Blue book

[45flint]

With the massive page count, I wonder if it would be an idea to have two separate volumes; one for discontinued and collectable airguns and another for the modern ones?

John

I don’t disagree but the vintage guns version would need to have some people step up and be willing to add more research? Question if that will happen given the major players there are gone. I think Tom Gaylord is the last one left? Some prices have been adjusted so it’s not totally static? The real idea of these books is to be estimating current value, tuff job really.

[micky2]

I don’t disagree but the vintage guns version would need to have some people step up and be willing to add more research? Question if that will happen given the major players there are gone. I think Tom Gaylord is the last one left? Some prices have been adjusted so it’s not totally static? The real idea of these books is to be estimating current value, tuff job really.

How do they estimate the values . do they use auction results or what dealers are asking, or something else.

[45flint]

How do they estimate the values . do they use auction results or what dealers are asking, or something else.

Really don’t know but I think it’s the editors view? I have found the prices to be in the ballpark?

[Jerry Cornelius]

How do they estimate the values . do they use auction results or what dealers are asking, or something else.

Tbh I think they pull them out of their “ass” (well it is an American book). There are thousands of guns in the book, most given five or more values depending on condition. Really? But for anything rare the value is what a buyer and a seller agree on on the day

To give just three examples I found this morning (7th Ed), apparently a crosman 104 (made for one year) is worth no more than a crosman 102 (made for c 15 years), a pro sport (which you can buy new today) is worth more than a pro elite (and in the US they can run the pro elite as it was intended, too, which must make it more not less desirable), and a Benjamin 422, in mint condition: $115, but a bog standard EB series at 100% : $165. Well I’ll swap an EB for as many 422s as you’ve got, thanks, and even let you keep the 50USD difference

I’m hoping the latest edition has corrected the famous “fewer than 50 Tell 3s” claim too.

[45flint]

Tbh I think they pull them out of their “ass” (well it is an American book). There are thousands of guns in the book, most given five or more values depending on condition. Really? But for anything rare the value is what a buyer and a seller agree on on the day

To give just three examples I found this morning (7th Ed), apparently a crosman 104 (made for one year) is worth no more than a crosman 102 (made for c 15 years), a pro sport (which you can buy new today) is worth more than a pro elite (and in the US they can run the pro elite as it was intended, too, which must make it more not less desirable), and a Benjamin 422, in mint condition: $115, but a bog standard EB series at 100% : $165. Well I’ll swap an EB for as many 422s as you’ve got, thanks, and even let you keep the 50USD difference

I’m hoping the latest edition has corrected the famous “fewer than 50 Tell 3s” claim too.

Well they have corrected your 422, it’s worth more than the EB series but still at $115 which certainly seems light, I paid $150 this year if I remember. The 104 now is worth a little more than a 102. But the 50 Tell 3 myth lives on! That’s sad! If the Blue Book doesn’t step up and replace the Airguns experts they lost, this book will stagnate. I’m sure their real money maker is their firearms book. Airguns are such a narrow market. Who adds to the history, the Crosman area still bears the knowledge given by DT Fletcher, that will be static?

[Geezer]

The Blue Book is great, but, ignoring values, also contains inaccuracies that need correcting or gaps that need filling. Most of the people on this thread and more widely in this section could fix about 90% of them, if asked. But they aren’t.

[Abasmajor]

I have a copy of the book bought some years ago as a useful record of known air guns, but haven't bothered to obtain later editions as the valuations aren't really relevant to the UK market and the obvious errors annoy me, particularly in relation to European air guns
Brian