Buy a gun or other luxury?

[andrewdl007]

When I get some extra money, I always put it in savings or pay bills. I see people who get a bonus or something like that and they buy a nice car or other luxury item. If you got a check for 5 thousand dollars that you had to spend, what would you buy? Would it be a gun? If so what model? Or would you buy some gun accessory or something not even gun related? I would probably put my money toward a .375 H&H which I am infatuated with now and then maybe the rest towards ammo and a nice watch. What about all you out there, what would you buy?

 

[OldBrownDog]

A new safe, finish building my reloading bench out, and a Winchester M70 Safari Express or Alaskan. I've also been bitten by the .375 H&H bug lately. I think I would have enough left over for dies, projectiles, etc. and a Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 to go on top.

 

[rule303]

If you are buying a quality firearm, they nearly always appreciate. It is just a different (and more fun) form of saving or investing. If you spent the same money on a vehicle or furniture, whatever, it will have devalued or gone out of style in a few years. Might just wait until .22 ammo is cheap and plentiful again, then buy a pallet of it to sit on until the next panic.

 

[horsemen61]

I'd stock up on reloading supplies for what I have now and that 5000 would buy me a lot of supplies

 

[Ivy Mike]

pay off a credit card or two
buy some stuff the kids need
dump the rest into savings

 

[Dr. Sandman]

I'd pay the bills first, then fully fund my retirement plan, then blow the rest on stuff I wanted.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

That's been my financial strategy for years, except I don't blow all the extra on stuff I want.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Paying off short term high interest debt should always be first. Next, given the current state of monetization and low interest, is to invest in hard goods that will maintain their value in the face of the devaluation of our currency (in the past this was called inflation but now the FED is transferring the fiscal effect of government policy to an increased money supply and suppressed interest rates, which is why it is foolish to save cash these days), but if you can scape enough cash together real estate is also a good place to maintain the value of your money. I have historically invested in Gold, Silver, and guns. My firearm purchases over the past 40 years have held or gained value. I do not buy many commercial guns but instead buy military and historical related items. The other side of that coin is that I bought a Remington 788 in 6MM Remington for $110 in 1973 that I could probably sell for $500 today. That was a pretty good investment.

Cars, clothes, and other social enhancements devalue the minute you purchase them and will never regain their value. Are you living for today or for the future? That will guide you to the answer you seek.

 

[thefish]

I'd put it into the market.

 

[redneck383]

Pay off bills, finish my 6.8 AR build, buy a 1911 and a Savage LRP in 6.5 Creedmoor. In that order. Anything left over would go for scopes for the rifles and reloading components and dies.

 

[BobTheTomato]

I give some to charity, save some and spend some

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Obviously if you have debt that needs to be paid or something that the family needs, then that's the only wise thing to spend on.
If I had $5k and no obligations, I'd buy a gun or two and spend the rest on reloading gear and components. Don't see that happening though.

 

[Reloadron]

With a 5K windfall? Maybe buy a M2 Carbine, I always (for some nknown reason) wanted one of those.

Ron

 

[Savage99]

When I was younger I bought a place up North to hunt from and ski.

I still have it after 60 years. It's worth more now.

I bought a cottage on the shore about 50 years ago. It came with a small sailboat which led to a larger ones. I sailed the East Coast for decades and spent the summers on it.

Now that I am a senior I still have the place up North however the larger boat was too much work and I sold the cottage.

 

[slumlord44]

I have been investing a part of my disposable income in good quality C&R guns that I like an enjoy. Also pick up guns that I can pick up for way under their current value when I can and re sell later. Better than most other investments and I buy what I like so I enjoy them. Any profit goes back in my collection so I am not "in the business". Works for me.

 

[Robert]

I bought a Winchester M70 Safari Express in 375H&H.

 

[torqem]

guns aint much of an investment, other than some lucky flukes, getting something of historical value, unknown to the seller, for instance. Land better make you money in some way(selling hay or pasturage, for instance) because you have to pay taxes on it. I've studied guns and shooting for longer than I care to think about. I have the few that I want and need. It's unlikely that I will buy more, barring loss or serious breakage of the few. I figured out that I enjoy most training, competing and hunting with the "emergency" guns. It just makes more sense to be to be faster and accurate with a few, than to be half-skilled with many. I'd put the money into .22 ammo,if I could find it at a fair price, scrap lead, again at a good price, and bulk buys of primers/powder. I normally can find all the 223 and 9mm brass that I need or want. If your "reason" is unknown to you, it's a whim, not a reason.

 

[Mike1234567]

That would pay for 1/4 of a complete photo-voltaic system or 1/3 of a complete water well... it'd go to the PV's if I hadn't already installed those and the well after that.

 

[Sb1911]

I would purchase a DPMS SASS along with some projectiles and brass,any left over money would go to bills.

 

[M2 Carbine]

If you got a check for 5 thousand dollars that you had to spend, what would you buy?

I'm retired, own everything and have a laid back lifestyle.

If a extra $5,000 landed in my lap I'd buy several friends new guns.

 

[rswartsell]

What guns do you already own? I view them as a "luxury" after a basic "tool kit" is assembled. If you are considering a .375 H&H, and you live in VA I assume the basics are well met. Are they?

 

[Mike J]

There are a couple of guns I want right now but nothing I have to have. However I have a 3 bedroom house & 3 kids. If I had 5000 that wasn't already budgeted right now the first thing I would do is finish in the bonus room over the garage. When I got done with that I'd probably buy some gun stuff (I will be providing my own labor for this project). The 2 niches I'd like to fill right now are a good quality .22 target pistol & an AR. I am sure both will get taken care of it is just a matter of time.

 

[9mmfan]

Five years ago? Guns, guns guns. Maybe that M1A I talked myself out of a time or two.

Two years ago? Might have tracked down a a S&W revolver that I wanted, say a Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. Maybe one of the blued 4" .44 specials. And/or maybe a 3" M13 that was cheaper then. Bank the rest.

Now? Probably 1/2-2/3 towards debt, save the rest for a rainy day. Maybe spend the cost for a day at the range.

YMMV. My situation has changed dramatically in the last year. All of it has been by choice though, still adjusting.

 

[bannockburn]

Pretty well set in terms of short term debt. Probably would save half and spend half. Guns I'm currently interested in would be a 30-30 lever action and a DA revolver in .44 Special.

 

[pockets]

If you got a check for 5 thousand dollars that you had to spend, what would you buy?

That happened to me a couple of years ago. I sold an extra vehicle and had exactly $5,000 in my pocket to spend on whatever I wanted to spend it on. I did this:

1. I had just bought my wife a new car the week before, so no new cars were needed.
2. I took my wife out to dinner.
3. I bought my wife a new Michael Kors purse.
4. I put the rest in the bank.
5. Then my wife demanded that I hasten to the gun store and buy something. So I picked up a .32acp NAA Guardian (Just because it was something I normally would not buy and made a nice addition to the pocket gun collection).

I got infinitely more enjoyment from doing special things for my wife, than I would have blowing the entire $5k on a firearm for myself.
Those of you who have been married for awhile know what I mean (32 years for me and my wife).


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