Your monthly gun budget...Poll

[Marlin]

Being retired and on a fixed income I spend between 50 and 100 a month on average.My biggest expenses are ammo,I have been buying and putting it away for about 10 years now.I started buying at gun shows in bulk when it was fairly cheap I am lucky to be able to travel the state and buy at different gun shows,BassPro Shopes and Wall Mart buying in bulk and on sale.I think we will see some changes in our rights come 2008,what I dont shoot or use my children and grandchildren will,at least they will have it

 

[javacodeman]

As I am getting a new house the gun budget is pretty low right now.

 

[115grfmj]

Um.......none...

I'm married with three kids. I have chosen a few firearms that mean something to me and can be passed on to my heirs, and I've learned to content myself with that. Thats my reality.........and probably a very common one I suspect . Having endless money to spend each month on firearms is just not realistic, my friend, unless you are in possession of one heck of a lot of cash

 

[Rem700SD]

My wife and I agreed on $200/mo for my gun hobby. However, she wants something much bigger for her part...a house, a Nissan Xterra, and children. After working two jobs for 3 years to become debt free(shortly before we married) I'm staring down the barrel of a huge mortgage. Needless to say, my gun budget faces an uncertain future.

Dan

 

[db_tanker]

I can keep it at 2 bills...and thats mebbe only every other month...normally, powder, bullets and other sundries that might be needed can slide in under 100 for me.


But there are the extra expenditures that are made when I sell somthing off or say...TAX RETURN time.


Those don't count in my book.


D

 

[eastwood44mag]

No regularity here. Some months are nothing. Some are really high. Depends what's on sale and how bad I need ammo.

 

[Cliff47]

I fund my 'recreation fund' by using the 'baloney method', I do it a bit at a time. I know how much I need to get from one payday to the next, anything over that goes intothe 'rec fund'. Any checks I write, the amount deducted from the working balance is rounded up to the next $5, the difference goes into the 'rec fund'. Tax refunds (I overwithhold), the majority goes into the savings, the difference you guessed it, the 'rec fund'. Any overtime, rebates, the 'rec fund'. When I get home each day, the change in my pocket goes into a coin sorter, when I deposit that at the bank - 'rec fund'. I can now take a couple of trips a year to Las Vegas, enjoy some shows, nice dining, and stay for six nights each trip without hurting myself too much. When I need pocket/lunch money, I tap the 'rec fund' at an ATM, ditto funds for the weekend gun show.

It takes some planning, but it can be done.

 

[fatelk]

No real budget as such. My wife is real good about not worrying about it because she knows I'm more careful with money than she is, generally. I'm a member of a gun club with a real nice range 15 minutes away, only $100 a year and half that if I put in 8 hours with a work party. I reload (including casting bullets) and do all my own repairs. I used to work for a gunsmith years ago who will still do barrel work for me on occasion.

I accumulated most of what I have before I married five years ago. I never made much money at all until 7 years ago but managed to get a pretty good collection going, then kind of went wild for those two years of making descent money before marriage. Now we have two little kids, one income, and a mortgage.

Last year was rough financially and for the couple months I was off work for medical reasons I started doing ebay to get rid of stuff I've accumulated but will never use (I'm a packrat). I've been amazed at how much money has come in for stuff that I will never miss. It's been enough to pay most of the doctor bills with enough left over to order a CMP M1 Garand!

Now when I get the chance to go to a show, I always manage to find a couple odds and ends cheap that I can sell on ebay to pay for the cost of going. Last weekend we went to one two hours away, bought lunch and dinner, and the few little things I bought and have on ebay will pay for the day! I can see my wife frown when I shell out $35 for a box of old bullets for reloading, but she's not frowning when she sees it sell for $135.

Combine all that with the fact that my interests have turned towards wierd old milsurp stuff that's usually under $100 (one or two a year anymore if I'm lucky) and I don't need to spend much at all from the household budget anymore.

 

[bumm]

Averaged over the course of the year, I fall into the lowest category. I'm at the "kids in college" stage of my life, and am probably looking at a new roof on the house this year.
During the winter, about all I shoot are pellets from my air pistol. I also build up a stock of reloaded .45 ammo. During the warmer part of the year, I shoot quite a bit of Remington Gold .22 bulk stuff, and my reloaded .45 stock. New guns just aren't part of the picture.
No complaints. That's just life.
Marty

 

[I LIKE IT!]

1000.00 dollars minimum every month so I could eventually buy my Mp5.

 

[PaulBk]

I used to use online poker winnings to fund my 'guy toys', but since WA has made it a class C felony, I now must save like everyone else :banghead:

I make six figures a year, but only spend about $50/month on my gun habit. Other stuff (retirement, vacations, etc.) are just a higher priority right now.

-PB

 

[SoCalShooter]

I spend as much as I want. I am single.

I do spend probably about 200 bucks a month on .45acp bulk from wally world.

 

[browningguy]

Basically whatever I want. Both the kids are finished with college, wife and I both work. We max out our 401K's, put another $500 months into some mutual funds, then spend what we feel like. She doesn't scrimp on painting and quilting, I don't scrimp on shooting. Sometimes I go 6-8 months because I don't find a gun I want, sometimes get 2-3 in one month.

 

[12GA00buck]

Well as a college student I fall into the 0-25 range. Oh well thankfully there's always the .22, even I can afford that. It gives me plenty of time to read plenty of good gun books. Hopefully once I get my dregree and start a career I can put more time and money into my guns,
Josh

 

[Werewolf]

Don't really have a budget but I buy 3 or 4 new guns a year and ammo for those I don't reload for. Add powder, primers, and an occasional replenishment of brass and I figure that comes out to between 200 and 300 bucks a month.

One can do that once all the kids are grown and out of the house.

 

[Trope]

My wife and I each get $200 a month to spend any way we please. Neither has to justify what we spend that on to the other.

 

[ArmedBear]

Trope, that's the only solution that works, I think. It's a good one.

The amount depends, of course, on your income and living expenses.

$100K doesn't go all that far in San Diego, at least if you want to put a bit into savings, but it's a fortune in Tulsa, simply due to incredible differences in housing costs, taxes, etc.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

$200 to $299 range. Being in the Military for twenty Years makes for some catching up to do. That doesn't mean buy everything I see, want or get your hands on. I usually like the Military Surplus stuff. I love to shoot but I don't like to shoot alot. I see legion of range shooters just banging away for no apparent reason, for them who do so it's a free country.
There are a times when I bust that $200-$299 a bit or two, there are priorities like Czech Silvertip and 30 Cal Carbine ammo when You want to get them in bulk.

 

[g5reality]

I've just begun my collection and am having a blast, no pun intended. I live in California and since October have purchased:
1)Remington 870 Express 12 gage
2)Glock 19
3)S & W 686+ 4"
4)Ruger 10/22
5)Kimber Raptor II
6)Springfield M1A
7)Ruger Mini-14

I want and am getting over the next 3 months:
1)Winchester 70 7mm
2)Remington 700 30-06
3)S & W 442 or 637
4)Glock 26

I don't know I'll need any others future buys may include:
1)Springfield TRP-Pro Model 1911
2)Kimber Aegis II or Ultra RCP II
3)Any other gun that fits my hand well and is fun to shoot.

 

[Chuck R.]

Well, since I retired from the Army and picked up a contractor job, I'm now into 6 figures. Here in KS that's pretty decent and the cost of living isn't all that bad, so I could buy what ever I want.

The problem is, I've nearly run out of "wants", so I'm not into the "buy the latest gun craze" anymore. I never was really into gun collecting, I just ended up with a bunch due to changing diciplines and hunting.

Now, I'm more into maintaining what I have and attending matches when I can. New toys no longer make that much sense if I don't have the time to play with them. I also bought some acreage and built my own range so some of my disposable cash goes there. I guess I average around $200-300 a month on reloading supplies, match fees, etc.

Chuck

 

[pyridic]

not enough, definitely not enough.. i need my toys, wish there was an easier way to get them..

 

[bear71]

Excellent post, Chuck, I appreciate it.


G5,

Looks like you got hit with a bug and are having a great start, pay no attention to any posters that want to tell you that you are addicted, obsessed or have spent your money unwisely.

Looks like some really good choices to me.

 

[Rico567]

Budget? We don't need no stinkin budget!

 

[wooderson]

Lately, it's been quite a bit. After a long stretch of no purchases I've made a few, and I've been buying ammo quite a bit, plus range fees. When I'm not buying guns or packing in ammo, not too bad.

 

[Huddog]

I don't really have a monthly budget and I don't spend what I put down every month but on a yearly basis divided by 12 it is pretty close.