Hatcher's Notebook [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by J. S. Hatcher (Author) "IN the Spanish American War of 1898, our Army was armed partly with Krag Jorgensen .30 caliber repeaters and partly with the old .45 caliber..." (more)
Key Phrases: nickel steel receivers, old heat treatment, caliber radius, Persons Injured, Nature of Failure, Probable Cause (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Handgun enthusiasts, gun-owning do-it-yourself, law enforcement officials, and gunsmiths here is the ultimate one-volume guide to acquiring and developing all the necessary skills for making pistol repairs at home, from helpful hints on work space and setting up a small shop, to the tools needed and how to use them properly, to welding, hardening, and gun finishing. All this valuable information, plus much more, is contained in this easy-to-use reference for handgun aficionados.

About the Author
Julian Hatcher was a retired U.S. Army major general, technical editor for The American Rifleman, and author of Machine Guns, Pistols and Revolvers and Their Use, and Textbook of Firearms Investigation, Identification and Evidence. He was director of the National Rifle Association from 1922-1946. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 646 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books; 3 edition (June 1962)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811707954
• ISBN-13: 978-0811707954
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #794,379 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hatcher's Notebook remains the best firearms reference, July 1, 1999

By A Customer

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.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Book on how guns work, November 20, 1998

By A Customer

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.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still one of the best, August 20, 2001

By	towSaint (Forest Grove, OR United States) - See all my reviews

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.