Information is given on the history of the development of a hunting rifle, on the production of hunting weapons in the USSR and abroad, classification, characteristics of individual parts and mechanisms of rifles, ammunition, ballistics, selection, verification, shooting and use of guns, their storage and care. Objects of gun hunting, hunting safety rules are described. The second edition (the first was published in 1983 r.) Was revised and supplemented taking into account new information and regulatory materials on the issues raised, the need to highlight in more detail the important issues of weapons science. For hunters.