Customer Reviews

The Gun Digest Book of the 1911: A Complete Look at the Use, Care & Repair of the 1911 Pistol, Vol. 2

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

These reviews are MERGED reviews of two different volumes of a book. I believe people are purchasing Volume 2 and expecting the content of Volume 1. There is minimal overlap between Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Volume 1 (ISBN 0873492811, 334 pages, 2001) has information on the history, calibers, disassembly, cleaning, competion, reloading, and testing. At the end of the book is a series of reviews of various 1911 models.

Volume 2 (ISBN 0896892697, 336 pages, 2006) has information on barrels, mud tests, penetration, longevity, tactical illumination, holsters, defense, and competion. As with Volume 1, a series of 1911 reviews are at the end. These are different from Volume 1.

Volume 2 is not meant to replace Volume 1. In fact, in Volume 2, the author writes, "this book is not designed to replace Volume 1..."

I wrote Amazon.com an email indicating that this reviews are mixed up between Volumes 1 and 2.

Both volumes are the best collection of information about the Model of 1911 in book form out there. However, they are two different volumes. I recommend starting with Volume 1 (search by the ISBN above) and if you crave more 1911 information, purchase Volume 2.

I own and greatly enjoyed volume 1, and am pleased to say that volume 2 is not just a knock off, but adds all kinds of unique information. I really enjoy Sweeney's writing style and he definitely knows his stuff. The only thing that keeps this book from getting 5 stars is the incredible number of typos. If I had a dollar for each typo, I could buy myself a 1911 and this is no exaggeration. Count how many times the word "from" appears as "form" -- just the kind of thing your spell check program will never find. In spite of this the book is definitely worth owning.

Mr. Sweeney rewards the patient reader with some good information about the 1911. However, he should have spent more time organizing his topic, hired a proof reader, and used a better spell checker. For example, the word "form" is consistently used instead of "from." Many other typos and grammar errors abound. This is a 336 page book with no index and the table of contents doesn't list the titles of the chapters.

Some photos are used three or four times in different chapters to fill space, and some of the captions have no relationship to the photos. The book could use more pertinent photos and illustrations. For example, the author goes into detailed description of 1911 barrel anatomy but fails to provide a labeled illustration, leaving the non-expert reader confused and unable to follow.

Could have been a much better book.

Volumn 1 was great, Volumn 2 is even better. If you're a fan of the Model 1911/1911A1 Pistol you'll thoroughly enjoy "The Gun Digest Book of the 1911, Vol. 2" by Patrick Sweeney. There's lots of technical information presented in an enjoyable, easy to read fashion. Sweeney's style, perspective, and keen sense of humor make this book truly hard to put down. It's also a great reference source for those desiring to give their 1911 more attention than the standard "Field Strip" cleaning allows, and be able to put it back together again. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Colt Model of 1911 and it's modern clones is in this book, well, almost everything.

I have not finished reading Vol.1 from 2001 yet (also recently purchased), but purchased Vol. 2 to get more recent reviews and test results for 1911 pistols. Jumping back and forth between both volumns, with questions in mind, it is almost like the author was reading my mind and knew exactly what I would want to know on this subject. It isn't just dry reading either; the author provides little known facts and occasional humor. You're going to like this guy.
If you own a 1911 and want a good understanding of its history and function or are considering which to buy, this book should be on the top of your list.

IU am doing an upgrade project on a Colt Series 80 1911 .38 Super and this book is a very good reference on what to do to get the best results, along with lots of other useful info on the 1911 and its clones.

This is a very interesting book about the workings of the 1911 and I learned a lot from it. It would have been even better if the pictures were in color, but I guess it would cost a lot more....
I also think that the book should have more information about the trigger/sear/safety and the adjustment/replacement of those parts...

Upon receiving the book, the first thing I noticed was the cover as advertised on the internet is different from the actual book. OK, I can live with that. However, as I read the book, I found that It just doesn't live up to its subtitle; "A Complete Look At The Use, Care & Repair The 1911 Pistol". In my opinion, it speaks more to Gunsmiths, and people already in the know, so to speak, than it does to someone interested in learning about the 1911-A1 pistol.
Unlike many other gun publication that educate the reader through words and pictures, on a step by step basis, this book jumps right into techical jargon that was very difficult to follow and for someone new to the 1911, I found this very frustrating. Perhaps, for the reader interested in modifing their own 1911-A1 pistol, this book will be of some interest. This is not to say the book doesn't provide some useful information. Perhaps volume 1 might be more helpful.

I was quite happy with this book, it is a good collection of a lot of 1911 information. It does have a 'jack of all trades' feeling to it but for someone new to the 1911 it has a lot of good information. I think most of the people unhappy with it are expecting it to be more than what it is. You won't find one book on the 1911 that has everything in it. It is impossible for one book to collect every fact, variant, the history and all modifications for a pistol that is a hundred years old. But this book does give a good overview of a lot of information pertaining to the 1911 and variant there off. It does not go too in depth on any one subject but is worth a read if this is what you are looking for.

If you are a 1911 enthusiast, this is a must have book. Whether you are a novice or a master with the 1911, you will benefit from the reviews, studies and care of this handgun with a legacy! It's a must read. Additionally, if you purchase Vol. 1, Vol. 2 will be your next purchase, so go ahead and order both volumes.
M. Langston
Team Wrinkle