THORNEYCROFT TO SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020
by Jonathan Ferguson
Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901 – 2020 is a reference work for all those interested in the history of military firearms. It charts the British love affair with the ‘flipped’ bullpup rifle and machine gun - weapons with their firing mechanism positioned behind the trigger - from a faltering start in the Edwardian period, through the controversy of the NATO rifle trials, to the troubled history of the current SA80 family. The book covers the following arms in detail:
Thorneycroft rifle
Godsal rifle
Korsak’s Light Automatic Gun, 7.92 mm, (E.M. 1)
Thorpe’s Automatic Rifle, .280 inch, (E.M. 1 aka ‘Cobra’)
Janson’s Automatic Rifle, .280 inch (E.M. 2) aka ‘Mamba’)
Rifle, 7 mm, No. 9 Mk. I; Rifle, 7 mm, X1E1; and Rifle, .30 inch, X2E1
4.85 mm Enfield Weapon System (Individual Weapon and Machine Gun)
SA80 Individual Weapon (L85A1, A2, A3) and Light Support Weapon (L86A1, A2)
SA80 Carbine (L22A2) and grenade launchers
Several more civilian, prototype, developmental, and other weapons
Each chapter describes the weapon's conception, development, trial and intended role. Essential technical aspects of design and operation are framed in their historical context and the whole is laid out in a clear, logical, and chronological manner. These stories are lavishly illustrated with top quality photography of key examples from the world’s best collection of these exotic and poorly-understood weapons. As the contemporary debate over the relative merits of bullpup and conventional small arms builds pace, this work is a timely reflection on the efforts of the most prolific of the bullpup nations. Thorneycroft to SA80 is both a comprehensive reference work to support serious research, and an aesthetically pleasing illustrated publication for the firearms enthusiast.
Features:
Page count: 532 (approx.)
7.5" wide by 10" tall (approx.)
Commercial quality, section sewn style binding which allows the book to lay flat
Full color prints on premium quality paper stock
Foil stamped, blue faux leather hardcover
Ribbon page marker
* Although we still consider it a First Edition, because it is the Second Printing, Thorneycroft to SA80 will not say "First Edition" on the cover of the book.
** This book incorporates some minor corrections made to prior printing of the book.
Commemorative Extras
Our genuine leather bookmarks are hand-tanned, cut, and printed by a family-owned tannery in Scotland. Each bookmark is dyed a bold British red color to complement the book, and debossed with a gold foil print showcasing the eponymous Thorneycroft and SA80 (L85) rifles.
* At this time, due to order fulfillment logistics, BOOKMARKS MAY ONLY BE ORDERED IN COMBINATION WITH A BOOK PURCHASE. Any order not accompanied by a book will be canceled.
Our ex libris, or bookplate, provides a classic way to indicate ownership of one’s books. Meaning ‘from the library of’ in Latin, the ex libris has been a staple of true bibliographic connoisseurs for centuries. These luxury bookplates are letterpress-printed on premium textured ivory paper stock by a small press in Scotland. Finished with a stylish application of gold foil, they also feature a peel-away adhesive backing for easy application to the book of your choice. The Thorneycroft to SA80 bookplate features a pair of Thorpe E.M. 1 rifles wrapped in a scroll with blank space to inscribe the owner’s name.
* At this time, due to order fulfillment logistics, “EX LIBRIS” BOOKPLATES MAY ONLY BE ORDERED IN COMBINATION WITH A BOOK PURCHASE. Any order not accompanied by a book will be canceled.
Working from a period example of the very rare original, Headstamp has been able to produce a reproduction of the full ‘provisional notes’ for the E.M. 2 rifle. The excellent condition of the archival document (contained within the Royal Armouries archive) has allowed for a detailed and faithful reproduction of both text and the stunning period illustrations, and the finished product offers a unique glimpse back in time.
We have closely approximated the cover material and retained the original layout and type face, whilst making some minor accommodations for readability. All reproduction items feature Headstamp Publishing logos to differentiate them from original articles. We are thrilled to be able to reproduce such a rare and fascinating document, and we hope you will welcome the opportunity to a copy to your collection.
Many of you may remember the 'controversy' stemming from (Ian's) introduction to one of Jonathan's campaign update videos. The numerous comments on that video, and some of the back-and-forth amongst the team, culminated in a video 'explainer' from Jonathan.
You may well think—reasonably!—that the latter video should have marked an end to this discussion. As Jonathan hinted, however, he wanted to organise his thoughts and findings on the matter in a more coherent fashion. Jonathan being Jonathan, and me being me, we decided that we ought to produce a précis on the subject, and make that available to whomever else might be mad enough to care! All in good fun, of course.
We have produced a short booklet called Tea: Milk in First or Last? for your reading pleasure. Prepared in the style of a post-Second World War ration book, it contains, over 24 pages, an essay from Jonathan examining the historical nuances associated with the use of milk in tea. He focuses particularly on the British class distinctions that 'milk-in-first' versus 'milk-in-last' have evoked over the centuries, but covers a lot of ground besides—there is even a little literature and science thrown in for good measure. It is an engaging (and, at times, funny) read, fully referenced in an academic style but still accessible to the casual reader. The booklet beautifully laid-out by Justin Baird (and contains some of his original art), and edited by Nic Jenzen-Jones.
P.S. Jonathan remains, of course, a MIFer—who likes his tea "the colour of He-Man's face". On the rare occasion I take milk, I'm a MILer, but would prefer my tea black and sans sugar, anyhow (what a one-time colleague of Jonathan and mine called "Warsaw Pact standard"!). In any case, I'll take the privilege afforded me by writing this to say, once more, "Do it last, Ferguson, because then you'll get it right first time!"
Patch (Swords of the Emperor)
No Longer Available. Only Available During Pre-Order Campaign
About the Author
Many of our readers will know author Jonathan Ferguson from his YouTube video series: ‘Firearms Expert Reacts’ on the GameSpot channel, and ‘What is This Weapon?’ on the Royal Armouries channel. He has touched on firearms from his book on both of those channels, and we know many of you have followed his work closely. Here is one of our favourite videos from Jonathan where he looks at a rifle from his book!
Thorneycroft to SA80 is Headstamp’s most meticulously researched and referenced volume, and an important work of original firearms scholarship. We are also delighted to be able to say that the book has been very well received. Here are a few excerpts from reviews around the web:
“I was absolutely blown away by the quality and content of this book … [it] has it all: top calibre research, beautiful presentation, phenomenal photography and more than enough academic sources to satisfy the curious mind. … It is quite possibly the best firearms history book I have ever encountered. Bravo!” – Michael McIntyre, RA Shop
“To get straight to the bottom line: ‘Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020’ is an exceptional book that is extremely well written and superbly photographed … soon to become the classic work on the subject of British bullpup firearms and the go-to source of information on many of the weapons it describes.” – Mel Carpenter, Small Arms Review Vol. 26 No. 1
“Exhaustive, fascinating, and passionate. Great photography, amazing research, and authoritative.” – Caleb Somerville, Goodreads
“Whether you are interested in British military firearms specifically, or the development of weapons, this book is highly recommended. At nearly 600 pages, it’s a weighty tome and the quality of research and information within is second to none.” – hatchfive, Tales from the Supply Depot
On top of all that, Thorneycroft to SA80 was awarded the prestigious HBSA President’s Cup! Presented by the Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association of the UK each year since 1994, the Cup recognises outstanding scholarship in the field of firearms research.