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Hello,
I am a new forum member and new in general to collecting Winchesters. I did some searching on the forum and found a great thread about The Winchester Book.
Does anyone know if there in any difference between the various editions of The Winchester Book by George Madis? In other words, does it matter significantly if I purchase the 1971, 1979 or 1985 edition?
Also if anyone can recommend any additional books that are more than just picture books that would great!
Thanks,
Jerry
Sacramento, CA
Hello jerry,
Welcome to the forum. What model guns are you interested in? There are books written for specific models. Any Madis book will give the basics but I would think the latest edition would have the most up to date info.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
On a previous post we found that the same information on a 1979 printing vs. a 1985 printing was about 8 page numbers different. That could be merely due to forewords and edition notes at the start of the book. Don’t know if there were any revisions for 1985 but my 1979 copy just lists copyright dates on the title page. That should indicate that they were merely reprints and not revisions.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Hi guys, thanks for the fast replies! And thanks for the clarification on reprints vs revisions, Wayne. It sounds like the differences may be negligible at best and at this point I will pick up whichever I can get the best deal on.
Bob, at this point I don’t own even one Winchester yet however I recently shot a friend’s 1873 in 38-40 and it is definitely a hobby I am looking to pursue. Right now I am looking at an antique 1894 in 30-30 and a 1895 takedown in 30-06 made in 1907 which I am particularly fond of but know nothing about. I’m hoping reading some of these books will give me some insight.
This Friday I will be heading to the Big Reno Show so I will be drooling over lots of amazing examples there I’m sure.
Thanks again, Jerry
Jerry,
Welcome to the Forum.
I’ll be in Reno at Larry Shennum’s table ( author of The Redbook of Winchester Values ) written with Bert Hartman, Historian and Board Member of WACA.
I think we’re at 79-3. You can meet Larry, look at his book, and I’d be happy to show you some of the vendor tables of WACA members.
You’ll see all the models and be torn what to collect or purchase next !
I look forward to seeing you.
Bill Coppock
aka Blueliner
JFAZ said
Hello,I am a new forum member and new in general to collecting Winchesters. I did some searching on the forum and found a great thread about The Winchester Book.
Does anyone know if there in any difference between the various editions of The Winchester Book by George Madis? In other words, does it matter significantly if I purchase the 1971, 1979 or 1985 edition?
Also if anyone can recommend any additional books that are more than just picture books that would great!
Thanks,
Jerry
Sacramento, CA
Welcome to the world of Winchester Collecting! The more the merrier!
Have you seen this thread? https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-rifles/best-books/
I’m also a newer collector and have recently acquired the below and have found all very helpful/educational:
The Winchester Book by Madis (large Madis book)
The Winchester Handbook by Madis (much of the same info as above, but a pocket sized book)
Winchester an American Legend by RL Wilson
One Hundred Years of Winchester Cartridge Boxes by Ray Giles & Dan Shuey
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Blueliner said
Jerry,Welcome to the Forum.
I’ll be in Reno at Larry Shennum’s table ( author of The Redbook of Winchester Values ) written with Bert Hartman, Historian and Board Member of WACA.
I think we’re at 79-3. You can meet Larry, look at his book, and I’d be happy to show you some of the vendor tables of WACA members.
You’ll see all the models and be torn what to collect or purchase next !
I look forward to seeing you.
Bill Coppock
aka Blueliner
I will be missing this show but will definitely be there in November. Bill, do you attend most of the Reno shows? If so, we may have met in the past at Bert and Larry’s table.
I hope to meet more WACA members this year.
Long trip but I plan to be there in November!
Much looking forward to it.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Me too! I always look forward to the Reno show. See you guys in November!
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
JWA said
Me too! I always look forward to the Reno show. See you guys in November!Best Regards,
I’ll be there too! Hope to make another great purchase again this year.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
With this many people planning to attend, we should all get together at some point during the show. I know many of you already, but it is always nice to meet new people and get to know one another on a personal level.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I’m planning on driving up from Los Angeles as long as work doesn’t get in the way.
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
November 7, 2015
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Bert H. said
With this many people planning to attend, we should all get together at some point during the show. I know many of you already, but it is always nice to meet new people and get to know one another on a personal level.
Bert
I’d like to but I’m still broke from my first show so I’ll be headed the other way in November. 
I’ll be thinking of y’all as I’m taking an old Winchester or two hunting. If you find yourself in Bee County call for directions, I make an awesome pot of cowboy coffee!
Hey Bill thanks for the welcome and I will be sure to look for you at Larry’s table on Friday.
Kevin,I have The Winchester Book and Handbook on order – thanks for your suggestions.
The WACA forum seems to have a ton to offer and a really great group of people, I look forward to researching more here!
Thanks all, Jerry
November 7, 2015
Offline
Back on topic, I really enjoy the big Madis book. The man had an encyclopedic knowledge of Wichesters. If you like 94’s the Renneberg book is quite good, IMHO. I like all of R L Wilson’s books but it’s a coffee table book compared to the above authors. The above mentioned Red Book is another must-have, IMHO. If you’re serious about production dates & figures, grading and values the Red Book is an excellent reference that can make or save you much more than the purchase price on your first purchase of a collectible Wnchester. I also like Williamson’s book on Winchesters, possibly because like me, he was more of a shooter and hunter than a collector. Another book I can recommend is John Browning’s biography of John Moses Browning.
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