How do you value older manuals ?

[RU shooter]

This isn't a want to sell post but I have some older not but not"vintage" manuals I want to trade or sell off in the forums sell and trade section but have no idea what's a fair value ? So how does one determine that value ?
What I have are Speer 10 and 12 , hornady 4th ed. Vol. 1,2 , Sierra 50th anniversary handgun manual 3 ring binder and lastly Accurate 1

Thanks , Tim

[BigAlofPa.]

IMO you should keep them. It's always nice to have a variety of data sources. One example is. I have Lymans 3rd and 4th cast editions. Each one has loads the other does not.

[243winxb]

Start at 1/2 of current manual prices? https://www.midwayusa.com/reloading-manuals/br?cid=19845

I have sold old printed materal on Gunbroker. Set your minimum price & see what the market will bear. Supply and demand.

To me, they have no value at all. To much free data on Hodgdon & Alliant & Accurare. Sorry.

Very old first additions, yes worth buying $$$.

[Bent Ramrod]

They don’t seem to move at gun shows unless they’re in the $5-10 range.

Unless they are really unusual or really large, like the Speer Wildcat edition or A-Squared’s compendium. Even then, they can languish if they are $15 or over.

[skrapyard628]

I have to agree with the post from 243winxb above. It depends on what people are looking for and if its available. The old supply and demand.

Recently been looking for a copy of Reloading for Shotgunners by Rick Sapp, and while I can find electronic downloads of it for a decent price, the paperback copies I found so far are selling for more than $100.

The example above is probably something to think about. I know I tend to find a few older manuals online that I can download and print (sometimes for free). So I would assume that would definitely drive the price down on the original paper copies to anyone other than a collector.

[JimB..]

I’ve thought about buying old manuals, cutting them out of the binding and running them through the high speed color scanner at work just to have them available as a reference for old powders and whatnot, but it turns out that if I need something you guys will tell me for free. Of course some of you are getting pretty long in the tooth, so I may need a new strategy in a few years.

[RU shooter]

Thanks all , yeah gonna keep em ain't worth the hassle or shipping costs to try and sell them

[Scrounge]

I’ve thought about buying old manuals, cutting them out of the binding and running them through the high speed color scanner at work just to have them available as a reference for old powders and whatnot, but it turns out that if I need something you guys will tell me for free. Of course some of you are getting pretty long in the tooth, so I may need a new strategy in a few years.

I bought an Epson WorkForce 7620 All-in-One scanner/copier/fax/printer for ledger size (11x17) pages. It was about $200 on sale a couple of years ago. I copy many of my books on it. It's slow, but gets the job done. I don't like cutting the bindings off anymore. Makes it hard to keep things together afterward, and destroys any value the original book may have had. I did that for some of my textbooks years ago when I was going to college, so I could have them on my laptop at school. Didn't work well at the time, but scanners & computers seem to have improves since then. One of the advantages to the WF-7620 is that it doesn't need to attached to a computer to work. You can plug in USB drives and a couple of kinds of memory cards and print from or scan to the removable memory. You can also choose to scan to pdf or jpg formats. It also has a document feeder, handles about 25 pages at a time, scans and copies both sides or only one, at your choice, and you can select the resolution you want to scan at. One of the ways I use it is by having a 500gb microSD card in my phone, with quite a bit of my personal library there. Currently there's about 67gb of free space on the card. Naturally, YMMV!

And I just bought the first edition Lyman's Handbook of Cast Bullets from Amazon for about $15, and pretty close to the same for the second edition, titled Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. I'll take stuff cheaper when I can find it, but those were the best prices I could find when I bought them. Maybe a month ago?

[Walks]

I've collected old manuals since H.S.
Have about 75.
It's great insight about the way things were done 50,60,80+yrs ago. and some long forgotten.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez - maybe ya'll just wanna keep "yer gun library" to read (over and over again)
when yer shootin' days are over and yer Just Sittin' there drinking beer and watching TV? ???
Think about it!

[1hole]

Old stuff is worth whatever we can get for it, not whatever we want for it.

I'm not a collector of old stuff, I'm an old user of stuff; old manuals are useful so I occasionally buy old manuals.

My personal rule of thumb for buying old things that are like new is about half of what it would cost new and how badly I want it; then I work down from that. Seems paying any more than half of new for anything used gets too close to what I could get it new for.

The asking prices for reloading books and tools can get stupid but sometimes stupid buyers do come along. I once saw a used set of old Lee dies in a common caliber sell for $100 on an ebay "Buy It Now"; it doesn't mean that was a fair market price but it had to be worth that much to the buyer. (I hope to find a few idiots like that when I get old enough to sell off my own gun books and reloading stuff!)

[John Boy]

This isn't a want to sell post but I have some older not but not"vintage" manuals I want to trade or sell off in the forums sell and trade section but have no idea what's a fair value ? So how does one determine that value ?
Look them up on eBay

[Shawlerbrook]

To me the information is valuable and they make your loading bench just look cool. But if you have to sell , John Boy has a great suggestion.

[dragon813gt]

Look them up on eBay

You can also check Amazon. I’ve bought a lot of old manuals off Amazon. Simply because they were cheaper than eBay. Shipping on eBay can be a deal killer at times.

[3006guns]

I have quite a few old manuals, including an original Ideal and a Belding and Mull. In between those are many from the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. Why keep all this old paper around? INFORMATION. For example, they give loading info for such cartridges as the 7.5 Swiss, 7.5 French, 7.7 Jap and many other older calibers.

As an aside, I notice that the FREE handout loadbooks I picked up at the gun shows in the 1970's are being offered on Ebay as "rare" and "hard to find".......with a price to match. Brother......

So, what's the big deal? Don't the newer manuals provide the same dope? NO! The reloading companies routinely rotate their entries based on what's "hot" for that year. Those older books are a goldmine of information and tips not included in the newer ones..........so I keep them, knowing I can find information on just about any cartridge I come across.

To me, they're invaluable. The advice to "keep them" is really pretty sound unless you're absolutely SURE you'll never need them. It saves a lot of posts that start out with "Does anyone have data for the 6.5 Glibbersnitch from the 1920's?" :)

[Scrounge]

I've collected old manuals since H.S.
Have about 75.
It's great insight about the way things were done 50,60,80+yrs ago. and some long forgotten.

I went into the USAF shortly after high school. That sort of discouraged the collection of stuff. Been here for something like 24 years, and only really started collecting stuff about 12 years ago. Machine tools, mostly. Even the benchtop machines add up FAST! But online material is really nice. I've got a 500gb microSD card in my phone with much of my metalworking and gun stuff on it. Heck of a lot easier to carry, but sometimes harder to read. Had a 10" tablet until I knocked it out of the truck during a rain storm, and then drove over it. Whaaah! ;) I still have a lot of dead-tree books, and adding to the collection. I do try to scan them, so I can carry them with me, but it takes time that's been kinda short. Recently retired, and hoping I'll have more time for the scanning, and reading. I've learned a lot from reading those old manuals. Don't drink much beer, or watch much TV, so reading and playing in my workshop are the plans for my future. Loading bench is a part of that workshop, too!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

A load published as safe 50 years ago is no less safe today. So, as sometimes happens, a good powder is discontinued but you find and buy or are given a can of it and want to use it. Loads not shown in manuals after the powder was discontinued, but can be found in the older manuals if you kept them.

[dragon813gt]

A load published as safe 50 years ago is no less safe today.

This is not true in some cases. The older loads were developed using CUP. W/ modern pressure testing equipment that can see the pressure wave in real time some older loads were found to be grossly over pressure. As much as people think lawyers are the reasons loads have been decreased over the years, it’s due pressure testing.

I’m not saying don’t use old published loads. Just that some of them may be unsafe. As always start low and work up for your individual firearm.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Perhaps you have a verifiable example?

[Digger]

I am taking a guess here as I have recently obtained a copy of the "Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook ,for all popular rifles and pistols and black powder guns".... as it is titled.
With no reference to being second or third etc. edition ...
Have noticed there is no listing of the 40 cal S&W in pistol ... with this , could this be the first published ?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

It could well be. Isn't there a date of publication inside the front cover or on the first couple of pages? According to "Cartridges of the World" the .40 S&W came on the scene late 1989 or early 1990.

DG

[Digger]

It could well be. Isn't there a date of publication inside the front cover or on the first couple of pages? According to "Cartridges of the World" the .40 S&W came on the scene late 1989 or early 1990.

DG

No dates of publication , the only thing showing is a copyright date of (c)1973 in the lower corner of the first page .

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Give Lyman a phone call-- they'll be able to tell you.

[Eddie Southgate]

No dates of publication , the only thing showing is a copyright date of (c)1973 in the lower corner of the first page .

Second Edition. Only been four editions that I am aware of . 1st in 1958 , 2nd in the early 70's , 3rd sometime in the 80's I believe and the 4th in 2010 . Is yours spiral bound or paperback ? Never owned a Lyman or Ideal manual with a printing date , just a copyright date .

[Digger]

Second Edition. Only been four editions that I am aware of . 1st in 1958 , 2nd in the early 70's , 3rd sometime in the 80's I believe and the 4th in 2010 . Is yours spiral bound or paperback ? Never owned a Lyman or Ideal manual with a printing date , just a copyright date .

One piece plastic bound rings ....
finally got a pic of it here ..
link:
https://i.imgur.com/mCp8ewp.jpg

[Digger]

Second Edition. Only been four editions that I am aware of . 1st in 1958 , 2nd in the early 70's , 3rd sometime in the 80's I believe and the 4th in 2010 . Is yours spiral bound or paperback ? Never owned a Lyman or Ideal manual with a printing date , just a copyright date .

Yes , it is a second edition as I was going thru some of the other threads about manuals and saw some pics and references for reprinting .
With this one , I have the 2,3 and 4th editions ... some very good information , so valuable to us caster/reloaders .

[justashooter]

i have a 1937 edition of philip sharpe's guide to reloading hardcover that has significant collector value. paper-back manuals are only good if you use them. i see these go for 2 bux a box at gun auctions.

[John Boy]

If a poster has multiple firearms and calibers, especially the pre 1900 developed calibers ... ya can never have enough manuals. Have 3 cabinet shelves maxed out but have a Lyman’s # 3 on the way. The other condition to have many manuals is if one has many molds

[Texas Gun]

Are old Speer manuals worth anything I have 2 I never use

And also have some old allcan

[pworley1]

+1 on the advice to keep them. I have a shelf full of well used manuals and would not want to get rid of any of them.

[smithnframe]

Not much!

[John Boy]

Use eBay as a guide

[GregLaROCHE]

Yes you can find most of what you want online, but I still appreciate a hard copy. I’ve bought a lot of manuals just for one section of interest in them.

[derek45]

Mine aren't for sale

you can never have too much information,......especially about magnum revolver loads

:drinks:

[John Boy]

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=trades%20misc%20sharpe%20philip&bi=h&n=100121503&sortby=100&tn=complete%20guide%20handloading%20treatise%20ple asure&cm_sp=mbc-_-ats-_-filter

[Scrounge]

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=trades%20misc%20sharpe%20philip&bi=h&n=100121503&sortby=100&tn=complete%20guide%20handloading%20treatise%20ple asure&cm_sp=mbc-_-ats-_-filter

Some of us are too cheap to spend that kind of money on a ratty old book. Others are just too broke.

https://archive.org/details/Complete_Guide_to_Handloading_Sharpe_1937

[GhostHawk]

If it is more than 20 years old you could go cover price, or if it is rare cover price Plus.

I know I'd of paid double the cover price for the Cast Lyman #3 when I was looking for it.

All depends on how badly its wanted and how old it is and how rare.

[NyFirefighter357]

Start at 1/2 of current manual prices? https://www.midwayusa.com/reloading-manuals/br?cid=19845

I have sold old printed materal on Gunbroker. Set your minimum price & see what the market will bear. Supply and demand.

To me, they have no value at all. To much free data on Hodgdon & Alliant & Accurare. Sorry.

Very old first additions, yes worth buying $$$.

I passed up a Sierra loading binder just today at $16 seemed too bulky and awkward with so much free information out on the web. I have some old powder & have the reloading data from that time period, beyond that I'd rather have updated to go with the powder made now. I also have multiple old reloading mags downloaded to my computer.

[flounderman]

Handbook of cast bullets could be the first edition. dated July 1958.

[Harter66]

Ask twice what you think they are worth . They will get snatched or sit for a week knock 10% off every week until you get to 10% under what you think they are worth . They will sell or they won't .

Write your ad so it sounds like you're selling because you need the funds , "for don't need the money just freeing up some book shelf space" for example . Use key words like vintage , rare , hard to find , includes data for (insert an old cartridge like 30 or 32 Rem) , etc . I call it the PT Barnum school technique .

I've been surprised by how much other people think my surplus "paid half of what I thought it was worth for the one I wanted and took the other 4 in the lot too" is worth ......valued at .

[lotech]

I have forty or fifty manuals, many from the 'fifties and 'sixties and still refer to some of them occasionally. To me, it would be a lot of trouble to sell these online. Also, I've found that anything handloading-related brings little at gun shows so I no longer take such stuff to put on a table. With the effect of the virus situation, maybe some of this has changed. Many newer handloaders have no use for paper manuals.

[farmbif]

Perhaps you have a verifiable example?


mr Gibson did some pressure testing and wrote up the results of the tests and found some old Speer manuals had loads using green dot that I would not want to use in my guns. this is just one example. and It sure did wake me up to what just might be in some older load data when pressure testing equipment was not as accurate as it is now.
but on the other hand I like to keep all the old manuals ive collected through the years if I had to sell them off I would hope to get half of what new ones would cost, that is if people are willing to pay that. as far as shipping books post office used to have "book rate" which is very inexpensive.

[243winxb]

The Speer #8 midrange & maximum loads can be very dangerous in some cartridges.

The IMR gives data using all there powders. Some powders are a bad choice if used. Burn rates to slow or fast for a cartridge.

Old data requires starting low & working up, same as now. Today's, pressure testing is much better & safer.

The IMR data in photo must be reduced 10% for a starting load. Maximums are only listed.

[slohunter]

If you don't want to read 30 pages on dangers and warnings get manuals from the 80's on back.

[1hole]

I view old manuals the same as I view new manuals; interesting to read but as a guide, not as a certainty. Bottom line, I know I'm responsible for my safety, not a book.

[wolfwing]

I don't pay more than $5 for a "trade" papaerback and $10 for a hardback. If you ship them, you can ship them USPS Book Rate or Media mail.

[rmb721]

Are old Speer manuals worth anything I have 2 I never use

And also have some old allcan

The two Speer manuals that are worth the most are #2 and #4. Both are wildcat loads.