outdoorsman original price

[Belfastman]

Does anyone know what the original price was on 1st model outdoorsman?

[Belfastman]

Does anyone know what the original price was on 1st model outdoorsman?

[Joe W]

Don't know original price but in the 1942 edition of "The Shooter's Bible" the 38/44 Outdoorsman lists for $ 45.00. The 38/44 Heavy Duty lists at $ 37.50.

[Alk8944]

1944 was the first "Shooters Bible". Have one. The I & K guns ran around $30 with fixed sights, and the Ns at the noted $37.50 for several years before the war. The target sighted guns were around $36 and $45 respectively during the same period.

For all below comments, you are absolutely right, should have said 1st edition of "Gun Digest". Long day and should have been in bed anyway.

[Belfastman]

Thanks for your help

[bigolddave]

The 1941 Stoeger's Catalog, which refers to itself on the cover as "The Shooter's Bible" prices the Outdoorsman at $45.00, as stated by Joe W.. My Shooter's Bible Treasury show a page from 1936, with the price also $45.00.

Based on that, I would say that the $45.00 price had a pretty long run.

Any references from earlier catalogs?

[R-Tex]

According to Mr. Jinks' letter, my Outdoorsman (Thanks, Lee!) was shipped to the retailer in March of 1940 along with 3 others at a cost of $26.80 each.

Sure wish I had a time machine...

[deadin]

The $26.80 is obviously the wholesale price. It's just about 60% of the $45.00 MSRP.

[bubblehead2]

My Stoeger's Catalog No 29 c1937 lists the "K-22" Outdoorsman at $37.00.

- As accurate as a watch
- As sturdy as a Tractor

[David Kachel]

Originally posted by R-Tex:
...Sure wish I had a time machine...

Wouldn't do you any good. They would see today's cash as counterfeit and not very good ones at that!

If you bought money of the period to take with you, the cost would leave you without a bargain!

[R-Tex]

Originally posted by David Kachel:

Wouldn't do you any good. They would see today's cash as counterfeit and not very good ones at that!

If you bought money of the period to take with you, the cost would leave you without a bargain!

Couldn't agree more, David! We had gone off the gold standard by then, but the dollar (and $5, $10, $20, etc.) notes of my youth DID bear the words "Silver Certificate" or something like that. They were redeemable for an amount of silver equal to the note's denomination.

Yep, today's currency would probably get me tossed into the pokey if I used my time machine!

[44wheelman]

Gold in those days was about $35-36 ounce; so, it wouldn't do any good to take gold back with you. $45/$36 x $866 = $1082.5 So you would have to take 1.25 oz of gold back with you to buy an outdoorsman (for a current value of $1082)

[David Kachel]

Originally posted by 44wheelman:
Gold in those days was about $35-36 ounce; so, it wouldn't do any good to take gold back with you. $45/$36 x $866 = $1082.5 So you would have to take 1.25 oz of gold back with you to buy an outdoorsman (for a current value of $1082)

There is a lesson here: 'real' value is reflected by what gold would buy then and will buy now... essentially the same thing. 'Real' value has not changed in 60 years.

The value of the dollar has changed drastically however because it is no longer tied to gold and silver. This makes 'value' a moving target and also makes it far simpler for government flim-flam artists to cheat us out of the fruits of our labor.

(This unsolicited lesson in economics brought to you indirectly from congressman Ron Paul of Texas.)

[Joe W]

Posted 28 April 2008 09:36 PM Hide Post
1944 was the first "Shooters Bible". Have one.

I am not a collector of the "Shooter's Bible" and really don't know which was the first. Seems they were all put out by Stoeger Arms Corp. of NYC. I only have two, the 1942 Edition that was priced at $ 1.00 and is marked Catalog No. 34. In a letter from A.F. Stoeger on the first page, Mr. Stoeger states " With the advent of the new season on hand this, the 34th edition of the "Shooter's Bible" is presented." My other is the 47th edition of 1956. Only difference I notice is that the 1956 edition has the R in circle next to the name "Shooter's Bible" so maybe it was 1944 that the name "Shooter's Bible" was registered. I do recall reading in a gun magazine that the "Shooter's Bible" was introduced in 1944 but as I had a 1941 edition I just figured it was a misprint. Seems like they were around since 1908 or 09. based on the "edition numbers". Maybe "Bigolddave" can enlighten us on this subject.

[bigolddave]

The Stoeger's Catalog was in existence for a number of years prior to beeing dubbed "The Shooter's Bible". It is now just a book, but for a long time it was a mail order catalog. I don't know when that stopped, but I know a friend of mine ordered a stock for a very early Savage 1899 in the late fifties.

The "Shooter's Bible Trasury" states that the name shooter's Bible was formally adopted in 1942. On the cover of the "Treasury" there is a picture of a pre-SB cover, but I can't quite make out the issue number. The reprint of the 1939 World's Fair catalog does not use the term "Shooter's Bible" except in an added banner at the bottom of the original cover. This is issue 31; the earliest original I have is 33, which references SB on the front cover but not on the spine.

[nra357mag]

Belfastman,

Back to your question

The Outdoorsman was introduced in 1931, and I have those price sheets in my ephemera 'stack 'o stuff'. You may wonder why I said "sheets"? There are two.

The (#1) RETAIL PRICE sheet lists the gun as selling for $37.25. The (#2) SPECIAL PRICES allowed NRA & USRA Members lists it as $33.52, indicating a 10% discount.

Hope this helps.
Best,
David

[Belfastman]

Thanks to all,I have 1931 outdoorsman that was made in March of that year.

[nra357mag]

Belfastman,

I've got a '31 also, which is what promted me to aquire the afore mentioned price "lists", along with a '31 cataloge. It's been awhile since I've dug it out, but I remember that it has the Ivory (Marble or Call???) front sight.

If want me to make a copy of the price lists, send me an email with your name, address, etc. and I'll e glad to send them to you.

Best,
David

[Belfastman]

Nra 357 mag email sent .Thank you sir.

[EQGuy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Alk8944:
"1944 was the first "Shooters Bible".

Just thought I would post a photo of my earliest original copy of the Shooters Bible. In it the 357 Magnum was priced at $60.00, The K22 Outdoorsman was $38.00 and the 38/44 Outsdoorman was $45.00.