Book Review: Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms
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- čas přidán 21. 09. 2019
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Norm Flayderman opened an antique gun shop in 1952, and a few years later expanded his marketing to a mail-order catalog. He would ultimately print 119 such catalogs by 1998, researching and documenting a tremendous amount of information on antique American firearms. In 1977 he published the first edition of Flayderman's Guide, compiling this information into a single volume. Mr. Flayderman passed away in 2013, but his Guide has been a central pillar of firearms knowledge, reprinted most recently in the 9th updated edition (this video shows the 8th edition). The information in Flayderman's Guide is generally not very deep, but it is specific and direct, covering production numbers, configurations, and other basic important details of an incredible breadth of American arms history. From the Colonial period and American Independence through the Spanish-American War, this work covers virtually everything.
There are not many books that I would consider essential staples of any firearms reference library - usually such things are too varied by specific areas of interest. But Flayderman's is truly a book that every scholar and enthusiast should have. Happily, it was printed in significant quantity, and is easy to find. The current 9th Edition retails for $45, but older editions are readily available for less than $10 at gun shows and through sellers like Abe Books:
www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...
Current 9th Edition:
amzn.to/2KN5m0g
Contact:
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My grandfather had a copy of the 2nd edition, I believe, when I was a kid in the '80s. I used to read it when I would spend the weekend with my grandparents. It was a cool book to read and had some interesting pictures of some of the guns.
When the editions were current it was the true antique gun Bible. He had gun experts from around the world contributing to it. Anyone interested in antique US firearms should have it. You never know when you'll stumble across a true "deal" out there. I have no doubt that I have made literally thousands of dollars from information I got from this fine book. Norm Flayderman is truly missed. And Ian, I am old enough to have bought the first edition new from Norm himself.
As great as the internet is for reference, if you don't know the search terms it won't get you far. Flayderman's may not have especially in-depth information on a gun, but it will give you the search terms you need. Fantastic reference.
The "teacher's teacher" AKA your industry's Richard Feynman; I dig it.
A nice example of when cheap and common is actually extremely valuable
I use this guide almost everyday as a catalogue writer for an auction house. It’s incredibly helpful and I wish there was one for European antique arms.
Thanks Ian, Ken Hackathorn was at the Lemhi County Big Bore Revolver shoot and I asked him about doing interviews with you. He had nothing but good things to say.
Gotta love the robe
Thanks again for another great idea, I checked and have a book on antique guns by John E Traister. And after a few clicks, from your link, I have a $5 copy of Flayderman's coming soon.
Awesome content Ian, thank you!
I must buy one as soon as possible, thanks for sharing it
The Textron's entry for the NGSW program has one gun look like a 2By4 with a barrel
Nice reference book for antique firearms.
I love his books. I have the last three editions. I was waiting for the next .. which seemed to be taking forever. Now I know why.
I have the first six versions. A genius.
Dammit I am now buying another book because of you. I am going to have to live to 175 to read them all.
I've been told numerous times to buy this book now Ian is talking about it. Guess i'll get it.
Books by W. H. B. SMITH are great references too...especially from the 1960s.
My only complaint with the Flayderman's series (and admittedly I stopped buying them at the 8th edition) was his refusal to cover the spur trigger revolver class of pistols made after the Civil War (i.e., .30, .32 38 rimfire long, Tramp, Patriot, etc.) and dismissing them somewhere in his narrative as not being worth covering. Since I had about a half dozen of them in the 1980s that was disappointing. Only when the Internet emerged did I find more specific data about some of the store brand name pistol makers. Beyond that, yes, absolutely, this book is a 'go to' source for that old Harpers Ferry musket or ancient Remington rifle or Manhattan revolver you found in a garage sale. Hmm, you may wish to do a video on the old, pre internet, Triple K Manufacturing Company paper catalog of their pistol magazines. There were some sketches and info about rare pistols there I haven't really seen assembled that way in any other publications.
Where does Ezell's Small Arms of the World sit in your library?
@@williamkeith8944 Rim-shot :-P
Oh no! Ian is in the pocket of big Flayderman!
Good book. Great smoking jacket.
What about the NBA blue book?...can a story be done about that?..
Keep up the good work.
Greetings from Clay County, Missouri!
Have 3 of them! 2 , 4 and 5 And a few Gun Digest (like 40-some) I'll have to get an 8 or 9
Great books, but he's NO Gun Jesus!
Keep up the GREAT work!
268 thumbs up!
I consider the gun Jesus, a trashy reference and thought Ian was above it.
BTW: Clay County, Missouri-lots of history in area, from pre-Columbian to Lewis & Clark, to Civil War, even to Prohibition.
Wait.. All metal breech loading flintlock rifle????!?!?
W H A T !!!!
Gun Jesus with the Old Testament of guns.
Gun Jesus let's down his luscious locks.
..and a sign of progress...thirty years ago he would have been called "Gun Hippy"....
Thought it was guns & ammo
Snazzy smoking jacket! Where's your pipe?
And a fez
Cool so cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
Are there any books Ian doesn't like ?
If you're hankering for a negative book review, you might enjoy this from the Panzer Museum Muenster on the "worst-ever" book on tanks. czcams.com/video/G8dzjuUJG_A/video.html
Actually he has. However, in general, he will describe something he finds useful and of help an interest to other collectors, etc. He has a large international audience, and these gun books are only 'tangible' items the subjects of those places are allowed.
As for Gun Jesus,... There must be a viewer out there who can make an appropriate citation from the New Testament, but in any case, we all know how rarely the Good Shepherd spoke an unkind word. By the way, what does Ian's dad, or Dad, think of his Son's unofficial title?
I generally don't review books that I don't think are worth getting, at least for a specific interest group. I would rather use the time to promote good authors than denigrate poor ones.
Question: Is the gun Jesus reference actually to an Hispanic nickname of an Anglo, like Francis O'Rourke called 'Beto', and you being from Arizona being called "Jesus', since Jesus, pronounced "Hey Soos" an occasionally encountered name in the Hispanic community?
(BTW: Do I need to label this comment absurd for all those with a limited sense of humor?)
Mujhe cahiye ye gun
Halli