Most expensive gun to shoot.

[Zen21Tao]

Recently a thread asked us about the most expensive firearm(s) we own. This got me thinking, for many shooters (myself included) the most expensive firearm to own isn't the most expensive gun to shoot.

For example, my S&W 500 ($950) was almost a third of the cost I put into a custom AR (@ $2500) but commercial ammo for the 500 runs about $2 per round compared to .20 per round of surplus .223 or even the .30-.40 per round for Black Hills match grade .233 ammo.

To offset the cost of shooting my S&W 500 (as well as my Glock 10mm) I took up reloading. This has really helped as I tend to blow through about 30-50 rounds of S&W 500 and 100-150 rounds of 10mm every two weeks.

My question for this thread is what is your most expensive gun to shoot, have you turned to reloading too, and how often are you able to shoot it?

 

[John-Melb]

In this part of the world the 577/450 Martini Henry would come close.

If/when factory ammo does turn up, it runs at about $7-8 Each.

 

[UberPhLuBB]

Well I don't own them (because I'm not insane), but you know someone would mention them eventually.

.577 TRex, .600NE and .700NE are CRAZY expensive to shoot. Boxes of 5 rounds go for hundreds of dollars.

 

[280PLUS]

The 16" naval gun...

 

[Hardware]

I'll disagree with 280 and say it is the 18.1 inch naval gun. Hard to find any examples of, let alone one in firing condition. And I'm pretty sure the US demilitarized (blew up) all the ammunition at the end of WW2.

 

[sterling180]

An actual Heckler and Koch PSG1 sniper rifle,complete with accessories and original H&K transit case.Must have be worth £1000s,then and is probably very expensive in the USA as well.

I was reading a review on historical firearms,by shooting journalist Harry Dolazell,in a recent edition of the British Gun Mart magazine.The photos were taken on a range pre-1988/89.

Its a shame that we can only visually see those wonderful guns and not have the opportunity to shoot them again,these days.

Also Holland and Holland and Purdey rifles and shotguns.These are handmade and are very expensive indeed-especially the gold-plated models.

 

[griz]

Not in the same class as the 600NE, but some of the propritary rounds such as the Lazzeroni are pretty steep. One of the heavy metal turkey loads, a 3.5 inch 12 gauge for instance, are approaching $3 a round too.

 

[Boom-stick]

fifty cal. The only reason I havn't got one yet is because of the cost of the ammo over here
To reload
cases are £2 each
Bullet £1.50
Primers £20 per 100
+powder and press etc...

So 100 rounds is gonna cost around $800 and that after you've spent $550 on dies and a press

 

[280PLUS]

I'll disagree with 280 and say it is the 18.1 inch naval gun.

Dang, I was close though.

 

[BozemanMT]

I would say some of the belt fed NFA items.
Because it's not really the caliber, but how much. Like the minigun at 4000 rounds/minute. You probably go through a LOT of ammo.

Or maybe a M2 50 cal, that could get spendy at 1.50 a round time 400 rounds a minute.

 

[444]

Within the last week I have seen two MP44s and talked to a guy that owned a third.
One was firing his at our local machine gun match.
It is chambered in 8mm Kurtz.
http://www.gunpics.net/german/mp44/mp44.html
No commercial ammo is available (maybe it is just very scarce), so obviously they have to handload for it including forming the cases from something with a base like an '06, .308, or 8mm. When they walked me through all the steps involved in making a finished case, it was obvious that it takes a considerable amount of time to make each one. One guy joked that it took so much effort to make one of these cases that he names each one. Just for a visual, you start with something like an '06 case and end up with something that looks a lot like a 7.62 x 39 case.
Now, it isn't common to find people shooting rifles that don't have commercial ammunition available. And it isn't common to find people shooting cartridges that require them to form their own cases, but none of this is unheard of.
BUT, how many of these people do you find doing this and then doing all their shooting on full auto ?
These guys were really scouring the ground for those cases after firing a mag or two on rock&roll.

So, money wise, the ammo is very cheap. But, considering that each case is hand made then handloaded, it would be a very expensive proposition.

 

[meef]

Well..........

After having raised five kids, I definitely know which gun is the most expensive to shoot. And it ain't 16 or 18.1 inch naval guns, either.

(This is my rifle, this is my gun....)

 

[hillbilly]

The "trounds" for the Dardick pistols are going for about $50 each lately.

http://www.wapahani.com/pistols2.html

 

[mp510]

The most recent round of 2.7mm Kolibri I saw for sale was over $75

 

[spooney]

Mine would by my .303brit, factory ammo around here goes for about $19-22 a box.

 

[grimjaw]

After having raised five kids, I definitely know which gun is the most expensive to shoot

Meef, at the risk of veering off the high road: it would be alot cheaper if you didn't shoot at live targets.

In my personal experience, most expensive was the .50BMG. Surplus at $2+ per round.

jmm

 

[critter]

Never mind the caliber, reloading NEVER saves any money!!!!! Your cost-per-round is about 50% (or less) of commercial BUT YOU SHOOT 10 TIMES AS MUCH! Ask me how I know!

 

[hksw]

I think the Trounds is up there due to its rarity.

 

[280PLUS]

After having raised five kids, I definitely know which gun is the most expensive to shoot. And it ain't 16 or 18.1 inch naval guns, either

MEEF wins!!

LMAO...

 

[Zen21Tao]

Let me just chime in to keep this thread on topic. What I am asking is for the most expensive to shoot gun that YOU yourself own not what are the most expensive guns out in the general population. I am looking to see what people feel "expensive" is based on what they actually own and shoot.

 

[HankB]

What I am asking is for the most expensive to shoot gun that YOU yourself own . . .

And I was going to vote for the 280mm atomic cannon, the nuclear rounds for which are probably more expensive than anything from the Iowa or Yamato . . . at least, if you embark on making your own.

Round for round, my most expensive gun to shoot is my .375 H&H, at least if I'm shooting solids. The last time I bought them as components - over 10 years ago - a couple of boxes of 25 Speer AGS Solid bullets ran me $70 each, almost $3 a bullet. I imagine the price hasn't gone down . . .

Some antiques (like the .577/.450 already mentioned) and the big British Nitro Expresses, as well as some more modern big bores, make my H&H look cheap by comparison.

 

[kentucky_smith]

My $50 1941 Carcano in 7.35. :banghead:

 

[foghornl]

Uhhhhmmmm

OK, lets modify the criteria a bit...

Modern, currently made handheld or shoulder-fired firearms, and calcualted strictly on a cost-per-round basis, factory ammo only.

Right now, the most expensive I have seen in "on the shelf" ammo is the .257 Weatherby Mag round, $63 per box of 20

 

[Vitamin G]

After having raised five kids, I definitely know which gun is the most expensive to shoot. And it ain't 16 or 18.1 inch naval guns, either.

Sounds like you don't shoot with a safety on...
You probably shoot just as much as any of us, but just have a higher hit percentage...
Ever considered switching to dry-fire practice or snap caps?

(I could go on...)




We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread...
I'd vote .700 Nitro Express... Shoulder reconstruction is probably really costly.

 

[Matt G]

I've sold the .300 Win Mag (which only ate handloads, but they were good handloads), so I suppose that the .35 Whelen would be next on my list of rifles that I own.

My father was trying to convince an acquaintence with a Ma Deuce that he needed to get a Dillon, and then realized: "If he can afford a Ma Deuce..."