Guns are actually cheap (?)

[dekibg]

Just thinking today, for $2000 or less you can have 3 pieces of firearms that will cover all your needs for life saving and other survival scenarios :
-good quality pistol or revolver for personal/home defense , up to $800
-semi-auto rifle for both hunting and SHTF situations, up to $800
- shotgun for home defense/ hunting $300

Heck, $800 nowadays is just a cost of labor at car dealership for timing belt change.
The only problem with owning guns, is that 3 mentioned above are usually not enough for average owner, you always want more when shooting becomes hobby.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I agree that it doesn't take much to have many needs covered. There is a tendency for most hobbies to go way overboard. I'm trying really hard to keep this in mind as I foray into woodworking.

 

[leadcounsel]

Guns are stupid cheap IMO, and they generally hold pretty good value for being durable goods. I'm always amazed at the relatively low cost of guns. Ammo and accessories on the other hand...

If you take care of it, you can generally get nearly what you paid for the typical gun (some go up a lot and some fall more than typical). Unlike jewelry, cars, dirtbikes, bicycles, washing machines, TVs, computers, video game consoles, ski equipment, bowling equipment, fitness gear, free weights and workout equipment, books/textbooks, power tools, etc.

 

[thegunpunch]

There are plenty of affordable options for firearm choices. Unfortunately all of mine like to be fed bullets and they are always hungry

 

[nathan]

Now the M91 /30 is getting more popular than ever. The fact that the former Soviet Union just celebrated 70 yrs after the end of WW2. And they were the first to enter Berlin and into the Reichstag. The M91/30 played a pivotal role in that final days of the war. And these same rifle s are being sold at an affordable prices .We are so lucky indeed.

 

[The Alaskan]

The purchase of a gun is cheaper than the purchase of many other durable goods/hobby start up costs, I agree, but you're not taking into account all of the associated costs.

Obviously, ammo is your biggest cost, and that will soon be driving people away from shooting as a hobby or lifestyle. You mention handgun for self defense. That means practice. That means ammo. Even "cheap" ammo is costly and often times not even available. You mentioned semi-auto rifle for SHTF. If you're planning for SHTF, then you're stockpiling ammo, which is uber expensive. So you try to offset those costs by "investing" in reloading, but components are increasing in price and decreasing in availability.

Don't forget annual range fees and miscellaneous consumables, such as cleaning and maintenance materials.

Guns might be cheap, but gun ownership isn't.

 

[leadcounsel]

And yet previous generations did so much more practicing with so much less disposable income, leisure time, and more expensive guns/ammo relative to wages.

 

[LiveLife]

Guns are cheap. It's ammunition that's expensive.

I shot well over 300,000 rounds of factory/reloads the past 20+ years (I think $50K+ including reloading equipment/match/shooting gear, range fees, etc.) and cost of several thousand dollars spent on guns pale in comparison.

I tried to tell my wife my reloading saved us enough to buy a house compared to buying all factory ammo but somehow she is not amused or convinced.

BUT, shooting/reloading has been cheaper than some other hobbies like riding quads. By the time you factor in several trucks as tow vehicles for toy haulers and several quads over the decades and the costs rise to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Still, life is short and family time and memories generated from camping/riding/shooting/reloading together as a family is priceless.

In comparison, our new hobby of ocean fishing is much cheaper, at least for the first year. "What? That's how much a new 12 HP kicker motor cost!? Yes, I do want to make it back to shore if my V8 jet drive fails! Excuse me? How much for replacement impeller?"

Thank goodness guns and reloading equipment are durable and relatively "cheap" in comparison. I could buy/build a bunch of guns/ARs for the price of a new outboard motor.

 

[kvtcomdo]

I agree completely.

They also appreciate in times of trouble.

 

[ku4hx]

Guns might be cheap, but gun ownership isn't.

That's pretty much universally true; initial cost of 'most any hobby is low. But compared to other hobbies, and their associated supplies and operating costs, guns and shooting is incredibly low cost.

Go check out a quality boat, motor and trailer for bass fishing. Do you take heart medication ... have it with you. And then there's golf ... priced a set of Ping clubs lately? And then you have to start buying carts, balls, bags, green fees and/or membership dues. Both of these activities in normal operation can easily outstrip the cost of gun ownership and shooting.

My wife is in the market for a higher end embroidery machine. That Baby Lock she bought a couple of years ago is just no longer adequate. The new machine she wants has an MSRP of $13,000. And the cost of a table for the thing would buy at least three Glocks. Then there's thread. Her last order of thread puts my component ordering to shame.

Comparatively speaking, shooting and all its associated cost is a low cost hobby.

 

[pdsmith505]

My wife disagrees, but my two hobbies are relatively cheap and put food on the table at the same time.

Brewing beer and shooting guns.

 

[DoubleMag]

Yes guns are cheap. However, the cost to secure the freedoms to own and use them are without price.

''If you're reading this, thank a veteran.''

 

[DeepSouth]

I tend to agree, I was talking to a coworker the other day and he made the comment that guns are expensive it got my to thinking, I have at least 10 guns that are under $200 in value and that's rifles, shotguns, and pistols. You can really do it cheap if you want to.

I'll agree that ammo is where the money goes, but again you can do that cheap to = shoot less.

 

[1911 guy]

We're discussing guns in comparison to other hobbies. Not wrong, it's part of the discussion.

But think of gun prices forty years ago versus today. Sure, they've gone up some, but have they gone up as much as a round of golf? The price of a car? You get the idea.

Guns are REALLY cheap when you look at it in context to other expenses.

 

[stoky]

 

[bannockburn]

I wouldn't quite say guns are cheap but I think they are still very affordable. It's all the ancillary things such as ammo, holsters, spare magazines, optics, gun cases, gear bags, range fees, tools, gun cleaning products, etc.; it's all these things and more that really add up your gun ownership costs.

 

[huntsman]

Guns are cheap enough for personal protection but the guns I want to own always seem to be more than I can afford.

 

[jmr40]

And yet previous generations did so much more practicing with so much less disposable income, leisure time, and more expensive guns/ammo relative to wages.

Not in my experience. My dad born in 1923 grew up during the depression. Everyone I know from his generation could make a box of ammo last a looong time. They rarely practiced, and NEVER plinked. They'd get a rifle zeroed and go hunting. A box of ammo a year was just about it.

They weren't better shots as a rule than todays shooters. But were better hunters. They only took high percentage shots.


In relation to inflation it is true that we work fewer hours to pay for the same quality firearms and ammo than our fathers and grandfathers did. The same is true of most other consumer products including gasoline. About the only thing we buy that has truly increased in cost are vehicles. But they last far longer and we spend far less on repairs than previous generations so even that is probably a wash.

The difference is that today there are far more things that we CHOOSE to spend our money on and it appears that we have less expendable income to pay for our hobbies. My dad never paid for cable, cell phones, a computer and internet service. I grew up in GA and never had AC in the house until I got in high school. Dad never owned a car with AC until after I graduated HS. We NEVER ate out unless we were traveling and family vacations were only to visit relatives where we could stay for free. I never went anywhere and stayed in a hotel until after I left home.

The OP nailed what my dads generation did. They would have 1 handgun, 1 shotgun, and maybe a rifle depending on where they lived. But for the most part they were very good quality weapons. Today, we aren't satisfied with 1 handgun, we want 5-6. Same with shotguns and rifles and we end up with several lower quality guns instead of fewer really nice ones. I'm as guilty as the next guy on that.

I often read some guys complaining about $1000 guns and how they only can afford a $300 gun. A $1000 gun in todays money would have been just an average gun 50 years ago. I figure anyone who can afford to own a computer and pay for internet service can afford a $1000 gun. It is just how they choose to spend their money.

 

[Garrobo]

I could cut

that in half by buying used at a gun show or from a private seller.

 

[BLB68]

Guns are just the first expense. Ammo, accessories, training, range membership/fees, etc. all add up. I was just doing some of that math earlier:

Relatively inexpensive AR build:

Rifle itself, including five magazines: $763.00
Plus tax and FFL fees on the lower. (WA makes FFLs collect sales tax.): About 50 bucks. (Rough estimate.)
Inexpensive Red dot: $92.00
1k rounds of ammo, 750 needed for classes, burn the rest for breaking in new gun, so this doesn't include range time outside of class: $345.00
FAS Level 1 and Tactical Rifle classes (not counting fuel, food and lodging): $570.00

That's $1880.00 so far for an "inexpensive" rifle.

Doesn't include lots of things, like a case, mag pouches, corner safe or other lockup for bedside access, small items needed for classes, build doesn't include a light and mount, range membership fees at a rifle range, more ammo, etc.

An inexpensive pistol adds up to a similar amount when you include training, ammo, holster, light, etc.

Of course the training may be considered optional if you've already had it, but practice isn't.

 

[Sniper66]

This is an interesting thread. It remains to be seen if I can get most of my money out of a gun since I rarely sell one. I too find gun buying to be reasonable for the amount of fun I get out of it, the ammo situation and expense not withstanding. I recently breached out into fishing; lots of fun, but try selling used fishing equipment. It ends up being garage sale stuff, but can be quite expensive to buy. Lures can be up to $25 each or more (I don't buy those). Then if you get a boat, whoa Nelly!! I really prefer shooting, both for the fun and the cost.

 

[we are not amused]

Not in my experience. My dad born in 1923 grew up during the depression. Everyone I know from his generation could make a box of ammo last a looong time. They rarely practiced, and NEVER plinked. They'd get a rifle zeroed and go hunting. A box of ammo a year was just about it.

They weren't better shots as a rule than todays shooters. But were better hunters. They only took high percentage shots.


The difference is that today there are far more things that we CHOOSE to spend our money on and it appears that we have less expendable income to pay for our hobbies. My dad never paid for cable, cell phones, a computer and internet service. I grew up in GA and never had AC in the house until I got in high school. Dad never owned a car with AC until after I graduated HS. We NEVER ate out unless we were traveling and family vacations were only to visit relatives where we could stay for free. I never went anywhere and stayed in a hotel until after I left home.

The OP nailed what my dads generation did. They would have 1 handgun, 1 shotgun, and maybe a rifle depending on where they lived. But for the most part they were very good quality weapons. Today, we aren't satisfied with 1 handgun, we want 5-6. Same with shotguns and rifles and we end up with several lower quality guns instead of fewer really nice ones. I'm as guilty as the next guy on that.

I often read some guys complaining about $1000 guns and how they only can afford a $300 gun. A $1000 gun in todays money would have been just an average gun 50 years ago. I figure anyone who can afford to own a computer and pay for internet service can afford a $1000 gun. It is just how they choose to spend their money.

I agree with the first half of your post, Dad, also born in '23, rarely target shot except just before hunting season to "sight in" the rifle. A box of 20 round ammunition would last a year or two. Plinking was always done with a single shot 22 cal. rifle, and almost exclusively by us boys. After teaching us rifle safety, we were pretty much on our own 'till hunting season.

While I agree that today we all seem to want a lot more guns than our parents did, todays guns, even the cheap ones, are generally of much better quality than our parents guns, and relatively much cheaper if buying new. Yes hand worked stocks and engraving cost more, but the mechanical parts work and fit much better. Today a sub 400 dollar rifle from Ruger or Savage out of the box, can shoot as well as a very expensive custom rifle of as little as 15 or 20 years ago.

 

[mboylan]

And yet previous generations did so much more practicing with so much less disposable income, leisure time, and more expensive guns/ammo relative to wages.

No, they used less ammo. It was precious. Every shot had to count.

 

[mboylan]

Average salary in 1960 was $4000 a year.

 

[LiveLife]

Average salary in 1960 was $4000 a year.

With current pistol prices around $500-$800, if you make $50K-$80K/year, relative price of guns have remained about the same since 1960?