Layne Simpson's Shooter's Handbook, by Layne Simpson, softcover 6"x9", 384 pages, $19.99 plus $4.00 P&H Order this book online from K-P Books, (formerly Krause Publications) Dept. BNP-PR05, P.O. Box 5009, Iola, WI 54990-5009. (800) 258-0929, ISBN: 0-87349-939-5
Many of us know and have long enjoyed the work of Layne Simpson from his past writings in firearms magazines and from several books. This interesting new title, subtitled "600 shooter's questions answered" is a delightfully informative collection of commonly asked questions from Simpson's readers over the course of his long career.
The questions are from shooters of all types and levels of knowledge and are divided into general groups by chapter: rifles, shotguns, handguns, cartridges and shotshells, reloading and optics with many photos and data charts to help highlight specific questions. They range from someone asking about "a gun that shot around corners", (yes folks, there really was such a thing) to where to obtain a powder measure to use with a cap-n-ball revolver to "what is eye relief in a scope?". Layne gives detailed, easy to understand answers to these questions and more, often including details of his own experiences and offering remedies to problems where they are required, or sources where products may be obtained.
This book is an entertaining, intelligiently written, interesting read. In all honestly, this reviewer learned something from quite a few of the questions and answers contained in this book, out of curiousity, I researched a few of the Q&A's to see how accurate Simpson's answers actually are. What I found was, in every case, the author offers darned good, well thought through answers and the advice or directions where right on the money. Once I started reading it, after just a few Q&A's I found the book was hard to put down, the impulse is to keep moving along to the next question, then the next . . . The Shooter's Handbook is a great book to keep on the shelf and to learn from, the book also makes a wonderful conversation starter to use when you have new guests over for the evening.
Whether you are a novice or experienced shooter, I can highly recommend this new title.