In this book, the author, deadliest sniper in U.S. history tracks down and shoots the ten most important American firearms, from a flintlock rifle to a Colt revolver to the latest high-tech weapon he used as a Navy SEAL. He uses these guns as a window on United States history, making the sweeping argument that the American story has been tied to and shaped by the gun. He revisits turning points in American history, including the single sniper shot...

"American history has always been interwoven with developments in firearms technology and so is peppered with legendary guns. At the birth of the nation, Americans armed themselves with state-of-the-art long guns to fight their colonial oppressors. Once independent, the young country was drawn into a succession of conflicts, which caused firearms technology to keep pace with weapon design and production demand. The needs of many military campaigns...

Presents over one hundred Civil War weapons, including weapons history and specifications, over three hundred photographs, and chapters on pistols; revolvers; carbines; longarms; rifles; swords; edged weapons; and artillery.

An examination of the relationship between women and firearms, this book highlights the surprising number of women keen on the subject of a gun.