Home Workshop Guns for Defense & Resistance, Vol. V [Paperback]

Bill Holmes (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The latest volume in this popular and timely series offers detailed instructions, complete with photos and machinist's drawings, for making a pistol-caliber AR-15/M16 entirely from raw materials, as either a rifle or pistol, open or closed bolt and in semi or full auto. For academic study only.

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: 120 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press; 1St Edition edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873649486
• ISBN-13: 978-0873649483
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #334,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #67 in

  Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Conventional > Firearms

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Only Holmes Book, February 14, 2005

By	CS (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Workshop Guns for Defense & Resistance, Vol. V (Paperback)

Just got the book this afternoon, not to shabby.
From a mechanical engineering designer's line of sight, this book is a nice contrast to his .50 Cal Disaster. Hand drawn doodles are ever present (Holmes has never heard of CAD) and are far from being up to ANSI or ISO standard drafting techniques. As with any quality firearm, you need access to a lathe and preferably a mill. The complete lack of tolerances and poor dimensioning are somewhat concerning. This is the only Holmes book that I might recommend. Acceptable step by step instructions. He does offer mag construction instructions but I would opt for Uzi mags. In order to construct this, one MUST beware of the laws and its consequences. All in all, not a bad read.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well, Of Course., August 25, 2005

By	Michael A. Mccann "Kitten Claws" (New York City) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Home Workshop Guns for Defense & Resistance, Vol. V (Paperback)

Listen, this isn't foor some psuedo-anarchist looking to piece together a gun from a broom-stick, a pvc pipe, and an aerosol can. This is for those who /know/ about basic gunsmithing and have the tools to do so. Honestly, a SMG is a complex weapon. This isn't like a shotgun (which you can make fairly easily) or a muzzel-loading musket, it's complex and on the forefront of firearms technology. If you know about guns and HAVE THE TOOLS, this is an interesting resource. But if you aren't knowledgable about gun parts and function, and don't have the tools, don't bother. You'll just be lost. Honestly, complaining you were cheated because he didn't tell you you needed TOOLS to make a Sub Machine Gun. I'm sorry, but some people actually believe in using their brains in purchases. So, again, psuedo-revolutionaries should skip this. Stick to the poorly-written anarchist's cook book and leave the real tools to the big boys.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent, Typical Bill Holmes Fare, September 24, 2001

By	"kidarsenal" (Outer Reaches, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Workshop Guns for Defense & Resistance, Vol. V (Paperback)

I appreciate what Mr. Holmes is getting at with his series of books, and I have purchased several of them. The material is fair in its description and accuracy, but if you purchase this book with the idea of building a gun at home (provided you have met the government's regulations), you had best think again. The only way to construct a firearm utilizing the methods in Bill's books is to have access to machinery including a lathe and milling machine. That being said, the books are worth a read to familiarize yourself with basic gun construction and the techniques included can be used and expanded upon in your own design.