Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Someone should buy this book. It's an investment!!!

This is not mine, but I think someone needs to submit an offer on this book. These only go up in value and you can still take the plastic wrapper off and look at it. I'd buy it, but between new job and other unexpected expenses my wife would kick my azz

Roger rules The rifleman's rifle book!!

Offer him $325.00 and you'll be stealing it!!

The first editions are the real investment opportunities. I have this very same 1996 edition, and they probably are bringing this kind of money. I say buy it and use it and enjoy it. It is pricey, but you can get money anywhere, vintage books, guns, and gun parts aren't growing new on trees. The paperback version of this book has the exact same material, but is printed on cheaper paper, similar to newspaper, but heavier. The hard back book has glossy paper and the pictures alone are worth the price. I would not sell my well used(but not written in) 1996 edition for $1,000.00 or more even. I may be persuaded to trade it for a mid fifties pre 64 Win 70 Supergrade though. They aren't making those anymore either, LOL!

TTT

Very cool. You hardly ever see them in plastic like that. I found a used 1st Ed. in great quality for about the same price, but they are even rarer. Ebay alerts are very useful.

Eric

How much are the first editions bringing? Mine's not for sale but curious.

FWIIW, my soft cover (paperback) is printed on non-glossy, but nice enough paper that is claimed to be acid free. $89 and change from Barnes & Noble.

I keep looking at the one BSA pointed out, but I would leave it in the wrapper and would be buying it just for investment. Despite what some book sellers want for the 2nd edition, I'm not sure how good an investment it would be.

Pictures (detail) leave much to be desired in the paperback....

I see there's another one listed now for $275, but it's not new in the wrap.


Rifleman's Rifle

That's a good deal for a 1st Ed!

Eric

Based upon my limited observations, the asking price for the hardcover is on average at least 50% lower than it was a year or so ago....

OK, fess up. Who just bought the first edition for $275?

Wasn't me, that's why I posted it here.

In this "wacky" world of collectables, how much more valuable is a first edition compared to a second edition? They both appear to be of the same quality.

Who knows? If you Google it up and start looking, the professional booksellers want more for the first edition. I think you are correct about the quality, but that is looking at it from a user perspective. Nothing wrong with doing that, but it is not the collector perspective.

A lot like guns. Nothing at all wrong with Japanese A5 Browning shotguns from a user perspective, but the Belgian ones definitely bring more money. I like the early New Haven Classic M70's, but a Pre '64 in similar condition is worth much more. (We can argue bolt handles and extractors elsewhere.)

Someone just got a good deal on the first one listed, it's sold...

Someone paid the full fare. What is interesting is why they waited so long if they were willing to pay the Buy It Now price. I don't know how long the listing ran, but it had only a few hours to go. If I am willing to pay the full fare, I pull the trigger before someone else does. If the person bought it for investment, they will likely make money eventually, but who is to say how long it will take. One issue with that one is it is new in wrapper, so opening it might take some value off.

I probably would have jumped on that first edition had I seen it. For one thing, it was already open.

Maybe I will come across one in a used bookstore someday.

Well I will fess up. Now if I recommended buying the the sealed second edition and using it at $350, you know I jumped on the used first edition. And guess what...I am going to use it. When I croak if my heirs make a buck on it or keep it that is their choice. My oldest grandson will be getting my second edition along with the my Featherweight for his 12th birthday. Or maybe I'll give him the book for Christmas.

The sealed 2d edition did not go for full price, it says best offer accepted.

The last first edition I saw sell went for $800 and it was used.

The older forums etc that I belong to are airgun1 or airgun_1 depending on what they required back in the day. My later and current user names are sbrmike, smallbore rifle mike

Mike, you are a very generous grandpa in an area I know to be one of the most Winchester loonie areas of the country.

God Bless you, yours, and your grandsons.

Best Wishes,
LD

I've seen second editions (1996) sell for over $400.00... Like someone else said, the paperback leaves a lot to be desired. The print and pictures just aren't as good as either of the hard cover books...

The first edition is printed in the USA with a copyright date of 1982. My second edition is bound and printed in Italy by LEGO with a copyright date of 1996. I am curious to see which edition has better craftsmanship. The Italians are no slouch when it comes to leather work!

I bought my 1996 edition, probably in 1996 from The Gun List. There might have been internet in 1996 but I didn't have it or probably even know about it. I can't for the life of me remember what I paid for the Rifleman's Rifle back then, I am thinking $125; I know it was way over the current paperback version price. Heck it may have been $185??? I don't think it was $200 or over though. Does anybody remember?