Boston's Gun Bible (Paperback)

~ (Author), Kenneth W. Royce (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

I will save you a bit of reading, in case you are in a hurry, and just tell you now to buy this book. If you want to know more before spending $33.00 on improving your shooting, collecting and other gun skills, read on.

This book was written by Boston T. Party, the well known (to Libertarians) author of such titles as You and the Police, Surviving Y2K And Other Disasters, Hologram Of Liberty and a handful of other noteworthy titles. If you want yet another glossy photo gun book, extolling all of the imaginary virtues of every firearm ever made, this is NOT the book for you. If you are after a no holds barred consumer guide to firearms, accessories, and shooting, GET IT.

Boston's Gun Bible goes into great detail about the pros and cons of various defensive weaponry, equipment, and the philosohy behind their appropriate usage. The work is markedly political, obviously pro gun, and has a rather witty ''screw the hoplophobes'' tone that I really enjoyed. The writing is crisp and to the point. Eloquent without being boring. This is a hallmark of Boston's work, and you will not be diappointed in Boston's Gun Bible. At about (850) pages, it can't be considered light reading, but the subject matter is important and needs a lot of covering to get it all through to the reader in its entirety.

Included in the book is information on:

* Selecting rifles, pistols, revolvers
* Gun shows
* ATF Sting operations
* Gun nomenclature
* Sighting in
* Optics and other sights
* Women and guns
* Politics and guns
* How to cache weapons and ammo
* (And everything else you want to know, or so it seems)

I thought that the project would be rather daunting when he undertook it, but the results are well worth the money. What he ended up with is a layman's guide/how to book for buying, selling, choosing, caring for, KEEPING, shooting and enjoying firearms of all types, but especially those that are ''Liberty's Teeth''. Especially valuable is the section detailing the merits and faults of various modern semi auto rifle systems. What you will NOT find in this book is ANY hint of advertising $$$ influence, chicanery, or editorial falderal.

Boston knows his subject, and covers it exhaustively.

Did I mention that you should buy it? --Kevin (Mad Dog) McClung, knifemaker and gunsmith

Product Description

Foreword by Timothy J. Mullin, of ''Unintended Consequences.''

Since the 2002 edition, over 200 pages of various revisions have been included during the annual reprintings. Amazon carries the latest version -- the 2009 edition which includes Boston's several page analysis of the Heller decision.

Product Details

• Paperback: 848 pages
• Publisher: Javelin Press; final revision to 2002 edition edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888766069
• ISBN-13: 978-1888766066
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (121 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,370 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tome distilled from several dozen tomes, January 4, 2003

By	HappyDaze11 - See all my reviews

If you are involved in an aspect of arms ownership that is not completely relegated to target/hunting matters, then this is the book to give that person. One problem with defensive/offensive arms and their handling, is that the entire industry of munitions as available to the U.S. civilian is made of junk, useless junk, non functioning junk, and the occassional gem. While Boston may be able to tell you in one sentence why rifle XXX is way inferior ro rifle YYY, but in this book, first and foremost, he explains WHY one is inferior. Then the 'why' is placed in the context of the legal availability of certain weapons. And from that is distilled the cream. the cream being the best available to the civilian under current regulations. If these implements are going to be such that 'you would bet your life on them' only the cream will do. You get a little 'combat rifle history' which will make you understand the importance of proper control placement, and why a rifle was designed a certain way. While the book will not nail on the head the only things you should buy, what the book will do is allow you to eliminate 90% of what is not feasible and otherwise junk. The T&E of weaponry takes up the largest part of the book. There is also a large section concering handguns and handgun ammo. I thought rifle ammo was neglected. ALso the statement that 'SS109 5.56 is a major improvement over 55 graim ball' is now proven to be wrong by its performance in Afghanistan. You then have a section on sniper rifle choice. OUt of 300 available calibers you are honed down to perhaps 10. An artcile on .50 cals. .50 Cal ammo. Night vision, I actually learned the difference between various Gen. devices. Scopes. Really every conceivable piece of fighting gear is touched upon. That is why if you read this book, you will eliminate 90% of whats out there from your vision. There are philosophical sections on the warrior mentality, philosophy, shooting, these make entertaining reading. In all, there is no book like this, and it is worth every penny but it is not the end of knowledge, it is the beginning. In other words, even though you may have narrowed your search for a tactical scope down to 10 models, you must then fill in the rest of the picture about the 10 and how they work and then train, train, and train some more.

I do have one caveat. The author is obviously and tremendously trained in almost all aspects of martial arts. Yes, shooting is a martial art too. However, to my knowlegde, and Boston makes no reference to it in anything I have read by him, that he has taken down an oppenent with karate, knife, etc., or had someone in his custody and 'under his gun', much less shot anyone or been shot at. Its not like I have either, but if Boston has one weakness, it is this. No practical combat experience. You might want to balance his book with other material by bona fide veterans, etc.

56 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Book for Firearms Owners - Monumental!, January 14, 2003

By	James W. Rawles (Somewhere West of the Rockies) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Boston's Gun Bible stands alone as the very best all-around reference for firearms owners. Not only does it cover practical rifles, pistols, and shotguns in detail, but it has a wealth of valuable information on related subjects such as optics, practical carry, training, legal issues, and legislative issues. The new expanded and updated edition (with 200 extra pages) is fantastic!

This weighty tome is an absolute MUST for all gun owners. At $28 it isn't cheap, but as I stated before in reviewing the previous edition, it is worth every penny.

Boston's observations and conclusions about guns are precisely researched, scientific, and relatively dispassionate. Unlike many other writers in the firearms field, Boston has consistently shown that he is willing to change his mind when presented with logical evidence.

This is a book that may very well save the life of yourself or a loved one. It is also a highly influential book that may contribute in the long run to the restoration of our Constitutional Republic and freedom around the world. Boston's Gun Bible doesn't just whine about the decline of our God-given Constitutional liberties. Rather, it shows practical solutions that individual Citizens can and must take to insure the liberty of future generations. It is nothing short of a monumental work of non-fiction!

Don't just buy one copy. Buy two! You will soon find that you'll need an extra copy to lend out to family members and friends.

OBTW, if you already have the older edition, then I strongly suggest that you buy the new expanded and updated edition. This valuable new information is well worth the investment.

As a published fiction writer, I stand in awe of this important piece of non-fiction. It deserves a place of honor on the bookshelf of every freedom-loving Citizen.

Semper Paratus,>Author of the pro-gun novel "Patriots:Surviving the Coming Collapse."

66 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring careful reflection and considered action, December 26, 2002

By	H. Montandon (Walnut Creek, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Boston's Gun Bible, written by Kenneth W. Royce, is scholarly and philosophical, as well as passionate, political and technical. It is no accident that Mr. Royce cites the ultra-science fiction/political satire, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, as "one of the five best novels I have ever read". Like Stephenson's book (Stephenson is postmodern Melville) Royce's "Bible" is a collage, a pastiche, a rich simmering brew of humor, ideas, opinions, cant, rant and instruction.

Given the book's patchwork style, I think it best to review it according to themes. There are three I will consider: 1. Technical Aspects of Firearms; 2. Philosophy of Firearms;
3. Politics. Other themes which are thoughtfully developed in the 848 page book are on the laws governing gun use, women and guns, self-defense, tactics and training, combat rifle history and how to become a rifleman.

The Technical discussion is one of the strongest sections. I came to this book as a complete newbie as far as firearms are concerned. But the technical part of the book rewards careful reading. It is a complete and meticulously considered course on firearms - how to buy them, how to evaluate them, how they work, how to keep them working, etc. Of the 46 chapters in the book 22 are devoted to this one topic. In his sections evaluating various rifles and pistols, Mr. Royce, using a system he devised, rates dozens of rifles and pistols. His system employs "63 criteria...to rate the controls, features and specifications of combat rifles." And while it is true his full system is deployed only against rifles, the system itself is an extremely useful tool for evaluating any firearm, and also comparing firearms among themselves within distinct classes

The Philosophical aspect of the book is as difficult and convoluted as the Technical part is straightforward. On the one hand, this is in the nature of philosophy. On the other, the difficulty has to do with the purpose and meaning of guns in human culture. This topic has no Socrates (unless it is Nietzsche), and Mr. Royce in this book provides what is only a rudimentary outline. (In his other books, none of which I have read, he may articulate more fully his philosophical arguments.) Mr. Royce's view of human society is that it consists of a very large number of sheep-like beings, who are preyed upon by a few rapacious predators and/or bad governments. He seeks to lay out a third position: "those who refuse to be either", and offers as an example, "an armed libertarian".

The core values of the Third Way are the values of the Warrior, and in any number of ways, Mr. Royce drapes the term Warrior in the full regalia of an ancient and venerable tradition. By denying the Warrior as predator (Mr. Royce's Warrior is no berserker, no pirate, no storm trooper and no imperialist) he evokes a sterner, more finely tempered kind of life, where honor, personal responsibility and concern for others hold pride of place. Human life is intrinsically a life of struggle, and in Mr. Royce's view, a person can accept the reality of this and learn to fight, or he can flee this responsibility, outright by becoming prey, or indirectly by delegating his role to other "protectors". Unfortunately, as any reading of history will attest, the protectors all too often themselves become the predators. Only the Warrior, living a value imbued life that explicitly eschews violent domination of others, can move beyond the predator/prey cycle. The state for which the Warrior strives is that of liberty, and the life of liberty in human societies is moved by four forces, symbolized as the soap box (discussion), the ballot box (formulation), the jury box (interpretation) and the cartridge box (decisive action). In the real world, the first three do not exist in a substantive way without the fourth. And for that reason, firearms - "liberty's teeth"-are the necessary though not sufficient conditions to resist servitude.

The Political themes of this book are the most passionate, and the least organized, of all.
Royce very rightly champions the second amendment as not only the safeguard of the right of each individual to keep firearms but the major bulwark against evil doers and tyrannous governments. Scattered throughout the book are many statistics concerning the relationship between gun ownership and crime. Just in case you are wondering, when a society is armed, there is less crime. Any society which disarms its citizens AND maintains a low rate of crime, does so only by sacrificing many of what we still regard as fundamental human rights (i.e. Japan).

With respect to tyrannical governments, Mr. Royce's arguments are not convincing, at least to me. Certainly, he does have history on his side. "Death by government" was a central motif of the twentieth century, and many previous centuries as well. People would do well to be wary of governments. They would do well to be prepared to take action against tyrannous governments. The question is, Do Americans now face such tyranny? Has the time come to step off the soap box, batten down the ballot box, burn the jury box and open the cartridge box? Mr. Royce is convinced that such a time is imminent, but his arguments in this direction are flimsy. The Political side of the book does not answer to the Philosophical side.

This is a strong book, which I recommend most highly for anyone who is interested in firearms, and who wishes to learn more about any of the themes I have outlined. Owning and using guns is a method which, in mature use, inspires careful reflection, as well as considered action.