Random House New Releases - Antiques & Collectibles - Firearms & Weapons - Between May 21, 2012 and June 20, 2013.

The Martini-Henry Rifle by Peter Dennis

2013-05-21T00:30:00-05:00

The Martini-Henry Rifle
Written by Stephen Manning
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

eBook, 80 pages | Osprey Publishing | History - Military - Weapons; Antiques & Collectibles - Firearms & Weapons; History - Military - Pictorial | $15.95 | May 21, 2013 | 978-1-78096-508-6 (1-78096-508-7)

The breech-loading, single-shot .458in Martini-Henry rifle has become a symbol of both the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the numerous battles in Egypt and the Sudan in 1884-85, but continued to be used by both British and colonial troops well into the 20th century. Its invention and introduction into British service were in direct response to the success of the Prussian Dreyse needle gun, which demonstrated that the breech-loading rifle offered faster loading, improved accuracy and superior range; significantly, the weapon could be loaded and fired from a prone position, thus offering the rifleman greater security on the battlefield.

The Martini-Henry first saw active service in the Ninth Cape Frontier War (1877-79), where it was particularly effective at stopping the charge of rebellious tribesmen at the battle of Centane. Indeed the success of the rifle bred a certain amount of complacency in the British Army that, armed with such a weapon, the British could repel any attack, even if seriously outnumbered. The British defeat at Zulu hands at Isandlwana dispelled this myth and it was only with the adoption of the square formation at Gingindlovu and Ulundi, with a corresponding concentration of fire, that the Martini-Henry really demonstrated its 'stopping power'. The same tactical formation and use of the Martini-Henry continued in the battles in Sudan in 1884-85. The Martini-Henry again showed its ability to stop charging warriors in the Second Afghan War (1878-80), particularly at the battle of Ahmed Khel, but against a force armed with modern weaponry, as at the defeat of Maiwand, the British Army did not fare as well. In 1888 the rifle was replaced in British service by the bolt-action, magazine-fed .303in Lee-Metford and Martini-Henry production ended in 1889, but it was to remain in service with colonial forces into World War I.

The Martini-Henry rifle was not without its faults or its critics. The rifle possessed a dreadful recoil when fired, especially once the bore was fouled, and in sustained combat severe bruising, even dislocation of shoulders and nose bleeds, were likely. The rifle had no safety mechanism of any sort and was prone to discharge if grit or sand entered the trigger mechanism. The weapon could jam, for the extractor grip might tear through the soft brass of the cartridge, or sand could enter the mechanism and cause a similar jam. The barrel became intensely hot when fired and although, from the Mk II design onwards, a wooden forestock was added to give some protection, the barrel would frequently become too hot to touch.

Despite these faults, the Martini-Henry Mk II was far superior to any firearm previously issued to the British Army. Its small bore - which meant soldiers could carry more ammunition - greater accuracy, lower trajectory, ease of operation and reloading with consequent rapidity of firing, as well as its robustness, all combined to make the Martini-Henry a solid, if not always completely dependable, weapon to be used against Britain's enemies. It was sighted to 1,000yd and could maintain a reasonable degree of accuracy at that range. The soft lead bullet could stop a charging warrior in his tracks, and in experienced hands ten to twelve 'aimed' volleys could be fired per minute into the charging ranks of a massed enemy.

The Webley Service Revolver by Peter Dennis

2012-08-21T00:30:00-05:00

The Webley Service Revolver
Written by Robert Maze
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The Webley .455in service revolver is among the most powerful top-break revolvers ever produced and has a claim to be the first 'tactical fighting pistol'. First adopted in 1887, in various marques it was the standard-issue service pistol for British and Commonwealth armed forces for nearly fifty years; later versions in .38in calibre went on to see further service in World War II and beyond, as well as in a host of law-enforcement roles around the world into the 1970s.
Developed to give British service personnel the ability to incapacitate their opponents in 'small wars' around the globe, the Webley used the formidable - and controversial - .455in cartridge, a variant of which was known as the 'manstopper'. Users found it offered good penetration and excellent stopping power with only mild recoil - indeed, it was rated superior to the US .45 Colt in stopping power.

Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and close-up photographs, this is the compelling story of the Webley revolver, the powerful pistol that saw service across the British Empire and throughout two world wars.

The Webley Service Revolver by Peter Dennis

2012-08-21T00:30:00-05:00

The Webley Service Revolver
Written by Robert Maze
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The M1 Garand by Peter Dennis

2012-05-22T00:30:00-05:00

The M1 Garand
Written by Leroy Thompson
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

eBook, 80 pages | Osprey Publishing | History - Military - Weapons; History - Military; Antiques & Collectibles - Firearms & Weapons | $15.95 | May 22, 2012 | 978-1-78096-434-8 (1-78096-434-X)

The M1 Garand gave US infantrymen a marked edge during World War II. It shot faster and further than enemy infantry rifles and hit harder. No less an authority on killing the enemy than General George S. Patton called the Garand, "The greatest battle implement ever devised." At a time when opposing forces were armed with bolt action rifles, US troops had a highly reliable self-loader. It was the US Army's principal infantry weapon in World War II, beloved of troops for its ability to withstand hard use and be ready when needed. In most battles the Garands speed of fire combined with the powerful .30-06 cartridge gave US troops a distinct advantage. The eight-round clips which were used to load the M1 Garand were, however, viewed with mixed emotions by the troops on the ground. Eight rounds was not much magazine capacity for a self-loading rifle, thus requiring frequent reloading in combat. Some Army and Marine Corps troops allegedly felt that the distinctive "twang" as the Garand's clip was ejected when empty alerted the enemy that the soldiers were reloading and resulted in an attack. But this problem may have been overstated as experienced troops did not all empty their weapons at the same time. It was also a particularly heavy weapon in contrast to the much lighter M1 Carbine. But the Garand became the defining mankiller of the war, despite its weight and magazine problems, and many US combat veterans consider it one of the key reasons they survived the war, as one veteran succinctly commented, "I let my Garand do the talking."

Random House New Releases - Antiques & Collectibles - Firearms & Weapons - Between May 21, 2012 and June 20, 2013.

The Martini-Henry Rifle by Peter Dennis

The Martini-Henry Rifle Written by Stephen Manning Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The Webley Service Revolver by Peter Dennis

The Webley Service Revolver Written by Robert Maze Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The Webley Service Revolver by Peter Dennis

The Webley Service Revolver Written by Robert Maze Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The M1 Garand by Peter Dennis

The M1 Garand Written by Leroy Thompson Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The Martini-Henry Rifle
Written by Stephen Manning
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The Webley Service Revolver
Written by Robert Maze
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The Webley Service Revolver
Written by Robert Maze
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The M1 Garand
Written by Leroy Thompson
Illustrated by Peter Dennis