P.O. Ackley: America's Gunsmith

Most shooters today know him because of his cartridge designs know simply as ""Ackley Improved."" But those cartridges are only the tip of the iceberg, there is so much more to the story. This is the whole story....P.O. Ackley was a gunsmith, barrel maker, firearms expert, instructor, and author. He was active in firearms from 1936 until his death in 1989. The first gunsmithing program at a college in the United States, Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado, owes its existence to Ackley and his trainees.......Ackley wrote for several magazines during his career, most notably ""Guns and Ammo"" for about fifteen years and ""Shooting Times"" for twenty-one years. He also produced five books. By his account the two-volume set he is best known for sold over 100,000 copies before his passing, they continue to sell even today.......It's easy to argue that P.O. Ackley was the most influential gunsmith of the 20th century. He was a prolific experimenter, wildcatter, and barrel maker. His ideas have become industry standards. He was friend, colleague, or acquaintance of nearly every well-known person in the gun trade from before World War II until the mid-1970s. Author Fred Zeglin delivers the most complete collection of accurate dimensions, loading data and history for the lifetime of cartridges created by P.O. Ackley, the most influential gunsmith in American history.