Yesterday,
after having become quite disappointed with the current format and
content (as in lack of certain information) in The Blue Book Of Gun
Values, I decided to pick up a copy of The Standard Catalog Of Firearms as
put out by Krause Publications (as best I recall), and was authored or
edited by Ned Schwing. When I looked at my most recent copy, the 28th
edition dated 2018; I saw something I had forgotten, it is no longer
published by Krause Publications but has been published by Gun Digest
since at least that year, probably longer and Ned Schwing is no longer
the author/editor.
Regardless
of the author's name or who publishes it, The Standard Catalog... seems
to be one and the same excellent source of firearms values and other
firearms information as it was when I first picked up a copy of it many
years ago (I can say that after having paged through a copy of the
current edition in a book store a few months back). So, being
disappointed with the Blue Book..., I decided to pick up a copy of The
Standard Catalog Of Firearms, and was going to buy one at my local
Books-A-Million. I did not buy one there because I was really dismayed
by their price for it of $59.99 plus tax (tax would have made the total
it $64.94). So, I went online and shopped around. I found out it was
being sold at Midway USA for $41.32 shipping included but before tax
(tax would have made it $44.72), and also was available on Amazon for
$44.01 with free two day shipping and tax included. I opted for Amazon.
In all, that was a savings of $20.93 which is a substantial difference
between Amazon and Books-A-Million. While I could have already had it in
my possession if I had bought it in store at Books-A-Million, I figured
what is a two day wait from Amazon since I have waited seven years to
purchase an updated version of my 2018 edition. Yes, as I have said many
times: I am THE Great Procrastinator.
As
far as I am concerned, in other words - my opinion is, The Standard
Catalog Of Firearms has always given better descriptions and closer to
reality current pricing for guns than does the Blue Book of Gun Values.
Besides that, the Blue Book's online indexing stinks, in my opinion. You
sometimes can run the name of a firearms manufacturer and if you do not
have it exactly the way they have it, you get zilch as a return.
However, the attraction that kept me purchasing subscriptions to the
Blue Book was that they have the online version that offers
subscriptions. Last year, or so, though, they changed the format of
their online version of the Blue Book and to be quite frank I think the
latest version stinks. Sometimes it is quite difficult to find almost
any information about a gun you are querying, one that I figure most
definitely should be listed but seemingly is not indexed, or at least I
cannot find it. So, back to the Standard Catalog I have gone; although I
may keep my Blue Book subscription up and going next year when the
current one expires. Then again, maybe not, time will tell.
As
for The Standard Catalog of Firearms, my 2018 edition had 1,472 pages.
It is a big book dimensionally as well. It has listings for thousands of
firearms listings. They are often, but not always, accompanied by a
photograph of the gun being described. They use their own grading system
which they fully explain near the beginning of each edition (or at
least they did so until 2018 - my last edition). Their grades go from
NIB (New In Box), to: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. In the
descriptions of those grades, they include what percent of metal &
wood finish should remain for each and also other information as to
repairs and originality of parts versus replacement parts, et al.
Another
thing about one versus the other type of firearms references: I am a
child of the 1950s. I grew up with libraries full of books. I used to
enjoy reading books quite a lot when in school and afterwards, that was
until I needed glasses. I am no slouch when it comes to using a computer
although I do not use a lot of social media sites. Yet, I use my online
access each and every day for various applications. This blog is one of
the things I do online. Therein, writing my bog or reading anything
online, lie some of the reasons I like computing and online reference
materials. One being
because I can enlarge whatever I am viewing on my computer's or phone's
screens, that makes it easier on my old man's eyes. I also like the
portability of having access via my phone or laptop. Yet, despite all
that modern innovation, I still like references in book format, just as
much, if not more than online access to reference material. There is
just something about picking up a book and leafing through page after
page that is much more satisfying than taping away at a computer
keyboard or phone keypad will ever be. The other thing is a book is more
much more dependable than a computer or the Internet. Books do not
depend on power being available to read them (at least during daylight
hours) nor do they depend upon Internet access being available or a
website being up without problems.
Also,
consider this: If I take my reference book to a gun show and someone,
somehow, walks away with it (yes as in steals it) - what have I lost!
Exactly $44.01 in this case. If, on the other hand, someone makes off
with my phone, I am out somewhat more than $300.00 and have to change
some passwords and maybe my email address before the crook accesses my
info. If they steal my laptop, well let me just say it was much more
expensive than my cell phone and has a lot more personal info on it.
None of that is an issue with a bound paperback firearms reference book
of mine if it gets stolen.
I
will be happy once The Standard Catalog Of Forearms is delivered (they
say tomorrow) and will probably use it immediately in anticipation of
bidding in an online auction this weekend. I likely will also continue
use of The Blue Book of Gun Values, at least until my current
subscription for it expires.
Want to save some money, then shop around a bit for the right price relative to your pocket book; you may find it for a lower price than I just paid. Caveat emptor.
All the best,
Glenn B
No comments:
Post a Comment