Gun books question

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Aguila Blanca

Staff
I used to buy Gun Digest every year, but I've skipped a few years recently due to other priorities in life. I was about to order the 2020 edition when I noticed that there another book, also edited by Jerry Lee, titled 2019 Standard catalog of Firearms. Is anyone familiar with both books? How are they different, and which offers more information? I don't want to buy both.

Or -- I was going to buy Gun Digest and the latest Blue Book of Firearms Values. Would the Standard catalog replace the Blue Book?
 
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Dfariswheel

New member
Reader accounts vary.
Many like it , some don't.

The same holds for The Blue Book of Gun Values.
It seems to come down to personal preference.
If possible hit a big book store and see if they have these on the racks.
Take a look and see which seems best to you.

I will say that it seems that The Blue Book is more or less the industry standard for collectors and dealers.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
I should have been more clear that there are two purposes here. I buy Gun Digest as a reference for what guns are available and a snapshot of their specifications, I don't buy it for valuations.

In the past I have bought The Blue Book of Gun Values as a reference for valuations, and that was my intention for this purchase. However, I've had a couple of FFL friends tell me in recent months and years that the values in The Blue Book are way out of whack with the marketplace, and that they don't use it. So, when I spotted the Standard Catalog on Amazon and it claims to also provide current values for older guns, it piqued my interest.

I'll have to swing by a Barnes and Noble and see if they have them on the shelves. Thanks for the suggestion. (I used to hang out at B&N on a regular basis. However, my favorite sci-fi/fantasy writer died several years ago, and at the same time B&N seems to be moving away from selling books and more toward selling "stuff," so I haven't renewed my discount membership and I very rarely go into their stores any more.)
 
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FITASC

New member
However, I've had a couple of FFL friends tell me in recent months and years that the values in The Blue Book are way out of whack with the marketplace,
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They are wise. I haven't seen that book having current values in a LONG time
 
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Dfariswheel

New member
The Blue Book is always going to be behind due to publisher's lead time.
The prices will always be a year out of date, as will most any other values book.

Fjstad recently passed away, so hopefully whoever takes over will get better data.
 
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tipoc

New member
The Blue Book is exceptionally useful for reasons beyond the valuation of guns. The latter will always be off some but it does show the trends. But the valuation of the guns is not the most useful thing about the Blue Book.

It's usefulness is that there is no other place that tells you as much about the history and variation of the guns and gun companies. There is no other place that shows the rare and desirable collectors items from vs. the rare and not so desirable items.

There is no other book or place that tells you the history of gun companies, changes in ownership, relocation, when they went from contracting frames for guns to producing their own, etc. It does this for virtually every company that has ever made guns. It shows all the variations of the Colt El series guns. Of the guns from Talo, and other distributors. Alot of this is not on the internet or if it is it's buried away in the thread of some forum you can't find when you might need it.

So I find it useful. But it's a whole different thing from the Gun Digest or the Standard Catalog. Those are picture books, new models and MSRPs, with some good articles on interesting, or not, guns.

tipoc
 
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OneFreeTexan

New member
Our local library in a small village. (No traffic lights, at all) is most excellent.!! There are select books they don’t stock, however can get ANY book that is in print,,,and very quickly.

Can’t say enough good things about them, and the other 3 libraries up and down the road always.
 
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T. O'Heir

New member
Blue Book of Firearms Values publishes average prices from all over the U.S. with no regard for local supply and demand. Its values have very little to do with reality given it takes about 2 years to compile and publish any book. Gives you a very broad based 'ball park' figure though.
Never heard of Standard Catalog of Firearms. Jerry Lee, whoever he is, is just the editor. I do note the huge difference in price between Amazon.ca and .com. It's a bit more than double. That's not Mr. Lee's doing though.
"...Our local library...Can’t say enough good things..." Yep. As odd as it seems, public libraries are actually one of the few government entities that is actively promoting free speech.
 
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Tony Z

New member
Check out Amazon for used copies of the books mentioned.

A book I rate up there with those mentioned, is Ken Waters' "Pet Loads". Gives excellent background on cartridges, as well as reloading info.
 
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Pahoo

New member
Internet and Library

I should have been more clear that there are two purposes here. I buy Gun Digest as a reference for what guns are available and a snapshot of their specifications, I don't buy it for valuations.
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I stopped buying either as well as Shooter's Bible. However, I have an old copy of the Blue-Book as a historical reference and identifying a firearm that I have never heard of. I also have a stack of Gun Digest and Shooter's bible that I give away. .….. :)

Too bad we don't have decent libraries anymore.
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I often request our local library to order Gun Digest and Shooters Bible. I have a friend on the Library Board he will often call and ask me about any gun books I might want the to carry. What is carried in based on the activity a particular book gets. Each year we have a "huge" sale and Many can be for a buck or two. …. :rolleyes:

Be Safe !!!
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
Tony Z said:
Check out Amazon for used copies of the books mentioned.
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I have no interest in used books. First off, I take care of books like they are the children I never had. It's rare to find a used book in a condition that I would tolerate in my library

Secondly, I'm building up a personal property database for insurance purposes. For that, I need values that are as current and as objective as possible. The Blue Book may not be perfect, but it's like the Kelly's Blue Book for automobiles -- it's a recognized standard reference, so it's less likely to be questioned than just pulling numbers out of thin air.

So ... I want the current edition.
 
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Dfariswheel

New member
Many people don't know this, but most libraries will order a book through inter-library loan for you to read.
The check-out period is usually two weeks.
Often it's free, some times they have to charge a $1.00 fee for postage.

If they can't get it within your state, many will go outside your state to get a book.

When I was a kid I quickly read every gun book my small library had.
I found out about inter-library loan and suddenly had an entire state to draw from, and then the entire county.

Another great benefit of The Blue Book is the information and examples of how to judge the actual condition of a gun.
 
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