Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices 2006, edited by Dan Shideler, softcover, 1,200 pages, $19.99. P&H Order this book online from KP Books an imprint of F+W Publications, Dept. BNP, 700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990 (715) 445-2214, ISBN: 0-89689-324-3
This latest price guide is a new offering from Gun Digest Books. It's coverage, similar to Standard Catalog of Firearms (SCFA), begins for the most part with cartridge-era commercial production firearms (1857-up) but the editor also thoughtfully included most of the popular percussion era Colts, as well as a small "smattering" of military firearms values. Its layout and valuation system is also very similar to the Standard Catalog, making the guide very easy to use. In fact, from what I can see at least most of the information in the new book appears to be basically cloned from its big-brother the SCFA.
Owing to its smaller physical size however, the coverage is obviously not as complete as SCFA, though many of the firearms covered in SCFA are also covered here. That being said, the unique feature of this book is its size, measuring 5½ wide X 8½ high and roughly 2¼ inches thick, its not a booklet but it is also far smaller than SCFA, making it light and handy enough to tote around at gun shows without being cumbersome.
I think this Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices is a very good idea and I believe a lot of collectors and dealers will agree. To be sure, the new book packs an awful lot of valuable price and, to a lesser degree, production information into a package that is both compact and easy to carry.
This book gets Three and a half stars!***+