SCSW 5 Edition-poor binding?

[1sg]

Received my preorder from Amazon. I much admire and appreciate the awesome content BUT the "package" seems to have been done on the cheap. The binding is loose and the glue used on the hardcover end pages has separated in places. I realize the book was printed / bound in China but…

Mine is going back to Amazon. I'm hoping my poor quality binding is an isolated issue and the replacement will be a much sturdier version. Has anyone else experienced similar quality issues? Thanks…

 

[Oldbird13]

I have not gone through much of the new 5th edition but it seems fine as far as the binding. I don't think mine was purchased through Amazon.

 

[Tom S.]

Mine appears fine.

 

[Truckman]

No problems here......Ben

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

No issues with the binding on mine but I'm a little disappointed in the quality of the photos. A noticeable downgrade from my 4th edition. Anyone else seeing that?

 

[Roofuss]

No issues with mine !

 

[sophie]

I don't seem to be having any problems with the binding or glue coming loose on my new SCSW 5th edition and it came from Amazon also. So far, so good.

 

[Johnluger]

The photographs and paper do appear to be of a lower quality. I could see this being done to keep the price of the book down.

 

[jem102]

Yes, the print quality is not up to prior editions. Appears to have been done on a digital press with lower resolution files. The binding appears to be ok on my copy.

 

[duke2002]

How much differant is the 5th from the 4th.? The 3rd had some things in it the 4th dident have was wondering about the 5th. I havent got the new one yet.

 

[Thiokol]

Mine is fine but I find it disheartening that a book about iconic American made firearms was produced in China.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Received my preorder from Amazon. I much admire and appreciate the awesome content BUT the "package" seems to have been done on the cheap. The binding is loose and the glue used on the hardcover end pages has separated in places. I realize the book was printed / bound in China but…

Mine is going back to Amazon. I'm hoping my poor quality binding is an isolated issue and the replacement will be a much sturdier version. Has anyone else experienced similar quality issues? Thanks…

Mine is holding together just fine, but I have an issue with why they outsourced the printing to China. I'd rather have paid another $10 and gotten a book printed in the USA, if we still have companies that can do that.

 

[Tom S.]

Mine is holding together just fine, but I have an issue with why they outsourced the printing to China. I'd rather have paid another $10 and gotten a book printed in the USA, if we still have companies that can do that.

I don't know if there are still publishing places that could do it here, and if they could do it for just $10 more. Then there's the issue of how many buyers would be willing to chin the extra cost, whatever it turned out to be. US citizens have already made China what it is by refusing to pay extra for US made products, and worse, US companies have abandoned US workers to get more profits by using Chinese manufacturers. Company "A" sells their widget for $25. I cost them $15 dollars to produce, so they get $10 profit. But they can get the same widget made in China for $5. Instead of passing the savings on the to the customer and selling the for widget for $15, maintaining their $10 profit, they leave the price at $25 and pocket a profit of $20 - and get rid of the workers who were making it here. That, in a nutshell describes where American manufacturing jobs went and why.

 

[Truckman]

I don't know if there are still publishing places that could do it here,

I use Lulu to print my books...I have not seen a problem yet...They are in North Carolina... ...Ben

 

[robertrwalsh]

Mine seems to be OK though I often still use the 4th edition. The slightly larger and sharper type face on the old one is easier for me to read.

 

[Tom S.]

I use Lulu to print my books...I have not seen a problem yet...They are in North Carolina... ...Ben

The size (number of pages) could be an issue.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I don't know if there are still publishing places that could do it here, and if they could do it for just $10 more. Then there's the issue of how many buyers would be willing to chin the extra cost, whatever it turned out to be. US citizens have already made China what it is by refusing to pay extra for US made products, and worse, US companies have abandoned US workers to get more profits by using Chinese manufacturers. Company "A" sells their widget for $25. I cost them $15 dollars to produce, so they get $10 profit. But they can get the same widget made in China for $5. Instead of passing the savings on the to the customer and selling the for widget for $15, maintaining their $10 profit, they leave the price at $25 and pocket a profit of $20 - and get rid of the workers who were making it here. That, in a nutshell describes where American manufacturing jobs went and why.

It's just odd to me that a gun catalog of US made guns and sold almost exclusively to US gun owners isn't also printed in the US. I understandall the stuff about the economics of printing and the sad, but all-too-true reason nothing is made in the US any more, but someone has to make the first move to bring industry back, why not Gun Digest? The 4th Ed SCSW was printed in the US, why take the next one out of country? It's more than just cost, I think it has to do with GD making more money that way, at the expense of the little guys who actually do the work (US printing companies).

Mine seems to be OK though I often still use the 4th edition. The slightly larger and sharper type face on the old one is easier for me to read.

I still use the 4th Ed a lot for the same reason, the type is larger and easier to read. I have a lot more notes in the margins, too.

 

[Truckman]

The size (number of pages) could be an issue.

Possibly...I seem to remember a 700 page limit per volume... ...Ben

 

[Alk8944]

There have been binding issues with all editions of the SCSW that have been printed in China! The spine of my 3rd edition is broken. Unfortunately the authors have no control of where their books are printed or bound, that is strictly up to the publisher, and is simply a matter of economics! It is unfortunate that these were printed in China, but that is just how the industry is. If they were printed and bound in the USA the SCSW would probably cost more than $100 to the consumer, so there is that trade-off.