At some point, whether looking to buy, sell, trade or simply satisfy personal curiosity, every shooter is bound to ask: How much is that gun worth? Thankfully, the Blue Book of Gun Values has been taking the guesswork out of valuing guns for more than four decades—and this year’s 44th Edition is another invaluable reference.
The latest tome has been expanded to 2,528 pages chock full of information, histories and values for more than 35,000 models from 1,800 manufacturers and trademarks. As always, past material has been reviewed and updated, and new makes and models have been added. Other features include an extensive glossary and abbreviation section; a Photo Percentage Grading System; a detailed index; and gun-identification tools such as serialization (year of manufacture) and proof marks.
The cover of this year’s edition shows a Beretta SO10 EELL 20-gauge that was commissioned by the Beretta Gallery in New York and features Luca Cassiri engraving and enamel work of quail and pheasants.
As for how values are established, the publisher’s note states: “This book is the result of nonstop and continuing firearms research obtained by attending and/or participating in trade shows, gun shows, auctions, and also communicating with contributing editors, gun dealers, collectors, company historians, and other knowledgeable industry professionals worldwide each year. This book represents an analysis of prices for which collectible firearms are actually selling for at an average retail level.”
The Blue Book is available as a softcover ($59.95), and the database can be had on a flash drive or through an online subscription that is updated monthly and contains more than 20,000 color gun images.
For more information, visit bluebookofgunvalues.com.