How do YOU afford this...

[esshup]

One thing I forgot to add is that to help with shooting expense I had a Savage bolt action .22LR rebarreled so I could shoot the 60g Aguilar Subsonics accurately out to 200 yds. Needed a faster twist barrel to stabilize them. That really helped me with my dialing the scope and reading the wind. I threw a Weaver 10x target turret scope on it.

Then for shooting out to 1K for relatively inexpensive practice, I have a FN SPR with a 26" barrel (factory rifle) in .308. With Factory Gold Medal Match ammo it's 1/2 moa to 1K, with reloads it will do better. I bought the rifle used with 16 rounds down the tube from a guy that couldn't hit a man sized target at 600 yds with it. I bought it (well traded work for it) in 2014 and I ended up paying what he paid for the rifle in 2009, and 50% of what he paid for all the accessories (10x Leupold Mark 4 scope, 20 moa rail, Badger Ordinance rings, Harris Bipod and 2 extra mags). The only thing i changed on it was add a Jewell trigger. That has helped me with reading the wind and adjusting the scope, and it's cheaper to shoot than the 7mm Allen Magnum chambering. The only thing I dislike about that rifle is that it's a CRF action. But for the $$ spent, and the accuracy that it showed me when I shot it before buying it, I can live with it.

 

[KJW]

1. Learn to do small things yourself. Do you know someone with tools to mount your scope or can you afford a kit?
2. Learn to bed a pic rail for your scope and bed your action.
3. For reloading, if you can't afford a kit, get one piece at a time. Lots of the expensive items in reloading save time more than create accuracy. Ex. automatic powder dispenser, they are nice but as long as you have a good scale you can still be accurate.
I'm a father of 3 and scrounge anything I can find. I watch classified forums for good buys and get pieces as I can afford. You don't need a super expensive rifle to start. I just worked on 2 Rem 700s. My 300 win and a friends 300 RUM. Both off the shelf factory guns. $800 a piece give or take. I watched some YouTube videos from guys I trust. I split the cost of a bedding kit with my friend and bedded both actions. Bedded both pic rails and mounted the scopes we both got used. We got most of our reloading tools from online sales and classifieds. It took some time to get there but today we both verified drop data and shot sub minute groups at 800 yds. You can do it. It just takes more time than most would like. I'd love to have a $4000 rifle as I've shot one before but I'm not sure I personally can do more with the $4000 than I can with the gun I have completed for under $2000

 

[livetohunt]

I'm 28, married for 8 years and daughter is almost 2. (Don't get me stared on her birthday being October 11th)

I'm a prototype machinist at a semi large machine shop.

I don't have any custom guns, I don't even have anything with an aftermarket barrel. I just did my first semi custom build for a buddy. Considering I'm a machinist you would think I would have done a couple gun builds for myself, but I work so much, it's hard for me to be at work in my spare time. And I hardly ever get to shoot.

Guns and optics I probably have $10k invested. I have a model 700 with a little work to it in .300 win mag and I've held under 1 MOA out to 1400 yards.

 

[Bdubose]

Age - 61
Occupation - 1) Training Manager for Chemical Company (for income)
2) Pastor of a thriving church (more of vocation - calling)

Kids - 3 grown daughters, 11 grands and help take care of my dad and our ranch

Dollars - I don't count them! Just have fun while you gather up the stuff!

I have no custom gun. I spent the last 2 years and my money perfecting my old deer and elk guns and teaching my grandsons how to shoot LR.
My best result so far is that I have taken my 40 year old Rem. 700 bdl in 7Mag to 1220 yards and am shooting 0.4 MOA at 300.

Working on loading my 300 RUM in REM 700 BDL for elk at 800 yards and hope to take it out to a mile next year on steel. If I don't make it next year then maybe the next. Don't sweat the small stuff!

All I have done to my 7mag is trigger and glass.
Had to put a brake and high dollar glass on my RUM. The trigger is OK for now, but is next on the list.

I am spending money now on reloading stuff: at home just acquired an annealer and tumbler. We shoot at the ranch 4 hours away so we are setting up a 2nd press & stuff for load development.

Once I have all the toys and experience - then maybe a custom gun.....?

 

[Dirtdevil]

54 own my own business married (wife loves to shoot ) grown daughter. If I sold all the firearms I have I could easily be out of debt with money to spare. Buy used is great advice I shop the classifieds on many sites. In the last few years I have started upgrading some nice older stuff to higher end rifles and optics. Financing it all. I sell real estate for a 2nd income to pay for it all

 

[Aldon]

57
No kids at home. But 8 grandkids and counting.
Still working as national service manager....due to housing crash and losses, probably have to work many more years.
Couldn't really do much with this obsession until the kids were grown.
Now I have around 15k in reloading equipment and materials and probably have 15k in rifles and scopes. From $200 dollar scopes to $4k scope. But only what is necessary to excel at what rifle combo is required to do.

Didn't ever get caught up in keeping up with the proverbial Jone's.

Don't have any full out customs. Do have a couple semi customs.

Now that I wear bifocals, I've slowed down a bit on high end stuff.

 

[fefee]

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!

 

[Toolhand]

37
Fishing tool supervisor in the oil field.
Married with a 3 year old
3 full customs and in need of a second safe.
Somewhere in the 60-70k range
Luckily I got into this sport early and Most of the stuff I have acquired was before getting married and having a son. Now he gets what he wants and I have a house full of toys instead of new builds.

 

[MachV]

Age
57 but srarted seeing how far a 22lr would shoot in the late 70s

Occupation
I R Welder

Kids / no kids =
One grown daughter that has no interest in hunting or long range but does enjoy shooting pistols now and then

Dollars invested in custom rifles and attached scopes

A quick inventory of the gun room has the value over 30k BUT it has been 40 years in development and a lot of reloading equipment and supplies.
Nuthing true custom at the time but a few that have been upgraded with barrels, have had a couple customs over the years but found them no better than a good tuned factory.
There have been a couple of Night Forces and a few IOR scopes but 12x leupolds and Votrtexes do most of the scope work these days
Boats, Bikes,Wives and 4x4 Trucks have come and gone but the guns,reloading and hunting have always been there!
It aint about keepping up with the jonses, its about your priorities and doing the best you can with what you have......
He who dies with the most toys is still dead! The memories of getting out there and trying are priceless ;-)

 

[foul bore]

Im 71, and it took years to accumulate the guns and optics I now have, no customs, I have seen, and own good quality rifles that will shoot right with a lot of customs. shooting/hunting are my only hobbies now. 3 kids are out of house, my wife is ok with any new purchase if I use good sense. now retired after 33 yrs in business. I have to not spend foolishly. like others just save to buy quality

 

[dk17hmr]

33
Construction, inspection, survey, materials testing
2 young boys
Lots and lots of coin tied up in custom rifles, optics, cans, reloading equipment and supplies

My wife and I make a very respectable income, have a decent nest egg and proportionally little debt. We are very deliberate and disciplined with finances and I have a new rifle built or something rebarreled just about every year.

She is into fitness and has lots of equipment in the basement gym.

We basically never tell each other no when it comes to our hobbies as long as we can pay cash.

 

[del2les]

Many decades dedicated to the sport forsaking many others. So much so, I held a class 1 and class 6 FFL, owned-operated an ammo business for a few years, very competitive shooter during the 70/80/90's era. Also, I have a brother who is a gunsmith, machinist, etc, but I do a lot of work myself.

Old age but still running the business. Income is six figures based on ex-mil, 3 degrees, aviation, healthcare-business administration and investments, but I started poor on a small farm then went into aviation in the mil. Children long grown up and aging themselves. No major debts.

Many customs, re-barreled factories, tuned varmints, etc, etc. LARGE number of firearms, scopes, reloading equipment/components, etc. acquired over the many decades with an estimated value well into six figures $.

 

[Tarheelpwr]

One tip is get your C&R license ($30 for 3 years) and then ask EVERY place you shop if they extend dealer pricing to C&R holders. You'll be surprised how many say yes.

34
2 girls 5/6 and # 3 on the way
I'm area manager for an Oil and Gas manufacturing company. I also own 2 Sport Clips locations.
I have enough toys to fill all my needs. I recently consolidated qty to upgrade quality. I have limited time, so I made the choice to upgrade what I can use rather than have lots I don't use.

My key to being able to "play" is set aside a designated portion into a separate account every pay. If there money in it, I can spend. If not, I don't. For a while, it was only $100/month, but over time it bought nice things. That way I know I'm not neglecting family needs. And above all like someone above said, NO BAD debt. I can't say I don't have any debt with the businesses, but it's all working for me. Take care to avoid any high interest irresponsible debt.

 

[Kooz7]

52
2 girls one boy -all grown and moved out long ago , youngest is 28yrs old
I am retired military , currently working for Lockheed Martin
Like most here...… many dollars invested
Love guns/hunting and shooting anything I can get my hands on. Has been an obsession since I was a child . Have a soft spot for single action revolvers and lever actions . The kids enjoy shooting /hunting and the wife goes with me hunting also .