Book Review

Reading Sapp’s narrative leaves the reader with an improved comprehension of revolvers, how they came about, their evolution and use.

Rick Sapp’s Revolvers commences with 9 pages of text describing the development of what has become one of the preferred, dependable small arms used the world over. I like a book which includes some space for amplification re how and why and what things are, in addition to offering precise illustrations of whatever it is the book is listing. The 9 pages of text included in this book is crammed with loads of material for the reader who has some to much of inquisitiveness for how things come about. Reading Sapp’s narrative leaves the reader with an improved comprehension of revolvers, how they came about, their evolution and use. Distinct from contemporary semi-automatic fire arms, revolvers are very consistent, do not jam, can take quite a bit of punishment and still shoot a tight group, besides they can take powerful loads. During the initial days of our nation one shot arms, flintlock pistols and muskets, used by soldiers and hunters alike, were lethal and precise at short distances. Time required for reloading the weapon led to experiments and fiddling to generate a gun with capability for firing several times. One of the first gun architects in our country was little recollected Bostonian gunsmith, Elisha Collier, who in 1818 received a patent for a single action flintlock based weapon having self-priming action. Although Collier’s plans were not extensively recognized here in the U.S.; they were soon mass produced by John Evans & Son, London and were being used by the British army in India. While Samuel Colt has long been acknowledged as the Father of the Revolver, other names too stand out in the history of small handguns. Oliver Winchester purchased the deteriorating Volcanic Repeating Arms Co, started by Horace Smith of Massachusetts and Dan Wesson of Connecticut and termed his new enterprise after himself leading to Winchester Repeating Arms. Rollin White patented a design for a revolver in 1855, licensed the idea to Smith and Wesson who in 1857 completed a second try at manufacture of a small revolver to fire a self-contained rimfire cartridge they patented in 1854. The development of a patented revolver capable of firing a .22 short with four grains of black powder behind a conical bullet helped to make the name Smith and Wesson well known. Graphics and explanations regarding Remington, and the 1860s self-contained, metallic centerfire cartridges, Colt single Action Army, known as Peacemaker, Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, Period Guns and Rise of the 1911, Webley, continued modification and development of cartridges and guns; grip reader attention and keep the reader turning the pages. Photographs of revolvers initiates on page 14 and continues on to page 95. Page 96 is an index with guns listed by manufacture including Beretta, Charter Arms, Colt, Rossi, Ruger, Smith & Wesson and more; 13 in all. Beginning with the Beretta Laramie each page illustrates a revolver one to a page. Some of the revolvers shown have longish barrels, while some are very short. Handgrips run the range of wood, plastic, rubberized, General Patton’s were Ivory. The grip appearing on Charter Arms Bulldog appears to be thickset while the Chiappa Model 1873-22 is more slender. Many of the grips are black, wood is sanded and stained, rubber and plastic are offered in varied colors. Many of the revolvers shown, Charter Arms Target Mag Pug, Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter, Smith and Wesson 680 Plus are presented in natural steel color, while Ruger Bearcat, Uberti 1875 Top Break, Taurus Raging Judge Magnum are blued. Charter Arms Pink Lady sports a strawberry pink frame. While not a particularly weighty tome, I found Rick Sapp’s Revolvers to be a very interesting, informative work comprised of sufficient background to foster reader curiosity and inform at the same time. Packed with enough photographs to depict the diversity of the gun called a revolver; this small book having 96 pages and measuring just over 5 inches square is a dandy size for tucking into gift bag for gun enthusiast or curious hand gun collector alike. I enjoyed the read; Happy to recommend for the target audience of gun enthusiasts and non-gun enthusiasts alike. =========================== Reviewed by Molly’s Reviews molly martin =========================== TITLE Revolvers AUTHOR Rick Sapp Product Details Series: The TAJ Mini Book Series Paperback: 96 pages Publisher: Bellagio Press (May 19, 2014) Language: English ISBN-10: 1627320067 ISBN-13: 978-1627320061 Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.3 x 5.8 inches Available: Amazon