Customer Reviews

Hatcher's Notebook, Revised Edition (Classic Gun Books Series)

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As a young Army ordinance officer, Hatcher saw it all. He discovered the reason 1903 rifles were blowing up; he discovered that the 1906 rifle cartridge didn't go as far as predicted, and he helped develop its replacement; he was involved in early machine gun trials; he was involved in the semi-automatic rifle trials, and the development of the Garand. And he documented it all.

Every serious student of firearms needs to have this book. To some, it may first appear to be dated. In fact, basic firearms design has changed little since the 1930s. Hather's Notebook gives excellent inside coverage of a key era of modern firearms design.

Hatcher's book is probably the most complete compendium of gun facts assembled. Every shooter and gun buff should own (and read, of course) this book. Much of the information here is empirically derived, so while the data are good, the conclusions are not always valid. Some of the exterior ballistics theories put forth are now better understood, and are not correct in this tome. Aside from the slightly outdated exterior ballistics section, this book contains information to be found nowhere else.

General Hatcher was the Army's Chief of Ordinance during WW II. This book presents a wealth of information on how guns work. The mechanical details, specifications of steels used, heat treatment, testing, gun powder, ballistics, accuracy, records of US rifles, and anything else you want to know about. This is THE guide.

This is one of the finest books about military firearms ever written. Julian Hatcher wrote this book in 1947, and it touches on virtually every aspect of firearms then current. The author's writing style is precise and clear without being dry. The operation of all military small arms and machine guns are given in great detail, as well as Hatcher's observations about recoil, gun powder, metallurgy, ballistics, and much more. I don't think I have ever learned more about firearms from any other single volume. It is an incredible history lesson for the firearms enthusiast written by a man that watched it all happen first hand. Read this book to truly appreciate the incredible engineering feat that the machine gun represents.

Still, the value of the work goes beyond a catalogue of all aspects of military firearms - it is a man discussing the great passion of his life. Imagine an enthusiastic teacher, who truly loves his subject, telling you in detail everything he knows.

If you are as fascinated with firearms as I am, get this book. You will not be disappointed.

--Mykal Banta

Here's a great resource of shooting trivia.... Col Hatcher gives clear technical and anecdotal backgrounds on everything from what happens when you fire a cartridge without confinement, what happens when a jar of primers ignite, do bullets tumble from the sky or continue to spin and remain stable? How heavy must helmets be made to give proper protection? How far out does a 30-06 need to travel to stabilize and thus penetrate deeply? How were ballistics measured prior to electronic developments? On and on it goes, page after page, answering the details you've thought and pondered on and offering interesting new things to consider.

This book is an absolute must-have. Hatcher gives you the real, down to earth, practical information that just plain is not available anywhere else. Yes, lesser minds will complain that there are some errors in the ballistics tables and such, but they miss the point--here is an exceedingly fertile mind, investigating all aspects of riflecraft: how they are made, how they function, and how they shoot. One of a kind, any one interested in firearms will, sooner or later, read and own Hatcher's Notebook.

BUT... you can't be scared off by technical stuff. Hatcher has a way of explaining it for the layman, but most of the book is just insights into firearms technology as seen by an insider. Great read. Buy it before any other gun book. May I also suggest Hatcher's other masterpiece, Book of the Garand.

I'd read snatches from the book in our local Public Library from time to time. Finally decided to treat myself to the luxury of having it on hand all the time. Whilst it may be considered to be a little outdated now (2007) it's still a classic and an absolute mine of knowledge. Provides a fascinating and factual account of the development of modern 20th Century Small Arms, ranging from bolt action rifles, automatic pistols, Machine Guns and Sub Machine Guns. Add to this the development of modern smokeless powders, primers and the treatment of steel, then you have a veritable fount of information that is still relevant today.

Julian Hatcher was an illustrious ordnance officer in the US Army and deeply involved in US military experiments during one of history's most exciting phases of armaments development. The information presented in this book was derived 'hands on' and is as valid today as it had been when first published in 1947.
Every young firearms and ballistics student should study this book. Hatcher expertly explains esoteric topics such as rifle strengths, bolt action steels and heat treatment, headspace, propellants, velocity and barrel length and much, much more. One of the greatest contributions of this book is made on p.577 where he deals with terminal stability in the terminal phase. It is a contribution which have not been picked up by parrot writers in that he indirectly makes mince-meat of the high sectional density concept inbsofar as it relates to the terminal phase.
The b&w illustrations are very informative and mostly surprisingly clear. The page design is practical and easy to read with a comfortable font. My only gripe against this book is that the dust jacket could have been of heavier paper for better durability. The essential book offers excellent, almost unrivalled value for money to the firearm and ballistics student. It also provides the foundation necessary to derive more from all other books on cartridges and ballistics.

I borrowed this book to read for ballistics research on a paper I was writing 20+ years ago, and found it informative then, and refreshing to review it again. The book I borrowed was an early edition, and I have searched for a personal copy for years at places like Second-Hand Books, library sales, firearms suppliers, and even Amazon, but for the longest time it was out of print and unavailable. The book I purchased was the revised version, and I found the new end sections to be timely and very informative. The main text of the book is still the interesting prose of General Hatcher, reflecting the history of American weapons development from just before the turn of the century until after WWII. The end section extends the subject on through portions of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Written from the exclusive personal experiences and observations of Gen. Hatcher, the text presents a, "You were there" type of experience to the curious reader who is interested in the "how and why" firearms developed into their current form. Every serious student of firearms history should have a copy of Hatchers Notebook in their collection. The Mauser Bolt Actions M91 Through M98: A Shop Manual Winchester Lever Action Repeating Firearms: The Models of 1886 and 1892 Winchester Lever Action Repeating Firearms, Vol. 3, The Models of 1894 and 1895 (Tourism Dynamics)