Flayderman's Guide: there is nothing I can say about this book that has not been said a thousand times already. Previous reviewers have thrown around praises like "classic," "great," "brilliant," and "remarkable." But, somehow, even these compliments do not seem complimentary enough.

This amazing book, now in its 6th edition, is quite simply the best and most important study of antique American firearms ever written. It should be the first purchase of every new collector, yet it is considered indispensable by even the most advanced experts. Here at the editorial offices of Man at Arms, we use Flayderman's Guide on a daily basis. It seems to cover everything. And not just in a cursory way either. There are plenty of specialized books on the market (whole books, mind you!) that have less to say about their subjects than you can find in Flayderman's.

Almost all collectors own a well-worn copy of the Guide, but some don't always bother to purchase the latest edition. This is unfortunate because new information is continually being added. For instance, this 6th edition contains about twenty-two pages of fresh material. The Remington section has been significantly improved. Complete revisions have been made to the Ballard Rifle and Confederate Cavalry Weapon sections and important additions have been made to all sorts of other topics (such as Whitneys, the "Baby Hammerless" revolvers and Civil War carbines).

Some folks might make the mistake of confusing Flayderman's with a common price list. Instead, what we have here is the definitive text book on antique American firearms; a work of scholarship so widely trusted that we almost take it for granted. If I had to sell my entire arms library except for one book, I would immediately choose to keep Flayderman's Guide.