New book. French Military Rifles. Coming soon.

Suspect this'll be one to keep an eye out for, at least if he writes as lucidly as he presents.
Gun Jesus Ian McCollum, of Forgotten Weapons fame, has written a book covering French Military Rifles from 1866 to the present day. Still finishing artwork etc., but think I may be buying that when it's done:
Announcement

 

I watch Ian's newest vid with my first cup of coffee each morning. Few people can speak so intelligently and dispassionately about a wide range of guns. He's the new Ian Hogg.

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I love Ian. How can you not like a hippie who's also into firearms?

He's also one of the few people I know of who genuinely likes French weapons and gives them the attention they deserve. Even John Weeks' fine Ballantine volume about WWII small arms dismisses French rifles with a few jocose comments.

 

Appalling timing for me, as I'm currently splashing out on building a new pooter while swearing off books for a bit, but a remarkable response to the Kickstarter:
Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles, 1866 – 2016

Oh bugger.
It's only going to get more expensive later, isn't it...

 

It must be that "two nations divided by a common language" thing. "Pooter splashing" conjures up the image of a man (looking like John Cleese) tied up in a neoprene harness while a dominatrix does things to his, ahem, pooter.

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The French have produced more than their share of quirky arms and cars! They definitely walk to a different drummer but can be innovative as well as strange. France has produced some brilliant thinkers and I hope this book conveys that. With Ian MacCallum at the helm, I think it with be so.

Gaines

 

Cheapest option is $75? Oh, saw my leg off, as Mark Twain said once. I love Ian's site and the book sounds wonderful, but I'll have to wait for it to appear in libraries.