Best Gunsmithing Books

Before you could quickly look up a video tutorial or step by step guide online to help you with a project, you had to find a quality publication to help you learn if you couldn’t find somebody to teach you. Most beginning and moderate gunsmithing projects are easy DIY options and even though technology has offered a quick solution, having a dependable, tried and true method printed between the pages of a book is helpful to have on hand. 

Take a look at our list of the best gunsmithing books that cover everything from common gunsmithing tools, to the art of gunsmithing and related gunsmithing literature. 

Quick Comparisons of the 10 Best Gunsmithing Books

Best Gunsmithing Books 

I’m not going to lie, I have a variable library in just about every room in my house. I grew up discovering the incredible wealth of knowledge held between the pages of a book, and with the advancement of technology and the availability of libraries around the world – I have only expanded exponentially along with it. I still believe a book often holds the best information you are looking for, and when combined with the technology we have today, there isn’t much of anything you can’t do if you are willing to teach yourself using these gunsmithing resources. 

Get started building your gunsmithing library with some of these tried and true volumes. 

This is a facsimile reprint of an old 1946 classic, republished by www.bnpublishing.com in 2013. It is fairly voluminous at 528 pages and makes an excellent reference tool. The text is illustrated by over 100 sketches and pictures.

You will find detailed notes and suggestions concerning the use of equipment in a professional gun shop. The book functions as a technical manual and as a source book for ideas that the serious student might want to apply someday. Although the title says “professional,” this book is very accessible to beginners.​

This book is widely regarded as the best book for gunsmithing and truly is a famous gunsmithing book. 

You will be shown how to make and use basic gunsmithing tools, some of which, however, are now outdated. The coverage of topics is comprehensive but generally introductory. The information is, nevertheless, still useful at points to advanced students. While the tools and technologies mentioned have often changed, there is still an abundance of timeless and useful information here.

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This book is a classic in the gunsmithing world, and the edition presented here is a 2015, Skyhorse Publishing reprint of the original 1940 version. Many consider this volume to be a collector’s item as well as a practical learning tool. The book is a substantial read at 448 pages and will likely be used as a reference tool by most as a introductory guide to gunsmithing.

While hailing from the same age as Howe’s Professional Gunsmithing, this book, as the name implies, is somewhat more advanced. You will find in-depth treatments of various gunsmithing tools, proper gunsmithing methods, and gun components. The book is heavy on the mechanics involved in building and fixing firearms. It is not an easy read, but its detailed text is well illustrated to ease the learning process as much as possible.

Some of the methods presented are outdated, but many have remained the same. The fact that Vickery covers his subject comprehensively and in detail makes it always a valuable resource. Additionally, he mentions methods not requiring expensive or rare tools, which is still helpful despite some changes in what constitute common gunsmithing tools.

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Despite its age, Elementary Gunsmithing has stayed consistently in print since 1938, with its most recent publication in 2015. This book written by Perry Frazer, was one of the first to address an amateur audience and provide clear, step by step guidelines to help the reader learn basic skills and tool use and work to advance them into more advanced techniques across a wide platform addressing various different types of firearms. Considered a first amongst DIY publications, it focuses on ordinary hand tool use and clear instructions for beginners to follow. 

As a stand alone, it is a collector’s book that offers practical advice and usefulness that any gun enthusiast would want for part of their collection. Taken for what it is, it is still considered a helpful guide to get anyone involved with basic gunsmithing while showing them tool use on classic firearms that are not only still used today, but have inspired much of the new technology. 

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Patrick Sweeney has written a multitude of gunsmithing articles in periodicals such as Handguns Magazine. He has also authored a number of valuable volumes, many of them published, like this one, by Gun Digest Books. This is the 4th edition of a book first published in the early 2000s, and this latest version just came out in 2015. It has been expanded with whole new chapters and updated throughout its 384 pages. The 4th edition is significantly superior to the 3rd.

Repair and maintenance methods on a number of common revolvers and pistols are covered. There are over 800 pictures to illustrate these processes. A word of caution, however, is due. This book does not normally stop to explain the basics, and even the pictures seem to have the advanced student in mind. 

Thus, while the book claims to be for both novice and experienced gunsmither, it is much easier to follow if you have already mastered the basics. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, since advanced students will tire of hearing the basics, which now seem obvious to them, constantly repeated.

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Another of Sweeny’s publications, this option is specific to one type of firearm and details gunsmithing rifles. Originally published in 1999 and is in its 9th edition, published in 2019. It is a tome of information at 400 pages, and the information given here on producing and repairing various rifles is well illustrated. It is also laid out in a step-by-step illustrated manner that is very helpful to beginners.

Every major type of rifle is covered, if in short space. You will learn how to improve a rifle’s accuracy, how to keep it “shoot-ready,” and how to modify it in various ways. You will also be told of common mistakes to avoid and of which repairs require the intervention of an expert.

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Once you find a good author, why look elsewhere? Patrick Sweeny knocks it out of the park with his 4 volume set pertaining to AR-15 maintenance, repair, and accessory additions. This is the first volume and is 256 pages published in 2010 in reference to history and use of the firearm along with common uses and ways to keep it in excellent working order. 

Information, step by step guides, and tons of pictures round out this volume that is added to in volumes 2 and 3, and then updated in volume 4. Each provides unique information, but there is some repetition between volumes as the author is very thorough. The detail added makes it easy for a beginner to understand, but even advanced gunsmithing fanatics can learn something from the information included from this professional gunsmithing instructor. 

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Published in 2019 as a more modern gunsmithing book, Gunsmithing Modern Firearms is filled with guides and pictures. With 304 pages, this book written by Bryce Towsley provides excellent gunsmithing education to anyone who picks it up. A foremost expert in the field, it is specific to building, customizing, fixing, and maintaining a wide variety of firearms. It begins with simple, easy-to-do projects that can be done at the comfort of your kitchen table, to more advanced techniques as you become more comfortable in your skills. 

Included are tutorials such as customizing a Glock; building various popular firearms, such as the 1911 or AR-15; correctly use spray on coatings; and turning field rifles into tactical rifles. He truly embraces the art of gunsmithing and showcases the work in detailed ways alongside humorous anecdotes and history. 

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Another good one by Bryce Towsley, Gunsmithing Made Easy was originally published in 2010 and has over 150 pages of basic guides for anyone interested in building and maintaining guns. Detailed explanation and fully colored illustrations cover details of just about any gun repair you can think of. Tutorials cover everything from stock modifications and accuracy enhancements, as well as totla rifle makeovers.

It also includes details on how to protect and clean your guns, as well as weather preparation for outdoor hunting and shooting through the seasons.  Tools needed, space and shop design, and maintenance of your work area are part of his A through Z educational suggestions to help you become comfortable with gunsmithing and build your skills. 

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Small in size, but HUGE in content, this DIY Guns book provides easy gunsmithing projects to help familiarize yourself with beginner gunsmithing projects and build your skills. Created to be helpful to every skill level, this is a budget friendly book that offers detailed black and whites sketches and photos to provide instruction on a multitude of projects. Full of tips and tricks, it includes information on woodworking, parts fabrication, metal working, lathe and mill techniques, and even some welding. 

Broken into easy to find categories, look for professional gunsmithing tool suggestions, ways to sight in your rifle, fitting barrels, building various firearms from scratch, converting existing guns, fixing broken parts, proper use of materials such as loctite and dremels, making grips, and much more!

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Another classic, originally published in 1950, this 2012 version of Gunsmithing by Roy Dunlap is profusely illustrated with hundreds of photos and drawings to help illustrate various techniques and work as a guide for firearm knowledge. Broken into various topics, the book is full of information, tips and tricks that he used to design, construct, and remodel various guns- using techniques that are still relevant today. 

He even made some of his own tools, showcasing what he did and why, and then explaining the simplified use compared to a more modernized tool bought in a store- for twice the price. Everything from basic beginner’s information to more advanced explanations is included, covering projects such as heat treatments of metals, fitting sights and accessories, blueing and blacking of metal, woodworking, repairs, and cartridge information.

At 824 pages of instruction and illustrations, this book cover just about any gunsmithing topic you can dream of. 

Conclusion

When you want a classic, yet useful book to add to your collection, many of these fit the bill. More modern firearms are highlighted in the other editions, but the tips and tricks, instructions and details in all of these choices are relevant today to help you decide which tools to use and how to get started with gunsmithing techniques. More advanced tutorials are also included and provide all you need to know to complete the lesson. Even though there are plenty of gunsmithing manuals in the world to work from, we think these are all worth the mention we’ve provided. 

We’d love to hear of your favorite gunsmithing books that need to be added to the list, and, as always, please share!