Review by Larry S. Sterett | Contributing Editor
A GUIDE BOOK OF SHOTGUN VALUES, Volume 1. ©2015. Published by the 2nd Amendment Media, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Dept. TGM, 3101 Clairmont Road, Suite G, Atlanta, GA 30329. Price: $24.95, plus postage. Available in many bookstores.
Labeled The Official Red Book, this 350-page softbound volume covers the shotguns produced by more than five-dozen different firms manufacturing shotguns, from Arrieta & Cia to Zoli International. Geographically, the firms range from the US to the UK, plus Europe, including Russia, Turkey, etc., and Asia. Not every firm that has manufactured shotguns is featured —Ljutic and Manufrance produced shotguns are not mentioned, for example, but most of the firms whose shotguns are likely to be encountered are covered.
Leading off with information on the grading scale and pricing models used, this tome uses clear full-color close-up photographs to illustrate major wear–points on previously–owned shotguns. (Most of the illustrated shotguns show very minor wear, and none shown are in fair or poor condition, at least in this shooter’s opinion.) There are also comments on safety, storage, and cleaning, along with a disclaimer.
The shotguns covered are illustrated, either with a full–color photograph or a gray–colored silhouette, full–length, with only a few close-ups of actions, etc. (Not every silhouette shown is correct for the model. For examples, the silhouettes for the Browning BT-99 Max and BT–99 Plus Micro shotguns resemble an H & R single shot shotgun with an external hammer, or a Rossi shotgun of the same type. They do not resemble the BT-99 shotgun. The silhouette for the Kel-Tec KSG shotgun is of a conventional pump action shotgun, not the unique silhouette for the much shorter KSG.) Each firm represented has a paragraph of the firm’s history presented, followed by brief coverage of each individual shotgun. Basic specifications for each shotgun include: Production, Gauge/Bore, Action, Barrel Length, Weight, Sights, Capacity (magazine), and Stock. Values are then provided for five grades – New-in-Box (NIB) or mint, excellent, very good, good, and fair -in three categories -dealer–to–consumer (D2C), consumer–to–consumer (C2C), and consumer-to-dealer (Trade-In). For a few, the Last Manufacturer’s Price (LMP) may be listed.
The majority of the shotguns covered are pump action, semi–automatic, side–by–side, or over/under models. Very few bolt action designs are listed, although the Savage/Stevens and Mossberg firms, plus Harrington & Richardson and a few others, produced thousands of such models under their own name and store–brand labels a few score years ago. The Browning A-Bolt slug guns are covered, and so are the Savage 212/220 slug guns, and the Stevens Model 124, but with an incorrect silhouette, but no Tar-Hunt or like designs.
This is a handy volume for general referencing current values of some more recent production shotguns. It is printed on top quality paper, the values are current, and the number of companies fairly extensive. Maybe Volume 2, sometime in the future, will hopefully be expanded to include such firms as High Standard, and Ithaca’s single shot trap guns, and some of the silhouettes replaced with actual photographs. (The typo error on the Contents page will no doubt be corrected. Currently it refers to The Benefits of Red Book of Rifle Values (This is a shotgun book.), although three pages later it is listed correctly, The Benefits…Shotgun Values.)
