Customer Reviews

Machine Gun: The Development of the Machine Gun from the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maxim's two earlier books on Assault Rifles and Combat Pistols were absolutely great - chapters included a historical overview , design and working mechanisms ,discussion on ammunition types and a look ahead to the future apart from the main subject weapons described in adequate detail.

The Key point is both the books were focused on the post 1945 era and hence treatment of all the important weapons was adequate.

With this work on machine guns - while it follows the same trend and also for the first time has pictures in colour - Maxim has decided to cover from the 19th century itself- which means many modern weapons in the post 1945 like the INSAS 5.45 etc get inadequate coverage and are limited to a one line entry which is my biggest grouse.

The technical section on development , ammunition and design however is excellent .

The countries are covered in alphabetical section as are the weapons w/o mentioning the year of manufacture - chronological order would have made it orderly as one struggles through the pages.

Maxim would have done well to have published the same in 2 parts - pre 1945 and post.Nevertheless its a good addition to the library - however its disappointing to see Crowood almost double the price in the third book of the series.

This is as good as janes military reviews the history alone is worth it but the whole book is just a must for antone who follows this sort of equipement, I can't put it down!

Maxim Popenker and Anthony Burgess are highly respected names in the field of firearms history and research.
That said, this is not a technical book, but more a book for the interested amateur who wants a lot more than a picture book of guns. It's detailed, with excellent illustrations and with an informative and interesting text. There's a lot in this book and it would serve as a very good base to decide where to go with your research.
The history of firearms is a vast subject and I don't suppose it's possible to know it all. If you're interested in machine guns and want a first class background in the subject then this is the book for you.
Highly Recommended!

Another good book on machineguns (as the title says) from Maxim Popenker, following his other books (about pistols and assault rifles).

As usual, it begins with an historical review, ammunition and mechanisms of machineguns, and then on to different models, organized by country of origin.

Technical parts will go over the head of many beginners, and some descriptions fall a little short for more knoledgeable people (after all, there are so many pages for such a broad subject).
But it's a good middle ground, and wide enough for me to consider this book (and it's companions) a must for any good weapon bookshelf.

I bought this book at the end of last year and it turned out to be a great buy.

In general the book presents you with a thorough introduction into the development of the machine gun, from the hand-crank fed machine guns of the 19th century to the modern machine guns with gas-pressure or electric methods of ammunition feeding. In regards to the ammunition used in machine guns their is also a good description of development and types.

All in all a great addition to my bookshelf