Shooting Lever Guns of the Old West

I enjoyed reading this book and it is obvious that the author is knowledgeable about lever guns. The author is a shooter and from that aspect you are getting some 'hands-on' advice from actual experience. If you are looking for a book on how to 'disassemble and reassemble' or 'repair' your lever-gun then this is not the book to buy. However, it does contain good information on lever-guns and it is presented in a down-to-earth manner that makes it an enjoyable read. The author gives general history and firearm developments but it is not technical to the point of discussing mechanical/design advances. Good photographs, good presentation. The book is a keeper!

I buy a lot of books but do very few reviews. This is book met all my expectations. Good coverage of the guns and the cartridges. While the author did not attempt to provide a complete loading manual for these guns -- he did test these guns on particular range of loads with the target grouping results. He provides load data for a series of tests of black powder as well as smokeless. The bullet speeds and +/- variances are included. I also really enjoyed the historical aspects and related personal stories/commentary.Usually, books like this focus just on the technical details of the mechanics of the guns with unsupported subjective comments by the author. But Mr. Venturino makes the history and mechanics come to life with the real world testing & load data -- which provides the reader with objective data on how these guns performed then and now. Framed within interesting commentary makes for a fun and enjoyable read. But I have already re-read certain sections as a reference as well.If you like guns of the old west, you ought to buy this book.

Which later can be used as a reference after reading, Mike Venturino is one of my favorite gun writers, well worth the read!

Well written and researched, easy read. Ideal for beginners, lovers and collectors.

Arrived early and in perfect condition. Very happy

I found this to be as fun to read and as useful as Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West...the history, commentary on the guns, good illustrations, and the practical information on shooting various historic and obsolete calibers is well researched, honest, and very helpful in evaluating potential additions to my collection of antique arms. My only complaint is that the book is very Winchester heavy, and although Marlin is somewhat represented, there is little about other interesting lever guns such as Savage, Whitney, Burgess, etc. But Winchesters and Marlins are the most likely lever guns that the reader may have a chance to play with, so the coverage is appropriate. On the whole, very enjoyable read and valuable shooter's reference material.

Most product refs are out of date. It is well written and very descriptive; where Winchester is concerned. It does mention Marlin but only in a very casual way. It is far from exhaustive in non-Winchester brands. The photos are excellent. There are no lists of serial numbers nor is there much discussion of the two lever shotguns Winchester made. In short, it’s a fun read, worth the price but, it’s literary fast food. Don’t buy it thinking you are getting a reference work because you will be disappointed. Instead, buy it to satiate your curiosity about the old west and you won’t be disappointed. On a scale of 1-10, I give it an 8.5

Great book . Informative .

Good mix.Lots of historical fact, plus info for the reloader.

I would consider this a classic work on Lever Guns, very informative and well written by Mike Venturino who knows his subject. Expensive but worth it to the serious shooter.

Good read

Excellent book! Very informative & lots of reloading tips for obsolete cartridges.

A brilliant book - Thank you