Good book on care and maintenance of the 1911, found it useful and being a 1911 fan, it deserves a place in my private library.

The book in itself is a very good reference of the 1911. But it is not a complete Use, care & repair. This is not a workshop book of the 1911, but more of a very good reference including history, models and many other things.

I like the book but I find the title to be misleading. There is very little technical information on "care & repair". If you are a 1911 fan, by all means go ahead and get it. But if you are looking for something technical look for a more complete text.

This book says it is a "look" and that what it is. By no means is it the Bible or even a beginner's guide to the 1911. Half the book is just gun reviews, which you can get anywhere. Another 1/4 or more has to do with competitions and things like that. If you want to learn about the "use, care, and maintenance" of the 1911, look elsewhere. The internet is better than this book.

For those who found this book wanting you should be aware there is a Volume 1 which is also very good. If you are interested enough in 1911's to buy this book then you want Volume 1 which goes more into basics and covers additional pistols. I think Volume 1 and 2 should be a staple in any 1911 owners library.

If you own, or have a fancy for the Model 1911 semi-auto, including the ones currently being manufactured, this is a good book for you. I own a Dan Wesson (CZ) Pointman Seven Model 1911 style .45. I have loved this big gun ever since I carried one in the MPs circa 1960.

This book has a lot of good info on the feeding and care of this often admired, if not loved handgun. I consider it an integral part of my firearm reference library.

Overall great information. I was looking for more information on how to take apart and rebuild.

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.

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.

This is Volume 2 of a two-book set. It has new performance evaluations and different upgrade and function tips... the first volume also has much more information about ammo and the basic function of the 1911... you really need both books to get all the information.

For those who want to see a bad review of a gun, the author points out clearly that bad guns were shipped to him for review, if the gun didn't work he called the factory and returned the gun and told them to fix it. If they fixed it, he reviewed it. If they didn't he dropped the gun from the book saying it was not fair to put a bad review of a gun into a book that will stay in print for five or six years... the factory might fix the problem next year and the bad review would still be out there. All in all an excellent book, but like I said, buy both volumes.

Somehow, if I had spent the time reading the book a little before purchasing, I wouldn't have bought it. He talks extensively about competition rigs, rules, etc. which I had no interest in. I have yet to see a gun rag writer talk honestly about guns. Ever see a bad review in ANY of the gun magazines?

Somehow, if I had spent the time reading the book a little before purchasing, I wouldn't have bought it. He talks extensively about competition rigs, rules, etc. which I had no interest in. I have yet to see a gun rag writer talk honestly about guns. Ever see a bad review in ANY of the gun magazines?

Read more than the table of contents! Some people have obviously rated this book without reading it. The Author explains why some guns are included in the test and others are left out (in 2 Places in the book). The author also talks about and praises his personal "Colt" 1911's. So you Rampant Pony fans should not feel left out. This book is obviously not ground breaking as there have been many books about the 1911, but it is very informative (gunsmithing, tactical course, competitions,& reloading). It provides an indepth comparison of the wide variety of the modern makes of the 1911.

Buy this to learn more about your 1911 pistol. I really followed some things written here and presto!, My gun worked better. (with the help of my gunsmith)
Knowing your pistol can save your life and money. And knowing your pistol means that it is safer to handle and carry.

Quite honestly I found this book mediocre at best. It's something of a "Jack of all trades, master of none" effort. If you're a big 1911 fan then you might consider this book, but if you're not, spend your money elsewhere. One good point, there are detailed examinations of 23 different kinds of 1911 pistols which is great if you want an STI or an Auto Ordnance, but where are the various Colt models in detail?

This is a MUST have for anyone interested in the 1911 pistol.