The Handgun (Home Workshop Guns For Defense & Resistance) (Paperback)

~ Bill Holmes (Author) "In this volume, I propose to show two different pistol (or handgun) designs which can be manufactured in the home workshop..." (more)
Key Phrases: breech block opening, magazine retainer, hammer strut, Hole Drill, West Hurley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This is a clear and simple guide to building a semi- or full-auto pistol or a single-shot, falling-block handgun from common materials in the privacy of your home workshop. In addition to offering many alternative workshop gunsmithing tips, the author explains how each part and section of the gun is made and discusses thoroughly the subjects of heat-treatment and bluing.

About the Author

Bill Holmes is one of the last remaining links to a bygone era. He first learned about gunsmithing more than 50 years ago from a guy who took his "fix-it" wagon all around doing odd jobs. Since then, Bill has designed and constructed innumerable firearms, written seven books and been featured in two videos for Paladin and become one of the country's best-known and most highly respected authorities on home-workshop weapons and firearms laws.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press (June 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087364154X
• ISBN-13: 978-0873641548
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #792,357 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars subpar book, August 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Submachine Gun : Home Workshop Guns for Defense and Resistance (Paperback)

Don't waste your money on this book! It does have a few useful bits of info but if you think you could build a gun using this book, think again. The black and white photos were so over exposed that you can't make out any detail, the drawings were so faint that half of them couldn't be seen and nearly all of them didn't have any dimensions.I'd suggest Gerard Metrals book "A Do-it Yourself Submachine Gun" if you have access to machining equipment.It's packed full of prints.Also try Bill Holmes later volumes 3, 4, and 5. He did a much better job on those.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars you need access to the mag decribed in this book, July 6, 2001

By A Customer

I read this book 2 times, and then from the back once because the gun you end up buy trying to make is in the last two pages.There is also no mag in this book ,as long as you have access to the one in the book you should have a good chance at building one.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars the handgun, November 9, 2006

By	Kevin W. Speer "olesloppy" (western australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The author has an overrated view of his own capabilities.
Insufficient detail to make this publication worthwhile.
Totally unprofessional.