Has anyone heard when an updated version of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson is due out? Thanks!

Back when the 3rd edition came out, Supica said "NEVER". Caps intended. I have no idea if he's changed his mind or not. I'd guess not. Writing a book consumes your life during the process. Its also been reported to be not nearly as financially rewarding as some think. What it does is solidify your reputation as an expert (or not.) Many of us here exchanged email with Jim almost daily. The first and second editions were discovered to have some minor misstatements and the third corrected the lions share of those, but introduced a few new ones. We discussed that here at the time.

I took him at his word and bought 3 copies. Then my wife gave my extra 2 away (to my sons.) The one she allowed me to retain has been horribly disfigured with notes made hastily. Not a problem, it makes it comfortable to me. But I don't see anyone writing another similar or better book in my lifetime (not that long to go.) We're lucky to have what we've got, count your blessings.

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Dick Burg

I have thought about it and I can't help but think that maybe the 3rd edition plus this forum and others on the net would almost make a 4th edition trivial. It would make more sense to have an electronic database as a constantly maintained record that you could buy a none editing membership with. Will someone with S&W step up and make it happen? Unlikely. Will someone pair up with S&W and muddle through the legalities and red tape to make it happen some day? I think the SWCA may be doing that already by transferring all those paper records to electronic copy. Maybe someday once it is finished with the older records it will just keep going as an ongoing project. I'm young enough still that I might see it happen someday.

I wish that they would make a 4th edition, even if it had no no information. Just please fix the also many typos, and many other editing mistakes. IE paragraphs that dont end and blend two things to make it confusing.

Oh and maybe not print it in CHINA

Dont get me wrong I love the book, but the above could make it perfect.

I wish they made the same book for Colts

No new info, just fix the "flaws" and print the book in the USA. That would be a perfect book, but it might cost Supica way more money than it would bring in. And what if someone found a typo or minor flaw in this new high priced book? If you start messing with text it can happen.

Just saying; maybe we should be happy with this wealth of information as it exists now.

This is another strange world fact of life for me that we can print this book on the other side of the world, truck it to the port, load it on a boat, cross an ocean, truck them to stores, and still do it cheaper than we could do it all here???

We lose.

But I'm still going to buy one. Not much of a choice.

I bought one of the first issues and it shows printed in China. I just got another from Barnes and Noble and it shows printed in USA !

On my way home from church I stopped in at Books-A-Million for coffee and, much to my surprise and delight, they had a copy of the 3rd Edition Standard Catalog, which I promptly bought. What a cool book!

China has one of the most advanced printing industries in the world, especially when it comes to four-colour process. This makes them ideally suited to do short runs (under 20,000 copies) of books like this; if produced in the USA (say 10,000 copies) the retail cost would probably double, if not triple. (By way of comparison most automotive books I buy these days seem to run over $100, and usually have a print-run of about 2,000 copies.) At $42.99, and with 432 pages, I think the 3rd Edition of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson is value for money. Could it be made better? Well, I'm not sure "better" is the word I'd choose, but I would like to see it available in DVD format or in a slightly easier to manipulate paperback edition similar to some of the other "thick" Gun Digest Books.

didja know its online via google?

Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson - Google Books

I think I need to come to Jim and Rick's defense on the China subject. They discussed that here at the time, and the conclusion was they could print a much larger and better quality book for less than half the price. Yes, there were some printing errors, but you find them in almost any printed work these days. Who knows where the error was introduced. I was even impressed with the quality when I got mine. At the time Supica was joking about the large format and calling it the "Dick Burg coffee table" edition.

From where I sit here in my recliner, I can easily glance to the side and see the bookcase with all 3 editions together. The first was well bound, the 2nd almost a paper cover, and the much thicker 3rd edition. My views are biased, I know. The first edition was like a gift from God. It was so much better than anything else on the market we were all just stunned. The 2nd did correct many of the objectionable problems in the first. But the 3rd outdid itself. Don't be too sure the errors you discover exist in the copies your buddies have. Early on there were bound examples with duplicate pages, or a missing page. I fault the Commies for that, surely not the authors.

And this forum can be a huge benefit. The current owner plans on us keeping all our old posts. In the past they'd be culled from time to time and we'd lose some pretty important information. Remember you're not paying for this research tool (but you can if you want, just by sending Lee some funds).

Maybe someone should contact the authors and confirm their decision to not print a 4th edition.

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Dick Burg

Hey folks I am new here, but my copy came in yesterday from Amazon (ordered Monday) and it says printed in the US....

I think that we would all like to hear Mr. Supica's current thoughts on publishing a new edition. If you are out there Jim, please let us know...

Thanks for the interest!

Rick & I have always sort of assumed there would be another edition at some point in the future, and we've been keeping notes on changes, corrections & additions. I don't recall a "NEVER" to a 4th Ed., but certainly that summarizes the sentiment when one completes a task like this, and I don't often recall what i had for breakfast, so I spose that's possible.

wheelgun28 & others, if you would like to see corrections, we may not know about the errors unless you tell us. Just email us [email protected] and [email protected] and we'll file yours. If you don't point em out to us, you lose the right to complain if they're not corrected.

I am inclined to hold out for a new format if we do a 4th. I'd like to see a hardback color profusely illustrated reference book WITHOUT prices, updated maybe every ten years or so, and a slim paperback "gun show friendly" price guide to be updated every 3 years or so.

At this point I think the errors are relatively few, but there have been a bunch of new products to add, and of course the prices are out of date, so i expect a 4th Ed. will come about at some point.
Making it a price guide in the first place was the publisher's idea. I think it's helpful, and probably sells books, but it does become very quickly dated.

We have no choice over where it's printed, but i'm glad to see in printed USA. The publisher contacted me and asked me to do the book. I told them I didn't know enough to do it but Rick did, and that's how it got started. Lots of folks on this forum and in SWCA pitched in to help. Rick & I do the inside stuff, the publisher prints, distributes, etc.

Dunno when we'd have time to work on it. Right now my big publishing project is "ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF FIREARMS" with Doug Wicklund and Phil Schreier, featuing the collection of the NRA National Firearms Museum. The publisher wants it out by Xmas. I'm skeptical.

Now ya'll know as much as i do on the subject. Happy collecting! - Jim

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Jim Supica

My request would be to also make it available in a CD-ROM version.

Bekeart

Under the date of 11/23/07 from the "Armchair Gun Show", Jim's old website, was posted a list of all the corrections that needed to be made. It was 3 pages long, but the actual changes (listed by page) were mostly very minimal. Such as: Page 124; spelling error in text of 9mm caliber test revolver "Thatg".

I am pretty sure this listing has been moved over to the forum at some point, I haven't gone looking for it.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I just ordered a copy from Amazon, so please do not make a new version too soon

I like real books to hold and read. Real paper and print, not a Kindle or stare at a computer screen. Just not the same.Maybe a DVD just for updates.

Amazon is very odd, why would folks pay more for a used version (with shipping) than a new version with free shipping??

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Still Running Against the Wind

It is a heck of a "preview" but it is still only a preview. Not all the pages are available. It's still fun to page through what is viewable though.

It is NOT Amazon that is responsible for the odd price.

It is the seller who sets the overly optimistic price.

Just like different table at a gun show. Think of Amazon themselves are selling (eligible for FREE SHIPPING) as one table and all the other sellers as having different tables where they set their own prices.

A buyer has to look carefully and check for other listings of a product. I have seen the SAME music CD listed as NEW for widely varying prices.

Yes, I am aware of that. I should have worded it differently.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Why? Its easy. My old versions are "experienced".
The margins are crowded with notes, scribbling, and arrows pointing to stuff. Experienced book are much more user friendly. For the same reason a piece of "new" walnut log is cheap, but a finished bookcase is expensive!

I've got all 3 current versions in the bookcase together, along with other gun related books. I have no intention of disposing of them, and I'd guess my sons will fight over them when I die. I've got room for a 4th edition, and I'll be right up there in line when its announced.

Wait. Jim just announced it in his post above. Now we can start the heckling campaign. All he did was act cagey and not tell us when. Doesn't matter, I'd given up all hope of seeing it, now we have light at the end of the tunnel.

I agree the pricing may not be stable enough to include it in printed material. While its interesting, some of the interest is generated by how far the prices deviate from what we actually see - in both directions. Its pretty difficult to guess which models will be in the greatest demand.

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Dick Burg

Like buying some used text books in College. Some folks liked to "paint" the entire book with yellow highlighter. Literally the entire page was yellowed out, crazy

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Still Running Against the Wind

+100! I love books! Real books with real pages.
As far as a 4th Ed, I agree that it would be just as useful without prices.
Jim Supica...I wish you much success with your Illustrated History Of Firearms. And a huge "thank you" for the SCSW 3rd edition!

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Misty

No, I did not know that! Cool! Thanks for the tip . . .

I saw Jim and Dick dining and talking together several times the past few days in Orlando. One can only hope they were discussing #4. I did see someone ask Jim about a #4 and he just laughed a lot. I believe they can't do a 4 as long as 3 is still in print or for a certain amount of time after #3.

I received my copy of the 3rd edition yesterday from SWMBO. I am thrilled, delighted, stoked...
The book is stunning! The details relating to each gun... wow.

I did get a chuckle out of the prices. Definitely non Kalifornia and most assuredly pre-O'bama!

.... oh yeah. and the obvious.

It's always Nahas and Supica, never just Supica (ok, & dozens of other S&Wophiles who contributed but whose names wouldn't fit on the cover). The book simply would not exist without Rick's extensive, meticulous and ongoing collection of data - the stuff that serious collectors like about the book. -- Jim

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Jim Supica

Cheers Rick! Thanks for the outstanding contribution to S&W collectors. We heard Jim's thoughts on a 4th edition. What say you?

Corrections-
Clicky the linky thingy- Corrections to SCSW - 3rd Ed.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Anyone who frequents this forum and does not have a copy needs to correct that right now. For the price of a couple of boxes of ammo you may shoot up in a few minutes you will have the best reference on S&W's that you will enjoy and use for years to come. I refer to the book almost daily, it is well written and illustrated and you will recognize many of the contributors listed in the book as members of this forum. Besides, if we buy up all the existing copies maybe it will speed up the writing of a new edition.

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John. SWCA #1586

Thanks Lee. And please feel free to put that list on the forum anywhere you wish. -- Jim

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Jim Supica

Well, I wish Rick and Jim would do a Colt book. I like Colts, too, and there is nothing out there whatsoever that comes anywhere close to SCSW.

The Colt Bible is RL Wilson's The Book of Colt Firearms, and while it costs way more than SCSW it is an inferior work by far... Got way more errors, is not updated past the '70s, and is deliberately designed to be as unwieldy -- supposed to look impressive, which I s'pose it does -- as possible. I am glad to have it, but it is no SCSW. There is a new reprint, BTW, 3rd edition (so called) so not as pricey as the used copies were. Think it runs $130 or so.

Thanks, Jim.

It is now found here folks-
Announcements & Rules
The Gun FAQs
500 Magnum Nut's FAQ's

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Ya'll ready for this?

Check out the new "Standard Catalog of S&W 4th Edition" folder to appear in the "Smith & Wesson General Topics" section, to be opened...
...any...
........day........
..............now.

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Jim Supica

Is it to late to send additional info ?

Nope. Check out the new folder when it opens.

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Jim Supica

If and when the 4th edition becomes available, I like many here, will buy it. Period. Hopefully, they would still be available with signatures.

and by "any day now," I mean today:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/standar...ue-s-w-4th-ed/

Speak now or hold your peace for another nine years!

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Jim Supica

Here's one for price info for Jim:

SMITH & WESSON 27-2, 4" BLUED, 6 SHOT. WHITE INLAY, COMBAT TRIGGER, COMBAT HAMMER. Just purchased this used for $1,225.
It has the N serial #. See Attached Pic.

Attached Images

272SW.JPG (47.5 KB, 30 views)