Search  for anything...

The Complete Guide to Gunsmithing: Gun Care and Repair

  • Based on 775 reviews
Condition: New
Checking for the best price...
$13.87 Why this price?
Save $6.11 was $19.98

Buy Now, Pay Later


As low as $3 / mo
  • – 4-month term
  • – No impact on credit
  • – Instant approval decision
  • – Secure and straightforward checkout

Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.

Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, PayTomorrow, Affirm, Afterpay, Apple Pay, and PayPal. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Free shipping on this product

This item is eligible for return within 30 days of receipt

To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.


Availability: In Stock.
Fulfilled by Amazon

Arrives Sunday, Aug 3
Order within 16 hours and 1 minute
Available payment plans shown during checkout

Description

The Most Comprehensive Gunsmithing Guide of All Time. Written by one of the most prolific firearms experts of all time, The Complete Guide to Gunsmithing is a highly detailed and essential reference for the gun enthusiast and gunsmith alike. At nearly 500 pages, Chapel covers everything from the use of proper tools to how to get a gunsmithing job, and everything in between. In more than forty chapters of exceptionally clear prose, the book answers every question a collector, soldier, or home defender could have on topics such as: • Drawings and Blueprints • Stock Design • Checkering and Carving • Stock Repairs and Alterations • Etching and Engraving • And many more Not only is the book an incredible resource for gun owners and gunsmiths, it’s also a wonderful look at the world of firearms in the first half the twentieth century. Published just over seventy years ago, the book--and revised by the author two decades later—The Complete Guide to Gunsmithing is fascinating look at how the nature of firearms has changed. With a thoughtful introductory note by renowned outdoorsman Dr. Jim Casada and eighty-five meticulous illustrations, this is the definitive edition of an enduring and authoritative classic. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skyhorse


Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 28, 2015


Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 512 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1632202697


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 97


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.24 pounds


Reading age ‏ : ‎ 1 year and up


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.25 inches


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Sunday, Aug 3

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

  • Klarna Financing
  • Affirm Pay in 4
  • Affirm Financing
  • Afterpay Financing
  • PayTomorrow Financing
  • Financing through Apple Pay
Leasing options through Acima may also be available during checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Top Amazon Reviews


  • Lots of information
Some areas it would have been nice to have more illustrations. But if your familiar with the work, it contains good information.
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2023 by John PJ

  • How To Get It Done
Extremely detailed drawings and completely clear and simple instructions. Assists in troubleshooting faulty actions.
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2025 by ad

  • a little technical for me, but very thorough informative and some plesant surprises
I will tell you right of the bat I am blind, and I have never held a real gun nor shot one. I also have no interest in guns whatsoever and am a big gun ctrol advocate. I like to get my biases out in front of everyone before I start these things. That being said, I found this book wonderfully interesting! It was highly technical but explained how tools could be used and why certain things like "Checkering" which I didn't even know was a thing, was there and how to accomplish it. The book does bring up some products that no longer are used as well as discussing the cutting edge of firearms that is long past even with my limited knowledge of firearms, but most of this stuff still works. I learned what a 12-gage shotgun meant and a number of other things about bullets and ammo. The book even goes into quite a bit of details about the chemistry and physics behind guns as well as some of the technical stuff involving Metallurgy. This was the high point of the book for me as It intersected with several of my scientific interests, and yet this book gave me illustrations that increased my knowledge even in these fields. The book contains a lot of plates that as a blind man I could not see but from the way they are explained I got a lot from them anyway. Also, again this coming from a liberal, I was expecting ranting and raving as this guy was an NRA guy and a Republican rep in California over his life, but in fact Chapel stays on point and keeps the book on track that you need to know how to maintain, repair, craft, and shoot guns and he knows that is why people bought this book. He provides basic gun safety too which shows a lot of responsibility. Overall I give this 4 stars, 1 star off not because of any political idiology of mine but rather because some of his techniques and tools have been supplanted so the book is not as useful as a newer one might be. Whether you like guns like most people who would buy this, or are like me and are just willing to learn from anything and anyone, This is a solid. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2025 by cllfdl

  • If you are going to own ANY gun, you need to know how they work
If you are going to own ANY gun, you need to know how they work, else you are one unsafe individual and a danger to yourself and society and those you love. If your life depends on guns, then your life depends on a deep knowledge of the mechanics of firearms. Accuracy and reliability and safety depend on your constant care, inspection, and maintenance of your gun. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2024 by David L. Parnell

  • Great book!
I have someone interested in becoming a gunsmith, I go this book as a gift to get them started. It looks really good. He loved it.
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023 by Fawn

  • Not complete.
Not the complete guide, for sure. I knew most of the things, written in the book,however I know my son will benefit from the information.
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2024 by Stephen Murray

  • Good Book
Good information. No problems.
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024 by Terry Tanner

  • Great historical foundation
This is an older accounting of gunsmith work. Will still be applicable, but doesn't address the most modern of equipment or firearms.
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2018 by Joel Tapp

Can't find a product?

Find it on Amazon first, then paste the link below.
Checking for best price...