spending big $ on hunting guns?

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Axis II

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How many of you spend a lot of money on a hunting rifle you might use 1 week a year? I grew up piss poor and still am so I always try and review things and get the very minimal I need that will work.
for instance my hunting guns are Mossberg 500, stoeger condor 20ga, savage 22, cva optima/stalker, h&r 44mag,savage axis rifles. they are all the bare bones, cheapest but best rated rifles I could buy. I also have them all topped with vortex and Nikons budget optics. I have always done this because I only get to hunt once a week if I'm lucky so I don't spend a lot on a hunting gun.

Now I have gotten the itch for a Marlin 1895 45-70 and topping it with leupold quick release rings and base and a leupold vx1 scope. for some reason I cant seem to spend the $400 on the gun, $130 on optics, and $70 on mounts. I currently have a cva stalker 45-70 that's heavy, $200, bulky, etc but a large part of me 80% says I use it one week a year if that so just deal with it and the other 20% says buy the marlin and try and sell the cva but ive been down that road before with a shotgun and 2 rifles where I found an upgrade cheap/sale and said ill just sell the old one to fund the new one and never sell the old one cause its my "backup or someone else can barrow it"

IMO $600 is a lot of money for a gun especially when its only used 1 week a year. what do you guys think?
 
A high dollar gun is absolutely essential if you desire to sit around bragging about you high dollar guns without being a liar.

The animals have no idea how much you spent on the gun that killed em dead right there.
 
At some point, our low dollar, hand-me-down, or beat up military surplus guns start accounting for misses on game. With only a week a year to hunt, the reason behind doing the range time, and confidently killing game with a quality rifle becomes clear. Spending $$ to be able to drop the deer, and fill the freezer, is worth a lot in satisfaction.
 
My opinion, with any purchase realy, is that if it doesn't hurt your budget, and you want it, go ahead and get it. I own a few 800-1200 dollar rifles, while thats not truly "expensive" by any rite, thats what my budget could afford at the time.
Now, if i want a new rifle in that price range or higher, ill have to sell a couple or more of what i have to get it, so even tho I really want a nice Cooper i wont be getting one.

Another thing to think about is hunting for most of us isnt a necessity, its a pleasant pass time that happens to provide some good eating as well. The enjoyment we get from our guns is mostly having something we LIKE, so I think about it as something i wanted, that just happens to get used for hunting, but provides way more entertainment year round.
 
I think that if you can't justify it, don't buy it. But....(there's always a "But") If you don't shoot your guns more than once week a year, you aren't getting the full benefit of the gun or the familiarity some (myself included) obtain by trigger time.

Now, I don't send NEAR the amount of lead down range that some shooters do. But I easily send 800-1000 rounds down range a year. I truly enjoy shooting my rifles. And because I have spent the time working up the right loads and then practicing with those loads, when I go to the woods with a rifle for whatever animal it is I'm chasing, I don't even think about the shot. I know that when I pull that rifle to my shoulder, the animal is going down. That's not hubris. That's as much knowing my limitations as it is confidence in my abilities.

I don't have a rifle/ring/scope combo under $750. Most are near or north of $1000. That's not because I don't think an Axis with a Simmon 8 point wont do the job. It most certainly will. It's because I saved to buy I really wanted. JM's, DNZ's and Nikons or Vortex's. Now that being said, these guys that go out and spend 3k-5k (or more) on rifles boggle my mind. But if they have the money and want to spend it on those rifles, more power to them. Not my thing. But I also don't have the bank roll to do it.

As for the Marlin 1895.... They really are fun. I love mine. The 45-70 is probably my favorite cartridge. And loading 5 of those big ole cartridges in my rifle makes me kinda feel like the king of the mountain. But in all reality, I've never needed more than one shot. And let's be honest for a second. It's not like you're going to have a fast follow up shot with a 45-70 unless it's really been loaded down to CAS level loads. You're looking at probably 3 seconds minimum to fire, accept and return from recoil, work the lever, and find the animal in the scope again in open terrain. And if your in hardwoods, add a few more seconds.
 
BigBore44 said:
I think that if you can't justify it, don't buy it. But....(there's always a "But") If you don't shoot your guns more than once week a year, you aren't getting the full benefit of the gun or the familiarity some (myself included) obtain by trigger time.

Now, I don't send NEAR the amount of lead down range that some shooters do. But I easily send 800-1000 rounds down range a year. I truly enjoy shooting my rifles. And because I have spent the time working up the right loads and then practicing with those loads, when I go to the woods with a rifle for whatever animal it is I'm chasing, I don't even think about the shot. I know that when I pull that rifle to my shoulder, the animal is going down. That's not hubris. That's as much knowing my limitations as it is confidence in my abilities.

I don't have a rifle/ring/scope combo under $750. Most are near or north of $1000. That's not because I don't think an Axis with a Simmon 8 point wont do the job. It most certainly will. It's because I saved to buy I really wanted. JM's, DNZ's and Nikons or Vortex's. Now that being said, these guys that go out and spend 3k-5k (or more) on rifles boggle my mind. But if they have the money and want to spend it on those rifles, more power to them. Not my thing. But I also don't have the bank roll to do it.

As for the Marlin 1895.... They really are fun. I love mine. The 45-70 is probably my favorite cartridge. And loading 5 of those big ole cartridges in my rifle makes me kinda feel like the king of the mountain. But in all reality, I've never needed more than one shot. And let's be honest for a second. It's not like you're going to have a fast follow up shot with a 45-70 unless it's really been loaded down to CAS level loads. You're looking at probably 3 seconds minimum to fire, accept and return from recoil, work the lever, and find the animal in the scope again in open terrain. And if your in hardwoods, add a few more seconds.
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the only time I like a rifle that's not single shot is when I'm messing around in the southern mountains with possible black bear, lions, hillbillies, and coyotes. I shot a deer a few years back that the scope was damaged from sight in and it wounded the deer and I needed that second-3rd shot. didn't finally kill it but slowed it down a lot for the kill shot.
 
I have paid $1200-1400 just for blanks for a few rifle stocks, let alone the duplicating, the pattern stocks, finishing, checkering, bedding, etc... I have a couple switch barrel hunting rigs which have $1500 just in barrels. I just bought another PTG dbm bottom metal for a Ruger M77, $225 for the metal and one mag. I have a couple AR's with $500 paint jobs which I take out after coyotes. I have a couple custom revolvers which were around $600-1000 to buy, and twice that much to modify...

None of them kill deer any deader than the $350 ADL I bought for my mom's boyfriend a few years ago, or the $400 Savage Trophy I bought for my dad, or the $250 Ruger M77MkII I bought when I turned 12.

I would challenge you this, however - how proficient are you really with the firearm if you REALLY only use it that one week per year? I hunt with my pleasure shooting rifles - 99% of my shots taken with any of them are NOT at game. I figure it this way - go to a few movies at the theatre each year, you'll spend a hundred bucks or so per year. Do that for 30yrs and you'll have bought the price of a dang nice rifle in movie tickets. I personally haven't ever enjoyed any movie as much as I enjoy target shooting or big game hunting... I paid something around $1500 for my lifetime hunt/fish/furharvest license, and have spent thousands of dollars on tags and out of stage licenses and tags, thousands on guided hunts in other countries...

The rifle is the cheapest part, at any price.
 
I'm the same way with fishing. I'll run whatever Zebco or whatever I find on sale at Bass Pro or somewhere. The fish don't know.

I don't hunt (yet.) Though I've owned over four dozen firearms over the years, only one, a recently-acquired Remington stainless .45, would run more than $400..
 
I own some fancy rifles. A nice custom shop Rem700, and a Encore. But my actual hunting rifle is a pretty inexpensive Rossi 92 and has been fantastic for it's use.
I'd use the 700 if it were legal in Ohio though.
 
I cannot stand cheap firearms or cheap optics. I don't need anything expensive, but I've had my fill of cheap. I don't want to have fix problems cheap firearms often have right out of the box. I don't want to deal with revolvers that throw one round out of six 8 feet low at 50 yards. I don't want to fix a double action trigger on a 22 pistol that has a 30 lbs pull. I don't want to send a rifle back to the factory because the silver solder on the bolt handle failed. I don't think I should have replace springs after only a couple hundred rounds. I find optics with poor light transmission, critical eyeboxes and distortion fatiguing to use.

While I may only shoot something a few days out of the year, I keep what I've bought for years, Decades. I won't buy anything I think I'm gonna hate.

Everyone has to figure out for themselves what works for them
 
ohihunter2014 said:
the only time I like a rifle that's not single shot is when I'm messing around in the southern mountains with possible black bear, lions, hillbillies, and coyotes. I shot a deer a few years back that the scope was damaged from sight in and it wounded the deer and I needed that second-3rd shot. didn't finally kill it but slowed it down a lot for the kill shot.
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And there lies the problem. (It sounds like) You sighted the rifle in, stuck it in the closet/safe/wherever, and then took it hunting. Had you spent range time with that rifle, you would have known the scope was damaged before you took it afield. I not harping bro. Just making an observation. You reload now. And components are getting fairly cheap around here. So ammo cost shouldn't be a big deal. And if you reload, you obviously have some spare time because unless you're progressive on every stage, reloading is a somewhat time consuming hobby.
 
ohihunter wrote:
...only used 1 week a year...
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Please clarify whether you meant the hunting rifle is only taken out and shot during one week out of every year or whether you intended to say that it is used as a hunting rifle one week of the year, but is shot at other times for practice.
 
My last hunting rifle cost me 667 out the door, plus another 190 in scope and rings (Iknow i know, but I only hunt out to about 200, I dont need a 500 dollar scope for that short of a distance), and another couple hundred in dies, powder, projectiles, and brass.. All considered by me to be part of the rifle purchase. This rifle will see more than 1 week a year's use though, and I'll probably shoot between 4-500 a year just to maintain proficiency with it for that 1 week where I may not shoot anything at all...
 
MedWheeler said:
I'm the same way with fishing. I'll run whatever Zebco or whatever I find on sale at Bass Pro or somewhere. The fish don't know.
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Ok I have to comment on this. I'm a fisherman. Was almost literally raised in a bass boat. And I work with many of the pros on TV. Do the fish know you used a Zebco, Shakespeare, Ugly Stik, Bass Pro special? No. But I promise you go fishing with me all day using some of that stuff and you'll dang sure know it when we're done. Weight and ergonomics play a huge role in fatigue and endurance in fishing. Quality of bearings, gears, and drags do too. At least in bass and Muskie fishing where you can make several hundred of casts a day with lures. You don't have to spend $400 on a G-Loomis rod. But you go spend $20 on a bass rod at Walmart and go throw jerkbaits with me all day. One of two things is going to happen. 1)You'll quit fishing long before the day is over. 2) You'll ask to borrow one of my rods. But by that point you'll probably be done anyways.
 
First of all, I'm NOT rich, I never made a lot of money in my life...

But, I don't have to "justify" a gun that I want.....IF I want a more expensive firearm, I just save longer and/or work harder to get the extra money!

I just go without many of the "other things" other folks buy... I don't drink, I don't smoke nor have I ever done drugs... I don't go to clubs, or concerts and I don't have an expensive car an expensive truck or expensive boat!

I see guys on here bragging all the time about having 20, 30, 40 or even more firearms! I'd rather have just a few, "higher quality" firearms, than 20 or more low to average quality firearms!

AND I do have a few expensive guns...that "fit" me perfectly... That have put TON'S of meat in my freezer and even saved my hide a few times! lol

DM
 
If you look at some of the current offerings, and the performance and quality - like the Ruger American, Mossberg patriot, Savage axis, and similar- and consider the price (under $400 new) it just doesn't make sense for someone to buy a cheaper, inferior rifle. For MOST of us hunting deer or similar sized game at ranges under 300 yards, any of these rifles topped with, say, a Bushnell banner 3-9 ($80) is more than sufficient, and you would have a rifle that will probably outlast you, barring the most extreme conditions.
 
If you're going to be dropping big money on a hunt, like a guided hunt somewhere exotic or a week-long trip to somewhere well out of state, it makes sense to put down some money into your rifle. For all the thousands and thousands you're spending on everything else, you might as well put a few hundred more into your gun.

Otherwise, even the cheapest $300 plastic-fantastic bolt actions these days will shoot 1 MOA. They're fairly light, weatherproof, and easily mount a scope, if they didn't already come bundled with one. It's hard to ask much more from a hunting rifle.

I know people will buy high-dollar hunting rigs simply because they want them. And there's nothing wrong with a "want" - I've spent plenty on guns I don't need. My SKS doesn't do one single thing that my AK won't, but I wanted an SKS, dammit. It's the same thing with a $1200 Kimber sporting a $400 Leupold. If you want it, great, but I don't see the return on investment as being worthwhile.
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with spending money on nice guns if you can afford them, not everyone wants to hunt with the aesthetic equivalent of a shovel.

Personally I have a Gr. III and a Gr. IV BAR, a Browning 1885, Sako AIII...and some ordinary looking rifles like a custom Mauser in 7x57 with a synthetic stock, another synthetic stocked custom Mauser in .300 Winny, and a Ruger 77 RSI, an HK SLB... And when we go quail hunting I carry a 20 ga. Benelli Montefeltro Silver.

Why do some of you guys care so much if people like to hunt with nice guns? Just because you're out in the woods doesn't mean you can't look pretty you know.
 
Budget (cheap) rifles nowadays are good rifles where they cut corners on the furniture. And generally they will get the job done. Budget (cheap) scopes, on the other hand, can fail you at a critical time. I've learned that from practical experience. At least find a good, reputable scope and pay a little more than you want.
 
There is so much tomato, potato in the topic of hunting rifles and hunters. I bow hunt for game and hunt open country and game can be in and around terrain that might take awhile to get into. For me thats my problem with bow, but my woman, since she had an arm injury after falling off a mountain (long story) is kind of limited to rifle season for now, so I take the archery season and she takes the rifle season. I've only been able to teach her what I know, and that is using reliable glass with adjustable turrrets mil or moa, a milling reticle and how to make relevant firing solutions and how to keep a data book. Rifles, I have a bunch and she has a few, semi auto AR platforms or Remington bolt actions mostly. Some upgraded some not. I wouldn't say any of them are cheap per say, and neither of us put them in the closet and wait till next season, but neither of us expect to make a 150y zero and make a PBR shot for where we are either. Other states, other game, that might be the case.
 
browningguy said:
Absolutely nothing wrong with spending money on nice guns if you can afford them, not everyone wants to hunt with the aesthetic equivalent of a shovel.

Personally I have a Gr. III and a Gr. IV BAR, a Browning 1885, Sako AIII...and some ordinary looking rifles like a custom Mauser in 7x57 with a synthetic stock, another synthetic stocked custom Mauser in .300 Winny, and a Ruger 77 RSI, an HK SLB... And when we go quail hunting I carry a 20 ga. Benelli Montefeltro Silver.

Why do some of you guys care so much if people like to hunt with nice guns? Just because you're out in the woods doesn't mean you can't look pretty you know.
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Matching belt knives?
 
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