Book Review: Boston’s Gun Bible

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By Joel Jefferson •  5 min read

If you have been looking to learn more about rifles, shotguns, pistols or carbines then look no further, Boston's Gun Bible is a trustworthy book for the beginners to the advanced gun owner.  This is a great addition to any Survivalist’s library.

Overview

As complete a work on all things dealing with guns and other self protection devices as I have found anywhere. Rifles, carbines, handguns, shotguns, vests and various add-ons are all addressed. In addition, tips for dealing with local, state and federal laws and enforcement efforts are included.

About the Author

From Wikipedia.com:
Kenneth W. Royce is an American author who primarily writes under the pen name of Boston T. Author Boston T. Pary Party. He has written non-fiction books that offer a libertarian stance on privacy, police encounters, tax resistance and gun politics. His books are published by Javelin Press.  He has written one fiction novel, Molôn Labé!, and is one of the founders of the Free State Wyoming project.

Favorite Part

His methodology for rating each weapon is clearly explained as is the weight given to each category. Everything from handling to cleaning is rated to come up with his recommendations. The discussion of various manufacturer’s strengths and weaknesses plus the value added versus weight and cost for the more popular add-ons is a big plus.

He does clearly state in his book when something is his opinion versus test data. If you don’t have any interest in a certain rifle/cartridge then you can skim over the technical data quickly and only cover the general comments sections.  Since I have no interest in the 6.5mm round I simply skipped all of the details about that caliber for example.

Sale
Boston's Gun Bible
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Boston T. Party (Author)

Last update on 2024-03-18 at 16:34 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

His section on how to acquire guns and ammo is well written. He understands starting with nothing on a limited budget and makes excellent recommendations on how to build a battery for survival. He does have a bias toward battle rifles (one which I share, but it is a bias) that might not be applicable to the urban survivalist who wants a rifle/pistol combination in the same caliber for instance.

Dislikes

While I share many of his political points of view and his displeasure with the lukewarm citizen, I find his vehemence a distraction to an otherwise worthy book. I am not quite so cynical about all of our politicians; perhaps I should be but I am not yet there.

He also seems to be of the opinion that any SHTF scenario will involve armed militias fighting against hordes of rabble out to get what they can. He may be correct, but I simply do not think this will be the case.

I think that his case for some of the gear he advocates does not need militia vs. MZB (Mutant Zombie Bikers) to justify the purchase of those items. The implication that you are not prepared unless you have a modern battle rifle is a disservice in my opinion. The data is there to help you choose a good carbine/handgun mix but forming lines of battle is not in my survival plans if I can avoid it.

While I do agree that the government may well be our biggest threat before, during, and after SHTF (New Orleans, anyone?) planning to violate local law is always risky business.  The founding fathers (quoted often and well by Mr. Party) understood the price of getting caught or not succeeding. I am not sure the average reader of the book understands those consequences.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Pros

Cons

Summary

The best all around arms and accessory guide out there for anything related to guns, ammunition, reloading (not a reloading manual – you’ll need one of those too), vests and other implements of defense and offense.  Well written, a little technical in spots and designed to get you thinking logically about the unthinkable.

It helped shift my focus from assault weapons back to battle rifles for example. The book is written in a way that you can safely skip the sections that don’t apply to you (the Norwegian 6.5 mm round as an example in my case) but there are nuggets of wisdom on every page.

Be careful of implementing things that might be illegal in your jurisdiction.  While all the information is worthwhile, playing games with the BATFE or local law enforcement is probably not a good idea. One of his best recommendations is to put a good gun attorney on retainer against the day you may need to call your lawyer.

For the technical information alone, well worth the price. For the historical perspective, one of the best collection of the founders’ attitudes and history of weapons I’ve found in one place. If you are not a staunch libertarian, you may find his politics a little unusual but even here, there is food for thought.

Sale
Boston's Gun Bible
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Boston T. Party (Author)

Last update on 2024-03-18 at 16:34 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Joel Jefferson

Joel is one of the original founders of SurvivalCache.com. After college, he joined the USMC where he served as an (0302) Marine Infantry Officer. Joel is an avid outdoorsman and spends much of his free time in the mountains. Joel’s hobby is researching survival gear & weapons as well as prepping. Read his full interview here.