Can you guys recommend a GOOD small arms of the world book?

Looking for something with good illustrations and decent description/background on each weapon.

Something from 1900 to present times would be nice.

Small arms of the world. W.H.B Smith, a classic try to get older one from the 70's

Later edited by Ezell.
This has long been a standard reference.
It has a good basic history of firearms, then multiple chapters of arms broken out by type, then lists the arms used in the past and currently by all major countries, including how to field strip and how they function.

Another great one is "International Armament" by Johnson and Lockhoven, Volume One and Two.
This was written with the assistance of famed arms dealer Sam Cummings who founded Interarms and was the prime importer of military surplus arms after WWII.
This starts out with an arms history then goes into pistols and revolvers, bolt action rifles, semi-auto and auto rifles, SMG's, and into light and heavy machine guns.
Each arm has a complete history including who made them and markings, how the work and how to disassemble.

This has been reprinted so you can still find it at reasonable prices.

Others are W.H.B. Smith's "Book of Pistols and Revolvers", and "Book of Rifles and Shotguns".
These cover almost all military and commercial firearms up to the mid-1950's, history and field stripping.

Thank You for the info. I found a hard cover from 1972. Tenth edition i believe. Over 700 pages. Cost was about $14 shipped.

Jane's Infantry Weapons print version on the used market.  Late 1990s editions.

jd1