Too Expensive for the Field?

[Panzerschwein]

Hey all. My recent thread about getting a Traditions Pennsylvania rifle made me think about something. Guys we all know guns aren't cheap, and when it comes to good quality traditional muzzleloaders, that's especially true. With some pricey replicas out on the market as well as potentially very expensive custom American-made guns, that raises the question:

At what point does the gun become too valuable to carry into the field? I'm talking about hunting, camping, trapping, not range use on a comfortable bench, but outdoors in the wilderness exposed to the elements. Anyone that's had a gun out in the field for very long knows bumps and scrapes and other wear are bound to happen sooner rather than later.

So basically, what is your "limit" on when a muzzleloader just gets too expensive or valuable to actually take afield?

 

[SC45-70]

There is no limit!

SC45-70

 

[Acera]

I got $5K+ in my dove gun, and it's one of the least expensive in my group. $2K ain't nothing for a decent deer rifle and scope.

If you like the gun, buy it and use it. Got nothing against safe queens, but I also don't see taking a gun out to work as a risk to it's possible value at some later date.


.

 

[Crawdad1]

I would be hard pressed to take this Jud Brennan or any Jud Brennan rifle out into the field but I sure would like to own one.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/618943018

But I would use this rifle in the field by Nate McKenzie,

http://www.natemckenzie.com/gun-galleries/southern-rifles/

 

[david58]

I have them to use - if I weren't going to use them, I couldn't justify the money on them. Shoot, the most damage I ever did in the field to one was sighting in my first custom gun at the range!

Elk hunted this past year during muzzleloader season. My .62 is a $4K + rifle (not bragging, traded for it, built by a friend that is a master builder), and would rather it die in glory in the field rather than be a pretty wall hanger just waiting to be used. I also hunt with my $200 T/C Hawken kit rifle that I built in 1986. Not a gun snob, just consider them "stuff", and if I ain't gonna use it I don't need it.

 

[rodwha]

Guns are meant to be used. Unless it were an original maybe, though I'd still use it if it was operable.

But I also don't see spending a large sum worthwhile on a muzzleloader (or most any other gun) when a more reasonable one does well enough. For a typical sidelock I just don't see spending over $1000 all depending. I do need a side by side and this can't be done for that price.

If I was given a $5000 rifle I'd use it for hunting.

Match shooting would certainly be an acception, but I'm not that good.

 

[DD4lifeusmc]

I selected below $400 only because my CVA 50 cal mountain rifle cost me $159 new in kit form way back in 1978 and I still use it.
I do my best to buy once.
It's a tack driver, so no reason to trade it off for something different that quite possibly wouldn't be as good.
Still have the same measure and flask and capper too

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

I'm betting that most folks on here take a vehicle worth quite a bit more than $2K e.g., car, truck or bike out quite often knowing fully well that "bumps and scrapes and other wear are bound to happen sooner rather than later"

 

[AZAndy]

It's a sacred law of the universe that an object should meet its intended purpose, no matter the expense. Of course, if it's mine, its purpose is up to me.

 

[Armored farmer]

Guns are meant to be used. Unless it were an original maybe, though I'd still use it if it was operable.

I had an extensive amount of work done to this family heirloom to make it shoot able. Then I shot and competed with it all summer with my pals from the bp club.
There is no dollar value that can be equal to the joy I had when I took a nice buck in 2015 with my 3x great grandfather's rifle.

 

[TheSquire]

A friend of mine is a gunsmith and has just carried our some repairs to a Purdey 12bore 'self opener' (OK they weren't blackpowder guns). There was a pair that needed servicing but he only took one at a time as they were valued at about £25K each. These are shotguns used throughout the season!

 

[whughett]

Not a collector, a shooter and if I could afford to buy it I would use it.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Modern made flintlock that I made, no problem. I won't carry an antique (as if I had one) in the field.

 

[Armored farmer]

If I can afford to own it, I will hunt with it. I am a hunter/shooter. That is what I enjoy.

Car guys have expensive cars.
Boat guys have their boats
Etc.

 

[WestKentucky]

I went a wierd direction with this. My percussion rifles are all cheap but shoot well. Certainly deer hunting accurate and then some. I don't care about them getting a scrape or ding. One of my dream guns is oddly enough a 10 or 12ga side by side front-stuffer and those get pricey quickly...and for squirrel, dove, etc it's hard to justify banging on an expensive gun. A grand seems to be my cutoff here. Now back to deer...I want a side by side 45 or 50 cal pistol with about 12" barrels. Essentially a howdah. Them ain't cheap either, but at least they are protected by a holster easily enough.

 

[[email protected]]

Very few can spend $10-20k for an investment weapon and just let it sit for 10 years. Not my tax bracket.

 

[Hanshi]

This custom built was well under 2K and has been in the woods and will be again.


This smoothbore was also built for well under 2K. I don't have much use for a gun I'm afraid to take with me into the bush.

 

[Stony]

No such thing as a firearm that's too expensive to use. It's all a matter of perspective...if you can afford it, shoot it. Guys that buy $20,000 firearms obviously can afford more investment than the average Joe, and can afford to take the risk in shooting/hunting with them. We must set our own limits...

 

[MAKster]

I don't think being "too expensive to use" is related to the cost of the firearm. I think it is only a concern if the main reason the gun is expensive is cosmetic. If the gun's high price is a result of a fancy wood stock or deep bluing then small use marks could drastically reduce the resale value. If it is expensive because of the cost in building the mechanism and its durability, it's price wouldn't really be affected by regular wear marks.

 

[Crawdad1]

Firearms are purchased by a whole range of people with a whole range of interests. . So what, its their gun.
I don't think anyone would recommend that the owner should casually shoot at some empty beer cans with one of these,

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2015/05/historic-colt-paterson-revolver-sells-for-414000/

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...ver-sells-for-record-977500-price-at-auction/

 

[CraigC]

Big difference between a $2000 modern custom and a $400,000 to million dollar historic relic like a Paterson Colt.

IMHO, this stuff costs too much NOT to use it. I buy my guns to shoot and most of them to hunt with. My $4000 Merkel 28ga is my favorite bird gun and I plan on my $5400 custom Ruger .500 getting refinished a couple times in its lifetime.

I've also been wanting to have Steve Zihn build me a custom rifle to go with the pistol he made. The pistol was $1500, the rifle will be north of $2000, both will be carried afield, together.

I carry my engraved Cimarron Open Top .44 every year. With the engraving, finish work and now wearing real ivory, I have over $2700 invested in it.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Big difference between a $2000 modern custom and a $400,000 to million dollar historic relic like a Paterson Colt.

IMHO, this stuff costs too much NOT to use it. I buy my guns to shoot and most of them to hunt with. My $4000 Merkel 28ga is my favorite bird gun and I plan on my $5400 custom Ruger .500 getting refinished a couple times in its lifetime.

I've also been wanting to have Steve Zihn build me a custom rifle to go with the pistol he made. The pistol was $1500, the rifle will be north of $2000, both will be carried afield, together.

I carry my engraved Cimarron Open Top .44 every year. With the engraving, finish work and now wearing real ivory, I have over $2700 invested in it.

Might I ask who made that Hawken?

 

[CraigC]

Pedersoli.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Pedersoli.

Missouri River? .50 caliber?

 

[CraigC]

Rocky Mountain .54cal, slow twist.