This is a comprehensive chronology of firearms with full technical specifications, shown in 1100 expert photographs and diagrams. It is a beautifully illustrated set of encyclopedias covering pistols, revolvers, machine and submachine guns through history. It features directories of arms from many parts of the world, organised according to country of manufacture. It includes key specifications for each weapon, including calibre, magazine capacity, barrel length and unloaded weight. Each book is fully illustrated throughout with over 1100 specially commissioned colour photographs in total. It details all the most significant and famous firearms, including Mauser and Lee-Enfield rifles, the Colt.45 pistol, the MP38 submachine gun and the Hotchkiss machine gun. This set of comprehensive encyclopedias covers the complete history of firearms. From the handguns, matchlocks, wheelocks and black powder flintlocks used in the Revolutionary, Napoleonic and American Civil Wars, the book looks at the progress of firearm design from 1800 to today. There are chapters on classic machine guns such as the Hotchkiss and Maxim and iconic submachine guns such as the "Tommy Gun", plus chapters on the mechanics and technology behind the rise of Super Magnum revolvers, semi-automatic pistols and assault rifles. The directories present a superb pictorial guide to the most significant pistols, revolvers, rifles, machine and sub-machine guns. Each gun's features are listed, as are the military, political and technological contexts in which the gun was developed. Full lists of manufacturers and glossaries complete these easy-to-use encyclopedias and make this beautifully illustrated box set essential reading for everybody interested in gun manufacture.