The Drilling (Schiffer Military History)

Despite the occasionally-stilted syntax of the author's commentary (an understandable consequence of tutonic phraseology that did not "translate" into English very well), I am finding this book eminently interesting, and well-worth having. Having admired, and collect examples of, German combination guns-- especially drillings-- for some years, I dove into the book eagerly, when it arrived! And I was not disappointed! The author takes pains to employ photograpy and prose paired as a "team" (and he does so, proficiently), to chronological, and categorically, present evolutionary elements of design during the still-unfolding Century-plus history of this genre, he ALSO takes you "inside" the various action innovations, examining and showing you HOW they worked (or, in some cases, didn't, very well) so that you end up with a much clearer sense of why and how these unusual firearms differ from one-another so much! Definitely worth the money. Anyone who enjoys this category of arms collection will be really missing-out if they don't get a copy of this book (which, because the topic is so esoteric, was presumably published in limited quantities, and thus may not remain available for long).

The first review on this book made me more than a little suspicious but I bought it anyway. I'm very glad I did. The translation is a little awkward but completely readable to anyone with a basic knowledge of firearms. Some of the phrases are awkward ( gas for pressure,and foreshaft for forearm) but nothing which should trouble someone looking to gain more information of the drilling. All in all an excellent book. Well worth the price. I don't know of another book of this quality and scope for anywhere near the price.

As a gunsmith & drilling lover for half a century, I can recommend this book highly. There are a few mistakes in it, probably due to translation, as it was originally published in German. And there are a few things that differ from my experience, (hence the 4 stars) with these guns, but all in all a valuable addition to any sportsman's library. Of course there is more to be said on drillings, but there always is on any subject spanning a century & a half of guns :o), Be sure to wear a bib when reading it. Drooling over the incredible pictures might damage the pages.. Greg classicsportingguns.com

I have found very little in print on this subject. I found this book to be very informative on drillings in general. The description of the different types of actions and how they function is a must for anyone interested in drillings. There are chapters describing barrel inserts and scope mounting options which anyone in the market for a drilling should read. The photographs are very nice also. I would highly recommend this book for anyone considering buying a used or new drilling.

One of the few books on this subject, so I bought it; but the writing is incomprehensible in some places. It was written in German and translated by someone who knew very little about firearms. The pictures are beautiful, the printing is well done, but sometimes following the text is hard, especially when he is describing technical stuff like the operation of the lockwork. Klups' main interest is in current production drillings, not the exquisite historical ones from the "Golden Era" of 1920-1940. Useful as far as it goes but not useful enough to a collector to be of more than marginal interest except for the lovely images.

Lighting fast shipping, item well packed, super communication, Item as represented!

it was what I expected, I had seen the book at a gun show, but did not purchase it, your price was better

Great Book, I use it in my business weekly.

The factual content is good, and the research impressively detailed in places, though the illustrations provide patchy coverage and the quality of the photography is variable -from professional to decidedly amateur. The translation, however, despite apparently having been made by a native anglophone, shows little knowledge of firearms terminology in English or how to incorporate the original German terms as necessary within the translated text. The result is a text the informed reader is constantly having to transpose into standard terms so as to reconstruct its original meaning, and which will lead the uninformed reader to misname almost every part of a gun. Ironically, by insistently substituting literal English approximations translating for specifically German terminology it also loses much of the character of a subject intimately associated with the German lands. This is, however, the only book on the subject, and contains much valuable information, especially the penultimate section on how to decide whether a second-hand drilling is worth buying. I would love to see a revised edition, with the text expanded in places -with more coverage of typical cartridges and ballistics, for example, and of the sequence of different models produced by the principal manufacturer by dates-; with more consistent photos coverage, and most of all, re-translated, by someone who knows the subject.

Great reference book

Book is great - the pictures and the text, but falls down in that the translator obviously doesn't know anything about guns. Some terminology is way out.

The basic content material is decent & interesting but the translation isn’t the best. You have to know the subject already to grasp what the text really should have said. It’s the only book on the subject so worth buying but at a discounted price. My copy (Amazon supplied) was damaged prior to dispatch, the cover was marked & ripped in several places, the top edge was shredded. Replacement sought from Amazon but it’s very disappointing it was packed by Amazon when in obviously bad condition.