The Complete Book of the .22 : A Guide to the World's Most Popular Guns

Rating:
Summary: Hits the Seven Ring
Review: By Bill Marsano. This book takes me back--how far back I don't want to say, because that was when Sears was respectfully, even reverently referred to as Sears, Roebuck, their sport line was J.C. Higgins and their tool brand was Dunlap. So there is plenty of nostalgia value here, with lots of background on brands familiar or forgotten. There is also plenty of .22 history, particularly on the BB Cap, CB Cap, and development of the Short, Long and Long Rifle cartridges, background of some famous makers, and lots of tips on marksmanship.

My quarrel here is with the claim "Complete Book." No way; this is more like a beginner's book; fine for a youngster just starting out, or for a duffer like me, who devoted no more study to the .22 than was required to pass the NRA firearms-safety test long years ago. A serious shooter--even a mid-level shooter--who took the claim seriously would be very disappointed, and rightly so.--Bill Marsano grew up as an All-American Boy--i.e., fascinated with guns.


Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: There's long been a need for a "complete" survey of the .22 and the arms chambered for it. This unfortunately isn't it. Rather, this is a sketchy and superficial book for the beginner. Chapters are short and cover nothing but commonly known information. Particularly annoying are the chapters on famous makers of high-quality arms such as Cooper and Kimber, which read like PR releases from the manufacturers. There is a chapter on the .17HMR (not a .22, obviously) but almost nothing on the .22WMR. The chapter on Winchester is a sort of company history, much of which has nothing to do with .22 caliber weapons.

In addition, the illustrations in the book are of very low quality, and not particularly well-chosen. My recommendation is that you check this out of the library, read the few bits that are worthwhile, and then wait until the day comes that a modern equivalent of the likes of Townsend Whelen, Jack O'Connor, or Jim Carmichael produces a real "Complete Book of the Twenty-Two."