How do YOU afford this...

[Legionnaire]

Good for you, Westex91. Debt is slavery; it shouldn't be a lifestyle.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Just like buying a used vehicle, there are GREAT bargains out there in the "Used" market. Let someone else who is unsatisfied, bored, or threatened by a spouse take the loss. You may not get exactly what you want, but you'll for sure get something usable.

 

[Racemike]

I agree that the cost of things for shooting and hunting has skyrocketed in the last 40 years. I'm older now still hunt have fewer rifles, down to 5. I don't have 5000 dollar guns with 3000 dollar scopes, nor 2000 dollar range finders. The way I have learned to get by this high dollar drain is first I buy a very good rifle factory like sako, kimber, browning. Then I make sure it's a caliber I can use for numerous game and distances and that's always going to be what a person likes. Then I go to work on the loading bench for couple months making different loads, bullets, primers. Believe me I still like reading about powders and bullets but a lot of the time some of same powders I was using 30 years ago still work great. I make loads that help make my rifle more accurate, mind you I'm just a hunter so accurate to me isn't what it might be for some of these people shooting 1000 yds. Most of mine will touch holes at 100 yds. Then I try to by the best scope I can afford usually around 1000 dollars I have had luck with Leopold, and Zeiss. I have trigger work done make sure it's bedded good. Now I rarely shoot over 400 yds. But it works well for me on pig, deer, elk.

 

[Flyingdaddy]

Too soon old, Too late smart here. Been doing the "buy cheap and trade up" for too long. That doesn't create any leverage to buy anything really good. What can you get for a used Savage? Best advice I've read is to buy a used custom rig. There are online sites where real quality custom rifles come up for sale. Buy that and you already have the custom stock, the custom trigger, the custom or trued action and maybe a scope. You can then rebarrel in your choice of caliber and have a $5K gun for about the price of an off the shelf stock rifle.
Then you need to invest in a reloading set up. Done deal.

 

[LongProng]

Oh aircraft are a financial drain as are boats (happiest day of a boat owners life is the day he buys it only exceeded it by the day he sells it)

I disagree. I love my boat. I bought it new in 2007. It's a 17' aluminum with a 115 horse outboard. Super low maintenance and I use it for towing, fishing, duck hunting, and Scuba. It's now paid off. As I get older I may sell it, depending if it's use goes down. Aluminums hold their value well so I could probably sell it now for over half what I paid. I did purchase smart and not go overboard, pun intended.

As far as the op question:

Mid 40's, account manager for a large package goods company with a school teacher wife. 2 kids, 1 grown and gone, the other in high school. Both kids have worked since they could drive, which is 15 here in Idaho. Kids are much more financially tolerable when they work, plus it instills work ethic and the value of money early on.

I try to purchase smart, i.e. I purchased a Vortex for half of msrp using my veteran status and Expert Voice. I save up when I want to make a large purchase and always pay in cash. The only debt I have is my house and student loans. I have never had a car payment ever. The only thing I ever financed was my boat, and if I had it to do over, I would of paid cash for a used one.

I have a few rifles and shotguns that have been passed down to me but the majority are purchased over time. I own 2 customs made by Benchmark and I keep two good scopes on two mounting systems. One on a flat mount for bolt actions and one on a 20 moa mount for ARs. Both use pic rails.

Buy smart and stay out of debt. My 2c.

 

[ducky]

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

47
Daughter 16
More than my wife will ever know about! I'm usually pretty frugal though my last one was about $2500, SS M70 Classic $450, .338-06 SS Pac-Nor SM #3 $500, McMillan Hunters Edge $425, Talley LWT mounts $35, and VX3 2.5-8X36 B&C $350. Kevin Weaver put it all together (blue print, install barrel, and pillar bed) for $800. Everything was purchased off of a forum like this one, except the barrel, and the action. I watched gunbroker for almost two years before I won a SS Classic M70 for $450.

 

[tangodown]

62, Retired, three children and four grandchildren... Things were tight when the kids were growing up... But bought things that could be used for multiple sports... Now I buy what I want but am always looking for best value stuff I can resell and invest in things in my wish list... For instance, I purchased a Savage in .270 for $125 and will sell everything but the action. Will then purchase Barrel, chassis, trigger, etc and send everything to the gunsmith for assembly and tuning.

Always buy stuff on sale... And, if you're a Veteran or LEO shop at ExpertVoice. There are outstanding discounts for glass, barrels, reloading stuff, etc!!!!! The prices are easily 30% to 60% of MSRP (depending on the item) .....

 

[AC300RUM]

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!

49
Facilities management
2 kids still at home, one off to college, one off to the real world this fall.
Just retired Custom MAtch Grade Arms built on a model 70 that's in its 23rd year, 3rd 7 STW barrel and second stock. Old and very beat Leupold VX3 long range 4.5-14x50 with a premier reticle. Rifle cost $1800 in 1996, scope was $450. Interestingly this rifle started life slinging 140 grain Barnes X's, second barrel was worn out by 160 accubonds and finished its career pushing 180 grain Bergers. Too many unsatisfactory attempted replacements between now and then, from a lot of custom and semi custom makers, I don't even want to know what I've spent. My current setups are a Fierce edge in 6.5 creedmore that shoots lights out with 140 Bergers and wears a 3-18x50 Leupold VX6 HD with TMOA reticle, so call it $4500 into the setup. My rifle I will hunt with 90% of the time is a Christensen Arms Traverse in 300PRC. Leupold 4-24x52 TMOA reticle. It will be shooting 214 or 227 Hammers. Right around the same money, $4500. Seems to be a reasonable amount for two pretty solid outfits.

 

[doctorjj]

44 married
2 kids, 9 and 11, both into shooting
Orthopaedic Surgeon
$25,000 or so
Two favorites to shoot are 6.5 Creedmoor Surgeon in AI chassis with a Bushnell XRS and Hill Country Carryweight 375 Cheytac with a Vortex Razor HD Gen II

 

[Pacecount]

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

Allow me to ask you a question. Do you know what you want to get out of this? Do you consider yourself a hunter or a shooter?

As a hunter I don't shoot my "custom" belted magnum that much other than to verify ballistics and scope zero. I really do not spend a ton of time on the range. When I do go to the range I might shoot 20 rounds max.

You might consider a quality rifle school to give yourself more confidence with your rifle.

How much time do you spend getting in shape for hunting season? What do you hunt?

When I read your post I perceive you to be more of a shooter than a hunter. I am a bit of both. I have a few rifles with dual purpose for range/hunting. My 6.5 CM is great for the range and hunting, ammo is not terrible, and it is a short action.

You can buy a sub moa rifle for under $1K (sake/tikka/browning). You need about $1500 for good glass. You don't need to be rich but you do have to pick and limit your passions.

I will play along:
* 50 going on 40
* Sales Management
* X wife of 22 yrs got $$$$ but not my guns
* No kids, but I did pay for invetro 5 times
*If any of you have an attractive daughter at least 30, athletic, likes hunting (ability to pack out a rear elk quarter a +) and more to the conservative side?

 

[Bradu]

I was fortunate enough to have a really good paying job for a few years and spent quite a bit on this hobby when I quit traveling. I make a lot less money now so I might buy one big item a year to add to the collection. I usually volunteer for overtime when available and that goes towards my toys.

 

[5gauss]

The guy with only one LR rifle is usually very good with it....no confusion with other rifles, calibers, etc. You can always find a great used custom or variant when someone with unlimited finances wants something different etc. Also group buy components if possible or just buy bulk when you know what works best. When you get it all dialed in it is good for life really. Not about need, more about want.....

 

[Pmacc60]

59 , married same woman four kids all out of the house. Two sons that are my hunting and fishing buddies. Don't drink , well in moderation ! Don't smoke and don't run women( not that there is anything wrong with that) Forty five years of putting together equipment ! Buy well , handload and look for deals. Some great advice here on this site the other day ( don't remember who said it or I would give him props ) buy upper end optics used. For the same price as a new middle of the road scope you can have something special !

 

[ThrdKllr]

Wife and I are both 63 and retired. Took the money I would have spent on a custom rifle when in my 30's and 40's and saved it for retirement. I have 4 more payments on my tractor and we will be debt free. Combined my passions in to one. Hunting, shooting, reloading and machining. I've got an air conditioned and heated shop and 26 acres to hunt and shoot on.
Spend time with your family and enjoy them. When they develop their own interests, you can start veering toward yours. The time and effort spent raising your family will be worth more than anything you could ever imagine.
I know this isn't what you asked, just my experiences from being away from home a week at a time for 40 years.