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November 1, 2013
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Jeremy P said I would disagree. That book provided other information too beyond just (ballpark) valuations, some of it well-summarized and valuable. It could serve as a guidepost to the wild variety of prices you see on those platforms you mention…an “average” of pricing according to area professionals.
I thought the “need” in question was value, not technical info, which is a diff matter. All price guides are out of date the day they’re published. SS collectors laughed at Flayderman’s prices in his 1st ed; “where can WE buy guns at those prices?” was the the common comment. As for “averaging” values, that’s what you do by comparing the diff prices you see listed…if you can think for yourself.
March 31, 2009
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I agree with Clarence. Price guides only give you info and the relative cost from one version of the model to the next version.
I would always cringe when a dealer was using a price guide when dealing with a customer. Especially if the dealer was trying to buy the gun. I have at least 4 price guides and they are all really old. In most cases the info I’m interested in hasn’t changed. The only way to know what a gun is worth is to pay a lot of attention to what the recent selling prices are.
April 30, 2023
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Yes I can see both sides. I sure refer to my blue book pretty often when I’m looking at unfamiliar firearms or in learning mode.
November 1, 2013
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Jeremy P said
Yes I can see both sides. I sure refer to my blue book pretty often when I’m looking at unfamiliar firearms or in learning mode.
I still use my old Flaydermans for the same purpose, even when I have other, more detailed, reference sources, just because it’s quicker to check some fact, like dates of production or model variations. But I never consulted it for values even when it was new.
