[commygun]

So which gun have you spent the most on over and above the actual
cost of purchasing the gun itself? I'm not talking about ammo, leather
and scopes, etc. but mods to the gun itself. Mine would be my Mauser
Broomhandle Bolo. My quest for a good-looking and good shooting
Broomie has made the following inroads on my wallet:

Cost of gun itself $300

Refinish and re-line bore $200
New coil springs and magazine spring $30
New sear spring $30
Bolt stop $25
Gunsmith who knew less about Broomhandles than me $40

Finally it has become a pretty reliable shooter but I'll always be on the lookout for better parts, new grips that fit, cool leather, etc. I hope it'll
be something one of my sons will be pleased to inherit.

I know this is peanuts compared to what some 1911 fans regularly sink
into their guns. Let's hear about your favorite dollar-sponge.

[sm]

I've never had a money pit; includes multiple 1911's.

[firestar]

I am happy to say that I have never really owned a "money pit". I have had a few "time pits", that cost nothing but some elbow grease and a few weekends.

I don't go in for a lot of custom work because I don't know any good gunsmiths. Most of the "gunsmiths" near me are nothing but a bunch of jokers. I have found that given enough time, I can often do what needs to be done to my guns. If they are messed up, they go back to the factory, if they just need a little help, I can do that.

I know people that will customise every hundgun they buy, even cheap guns. I know a guy that has about $600 worth of custom work done to his Ruger GP-100 not including the original cost of the gun. I don't see the point, get a Colt Python or a S&W 586/686 and save some cash and have a better gun to start with.

[cool45auto]

I've only got about a hundred bucks or so in parts in my Beretta. That figure will go up, though, as soon as I figure out what I want done to it at LTT.

[mainmech48]

I'd have to say (sheepishly) that it'd be one of my Ruger 10/22s. It started out as one of the Wally World Specials-SS with laminated stock-purchased for $165.00.

When the best I could do at 50 yds with the open sights turned out to be about 2 1/2", I bought a Tasco "World Class" 2x7 scope and mounted it. Paid about $60 for it.

That brought groups down to about 1 1/2". Maybe a better trigger pull....

Power Custom hammer, trigger, sear and shims: $95 as a kit at a show.

Groups now at 1". Now what?

Wife buys me a Butler Creek "Light Varminter" barrel and stock from Cabela's for Christmas, on sale for $149.

I install them. Groups now run 7/16" with Federal Gold Medal Match or Ely 10X, 5/8" with Remington Yellow Jackets.

I now have nearly $500 and a years work in a 10/22 that shoots almost as well as the Brno ZOM 451 that I have less than $200 in, including scope.

But it WAS fun.

[10-Ring]

Money pit? Well, the only gun I've put more money into than the amount I spent on it would be my Colt 1991a1 :rolleyes:

[popeye]

Ex wife

[Henry Bowman]

Popeye - Your favorite ?

[BlkHawk73]

Have to be my HK USP40 that I set up for plate shooting.

Around $600 new (can't remember exactly)
MMC adj. tritium sights $100+
Refinish at Robar $120 (I think)
HK optics mount $100
Leupold/Gilmore LG35 $ 125

That or the bone stock P7M8 @$1000+:p

[Stickjockey]

Firestar M45.

A whoppin' twelve bucks to have a burr on the front sight dovetail slot removed...:D

[blades67]

My favorite money pit is my '81 El Camino.:neener:

I did buy a Hi-Vis front sight for my Glock 19, $19.99 plus tax.

[Zach S]

Uh, a Para C7.45 LDA? My guns are stock, with the exception of a slide stop on one and an extractor and grips on another. Sights coming soon.

My favorite money pit is my '81 El Camino. Ford Fairmont here, although the GF is a close second, just dont tell her, lol.

[taoshooter]

So far.....my Para 16-40 but only from buying pre-ban high cap mags and extension bases. Other than that its only a couple springs and a lighter trigger.
But, just got a new pre-ban AR that I already know I'll spend a lot on to make it just the way I want it.

[4v50 Gary]

Sig P220. AO tech big nite sight on it (but I learned too late that you can't really do head shots anymore cuz it's so big and bullets hit the hairline or above) & laser sights (as backup). Everything else is factory.

[doctorhumbert]

I have an inground swimming pool. It requires 8months of constant pump operation, constant supply of chroline tablets, algae killer, cleaning, repair, winter closing and opening, and fishing out drawned rabbits.
It's great for guests with kids, but I don't have my own and I only go in it may be twice a year.
Oh, also my guns (1911's or BHP) which eventually needs (wants) bunch of rather unnecessary customizing.

[444]

I have definitely spent the most money on one of my AR15s. I don't know how much I have in it, but it is considerably more than the gun cost. KAC RAS II, Aimpoint ML2 w/mount, Surefire 900A weaponlight etc.

The biggest money pit is without question a Ruger Single Six that I bought at least third hand. A buddy of mine purchased it at a pawn shop and I bought it from him. I sent it back to Ruger twice and had it at two different gunsmiths. When it got to the point that there was no mechanical trouble it still didn't shoot very good accuracy wise. So, after pouring good money after bad, I sold it and bought another stainless Single Six, a Single Six Bisley, a S&W Model 17, and a S&W Model 617. I really wanted a good .22 handgun I guess.

I have sunk a lot of money into various guns and never had one that was what you would call a custom gun. It was all mostly on gunsmith bills.

[aircarver]

I have an airplane.... Makes guns look downright reasonable ! :D

[larryw]

USP Expert: that thing just consumes 45 ammo like it grows on trees. Oh, ammo doesn't count?

Springfield Armory TRP: spent a small fortune getting that thing to feed ball ammo after SA proved unable to do so. Oh, favorite...

Ruger Mk II Slabside. Trigger job and reddot added about $200 to the purchase price. Love that gun!

[Zundfolge]

My biggest money pit is my 1970 Porsche 914 :neener:

But I've spent quite a bit more on my Makarov then what I paid for it.

Its sporting Novak sights and will soon have a nice set of ultra-thin African Blackwood grips.

[Stainless Steel]

Hi All!!

Jim Hoag Norinco 1911 .45acp:

I married a Chinese girl and I am a devout
1911 fan. I figured, if anybody should have a
Chinese 1911 it should be me. Back when the
guns first started being imported, Jan
Libourel wrote a glowing report on the gun in
the now defunct Peterson's Handguns. I took
this as a green light and bought a blued
model, new in the box, as a project gun.

Jim Hoag was kind enough to build this
Norinco with King's parts for me.

Picture 1:

Beveled magazine well. Hard chrome receiver.
New Colt barrel and match grade bushing. Cool
lanyard loop. Note famous rough Norinco
machining on slide seriations.
http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/gun/hoagnrnc1.jpg

Picture 2:

Extended slide release and thumb safety.
Enhanced style hammer. High hold beaver tail.
Bead blast and re-blue slide.
http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/gun/hoagnrnc2.jpg

Picture 3:

Brazed in front sight, high visibility rear
sight. Turned barrel. 4.5lb trigger.
Reliability package. New exotic wood grips.
Polished stainless grip screws. All my guns
are shooters, not a safe queens.
http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/gun/hoagnrnc3.jpg

http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/nra1.gif

[Stainless Steel]

Hi All:

One of my '1911 project guns in 9mm'. Here is
a Springfield that Jim Hoag did for me in the
very early 1990s for Steel Challenge shooting.

Picture 1:

Hoag's black oxide combat finish. Original
slide stop still parkerized. Kings trigger.
Checkered front strap that I sanded the
points off. Kings extended thumb safety. Hoag
beaver tail. Original hammer. Hoag WW2
reproduction grips. Torx grip screws.
http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/gun/hoag9mm1.jpg

Picture 2:

Checkered main spring housing. Brazed in
front sight. Bomar rear sight. Kings
Ambidextrous thumb safety. Flattened and
serrated top of slide.
http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/gun/hoag9mm2.jpg

Picture 3:

This is a shooter, not a safe queen as you
can tell from the worn finish.
http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/gun/hoag9mm3.jpg

http://home.mindspring.com/~colt45acp/nra1.gif