Blue Book Values of firearms

[MCorps0311]

I hope this not the wrong place for this question, if it is please put it where it belong for me,thanks.I am thinking about buying a blue book of gun values.I would like to know how often do the book get updated ? Should I buy one or just keep getting my gun's info.here on S&W and other forums?

 

[pawngal]

They print a "new" edition every year. How much is actually updated I don't know. Any "book" values on S&W or Colt handguns are way low.

 

[diggler1833]

Looks like the values are updated about annually (38 editions over 36 years).

Values are hard to narrow down, and certain places like Gunbroker give amateurs a false impression that grandpa's beat up revolver is worth nearly the same as a NIB one.

Forums like this, and seeing what guns go for are probably not a bad idea to see what people are paying these days for certain items.

 

[zonker5]

I find the Blue Book to be a bit out of date for actual prices, however it does give a pretty good idea of relative value of two guns when a trade is being considered.

 

[H Richard]

Like any pricing guide, it is an "average", and a "guide",not an absolute price. Real values are established by auctions, and what a willing buyer will actually pay. I'm finding lately willing buyers are willing to pay a lot more than I thought they would.

 

[pawngal]

Also, I prefer the Standard Catalog of Firearms over the Blue Book.
But Blue Book does have more info on Military type firearms.

I find both to be decent sources of info for long guns. Handguns prices vary so much depending in part on the local area.

 

[Chuck24]

Supposedly the on line edition is updated more frequently. Use in the pawn shop where I work as a guide for values, but you still need to know your local trends.

 

[rwsmith]

Better and more current......

....is to check the web to see what similar guns are going for. Not priced. What they have actually sold for.

 

[inspcalahan]

As stated above, it's limited information and not current with Colt prices for sure. That said, it's a good reference book that contains a lot of information. I buy one about every 5-8 years. It's a good fact check book and goes into pretty good detail about various models, etc. All that information has to be compared to the current market as well - but it's a start.

 

[Bekeart]

That said, it's a good reference book that contains a lot of information. I buy one about every 5-8 years. It's a good fact check book and goes into pretty good detail about various models, etc.

Model information is good.

Three astrologers and a OuJa board would be as accurate for pricing.

PROOF that prices are LOW: Look how many dealers at gun show drag it out to confirm that their buying price offers are reasonable.

They do not bring the book out to prove SALE prices.

Bekeart
Bekeart

 

[5Wire]

...I would like to know how often do the book get updated ? Should I buy one or just keep getting my gun's info.here on S&W and other forums?

Wonderful as the SCSW is it doesn't present nearly the price info as the BBGV.

The BBGV wanders in representing pricing. Some are high, some are low some are pretty close. BBGV is collectively about 11%–12% higher than my average track values over 3,180 collected prices.

The online versions of BOTH the BBGV and the SCS&W has a number of advantages:

Individual firearm prices are updated as data is added where the paper version is updated once a year (not all prices are updated).
Values and text can be searched.
Values and text can be copied and pasted.
Easy to use and takes up room only on your computer

 

[Rastoff]

There's lots of good info in that book. I use mine regularly, but should get a new one. You just can't use those values as though they are the gospel. They're just a starting place. For example, I had a gun that listed in the Blue Book as being worth $350. I traded it for a complete AR lower + $400. Sometimes people just want things.

In the end value is defined by only two people; the guy with the stuff and the guy with the currency. I can't tell you the number of times I've disagreed with the book number. Lots of times guys have told me, "But the Blue Book says it's worth $." I always respond with, "OK, but I'm asking $$$. You won't hurt my feelings if you don't buy it." About 80% of the time they meet my price because that's what it's worth to them.

 

[b_san]

IMO you'd be just as likely to find the actual value of a gun by asking 3 random people off the street. The BBGV isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

 

[Bill Bates]

The Blue Book is helpful for identifying models. As to pricing it may help someone from making a really bad deal.

It would be really great if the publishers told the public just how they reached the values shown in the book. It is obvious on most non-collectable everyday guns they just do a straight line depreciation from MSRP. Firearm values do not follow a straight line down as condition decreases it is more like a real steep curve. Value does down a bit from 98% to say 90% and then can drop like a rock. This is not reflected in most of the Blue Book values.

I've been told..who knows if this accurate...that on more collectable guns they go to experts in those firearms to help with value determination. That could be a good. If true one must remember that those giving the value information have some skin in the game which may cause some over valuing. Looking at some values reflected in Colt SAA, American collectable shotguns and old Winchester which seem to be over valued, even way over valued in the BB these days...I have my suspicions.

The BlueBook publishers would like everyone to believe they get the values from by polling dealers and watching auctions. Might be the case and might not be the case, who knows.

 

[Peak53]

BBGV good for dealers dickering on buying a SW revolver.
Gunbroker good for sellers arguing for a higher price.
Forum presents more of a real world value, but regional variations are painfully obvious to me since I appear to live in a higher priced area.

 

[pawngal]

For serious research do not rely on 1 source. Different books often place very different values on the same firearms.

 

[NYlakesider]

Gun Blue books are like car Blue Books the people that use them ONLY use them when the information is to their liking and therefore profit.


I see this done at some gun deals and more likely by the used car dealers/sales staff. Course judicious use of the computer now has lowered the amount both books get used.

FWIW I have had much more experiences with the car dealer pulling out "the Book" to try make his point!

 

[AJ]

The Blue Book is a good guide line as are some of the others. For up to date values go to advanced search on Gunbroker and look at completed auctions. These will show you what folks are asking for their treasures and what they actually sell for. A lot do not sell as the owners are asking stupid prices. Some sell for really astronomical prices because they are something special. The bottom line is you will get real life prices from Gunbroker. The Blue Book will get you some of the best descriptions.

 

[MCorps0311]

Thanks members for your Blue Book feed back,i do appreciate y'all taking time and voicing your opinions.