Catalogue style book showing Pistols or handgun types used by all countries during WW1 and WW2

This book provides a convenient reference to the history and characteristics of the self-loading pistols that were adopted by the military forces of the nations involved in the two World Wars. It presents a selection of nineteen self-loading pistols - and the firms engaged in their manufacture - during this period, together with a technical appraisal of each weapon. For each pistol a history of both manufacturer and pistol is provided, along with a colour photograph and cutaway views of both the pistol and its breech operation. Details and cutaway views are also provided for the cartridges used by these pistols. All of the weapons illustrated are representative of the pattern issued to the military, and in many cases they continued to be produced for the commercial market.

Pistols covered include:

Astra 9mm 1921

Beretta 9mm1934

Browning 9mm1935

Colt 45 1911

Cz 9mm 1938

French 7.65 1935A

Frommer 7.65 1912

Glisenti 9 mm 1910

Lahti 9 mm 1935

Luger 1908

Mauser 1896

Nambu 8mm 1925

Radom 1935

Roth 1907

Steyr 1912

Tokarev 1930

Walther 1938

Webley .455 1912