My book

[Dick Hosmer]

is FINISHED!!

It will be going to North Cape in a day or so, as soon as I finish jotting down some covering notes.

Thanks to all for your support. There will still be time to slip in a serial number here and there during the editing process, but nothing major. It should have at least 350 photos (which means I took around 1,500!)

We are looking at early 2015 publication.

[Bob K]

Congrats.!

[psteinmayer]

I'll be looking forward to getting one! Congrats Dick!

[Rick B]

Congrats and are any of mine worth putting the serial in? Especially the papered MGM movie gun. Rick B

[Dick Hosmer]

Still a plenty of work left, I suspect. The editor now takes his swipes at the 'fruits of your labor', which, after 22 years* of work, tweaking here and tweaking there, you think is just about perfect!

*Strangely, this is the book I was commissioned to write in 1992! I was the one who noted - after I'd gotten started - that the .58s and .50s (which of course form the base of the trapdoor series) hadn't really been done by anyone. So, with NCP's blessing, I wrote a book I hadn't planned on doing, all the while continuing to polish the other. I was also fortunate/lucky enough to acquire some additional specimens, which shortened the initial photo-begging list considerably.

[broom jockey]

Job well done! Thank you Dick.

[Dick Hosmer]

Congrats and are any of mine worth putting the serial in? Especially the papered MGM movie gun. Rick B

TO ANY INTERESTED PARTIES - Rick makes a good point (but, sorry, am ONLY doing SA-made arms).

If anyone has one of the following models ONLY, I'll be happy to include same (confidentially of course) if received in time:

1873 Carbine, long wrist, UNDER 50000 ONLY, subject to review for authenticity
1873 Rifle, with Metcalfe device
1880 Triangular Rod Bayonet Rifle (154-157xxx)
1881 .45-80 Long Range Rifle (any variety)
1882 Infantry/Cavalry Rifle (28" barrel, either plain (1970xx) or triangular rod bayonet (1974xx) version)
1884 Round Rod Bayonet Rifle (original flat-latch ONLY, 315-320xxx range) PLEASE, NO standard "M1888" ROD-BAYONETS FROM 1890-UP!!
1886 XC 24" barrel Carbine (330-340xxx)
1888 Positive Cam Rifle (415500-415625; block MUST be marked "US/MODEL/1888")

Though covered in the book, I've not collected serial number data on the following, and it is too late to start now:

1875 Lee Vertical Breech
1878-1880 Winchester Hotchkiss models (all 5 SA versions)
1881 Forager, 20ga.
1875 Officer's Rifle (not numbered in the normal sense)
1881 Marksman's Rifle (not numbered in the normal sense)
1884 Chaffee-Reece (not numbered)
1891 .30 Caliber (not numbered in the normal sense)

Thanks for your interest!!

[Rick B]

Dick the MGM is an 1888 Trapdoor. I wasn't sure if you had a list of serials for a certain reason in the book. Thanks,,Rick

[Dick Hosmer]

Dick the MGM is an 1888 Trapdoor. I wasn't sure if you had a list of serials for a certain reason in the book. Thanks,,Rick

Yes, I wanted to show the ranges for the various scarce models - the 1873 carbine list is something I started for fun in 1970 - it now has over 1200 entries.

[ebeeby]

Looking forward to reading about the mint model 1866 in the rack here. How do we pre-order the book?

And congratulations!!

[Dick Hosmer]

New book covers pretty much the list as in post #7 above. There is more, but not relavant to posting.

No new M1866 stuff - that will only come if we do a second edition of first book, which I'd say is unlikely (the errata list is amazingly small - I'm happy). A small monograph could be done just on the 1866, what with all of the Franco-Prussian political stuff, and the numerous iterations, but I am not the man to write it.

It's way premature to give ordering data - IF it goes like #1, Poyer will market it through his usual channels, and I will have exclusive rights to selling autographed copies.

I get paid up front, so volume of sales doesn't help me (no "royalties"). He gives me X books free - which are pretty much all used up with family and thank-you's to contributors. I can then buy as many copies as I want at a very steep discount, and those are the autographed ones that I sell. Have moved at least 250 of the first book, so far.

I didn't do it for the money - I was extremely flattered to be asked to write the book(s), as an awful lot of stuff like this is by "Vanity Press".

Of course, over the period of time of writing it, electronic "on demand" printing has come into its' own. I'm pretty sure this will be done conventionally, but, the 58/50 book can be had on Kindle!

[sdkrag]

Outstanding! I look forward to an autographed copy. I did get to hold and examine a long range rifle one time. The owner was impressed that I knew what it was. Pretty cool.

[Dick Hosmer]

Outstanding! I look forward to an autographed copy. I did get to hold and examine a long range rifle one time. The owner was impressed that I knew what it was. Pretty cool.

Here's a better picture:

[13Echo]

Looking forward to adding it to my library. I really enjoyed the first book, especially the history parts.

Jerry Liles

[sgm11z]

Just sent you a PM listing an 1881 forager, a M1873 carbine, and a M1880 RB rifle.

David

[Dick Hosmer]

Thanks, I'll check them this evening.

Didn't log Forager numbers, since they have their own sequence, and there is none of the "was it or wasn't it" or "what is the true range" mystique involved.

[1mark]

Would love to get an autographed copy.
Thank you for your efforts

[John Sukey]

Your book came out too late! Would have been nice to have when I had 30 trapdoors (before I caught Enfielditis.:rolleyes:
Down to ONE rod bayonet now.
Even had a 65 cadet, but 58 rimfire ammo was impossible to find:D

[Dick Hosmer]

I found the 1867 (miniaturized) Cadet the toughest of all. Acquired an 1865 "Cadet" (of course they are all suspect, especially the properly-proportioned ones) fairly early on, and have seen maybe 6-7 others. I attribute whatever success I have achieved to by never succumbing to a different "itis".

Although it is odd, I had a dear friend - now deceased - who followed the same path (apparently) as you. He divested himself of (among others) his mint Chaffee-Reece, 95% Lee Vertical, 95% Hotchkiss 1st ARMY (look that one up!) rifle, etc., to go chase what to me were fugly, and fairly common, Lee-Enfields, Lee-Metfords, etc. I paid him all I could possibly afford, this was circa 1980, and way more than he asked, and still have pangs of guilt.

[John Sukey]

Funny you should mention the Winchester Hotchkiss. Had one of those as well:D

[jon_norstog]

Congratulations, Dick. I saw Buffalo Arms is selling your other books, I suppose they'll put this one in their catalog. Good job!

jn

[Tkacook]

I look forward to purchasing it when it becomes available.

TKacook