Rating: 
Summary: A One Off
Review: A must for any rifle owner (I own 40) and I have never come across as good a source of info. I have a few editions and they only get better.
Old Aussie Hunter
Rating:
Summary: An exellent reference
Review: A well written, comprehensive, and fun to read book. I have gleaned much information from this reference which goes beyond standard lineup of cartridges presently encountered by North American hunters and weekend warriors. Anyone interested in history of small arms ammunition (pistol and rifle) should do themselves a big favor and read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Reply to "Spartiate" - new thoughts on an older edition
Review: Cartridges of the World ReviewFirst of all, most of what I'm going to say relates to Edition nine, but is designed to tie in with comments made by "Spartiate" below. I felt his/her comments deserved a reply, because they echo thoughts I had when I first bought Edition nine. I had thought Edition Nine was an excellent advance on what I'd read before, with a few low patches. Previous editions I'd seen were two and five, when John Amber and Frank Barnes reigned supreme. Nine certainly has vastly more information, and I'm curious as to whether Ten has that much more again. I agree with certain criticisms, particularly the repetition within the entries on the Lazzeroni and JDJ cartridges. It seemed to me (with my more limited knowledge) that the editor was trying to fill space while talking about new cartridges that didn't (yet!) have much history worth speaking of. A collated expose on those companies that offered various proprietary cartridges, with the odds and sods at the end listed by calibre, might have been better and allowed a lot less repetition of somewhat less relevant material. I didn't examine the handloading data very carefully, not being actively engaged in the sport myself, and can't comment on errors. What I did think was a shame was the numerous horrendous typographical errors, omissions and "tab-stop disasters" present especially within the British Cartridges section. From this viewpoint, some of the older editions were better. Inconsistencies from one edition to another are also apparent, e.g. Barnes's comments on the .32 Winchester Special and the rifles which fire it have been COMPLETELY RUBBISHED in the most scathing tones by the editor in the 9th edition. This was an ideal opportunity for the 9th edition editor to state the obvious (that the inaccuracy problem could be solved with an oversize bullet, as he did), and to explain carefully why the "designed for blackpowder reloading" story was a nonsense - not to denigrate the previous author, in whose footsteps he claims to be so proud to tread. Maybe this is why he was not asked back for Edition Ten. It would be a shame indeed if these errors have been perpetuated. I would hope, if I bought Number Ten, that more cartridges would have been added that we have NEVER heard of before, and not just an expanded list of variations on a theme from Jones and Lazzeroni, or a rehash of what has gone before. Dimensional tables should, by now, include case capacity (especially when I can download the FREE demo of "Load From A Disk" from www.loadammo.com and get cartridge dimensions and case capacities that Barnes' book doesn't cover!!!). The use of the QuickLOAD ballistics program was, I thought, inspired as it gave (I felt) a good impression of what might be possible for a cartridge on which little work had as yet been done, but it took me a long time to find any other reference to it! (I now have this program on order). It could equally have been applied to those much older/obsolete cartridges "for which no ballistic or handloading information is available" far more often and far more consistently than it was. It's also about time, I think, that something was said about bullets. These are an essential part of the cartridge, and I think that a chapter or two devoted to them would be handy, especially the very heavy, very light and very streamlined efforts. This would be a valuable addition. Any comments from someone who has both editions nine and ten? (Note: I have NO connection with any of the software companies or products I have mentioned).
Rating:
Summary: A Reply to "Spartiate" - new thoughts on an older edition
Review: Comparing the review dates to Amazon's release date (July '03), I believe this may be the first review of the actual 10th Edition currently offered for sale. Having assigned a rating of two stars, obviously well below the average, let me preface my remarks by stating, in all fairness, that my expectations were probably artifically high due to anticipation, as Amazon provided three BS delivery dates (order/upgrade/complaint date plus shipping time estimate, even before release) before finally shipping the book (Next Day Air--worst $$ I ever spent) ten weeks or so after my order date.
While I obviously cannot hold the author/editors responsible for Amazon's corporate policies, the reason I put up with all that nonsense in the first place, when I could have bought the 9th edition elsewhere for less money, and had it in a week, was to have the most comprehensive, up-to-date reference available--the past few years have been a dynamic period for cartridge development--and it is here that COTW 10 fails to deliver. First, despite the assertions on the cover "A Complete and Illustrated Reference . . ." and "THE (emphasis mine) Book for Every Shooter, Collector, and Handloader", it is ANYTHING BUT COMPREHENSIVE. The preferences and prejudices of the editors are transparent, not only (understandably) in the articles on each cartridge, but also (inexcusably) in the choice of cartridges covered/omitted. Basically, you are reading neither about all the cartridges in the world, nor about the most popular, powerful, or historically significant, but those the writers use/like. Having read numerous books, magazines, and websites about shooting and reloading, I nevertheless came across several cartridges, from the sublime to the ridiculous (i.e., cartridges never chambered), of which I had never heard. On the flip side, I found coverage of certain areas--Chapter 4, Wildcats, in particular (the reason I bought the book; after all, data on mainstream/factory cartridges is available everywhere)--disappointing. Whole categories were ignored: the necked-down .50BMG cartridges used for long-range competition, for example, and the Hawk family of blown-out '06-case rounds. Conversely, the author's fixation on any cartridge ever dreamed of by JDJ/SSK and Lazzeroni is obvious, and the repetition of the Lazz marketing blurb "While somewhat related to an older case, for practical purposes this is a new case design" begins to grate after a while, occupying as it does room that would have been better spent on variety! My second major criticism, again related somewhat to the wait, is INATTENTION TO DETAIL. After all, the 10th Edition of every book should be, regardless of one's agreement/disagreement with content, a book that has been edited ten times! Instances range from minor annoyances to potential safety hazards. The organization of each chapter is, ostensibly, "in the order of increasing bullet diameter, or if caliber is the same, by length or power." Unfortunately, while shooters may argue over minor differences in power (say, .30 Mauser vs. .30 Tokarev), there are some glaring mixups both in this area (.45 WinMag before .45 ACP; brutal .454 Casull before 19th Century slowpoke.45 S&W Schofield), and even by diameter (.350 Rem Mag between .376 Steyr and .375 H&H). Likewise, the distinction among "modern" (i.e. repopularized by Cowbow Action Shooting) and "obsolete" Old West cartridges seems to be somewhat arbitrary. Dimensional drawings accompanying each article vary from awesome for the Remington Ultra Mags to basic, leaving out even bullet diameter, for most others (although these are included in the tables that follow each chapter). Many of the articles seem to be retreads, including outdated statements (i.e. referring to the discontinued .376 Steyr Scout Rifle in the future tense) in a book published two months ago! Despite all these hiccups, Cartridges of the World, 10th Edition, is an interesting read, written by shooters for shooters. The articles are literate and entertaining, and the book is a surprisingly quick read for a reference work. If you like shooting, reloading, and the history of cartridges, you'll find it informative; if your preferences more or less coincide with the editors', you'll enjoy it. Overall, I would rate it three, if not four stars, were it not for the fact that inattentive editing extends to the reloading data provided, creating confusion that could lead to potentially unsafe conditions for the inexperienced reloader. For example, the same .220 Swift, 55-grain hollow point is said to develop 1764 foot-pounds at 3800fps, and 1955 at 3000. A typo is a typo, until you start talking about gunpowder! Read and reload carefully.
Rating: 
Summary: 10th Edition--Not Worth the Wait
Review: Comparing the review dates to Amazon's release date (July '03), I believe this may be the first review of the actual 10th Edition currently offered for sale. Having assigned a rating of two stars, obviously well below the average, let me preface my remarks by stating, in all fairness, that my expectations were probably artifically high due to anticipation, as Amazon provided three BS delivery dates (order/upgrade/complaint date plus shipping time estimate, even before release) before finally shipping the book (Next Day Air--worst $$ I ever spent) ten weeks or so after my order date.
While I obviously cannot hold the author/editors responsible for Amazon's corporate policies, the reason I put up with all that nonsense in the first place, when I could have bought the 9th edition elsewhere for less money, and had it in a week, was to have the most comprehensive, up-to-date reference available--the past few years have been a dynamic period for cartridge development--and it is here that COTW 10 fails to deliver. First, despite the assertions on the cover "A Complete and Illustrated Reference . . ." and "THE (emphasis mine) Book for Every Shooter, Collector, and Handloader", it is ANYTHING BUT COMPREHENSIVE. The preferences and prejudices of the editors are transparent, not only (understandably) in the articles on each cartridge, but also (inexcusably) in the choice of cartridges covered/omitted. Basically, you are reading neither about all the cartridges in the world, nor about the most popular, powerful, or historically significant, but those the writers use/like. Having read numerous books, magazines, and websites about shooting and reloading, I nevertheless came across several cartridges, from the sublime to the ridiculous (i.e., cartridges never chambered), of which I had never heard. On the flip side, I found coverage of certain areas--Chapter 4, Wildcats, in particular (the reason I bought the book; after all, data on mainstream/factory cartridges is available everywhere)--disappointing. Whole categories were ignored: the necked-down .50BMG cartridges used for long-range competition, for example, and the Hawk family of blown-out '06-case rounds. Conversely, the author's fixation on any cartridge ever dreamed of by JDJ/SSK and Lazzeroni is obvious, and the repetition of the Lazz marketing blurb "While somewhat related to an older case, for practical purposes this is a new case design" begins to grate after a while, occupying as it does room that would have been better spent on variety! My second major criticism, again related somewhat to the wait, is INATTENTION TO DETAIL. After all, the 10th Edition of every book should be, regardless of one's agreement/disagreement with content, a book that has been edited ten times! Instances range from minor annoyances to potential safety hazards. The organization of each chapter is, ostensibly, "in the order of increasing bullet diameter, or if caliber is the same, by length or power." Unfortunately, while shooters may argue over minor differences in power (say, .30 Mauser vs. .30 Tokarev), there are some glaring mixups both in this area (.45 WinMag before .45 ACP; brutal .454 Casull before 19th Century slowpoke.45 S&W Schofield), and even by diameter (.350 Rem Mag between .376 Steyr and .375 H&H). Likewise, the distinction among "modern" (i.e. repopularized by Cowbow Action Shooting) and "obsolete" Old West cartridges seems to be somewhat arbitrary. Dimensional drawings accompanying each article vary from awesome for the Remington Ultra Mags to basic, leaving out even bullet diameter, for most others (although these are included in the tables that follow each chapter). Many of the articles seem to be retreads, including outdated statements (i.e. referring to the discontinued .376 Steyr Scout Rifle in the future tense) in a book published two months ago! Despite all these hiccups, Cartridges of the World, 10th Edition, is an interesting read, written by shooters for shooters. The articles are literate and entertaining, and the book is a surprisingly quick read for a reference work. If you like shooting, reloading, and the history of cartridges, you'll find it informative; if your preferences more or less coincide with the editors', you'll enjoy it. Overall, I would rate it three, if not four stars, were it not for the fact that inattentive editing extends to the reloading data provided, creating confusion that could lead to potentially unsafe conditions for the inexperienced reloader. For example, the same .220 Swift, 55-grain hollow point is said to develop 1764 foot-pounds at 3800fps, and 1955 at 3000. A typo is a typo, until you start talking about gunpowder! Read and reload carefully.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference work. Not a novel by any stretch.
Review: Doing research on an old cartridge, ANY old cartridge, is greatly assisted by this volume. I've been doing such research on loads for an obsolete handgun known as a .401 PowerMag which was available around thirty years ago from Herters Inc. This volume had the cartridge in it and included old loading information. Wonderful.
Rating: 
Summary: how this one rates with me a avid shooter
Review: I bought this volume with the intent of studing old and obsolete british big bores from the "golden era" of africian hunting. I was a little disipointed with the completness of the section, but i realize at the same time that the author cannot realisticly cover every possible cartridge ever made in a rifle....All in all it is a title proud of the unofficial title given to it by those in the gun industry....."the cartridge bible". It also has many corrections in this volume that needed to be made because of past editions. The extra tidbits that the author makes in the different sections of the book about the history and the power of the cartridges make the book more than a reference book but makes it a great reading book also......i look forward to upcoming editions.....
Rating:
Summary: how this one rates with me a avid shooter
Review: I bought this volume with the intent of studing old and obsolete british big bores from the "golden era" of africian hunting. I was a little disipointed with the completness of the section, but i realize at the same time that the author cannot realisticly cover every possible cartridge ever made in a rifle....All in all it is a title proud of the unofficial title given to it by those in the gun industry....."the cartridge bible". It also has many corrections in this volume that needed to be made because of past editions. The extra tidbits that the author makes in the different sections of the book about the history and the power of the cartridges make the book more than a reference book but makes it a great reading book also......i look forward to upcoming editions.....
Rating:
Summary: Ammo Collectors referance book
Review: I have have been Collecting Ammo for more than 10 years and always had problems when trying to find out what the calbre of the cartridge is that does not have any markings and this book is the only book one the market that will tell you what the bullet is and small history about the round and reloading detail.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference book for anyone interested in firearms!
Review: I have several editions of this book and it continues to share new knowledge of the history and development of firearms. Anyone interested in firearms history, military history, reloading, or just firearms in general will get hours of interesting reading and reference from this book. As someone who is a history nut, it is interesting to find a way to verify arms and their uses in conjunction with military campains and events..this provides a good source for that. I think that is what the late Frank Barnes wanted, a practical book of firearms knowledge that would appeal to a large audience of readers. Kirk Whitaker
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