In every decent-sized collection of handgun books, there are always a few that stand out. Many of these are accepted standards such Elmer Keith's "Sixguns" or Jordan's "No Second Place Winner." Others are relatively unknown-what I refer to as "sleepers." One of my favorite all-time sleepers is a slim little book published in 1949. Written by handgunning legend Walter Roper, the book is "Experiments of a Handgunner." In the early and middle part of the 20th Century, Roper worked for several of the major handgun companies, including Smith & Wesson. He was a very advanced enthusiast on the handgun scene, a man who personally conducted a wide variety of experiments to learn more about how they work. The book is a survey of his most significant investigations. I think that his work with handgun sights is very important, but the information he developed on handgun grips (or "stocks" if they're made by Herrett's) is still in common usage. Roper grips are much prized relics of the mid-20th Century handgun scene. As a matter of fact, S&W's famous target grips for K and N frame revolvers are derived from Roper's original design. The book, if you can find a copy, is great reading for those who remain interested in the esoteric of handgun design.
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