Review by Peggy Tartaro | Managing Editor
The Blue Book of Gun Values, 37th Edition, by S.P. Fjestad, 2512 Pages, paperback, with B&W and color photos. Blue Book Publications, 8009 34th Ave, S, Suite 250, Dept. WG, Minneapolis, MN 55425, bluebookofgunvalues.com, $49.95.
I like reading cookbooks and dictionaries and filmographies, so the Blue Book of Gun Values, which is a little bit of all those things, is right up my alley.
Most folks consult it to see what their own guns are valued at, or to check prices before buying a used gun and that’s what the book is really for. (Along with a purchasable CD-Rom or online subscription to the website—chose your preferred medium!)
But there is also something fun about just leafing through it randomly and stopping at what takes your fancy.
Each manufacturer starts with a brief history of the company, including whether it’s still in business, before exhaustively listing all the guns made and their market prices by condition.
The book clearly explains the factors going into condition ratings of 60%-100%, and that is well worth reviewing before you either buy or sell, since one person’s 90% is another’s 70%.
From A.A. (for Azana & Arrizabalaga, a Spanish handgun maker) to Zoli (an Italian shotgun maker), the Blue Book of Gun Values has pretty much every gun made covered.
It’s also a pretty complete reference book for any gun owner, as it contains a thorough glossary, schematics of all types of firearms and a “Trademark Index,” which includes web addresses for all the active makers.
