What's the most irresponsible thing you've ever done to pay for a gun you wanted?

[Rembrandt]

Found a nice rare .22LR bolt action for $4000......didn't have enough cash on hand to swing the whole deal, traded in a Belgium engraved Superposed to sweeten the pot. Got the .22, but wish I still had the Superposed......very irresponsible of me.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Started a job in April. The job had a six-month probationary period, during which I could be dropped at any time. I tried to be careful with money - just in case.

Dropped in a LGS and noticed a pristine MAS 36. Owner said, "$200.00 out the door with two boxes of ammo."

So much for the budget.

-And no, the new job didn't pan out.

 

[danez71]

Would it be considered irresponsible to use your unemployment check to buy a rifle...or shot gun......................or both?

 

[jrmiddleton425]

If the money isn't in the bank I don't buy it. That isn't to say that sometimes expenses, like vet bills, don't come along later, and I wish I still had the money. I have also sold guns that I later wish I hadn't sold.

 

[bannockburn]

Nothing really irresponsible but when I was single I use to get by on the Ramen noodle diet for several months to pay off all the guns I had on layaway at the time.

 

[Buzznrose]

Sold one to buy one...on more than one occasion. Won't ever do that again

Ditto...all were dumb moves.

 

[FROGO207]

I passed up the chance for a marriage or three because they all wanted me to spend my money on them and sell all my firearms to fund this as well. Still single but in a solid relationship after all these years and own most firearms I want.------ Wait this was about doing something irresponsible to BUY a firearm.

 

[paintballdude902]

put an Ar-15 on a credit card at the BX.... it was right before the panic buying a few years back and i wanted on at a normal price. then a few months later the panic started.... then the ar-15 got stolen before i even paid off the credit card...


ended up having to sell my marlin 1895 in order to pay rent the month after i got married. the gubment messed up my paycheck and gave me like 35 dollars. they took money away instead of giving me my housing allowance.

 

[AlexanderA]

In retrospect, the most irresponsible things I did were to not buy certain guns when I had the chance, and to sell certain guns when I didn't have to. For example, I sold a Thompson submachine gun in 1986 for $1,250. If I had kept it, it would easily be worth $20,000 today. Conversely, I had a chance to buy an original Pedersen Device (for a few thousand dollars) but passed on it. Today, those things are literally priceless.

 

[Legionnaire]

I've been thinking about this since I first saw the thread. Can't say as I have ever done anything "irresponsible" to purchase a gun. That said, I wouldn't want to run a future value analysis on money spent on guns that could have been put into my retirement account; some of my purchases have appreciated in value, but I'll bet a good mutual fund would have more long-term value. I just consider the value difference an investment in happiness.

I have "sold one to buy one," which might be considered "responsible" in some fashion, but it sometimes led to regrets. I have also "irresponsibly" NOT purchased a gun I later regretted not buying.

At this stage of life, I have a good income, few financial obligations, and (arguably) more firearms than the minimum required for my needs. And as I get older, my needs will shrink, as will my collection. So my challenge will be to responsibly downsize.

 

[huntsman]

I bought Hot.

 

[hemiram]

I lived in Las Vegas and the gun store near my house had a S&W 28 that I wanted really badly. I talked the owner into taking it out of the consignment case for a day, and if i could get the money together, I don't remember how much it was, I would buy it. I knew if it went back in, it would be gone. I was getting paid in 4 days, but I had $30 left. I had just bought groceries, so I had food and stuff, so I decided to go play the poker machines with it. I was down about $20 when I hit the 1000 quarter/$250 jackpot, and I went back to the store and bought the gun. I sold it a few years later when I moved back to Ohio. Around the end of 2006, it popped up on Gunbroker, I recognized the odd mark on the grip, and confirmed that it was by the serial number. I forgot about the end of the auction, and missed it by $1.00. During the time I lived in LV, I gambled and won quite a few times when I wanted to go on a trip or buy something. For some reason, I won a lot at Keno, supposedly the worst game you can play.

 

[HRnightmare]

This is going to sound rather benign, but I would have to say "use a credit card for a purchase".


Haven't done that in a long time now. If I don't have the cash money in the bank, then it has to wait.

I ALWAYS pay for things in credit cards for the points. But I agree that if you don't have the cash to immediately pay it off, you can't afford it...unfortunately the American way is credit card debt...Our eyes and immediate need for gratification have made us all irresponsible with $.

 

[HRnightmare]

I was 20 and in college and "needed" a Kimber 1911. I put it on my credit card...the credit card that just paid nearly $3000 to fix my car that I rearended someone with...and later needed to pay legal fees for a stupid decision to toss a beer bottle out of a 2nd story window of an apartment complex. No one was hurt, no property was damaged but the police arrested us for criminal mischief...

I volunteered for a deployment to pay off that credit card.

That was probably 12 yrs ago, much has changed.

 

[HRnightmare]

Hahaha so many comments could be made. At least it wasn't EBT! I see unemployment as an insurance...You pay into it for when you need it. no shame in taking it.

Would it be considered irresponsible to use your unemployment check to buy a rifle...or shot gun......................or both?

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Sold one 1911 to buy two Glocks ;-)

I actually like both platforms. I am in a whimsical mood right now. It is true though. In general I detest selling what I own. Though to be perfectly honest, there are a couple of things I've bought over the years that I just don't care for. The 1911 in question wasn't one of them though.

 

[Zach S]

I purchased one with a credit card that already had a balance on it I couldn't pay off at the end of the month.:banghead: young and stupid I was.

I did that once.

A little backstory: My first wife had RUNN OFT. After a few months when her fling didnt work out, she wanted to come back, which resulted in an argument after I laughed at the idea. Eventually I made it to the range to blow off steam, and saw the gun she wanted, a Kahr P9, in the case, at a fair price...

So out came the credit card. I cant remember the clerk's name, but he asked "Is that for your wife? I remember you asking about one for her a while back."

My reply was "She couldn't handle being a housewife and mother, ran off to be single and free. So I'm buying the gun she wanted, for myself, with money I don't have, out of spite."

Looking back, I'd probably do it again.

 

[montanaoffroader]

According to my wife, every nickel I've spent on firearms and related purchases could have been put to better use elsewhere. Sometimes she's even right.............

 

[Potatohead]

I was dating a guy I was going to dump, but I knew he was buying me a gun for my birthday, so I held on for another few weeks to get the pistol. I dumped him a couple days later and kept the gun, which he demanded back, but didn't get.

Ouch! That one hurt!

 

[george burns]

Have sold dozens of guns over the years, to fund others, Maybe I wish I had about 5 of them back.

 

[simonstough]

I recently decided to go back to school this winter, after my 4th child is born, im thinking about getting a little extra in student loans so i can buy a thompson because i'm not going to pass on a rifle i've wanted for 20 years 3 times.

 

[InnerVision]

Two Weeks ago I gave a LE buddy $500 to order me a Brand new Glock 17 with Night Sights and extra mag. I finally had the Money and have been wanting a Glock for a long time.

Literally, the next day..I get a call from my Fiance, whom informs me that she backed our brand new jeep into a light pole.

Guess what my deductible is? That's right..$500:banghead:


I still had time to cancel the order..but I was pissed and being selfish.

 

[happygeek]

Two Weeks ago I gave a LE buddy $500 to order me a Brand new Glock 17 with Night Sights and extra mag. I finally had the Money and have been wanting a Glock for a long time.

That would be irresponsible, someone just got charged for doing that, even though both had filled out 4473s and passed background checks

The dumbest thing I've done, so far, was to buy a Sig 556 shortly after they came out. LGS was charging $2200 in the summer of 09, by the fall of 09 it was $1500 and I bought it. Of course, within a year they were selling for $1000 or less.

To make it even dumber I bought from a LGS in WA state rather than transferring it through the place on post, so I also paid the 9.3% markup. Of course now I'm wishing I'd have just bought the Sig 522 for $500 after they came out and not bought the Sig 556 at all. Heck I could have bought a Sig 522 and a Colt 6920 for that same $1500 if I'd just waited :banghead:

 

[MD1775]

Whoa..this one hits very close to home for me. I am a loving, hard-working husband and I the only thing I look forward to everyday is going home to my family but I do have an addiction. I dont drink, do drugs, gamble, and have never even thought of being unfaithful to my wife but Ive got a bad case of firearms disease. Some of the guns Ive bought with the use of creative financing and black ops money? LMT .308, RIA .45 Tactical, and most recently (all in the same day) an AAC 300BLK 9" upper and a BCM 11.5" upper with DD Mk18 FDE rail (came with free BCG and charging handle so I HAD to get it on, Man).

I honestly think my wife knows, or suspects about my addiction and it is truly the only thing I am secretive about. I work very, very hard to pay our bills, make sure everything is up to date, and save for our future but in the light of day I will admit that I have overspent and every time I have said to myself "Ok thats it. I now have everything I want, theres nothing left yet, so now I can leave this sneaking around and late night sneak a gun in the house shenanigans behind me" I see something else that I absolutely have to have and will do whatever I have to do (legally) to get the funds. What can I say..I'm a sick man and need help.

 

[Blue Duck]

Sold one to get another one, several times in my life. Looking back I have regretted that move most of the time. Should have kept the one I had and found another way to pay for the new one.