How do YOU afford this...

[98dyna]

2 of my builds.First I bought a Savage 10 in a .308, adjustable trigger, 20 moa rail, and full aluminum bedded stock for $350. Bought a new Criterion barrel and had it installed, $430. New Vortex scope mounted but not used with rings $350. Total cost, $1130. 2nd Savage 110 380 accru trigger,stock,20 moa rail,aluminum bedded new $500. New X caliber rail barrel installed $320. new Vortex scope, rings $400. Total, $1220. Both guns I sold the old barrels on Ebay, a total $380 net. Both .260 AI. Total investment,+/- $2000. Picture of my 3rd project coming up, haven't figured out what caliber yet.

 

[69precision]

I'm a bit of a minimalist in life generally. Part of the fun of this for me is having basic, quality, stuff and doing the best possible with it. This is the golden era for that in my opinion, there is some really good quality gear out there for reasonable prices, especially if you buy used.
Currently I run a Savage LRPV 223 with 7 twist($800 used, had 50 rounds through it when I bought it.) 16x SWFA scope purchased used for $225. This is my target rig.
For hunting, a Remington 5R in 308 with SWFA 10X scope. Purchased used(like new) as a package for ~$900.
I know things change when it gets into the extreme long range stuff, but I take both to 1100 yards for target fun and I am very pleased with the results. For hunting, 500 yards is as far as I'm comfortable with shooting live big game. Works out well since the energy of the 308 gets iffy past that.
Age - 49
Occupation - Senior federal government employee(GS-15)(wife has a similar job).
Kids / no kids - 2, ages 4 and 9
Dollars invested in custom rifles and attached scopes - Custom stuff, $0. Total investment -see above off the shelf rifles, plus a basic rangefinder. Under $3k total for 2 rifles, 2 scopes, and various gadgets.
With our income, I could definitely afford custom rifles/high end scopes, but honestly am super happy with what I have. The only thing I could see in the future is getting even more back to basics and buying a sharps. Those things can get pricey though. Heck a Shiloh would cost more than all of my gear combined.

 

[yorke-1]

38
Married (19 years)
2 kids (15 and 17)
Self employed with multiple businesses

My wife hasn't worked in 18 years, even though it would have been awful nice! From day one all of the money for my hobbies has come from a separate bank account. In the beginning, if I spent $300 on a gun, an additional $300 went into an account for my wife to spend however she wanted. This was tough when I made $12.50 an hour! Any money I made from selling a gun stayed in my gun fund because it was a "return" on an investment. For years I built up the gun fund by buying and selling Contender barrels and other shooting gear on EBay and other forums. From there I had enough money in the gun fund to start flipping more expensive items and just kept working my way up. Through that whole process I've been able to play around with some pretty cool stuff and I've owned guns in 153 different chamberings now with total out of pocket expense of less than $2000 from the "general" fund.

I've moved away from a lot of the "gun flipping" since a couple of laws changed here in WA a few years ago. I've had a transportation company for about 15 years which turned into a consulting business to give me more time to shoot. With the extra time I started a screen printing business which now pays for all of my shooting expenses. The net profits from the screen printing all go into the gun fund. If I have gun project that I want to do, I just drum up the necessary business to pay for the project. If I'm not working on any projects at the moment, the printing equipment just sits in the shop and I go shooting with my free time.

 

[skipglo]

62. Bought my first gun at 13...and have purchased one or more every year since. Full customs...three and because I'm left handed I'm going to included the three more left hand Weatherby's. 5 kids, 3 ex-wives. Gave up no hobbies for guns. Just got older and the extreme physical sports fall off. Still need all the toys to hunt! So invested.......FAR TO MUCH. But they never loose their value if you look after them and I explained to family and friends....they're an investment just like an RRSP... except I get to use them all the time!

 

[Gcan]

We all have various levels of engagement in this sport, and we are all from different walks of life with different expendable incomes.

My Wife and I have "good" jobs, 2 young children that have a lot of interests/activities (cha-ch$ng). We manage our money well and have an eye for the future.

I was reading a thread recently about various mountain scopes, and some of you fellers listed off 6-8 scopes that you currently have in circulation that I would absolutely drool over.

I've lusted over the "kit" required to do long-range hunting any justice for years and years. In addition to a small safe filled with hand-me-downs and affordable factory guns, I have 1 custom rifle that was given to me as a thank you for coaching their sons lacrosse team for 3 years (fortunately it came with a nice scope too - VX6 6-24x52). I shoot as often as I can, I but in reality I wish I could shoot 3-4 times more than I do .... it's the cost of ammo/components that prevents me from going hog wild. I also would like to get a light caliber semi custom to get my kids in on the fun (but we will make do with our ruger American predator just fine.

I stand no chance of "keeping up with the Jones'" but I'd sure be curious to know....

Age
Occupation
Kids / no kids
Dollars invested in custom rifles and attached scopes

This should be interesting!

60s
Retired CEO
4 kids 38-47
About a NICE HOUSE: firearms
A nice small house: Glass

There is always someone with more stuff. Its not a race. Don't put $4000 glass on $1000 guns. Buy good OEM rifles you plan to shoot for fun. Decide what you want to shoot and Buy a custom gun for that purpose.

In my experience used custom guns almost always need to be re barreled. With todays modern machining, many OEM rifles shoot as well or better than custom guns from 25 yrs ago. I bought a new Ruger Precision and had Greg at Southern Precision spin up a 29" Bartlein 260 barrel. Put a Timney trigger in it and its a real 1/4 moa gun if I do my part. U do not have to spend $5000 to $7000 on a custom rifle to own great rigs.

Buy good $500-$750 glass for most guns and be happy. Unless you are shooting 800 plus a lot and making regular yrd changes you do not need the crazy stuff. When you can, buy one top tier scope (used is fine) with a hi quality QD mount and don't be afraid to swap it to different guns. Buy quality rings/mounts and bases or u r just wasting time/$$.

Most of us probably own a dozen or more good rifles and only shoot one or two of them regularly. Don't be afraid to parlay the stuff in the safe as a way to upgrade.

 

[Old Rooster]

Wow,great thread.
To see names I have seen over the years give information on guns and lives is humbling.
I'm old kids are grown so no big income here.
I'm not a rifle collector but a rifle accumulator mostly.
I have sold or traded rifles and shotguns and handguns that were far better than the ones I own now.No way to figure the value in my rifles and scopes and reloading gear.
Raising a family is the most enjoyable experience you will ever have and when you get older you will yearn for the days you have right now!I do every day.
I have figured out life,you build memories in your youth to relive in your older years.
Make good memories now you will be proud of when you reach the older years.
Rifles/scopes are nice but they won't hug you and tell you they love you.
Just my 2 cents worth,
Old Rooster

 

[rustyshackleford]

Age 28
Married
7 month old daughter
Recent ME Graduate

I was kinda smart before I got married. I always liked guns so that's where my money went. A bit of a Winchester fanatic so I've accrued a few here and there. Also work part time at a sporting goods store and get a good discount due to that. In 2017 I believe I worked as an intern 5 days a week and at the part time job the other 2. It was a pretty miserable summer but I got a model 70 extreme weather and trijicon scope for my labors. From what I gather if you don't have any other hobbies it's not that hard to have a VERY nice gun collection. I'll probably never buy a new truck or a nice bass boat but I also won't lose 10-15k on one the 1st year I own it. You also have to be willing to wait for deals. I put together a 300 blk over the course of 1.5-2 years saving money and waiting for promotions.

 

[John Klingenberg]

50 something, retired mil/police. I worked as a commissioned officer wherever I could depending on where I was stationed. Only one of 5 kids still at home, had her late, oops. I been hunting and shooting forever. Hunting was literally survival when I was young. It took me years of accumulation to get what I have. And during some hard times I had to sell a lot of it. Its stuff. Parenting #1. Those are years you never get back. Be patient. Hard work and time pay off. Be smart with your money and especially your health! You'll need it later on in life. I have a significant investment in guns and gear. I caught a store going out of the reloading business in the 90s and bought everything. I had a pocket full from a recent deployment. I'm still using that stuff. Go to hole in the wall gun shops and pawn shops. I've gotten some crazy deals this way. I have a couple really good setups but the rest are average i.e. Remingtons with a vortex. I dont depend on my gear to save my life anymore so I can step down some. my home protection and carry gun are top . I have a really super target rifle. Give the honey a specific list for holidays so your gifts are what you need. I doesnt cost much to put a quality barrel on a decent action and have a tack driver. You can add a better stock and glass later.

 

[smokepoler]

Priorities, does one really need 200 channel TV and one in each room? Video games, exercise machines, etc., etc. How about a laptop, a pad, and a phone. Even if one has the money, I've found you can do one hobby at a top level or a bunch of hobbies at lower levels. It's all about the time available and priorities.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

I'll probably never buy a new truck or a nice bass boat but I also won't lose 10-15k on one the 1st year I own it. You also have to be willing to wait for deals.

The truck thing rings true to me, I've had multiple friends say "wow I can't believe you can spend that much on your rifles" after they pull up in their new truck with a 10k dollar leather and entertainment package. They could have that same model truck 3 years older with cloth seats and an m107 laying in the back.

 

[FlyGuy11]

Age: Old enough
Occupation: Aviation
Kids / no kids: two minions
Dollars invested in custom rifles and attached scopes: Classified; just in case the wife were to ever read this.

Like most of the guys here I bought a basic high quality hunting rifle (under $1,000) and upgraded from there.

Glass on the other hand is a Buy Once Cry Once proposition for me.
Theory on Glass:

1. How far do you plan to shoot and what type of game? A general rule is 1,000 lbs of energy for deer and 1500 lbs of energy for Elk at impact (i.e. for my 28 Nosler Muzzle: 3626 lbs; 100 yds 3275 lbs; 500 yards 2142 lbs) This determines how much magnification needed.
2. Buy as expensive as you can afford by saving up ($3000 range for me)
3. Buy a Larue Tactical quick release mount
4. Put a picatinny rail on all of your rifles so you can use the best glass on all of your rifles (this requires re-zeroing with scope change, but you have awesome glass)
5. Buy reloading gear because the big boy rounds cost a lot (I shoot 280 Ackley and 28 Nosler)

 

[Daves762]

Age- 42
Occupation- Millwright/machinist/gunsmith
No kids
And no comment on the last question.
Ebay is your friend. I bet you have enough "stuff" laying around, in storage, or on shelves to buy your dream gun with optic. Especially if you have kids and a wife. Do a big cleanout and sell it all on Ebay.
I personally don't sell guns, ever. But I bet you have several that are there cause of sentimental reasons, or ones that you don't use much. Offer a gunsmith a trade for the work/labor. Buy one component at a time and put in in a rifle case. Once you acquire all the pieces, send it off to the gunsmith.

I bet you pay $1500.00 per year for cable with 100 channels of garbage programming, or hollywierd propaganda. Cancel it, and hand out books to the wife and kids, or play board games at family time. Hulu type internet video plugged into the TV when you want to have movie night.

Do you pay a gardener to mow your lawn, or housekeeper to clean your house?

Do you drop $7.00 per cup of coffee at a fancy place? Or do you make it at home and take it with you?

Clothes line rather than clothes dryer. Will drop your power bill a bunch.

I disconnected our propane tank, and sold it. Installed a wood stove, and turned off the breakers for the electric heat. We go into the mountains and cut our own wood. Get the wife and kids out there to help and have some good family time too. No "bought air" as far as heat.

If you live in suburbia start moving lawns and shoveling snow in the winter. Or build fence. All stuff the kids can help with.

Any shooting, EMS, or craftsman's skills you have could be taught to your friends or neighbors at a fee.

Another option, although not popular, that I have done myself, is to take the credit cards away from the wife. I recognized the hypocrisy of not being able to buy things I want, because I have bills from her buying things that she wants. I set up a joint account we both contribute to based on budget. We each have our own separate accounts. I don't spend her money, she doesn't spend my money, and all house bills are paid out of the joint account off a budget. It's amazing how much money I have for myself now that plan is in action. I still hear the dumb comments once in a while when I come home with a new toy, but I still have the new toy.

 

[338 dude]

We all have various levels of engagement in this sport, and we are all from different walks of life with different expendable incomes.

My Wife and I have "good" jobs, 2 young children that have a lot of interests/activities (cha-ch$ng). We manage our money well and have an eye for the future.

I was reading a thread recently about various mountain scopes, and some of you fellers listed off 6-8 scopes that you currently have in circulation that I would absolutely drool over.

I've lusted over the "kit" required to do long-range hunting any justice for years and years. In addition to a small safe filled with hand-me-downs and affordable factory guns, I have 1 custom rifle that was given to me as a thank you for coaching their sons lacrosse team for 3 years (fortunately it came with a nice scope too - VX6 6-24x52). I shoot as often as I can, I but in reality I wish I could shoot 3-4 times more than I do .... it's the cost of ammo/components that prevents me from going hog wild. I also would like to get a light caliber semi custom to get my kids in on the fun (but we will make do with our ruger American predator just fine.

I stand no chance of "keeping up with the Jones'" but I'd sure be curious to know....

Age
Occupation
Kids / no kids
Dollars invested in custom rifles and attached scopes

This should be interesting!

I have a big advantage over most not that I have a great income I am retired and on a fixed income but I've reached a point in my life where I'm trying to completely pay off everything and have zero debt basically my wife pays the bills because she is awesome and remembers me putting her through school and doing that earlier in our life for her I have no children and that is a big deal lots of money saved lots of time to do what I want to do although I do wish I had kids on certain days I have two custom rifle Combined and all in reloading equipment and all have over $10,000 invested easily but this is acquired over time it took me approximately eight years to get where I am now you were gifted a great rifle use it as much as possible if you get into reloading it will be much more expensive at first but will in time pay for itself and you'll be using much better ammo and I'm sure you will see the results on target

 

[338 dude]

I have a big advantage over most not that I have a great income I am retired and on a fixed income but I've reached a point in my life where I'm trying to completely pay off everything and have zero debt basically my wife pays the bills because she is awesome and remembers me putting her through school and doing that earlier in our life for her I have no children and that is a big deal lots of money saved lots of time to do what I want to do although I do wish I had kids on certain days I have two custom rifle Combined and all in reloading equipment and all have over $10,000 invested easily but this is acquired over time it took me approximately eight years to get where I am now you were gifted a great rifle use it as much as possible if you get into reloading it will be much more expensive at first but will in time pay for itself and you'll be using much better ammo and I'm sure you will see the results on target

I forgot to add I am 55 years old