Book Review: Vickers Guide – SIG Sauer Vol.1

It’s been a while since we did a book review so let’s take a look at the latest Vickers Guide. The latest edition of the successful +P+ coffee table series examines the pistols and submachine guns of SIG Sauer and its predecessors.

Compiled by Leonardo Antaris (a noted author on Spanish Astra pistols), Larry Vickers and Ian McCollum with photography from James Rupely the book looks at every pistol made by the company from its earliest origins through to the P320 and P365. One of the special elements of the book is that we get to see the iterative development of weapons like the legendary P210, the P220, P365 and the MPX.

For me the highlights are the seldom seen prototypes for projects that never came to fruition like the MP320 submachine gun. I believe there will be a volume 2 in the future looking at the various rifles and machine guns that SIG and SIG Sauer have developed over the years.

As with the other Vickers Guide books they are weighty, beautifully illustrated and while they don’t offer an in-depth level of detail they give us a look at some developmental prototypes and rare models which we wouldn’t otherwise see documented. I love the photography and layout of these books, they show angles and detail that – unless you’re handling the weapons – you’d never otherwise see.

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My New Book on the PIAT is Out Now!

I’m very excited to say that my second book has been published! It looks at the much maligned and much misunderstood PIAT – Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank.

The book is available from retailers from the 20th August in the UK/Europe and the 22nd September in the US – but you can order a copy from me now regardless of location. I filmed a short video to show you the book and talk a bit about the process of writing it, check that out above.

The PIAT was the British infantry’s primary anti-tank weapon of the second half of the Second World War. Unlike the better known US Bazooka the PIAT wasn’t a rocket launcher – it was a spigot mortar. Throwing a 2.5lb bomb, containing a shaped charge capable of penetrating up to 4 inches of armour. Thrown from the spigot by a propellant charge in the base of the bomb, it used a powerful spring to soak up the weapon’s heavy recoil and power its action.

With a limited range the PIAT’s users had to be incredibly brave. This becomes immediately obvious when we see just how many Victoria Crosses, Military Medals and Distinguished Conduct Medals were awarded to men who used the PIAT in action.

The book includes numerous accounts of how the PIAT was used and how explores just how effective it was. I have spent the past 18 months researching and writing the book and it is great to finally see a copy in person and know it’s now available.

The book includes brand new information dug up from in-depth archival research, never before seen photographs of the PIAT in development and in-service history and it also includes some gorgeous illustrations by Adam Hook and an informative cutaway graphic by Alan Gilliland.

If you order a book directly from me I’ll also include this custom illustrated postcard with a design featuring a PIAT and the famous line from A Bridge Too Far.

It’s immensely exciting to know the book is out in the world for all too enjoy. If you’d like a copy of my new book looking at the PIAT’s design, development and operational history you can order one directly from me here!

Thanks for your support and if you pick up a copy of the book I really hope you enjoy it!

– Matt

TAB: Recommended Reading – The ArmaLite AR-10 by Joseph Putnam Evans

This is the first instalment of what will hopefully become a regular feature where we discuss some of the books we use when researching the guns we feature in our videos. We’ll give an overview of what the books cover, how they approach subjects and how good a resource they are.

With Vic’s recent special episode on the AR-10, I’ve been using Joseph Putnam Evans’ book ‘The ArmaLite AR-10: The World’s Best Battle Rifle‘ to help write the accompanying blog posts. While not without its flaws Evans’ book is without doubt the best published source on the AR-10 currently available.

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For many years the published material on the AR-10 was confined to both contemporary gun magazine articles on the ‘new’ rifle and a handful of retrospective articles published later. Very little was written about their surprisingly extensive combat use or even the nuances of the design changes. Even the Black Rifle books, also published by Collector Grade, lacked the context of where the AR-15 evolved from. ArmaLite AR-10 is well worth reading, and a great base for further research.