The Model 1911 and Model 1911A1 Military and Commercial Pistols (For Collectors Only)

This is more for the collector that wants to know about so many of the variations of the 1911. It’s well done and has lots of information.

Great book lots of information

The 1911 "Bible". If you have a 1911 or a 1911A1, this book will tell you everything about your pistol you ever wanted to know, and then some! It covers all the different makers, variations, inspectors markings, number of guns produced, serial number ranges, when the gun was manufactured, rare variants, etc., etc. It even covers the various grip scales, magazine variations, and government-issued accouterments like magazine pouches and holsters. A must-have if you have a military or commercial 1911/1911A1 and want to know about the gun. Highly recommended - especially if you are considering purchasing (or selling) one of these iconic American pistols - they are getting evermore pricey and it is easy to get "burned" if you don't know what you're doing - this book will educate you in all you need to know to make an informed decision, either in buying or selling "America's gun."

Up until now, I only had 2 Joe Poyer books in my collection...I tended to pass them over, based on a preference for hardbound books. My impression was that other, more expensive hardbound books contained the same or better content. Well, I have to say that I was wrong. I recently purchased the 2nd Edition, Revised & Expanded of "The Model 1911 and Model 1911A1 Military and Commercial Pistols," by Joe Poyer, and I'm very glad that I did. This is an excellent book for the collector. The book is full of black and white photos showing very specific characteristics that collectors may use to determine the make and originality of what appears to be every 1911 part, and many accessories. The use of arrows to point to examples of exact physical characteristics is profuse. I was impressed with the coverage of holsters and web gear. The book seems to cover every mark that can possibly be found on an M1911/M1911A1, and later Colt versions. I was also interested to read more about the later production, General model 1911's that are covered in the book. The first edition had a blue cover, and the 2nd edition has a red cover. It just came out last month. I'm giving this book 4.5 stars, which rounds up to 5. The main reason I don't call out a full 5 stars for the book is probably getting to be a broken record for some who read my reviews, but my reason is that the book does not contain any listing of manuals. The book does an excellent job of documenting almost every collector accessory associated with M1911 pistols, but does not include a section on manuals, which are intriguing collector accessories for these pistols. There are many manuals that could have been included, as well as a couple of posters. If Mr. Poyer happens to read this, and would like to include a manual section in the next edition of this book, I am more than happy to contribute to that effort with my writing and/or manual examples. That would make the book much more complete, in my opinion. I can be contacted at dalbert at biggerhammer dot net. The only other callouts I will make are that there are more styles of military .45 ammunition boxes that could have been included, although a good job was done on ammunition coverage. Since the book also covers commercial M1911's, commercial ammunition could be an expansion opportunity, although the space required might be prohibitive. The book does pretty well without an index, although I always prefer to see one. So, great job on this book, and I know I will reference it frequently. It's a handy volume of 536 pages that I'm sure will remain in print, and continue to be updated for many years to come. David Albert

As owner of several books in this FOR COLLECTORS ONLY series, I generally find them very useful in identifying the various models of military firearms I own. This is by far the largest volume and contains a wealth of information on the 1911. Unfortunately the authors gave short shrift to the particular model in which I am most interested, the Argentine Model 1927 manufactured in Argentina with Colt machinery and used by several of the Argentine forces. The model is mentioned briefly in some of the component sections but never with the detail a collector would need (e.g. various slide markings). This is surprising since the authors devote an Appendix with 6 pages to the Ballester-Molina, a derivative variation that is not even a true 1911. I would suggest that the next edition, if there is to be one, cover the Argentine 1911A1 in further detail.

If you know, you know. Just get the book, it's worth it if you want to get the most info on your 1911.

Holding a 1911 is like shaking hands with an old friend, and this book provides the history and details of every component of this battle buddy.

Got my copy three weeks ago. This is the most complete book on the Model 1911 and Model 191A1 pistol I have come across to date. It's a must-have for collectors. A previous reviewer suggests that this book is a "rehash of Charles Clawson's books . . ." which is nonsense. By that definition, Clawson's book is a rehash of previous books by Bady, Wilson, Goddard, and Harrison. All of these new books retell the story of the Model 1911, but they offer new insights and information each time. The Poyer book is full of new information not previously known . . . how to identify all parts and markings by serial number range to assure yourself that the pistol is all original. How to differentiate all of the various grip panels that have been made over the years by company and serial number range. Serial number ranges for every model manufactured by Colt, Remington-UMC, Remington Rand, Union Switch & Signal, Ithaca, and Singer are included. How to identify magazines by manufacturer and serial number range of use. And most important of all to collectors, all markings on the slides and receivers of all Model 1911s and Model 191A1s from Colt to A.J. Savage by serial number range. The book also describes accouterments, lists all holster makers for the U.S. military, and describes metal and wood finishes and tells you how to tell if the pistol or its parts have been refinished. I have had an Argentine Ballester-Molina copy of the Model 1911 pistol for years and did not know much about it. The book devotes an entire chapter to the Argentine pistols, another to British markings, and so on. Anyone who thinks they can find all this information on the Internet is in for a sad surprise. Signed: A Serious Remington Collector

Sehr ausführliches Werk zur Colt 1911!

図説や画像が多く、整然と説明されていて英語が苦手な自分でも分かりやすく読むことが出来る。 M1911好きならば持っていて損は無い良書。

I must say i was a little sceptical about buying this book, as i was sure it would be full of stuff i probably already know, or it would be a mixture put together of the vast array of books on the 1911 that are already out there, but i couldnt be more wrong, this book is crammed full of information for collectors and alike, it goes in depth about the different variations, parts, grips, magazines, serial numbers etc, to numerous to mention here, and an excellent reference book. Im sure you wont be dissapointed, an excellent book, well worth buying.

Good

Es ist nicht sehr hochwertig gedruckt, aber sehr umfangreich. Würde sagen: Ein preiswertes Lexikon für alle 1911er Freunde.