Hi All,
I am interested in any and all suggestions for quality BOOKS which include:
- firearm history / use during- WWI, WWII and/or
- technical details of firearms discussed and/or
- quality photographs, etc, etc.

As one collector has aptly said, "Before you buy GUNS, buy BOOKS!" Makes sense to me...
Thanks!

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Take care & shoot safely!!

The best book to learn about all models of S&W firearms, serial numbers, etc. is the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th edition, by Jim Supica and Rick Nahas. If you want great photos of engraved S&Ws, Mike Kennelly's book on Smith & Wesson engraving is a must. Roy Jinks' History of Smith & Wesson, published in 1977, is also a great book for your library. It is out of print, but can usually be found on ebay or some other site.

Bill

History of Smith & Wesson - Roy Jinks.

For your specific request about WW II handguns, I would also recommend U.S. Handguns of World War II by Charles Pate.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Hatcher's Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers. This was published just before WWII, but it is more often than not my go to book on pistols, revolvers, and cartridges. I have used it often to recreate factory pistol loads for fixed sight S&W's produced back then; as I figured they were regulated for factory ammo. I got the Kindle version, and liked it so much I got a reprint paperback. Another good one is "Shots fired in anger", John George - shooter before the war, he goes into detail. Another one that is excellent on details is "Ordnance went up front" by Roy Dunlap. He was an ordnance sergeant during the war, and a noted gun writer afterwards. With those three you are well covered.

A close friend of my parents was a book nut, especially military history. He had an older book that is a little outside of your parameters but was utterly fascinating - it was "Railroad Guns in World War I". It was absolutely loaded with technical info, specs and lots of old diagrams and pictures, a detailed history if each major gun, and even an entire section devoted to all the mundane details of how one was set up, aimed, fired and torn down - all taken from military manuals.

There's a more modern book available called "Railway Guns of World War 1" but I'm not certain it's the same (still fascinating, however).

Sorry that it's not really about firearms, but it was an incredibly interesting read regardless.

Bruce Canfield has several books about WW 1 and 2 firearms that I have enjoyed.


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