a few. Not only are there detailed assembly drawings of the rifles but there are individual reviews of the action, safety, and firing mechanism. Frank also passes on his comments as to pros and cons of the overall shooting system and his views on customisation and calibre combination. The book has become an invaluble reference piece in my library if only to build a wish list of bolt actions I might one day be able to afford.

Quite possibly a necessity

For the collector, historian, custom builder,or just an avid shooter. Mr. Haas has compiled a wealth of information that would take years of research on your own. ( He already did it for you). What is not in this book is probably not needed or necessary. There may have been some obscure & virtually unknown rifles omitted but the major & important ones are fully covered. Well written & easily understandable.