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American Gun: A History of the U.S. in 10 Firearms
American Gun A History of the US in 10 Firearms Author:Chris Kyle, William Doyle In "American Gun", the deadliest sniper in U.S. history tracks down and shoots the most important American firearms, from a flintlock rifle to a Colt revolver to the latest high-tech weapon he used as a SEAL. Chris Kyle uses these guns as a window on United States history, making the sweeping argument that the American story has been tied to and... more » shaped by the gun. In each chapter he offers engaging stories associated with a particular gun, form wars to duels to shoot outs. "American Gun" is part history, part first-hand journey as Chris locates and shoots these legendary guns. The 10 Guns that shaped America - The American long Rifle (aka the Kentucky Rifle): used to open the American frontier and by soldiers in the American Revolution; The Spencer Repeater: designed during the Civil War, this first repeating rifle cut reload time by 80%; The Colt Single Action Army (aka Colt .4 5): the handgun that defined the Old West, used by Buffalo Bill, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, Doc Holliday, and other iconic gunslingers; The Winchester 1873 Rifle: the Gun that Won the West was a staple in the late nineteenth-century Indian Wars and a favorite a prop in countless Westerns; The 1903 Springfield: designed at the request of Teddy Roosevelt, this superior rifle gave U.S. forces an edge during WWI; The M1911 Army Pistol: the official U.S. Army sidearm from 1911 to 1985, the King of Combat Pistols is still used by today's elite Special Forces units. The American Machine Gun: including the Browning Automatic Rifle and the Thompson Sub-machine Gun, the Gun that Made the '20s Roar, was the weapon of choice for lawmen and gangsters during the Prohibition era, including Machine-Gun Kelly, Elliot Ness, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, John Dillinger, and others; The M1 Garand Semi-Automatic Rifle: the Gun that Saved the World, used by U.S. forces again Nazis and the Japanese during WW II; The American Police Handgun: from the .3 8 Special revolver to the Glock pistol, this chapter is a tour through police firearms history; The M16 Assault Rifle: made famous during Vietnam, this platform is still the standard used by U.S. military weapons including the H&K M4, the firearm that killed Osama bin Laden.« less