Licensed Troubleshooter: The Guns of James Bond

Our fellow Bond fan and Bond weapons expert Caleb Daniels has announced his upcoming book Licensed Troubleshooter: The Guns of James Bond, which will be available for pre-sale later this year.

This book has been in the works for some time, and the Headstamp Publishing team has traveled to multiple collections on both sides of the Atlantic to bring this book to fruition. Many of you will already be familiar with book author, Caleb Daniels, through his @commandobond Instagram page or his Commando Bond website.

Licensed Troubleshooter: The Guns of James Bond is a celebration of the most fascinating small arms wielded by one of the world’s most acclaimed action heroes, 007.

This in-depth analysis spans the entire collection of Bond films and the novels that inspired them, including those authored by Ian Fleming and also those of the continuation authors. This visual history thoroughly examines the design and implementation of Bond’s tools, and of course, their impact on 007.

Notable firearms featured in this book include:

• Walther PPK iconic compact pistol
• Analysis of Ian Fleming’s “skeleton gripped .25 Beretta” 
• An exploration and identification of Ian Fleming’s “long-barrelled .45 Colt Army Special”
• ASP 9 mm pistol
• Walther WA2000 precision rifle
• Scaramanga’s famous “Golden Gun”
• Heckler & Koch P7 with squeeze cocker and piston-delayed operation
• Walther P99 polymer-framed pistol
• SVD Dragunov, sniper rifle of the Iron Curtain
• MBA Gyrojet firing rocket-propelled projectiles

Beyond simply paying tribute to the fictional hero of James Bond, Licensed Troubleshooter shines a spotlight on the real-world operators employing the same firearms, featuring interviews with current and former military and intelligence personnel from agencies in the United Kingdom and the United States, including the CIA, MACV-SOG, U.S. Navy SEALs, DSS, and more.

These interviews, combined with substantive historical research, provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the often incredible history of these firearms, including their use in combat and clandestine services.

Be prepared to see Bond’s guns in a way you’ve never seen them before.

Licensed Troubleshooter also offers a number of vignettes detailing other non-incendiary items fundamental to the character of Bond, such as Timepieces, Tailoring and Cocktails.

The book will launch for pre-sale later this year with the official date to be later announced, sign up for the Licensed Troubleshooter newsletter to stay informed.

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About the author

Caleb Daniels is a writer, photographer, reader, shooter, and a lifelong fan of the world of James Bond. For eight years, throughout high school and college, he worked in the firearms industry, and quickly grew to love that world. 

In 2020, Caleb founded “Commando Bond” a website and social media channel dedicated to the celebration of the lifestyle of James Bond. This passion project began as an outlet to bridge the gap between the world of pop culture and firearms, to help normalize the daily carry, use, and enjoyment of firearms through the lens of cinematic and literary heroes. Rather than focusing exclusively on the small arms of characters like 007, James Reece, and Thomas Magnum, the photography and writing of “Commando Bond” showcases every aspect of these and other characters, including their wardrobe and overall lifestyle. Detailed analysis of both the small arms and sartorial aspects of characters, through daily use and wear, can be found on the website and social media channels.

Caleb is also a subject matter expert on Walther firearms and has regularly been engaged by Walther Arms for professional photography and editorial work. Most recently, his photography and writing was commissioned to relaunch the Walther PPK, chambered once again for .32 ACP. His photography and commentary have been published in a variety of publications, and by a number of firearms companies. Most notably, aside from Walther Arms, his work can often be found in use by Jack Carr, Alchemy 1911, Triple Aught Design, Watches of Espionage, and others. You can follow Caleb on Instagram at @commandobond.

This publication is not affiliated with Ian Fleming Publications, Ltd., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (“MGM”), Danjaq, LLC (“Danjaq”), the United Artists Corporation, or any other stakeholder in the intellectual property associated with James Bond. Headstamp Publishing LLC and the author of this book make no claim of ownership of any intellectual property owned by these stakeholders, and use of any such intellectual property in this book is merely for descriptive purposes. We are fans of all elements of the James Bond universe, and as such we encourage our readers to visit the various entities listed above directly and support them as they release Bond products.