The latest offering from the NRA's Firearms Classic Library is Practical Dope on the Big Bores by F. C. Ness. This 1948 book is a compilation of various pre war and wartime Dope Bag articles, The book covers about all of the centerfire rounds of the time and many wildcats. There are various field reports on cartridges, scopes, rifles and equipment of the time. This is a good copy of the book and the pictures are well done. I have a first edition and the Wolfe reprint but it is nice to have a reading copy at a reasonable price. If you are a book collector you know that small accidents while reading can certainly hurt a books value. This is especially true of the flexible cover Samworth's. These have become almost too valuable to read. Fortunately the FCL have reprinted most of these. This is one of the best book club programs around for shooting books.

There is also another book that Ness wrote about the .22 and small Bores ! They both are still full if information that can be used today by shooters and hunters ! I still read the originals ! JAGG

I still read the originals ! JAGG

Now really! Let's have some consideration! You are spoiling your children's inheritance!

W O ! No ! ! They are the product of outcome based education ! So they can't read ! How is the paper in these new book copies ? The old books have excellent glossy paper to this date that doesn't turn yellow ! JAGG

How is the paper in these new book copies ? The old books have excellent glossy paper to this date that doesn't turn yellow ! JAGG

I am rolling in the isle!

The paper is good on the FCL books. they are also leather bound with an attached ribbon for a book mark. All have an additional forward by Jim Casada. Some of the forwards are exceptional. Very well done. Others have you asking, Did he read this book?

the pictures on most of the titles are well copied. Some of the Crossman books appear that the pictures got a little darker. Overall a good effort at a fair price.

JGG
set all three copies side by side and the 1st edition is the best paper wise. The FCL book next and then the Wolfe leather bound book. Hard to beat an original printing I guess.

W io ! I just looked at my 1948 beak up book and opened a page where they were necking down and adding a sharp shoulder of a 300 HH to 270 and 7mm ! Gee does that sound like anything that has been done lately ? JAGG

Jagg, exactly.

If folks would take a look at the two Ness books, Charles Landis books .22 Caliber Varmint Rifles and Hunting with the .22, and Richard Simmons Wildcat Cartridges they would see there is not much really new. it's the new powders that make some of the old ideas useful again. Reminds me of the saying: "For the sunrise student there is treasure in books"

There is more to it then that , as the Hunting stories also list what cal.s and damage was done to game that they were hunting and with what cal. ! It is a good way to see what cal.s , bullets and weight worked then and will work today ! And in what part of the country they were hunting in ! From squirrels to Bears ! JAGG