The definitive reference library

[Light Infantry]

If one wanted to build a definitive reference library for milsurp rifles what would you pick? This reference library would have 2 components to it. The history of the milsurps including design, use of etc. would be one component. The other being the collectability of milsurps including production numbers, codes, markings etc. I have my ideas on some milsurps but not others. Books are expensive, don't want to buy crappy books or books with incorrect info. In particular for the following milsurps:

Lee Enfield Rifles
Mauser rifles (German)
Mauser rifles (all others)
Garands
M-N's
Luger pistols
Walther (P-38, PP, PPK)
Other German pistols
1911, 1911A1
Browning Hi-Power
Webley and Enfield handguns
Italian Carcanos
Italian Pistols
Swedish Mausers
Broomhandles

Besides firearms:
German helmets
German Clothing and field gear
American clothing and field gear

Bayonets: German, US, other

Feel free to add to the above catagories. If this si posted elsewhere, my apologies and if someone could direct me there it would eb appreciated.

Thanks!

Information

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[Claven2]

I'll try to fill in blanks where I can, but a good place to start would be to look at hte references cited in the MKL entries.

Lee Enfield Rifles (Skennerton's "The Lee Enfield Rifle")
Mauser rifles (German) (Law's "Backbone of the Whermacht")
Mauser rifles (Ball's "Mauser Military Rifles of the World, 4th Ed.")
Garands (Hatcher's "Book of the Garand" and Duff's "The M1 Garand: World War II.")
M-N's (Lapin's "Mosin Nagant rifles", Wrobel's "Drei Linien Gewehr" [in German], and Bowser's "Rifles of the White Death")
Luger pistols (Walter's "The Luger Book: 1885-1985")
Walther (P-38, PP, PPK)
Other German pistols
1911, 1911A1 (Clawson's COLLECTOR'S GUIDE to COLT .45 SERVICE PISTOLS Models of 1911 and 1911A1)
Browning Hi-Power (Law's "Inglis Diamond - The Canadian High Power Pistol" and Stevens' "The Browning High Power Automatic Pistol")
Webley and Enfield handguns
Italian Carcanos
Italian Pistols
Swedish Mausers (Jones' "Crown Jewels")
Broomhandles

Besides firearms:
German helmets
German Clothing and field gear
American clothing and field gear

[Badger]

It's a great question ....

Claven2 covered off the ones that I use a lot....

Unfortunately, they all have errors and ommissions, simply due to the depth and breadth of what needs to be covered to be thorough.....

Regards,
Badger

[Light Infantry]

Thanks Claven!

Anyone recommend a dealer (prefer CDN) that carries a number of books at reasonable pricing.


PS What verison is Skennerton's book now?

[Claven2]

Thanks Claven!

Anyone recommend a dealer (prefer CDN) that carries a number of books at reasonable pricing.


PS What verison is Skennerton's book now?

Skennerton's book versions are all named differently. For example, the previous version was "The Lee Enfield Story", now it's "The Lee Enfield Rifle".

A good source is Murray House Militaria right here in our Quartermaster's Stores section. If you buy from them through milsurps.com there is a 5% discount as well, which helps.

[Light Infantry]

Thanks Claven

They were the ones I thought of first. I dont seem to see a web site for them. I assume if i sent them an email ore PM I can get a full list of books they have.

[Badger]

If you buy from them through milsurps.com there is a 10% discount as well, which helps.

It's 5%, but its still a good deal....

Here's a recent ad for acopy from Murray House Militarie. I see this one shows sold, but send Don McIntyre a PM as, I'm sure he has other copies in-stock.

Military Surplus Collectors Forums

Regards,
Badger