This comprehensive encyclopedia of firearms is both an authoritative reference work and a stunning visual directory, explaining the development of arms through the centuries, and showing the capabilities and individual specifications of the weapons. It presents a superb pictorial guide to the most significant pistols, revolvers, rifles, machine and submachine guns. Enthusiasts can quickly find specific guns, all with full information and color photography. Each gun's features are listed, as are the military, political and technological contexts in which the gun was developed.