The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Weapons and Ammunition: Experiments with Catapults, Musketballs, Stonebows, Blowpipes, Big Airguns, and Bulletbows (Kindle Edition)

by Richard Middleton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

David slew Goliath with his slingshot: for millennia that was the norm, as men used a variety of non-explosive weapons to fire small stones and carefully rounded bullets of clay, glass, and even steel and lead. This unusual study explores in practical detail the many ways, old and new, in which man shot projectiles without recourse to gunpowder. They include the bow and arrow, a favorite for the last 10,000 years; pump-up air guns; blowpipes; catapults; and homemade lead musketballs. There’s information on ammunition and velocity, as well as a lively personal narrative filled with humor and the spirit of experimentation.

About the Author

Richard Middleton is Reader in American History at The Queen's University, Belfast. He is the author of The Bells of Victory: The Pitt-Newcastle Ministry and the Conduct of the Seven Years' War: 1757–1762 (1985). 

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 224 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (October 17, 2007)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• ASIN: B001IDY2MU
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,251 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #25 in	Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Sports > Outdoors & Nature > Hunting & Fishing > Shooting
  #53 in	Kindle Store > Kindle Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Conventional
  #89 in	Kindle Store > Kindle Books > History > Military Science

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book in both editions, December 26, 2007

By	Nathan Wolber (College Station, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Weapons and Ammunition: Experiments with Catapults, Musketballs, Stonebows, Blowpipes, Big Airguns, and Bulletbows (Paperback)

This book was actually written by Richard Middleton and was first published in England. Stackpole published the first American edition in 2006 under the title "The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Bullets". The book was recently reissued by Skyhorse Publishing. It's a very good book. The first review appears to have been written by the publisher, as all of his other reviews are of Skyhorse books. Despite this, it's really a great book, but the emphasis is on tension and gas weapons, not "musketballs". Great treatment of stone and pellet bows, slingshots, and homemade airguns.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really FUN read., December 12, 2008

By	Raymond Madden "Ray Madden" (Joplin, Mo United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Weapons and Ammunition: Experiments with Catapults, Musketballs, Stonebows, Blowpipes, Big Airguns, and Bulletbows (Paperback)

I don't remember having so much fun reading a book as this one. While the author is much better at math than I ever hope to be, his line of thought is so similar to that of any boy who has played with these toys ( so loved by every male child from the cradle to the grave), that you are drawn into a conspiracy with him to make it " shoot harder', "shoot farther", just better than the last one you made! The underlying humor, is obvious to anyone who's done such experiments.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weapons And Ammo, December 19, 2007

By	Floyd Jackson (Oklahoma City, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Weapons and Ammunition: Experiments with Catapults, Musketballs, Stonebows, Blowpipes, Big Airguns, and Bulletbows (Paperback)

Ed McGivern has really created a great book on shooting here. Whether you are a new gunslinger, or experienced marksman, there is something for everybody in here. He is historically one of the best known shooters, and gives an entertaining glimpse into all of his experimentations in shooting.