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1911 The First 100 Years

In 1911, the history of firearms changed forever with the adoption of the greatest pistol ever designed, the Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911--known today simply as the 1911. Now, in one fascinating, illustrated volume, authority Patrick Sweeney celebrates the 100th anniversary of the greatest fighting handgun ever designed, John M. Brownings legendary 1911 .45.From the predecessors of the 1911 and its contemporaries to the best of today's semi- and full-custom models, you'll find it in "1911: The First 100 Years." Lavishly illustrated with photographs collected from around the world, "1911: The First 100 Years" is a fitting centennial tribute to a pistol that is today more popular than ever.For the collector, for the shooter, for the historian--for anyone interested in big-bore handguns or the evolution of this truly American classic, this is a must-have volume.

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: Krause Publications; First Edition edition (September 23, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1440211159

ISBN-13: 978-1440211157

Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 1 x 10.9 inches

Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (134 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #98,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #31 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Firearms & Weapons > Firearms

I really was somewhat skeptical when I picked this up. I've enjoyed certain of Sweeney's writings previously, but had my doubts when I saw this new hardcover on the 1911. Frankly, I didn't have a lot of use for the author's two volume _Gun Digest Book of the 1911_ set (I want to be clear that do I have several other books by Sweeney that I enjoy). This book, however, has really captured my attention and delivered a lot of entertainment and more than a little new info (e.g., great pix of the pivoting lanyard loop on the Savage .45 from the original trials) for me. It's going to be one that gets re-read.Sweeney starts out kind of slow, setting the stage with a historical overview of the political and technical scene at the time of this fabled pistol's inception. Frankly, I was sort of champing at the bit to get to the "meat" of the 1911's adoption, but he really takes a couple of chapters to get there. And that's not bad - it works with the way this book flows. Sweeney addresses just about every possible aspect of the 1911 in due course, but he takes the reader on a journey that meanders a bit in order to ensure that everything is understood in its place. Really well done - this is quite a readable history.Sweeney is not only a gunsmith and author, he's a competitor. He writes with authority about the marked evolution of the 1911 from the '60s onward - a lot of this stuff I watched happen, but never really understood the significance of the various causes behind it. I do now, and - while I've never been a gun gamer - I found it all pretty fascinating. There are great chapters in here about semi-custom and full custom guns, and very up-to-the-moment info about the military/police 1911s of today.

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