CCW without breaking the bank

I don't really set aside money or have a budget. When I have the free time, extra money, and I'm in the mood, I go to the range. Like most, I do not have a backyard shooting range or can shoot on public land. Per hour range fees and ammo are expensive, so I go when I can...

I went through some real rough times. But my first conceal gun was a Kel-etc PF9. Like many I got it because it was the smallest 9mm at the time. I then saved up for an XDs-45. I kept the Kel-tec for when I needed a “pocket gun”. Otherwise the Springfield has been my EDC. I just recently purchased a S&W M2.0 Compact.

Now I mention this as the first was a fairly inexpensive gun. The middle fairly expensive and the last, in the middle by ordering online and watching for sales.

So if you save and think things out you don’t need the cheapest gun. Quality can be had for a reasonable price. Hint, some of us think S&W makes some great guns that are a lot less expensive than Glock and at least as good (that’s an opinion so if you’re a Glock fan don’t lose it, I’m not bashing Glock only saying the S&W cost less and are at least as good).

As for permits. Mine was very inexpensive as was my NRA approved class. Although I suspect that will change if the Dems do all they’re proposing here in Va.

John Joseph said:

How much do you budget to do what you do with your CCW piece to keep competent in your shooting skills?

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If I add up the cost of all my handguns, reloading equipment, components on hand and rounds fired, I'm sure it would be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Much of it I would have even if I didn't carry though.

I am blessed to do what I want as far as shooting/owning firearms but .......

If it were me I would buy one of the trade in .40 Glocks for $280-$300. Possibly send to Glock for a once over.
I would find an inexpensive Hollowpoint like Win White Box 180 grain JHP. I would make sure it runs with a box of 50 and buy a box of 50 for my SD mag(s).

As far as staying proficient never underestimate the value of dry fire. Draw practice, practice grabbing from nightstand etc. all dry fire.

1 range trip a month, 50 rounds live fire.

That would work for me.

Illinois is cost prohibitive for many, it's intended that way to keep guns out of the waist bands of less fortunate people. My initial cost when the state finally passed a carry law (2014ish) was high. A 16 hour class was $300, live scan finger prints were $100 +/-, permit fee was I think $30-50. Something like that- about $500 to get going. Luckily I had the gun I intended to carry ( glock 30), but no realistic holster , so another quick $50. Then I wanted the 9 rd magazines which weren't in production at the time for a shorter grip - $50 each from eBay. Then you buy a pile of holsters looking for what's best. Then a gun you think will carry easier. Then some night sights cause you may get attacked at night . Then you realize your belt isn't up to the task $50++. Trips to the range for me at the time were always 250+ rds of factory 45 acp. Yeah it adds up. Then I was to travel to Florida in 2015 and my Illinois permit wasn't valid there. Another class- $100, paperwork was another amount I don't remember all for it to be returned and a request for ink finger prints even though they accept live scan prints just not from out of state residence . So I next day air sent the application and all required documents back $30 for shipping and it didn't arrive back until after my trip to Florida even though I sent the original paperwork 6 months before the trip. Then I bought a series of shoulder holsters looking for a sweetheart to carry my g20 & g21. I settled on a custom that cost $400 and took a year to arrive (!!!) After threats of reversing charges due to lack of communication. By that time it was ready for renewal. A 4 hour class for $100 another Illinois paperwork fee $30 (?) . A bunch of trips to the range to shoot guns I don't particularly enjoy shooting . fresh ammo every 6 months for guns I carry . I can go on forever.
With all that said, it's the price of admission. What I must do. If the best carry gun existed and it was clearly the best and cost $5000 you can bet your boots I would buy it. Luckily for me it's tough to beat a $500 glock for real world work. That's the other reason I use glocks for carry, if they're lost , stolen , confiscated , destroyed or whatever they're soulless Tupperware that can be relaced without me caring or having any emotional attachment.
Would I do it all again? Yes, in a heartbeat.
On a side note , I took my first (16 hour) carry class with a buddy of mine. He finished of course but never got his permit because the online application was so complicated and required software downloads and perfectly spelled responses that he never managed to complete the application . there scheme worked on him because he is not a man of resolve, more of a manlet with no discipline or patience .

IMO, get a decent gun, Ruger makes a variety of good snub-nosed revolvers, in popular calibers. Buying new helps you avoid buying a used gun which is abused or defective. Don't let anybody browbeat you into getting something you don't want. Rent a few guns at the range, if you can, and figure out what caliber you want.
I'd start by trying the very popular 9mm, and go from there.

Figure out holsters and preferred carry methods as you go. One thing I do to get some perspective on carry holsters is most local gun stores and pawn shops have a box with old used holsters. Pick up a couple of these, it will give you an idea of what you want, when the time comes to get a new holster.

Get NRA training, when you can. You're right, there are a lot of gun snobs who will try to push you into things you don't want or need. In all fairness, Hi-Point makes a fairly decent, if clunky, pistol, and Uncle Mike's holsters do work. If that's what you got, don't let anybody try to tell you it won't get the job done.

Ruger SR9C (my personal favorite)


Ruger lcp
his & hers.
I will shoot at least 25rds per gun, per month.
My practice is informal, and I mix it up:
Double taps
Reloads
Point shooting
Speed drills
Dark with weapon lights or flashlights.
Precision from rest

Our permits are cheap here in MN, and I'm blessed to live in the country where I can just shoot in the backyard. I carry 9mm or .357 mag, depending on the circumstances and potential threats...mostly urban vs rural. Both are inexpensive to practice with. My handguns are inexpensive but serviceable. My 9mm which gets most of the ccw use is an FNS-9. I had the opportunity to try it out when a local PD was firing at our rifle club and I was assisting RO duty for the club. I liked it as much as much more expensive handguns, and 2 officers that carried them were impressed after a couple years of service. Through many rounds, and some very rough duty, it has impressed me as well. My holster is a retention rig from IMI. Milspec hardshell holster used by real world operators in a very bad neighborhood...good enough for me. I've abused the heck out of it pulling security duty on pipeline sites, done things to it in sub-zero weather that would have shattered lesser holsters. It does the job. Outside of annual qualifications, I do little formal training. Our OQ course for security is intense, comparable to swat pistol operations I have observed, and requires significant practice to pass. There is a stage that emphasizes precision fire as we work around things that don't like bullets. Never had a hiccup there, so I guess my informal drills in the back yard and no-frills gear are sufficient. I wouldn't want to get into a gunfight with myself.

The .357 is carried on my own time in more hunting/camping scenarios where bears of the black variety are the most likely threat. I carry it in a nylon "hunting" type holster that I feel is good enough for the task at hand. It is an inexpensive Taurus M66 clone with a 6" barrel. I shoot it a lot, it is my favorite arm for casual plinking and I am quite proficient with it, with an emphasis on precision shooting at smaller targets.

Concealed carry permit in Pennsylvania is $25 for 5 years. No other infringements on our rights like requiring a class, etc. I have a place I can shoot for free and get out 25-30 times a year for 2 to 3 hours each time. A friend and I do drills, shoot on the move, quick draws, and even rugged up a zip line to give us a moving target. My biggest expense would be ammo, and reload so I only burn through $60-70 in ammo per month.

One thing that has always been in the forefront of my mind is an encounter with Law Enforcement. If, and the odds are stacked against me, I am ever in a situation in which my cc firearm becomes an issue, that firearm will be gone for a while, if not forever. Therefore I keep an older G19 in the truck. I’ve witnessed first hand how weapons are treated once they become evidence, and know of more than one case where a nice piece disappeared entirely. The Glock is easily replaceable.

It’s unfortunate that even in gun friendly states, the cost adds up to do it right. For a young person who isn't living comfortably yet, I agree with the Ruger route. I prefer the Security 9 with a $40 FleaBay holster and the best online ammo since it's actually cheap vs retail boxes of 20. $100 will get you 3 boxes of the best. Like with vehicles, I would not skip the insurance and unfortunately at somewhere near $400 yearly that will sting for a young person.

I do not have children so off the bat, I am in a somewhat different situation when it comes to a budget. However, speaking of bats, I did go somewhat bat-crazy when I started learning to shoot. Classes, lessons, private lessons, shooting gear and gun supplies, etc....When the dust settled, I had spent more than I care to admit and for me, the lessons are ongoing. I enjoy them and feel that they are necessarily important and the route I had to take. I paid somewhere in the vicinity of $100 for the actual carry permit (7 years) and maybe a bit upwards of half that amount for the class. I feel that classes should be part of the permit process and free. That is not going to happen. I bought several guns. Inherited one - it is in the hands of a local gunsmith at the moment being brought to snuff - another expense. I carry a tilt-up barrel .22LR. (please don't "browbeat me" internet gun experts) in an inexpensive pocket holster. It is the caliber and gun and holster that I chose after consideration. My house gun is a Smith and Wesson 9mm Shield. First generation. I switch back and forth with the Shield and a Smith and Wesson J-frame .38 in my car, depending on where I am heading. I range-shoot twice a week, normally. I have to pick my times carefully because I don't do the range when it is crowded and it does get crowded. $30 per month unlimited. One-year contract. I shoot at an outdoor range only under close supervision. I am still really nervous with some things in that environment. I am considering cane/stick self defense classes in 2020. That is a goal. I am excited about that and look forward to it.

I think that all that I have have spent and will spend is money well-spent. I've also met some great people along this journey. Helpful people. People with whom I share common bonds. You cannot place a price on that.

If you live in a state that honors Utah's permits (about 37, last I checked,) but does NOT have formal reciprocity with Utah, you can get a Utah permit for about $65. (That's what the state charges, we can't control what your instructor charges for his class.)

I tell my students, if you need SOMETHING, but you aren't sure where to start, go to a pawn shop and find a used G-19. They are ubiquitous, plenty of holsters and accessories, cheap Magpul magazines, and you don't HAVE to upgrade it when you have more money.

I don’t really budget. I more go through cycles.

I’ll get really into shooting for awhile (multiple classes, ammo galore, occasional replacement of gear or a gun purchase etc), then I leave it alone for awhile except for a once a month range trip.

If I had to say what the absolute minimum is for me is a CHL for TX which means a few hundred bucks for the class, card and fingerprint fees, a mid-level pistol (Glock or CZ for me), a means of carrying it (IWB holster), a few mags, a flashlight, pepper spray, a knife and 200 rds a month.

have a house gun, and a CCW; that is my opinion. you might carry the house gun in the winter, but one full/medium size and one as small as you will actually take with you in warmer weather, smaller for easier concealment. just my opinion. the house gun can have a longer barrel and possibly a larger caliber, or hold more rounds - just a little more of a gun, that you don't have to conceal per say.

I budget as cheap as I can go, but it is not really cheap. Only actually get to a range probably 4 times a year, enough to cycle and test equipment, and freshen up shooting skills.

For budget on purchases, sometimes it is just something you want. Last purchase was a Beretta 92S I got with the idea, I wanted a home gun, that I could have several mags that hold 15 rounds, just to have something that could produce a volume of rounds. I didn't have anything like that - and thought about an AR, but kind of wanted something in 9mm anyways, so - went that direction. It is not likely to ever get used, but the idea being SHTF - I'm backed into a corner of my basement set to take out anything coming down my basement stares with a 30-30. Should I not be able to reload fast enough, I put down the 30-30 and start with the 3 mags of 15 rounds, 9mm - if overtaken, it ends with the trench knife sitting next to the Beretta. I have a different house gun I keep for day to day; the Beretta's only function in my mind is interesting range toy, and deep in SHTF. 9mm is also cheap to keep a nice little stockpile.

Figure out the function you want the tool to do, then get what you like best that fits that function. There is always more, but IMHO cover the basics first - it is a deep learning curve that has no end as far as I can tell, so - try to be specific and don't overcomplicate.

If I don't buy anything new - and go to the range once every few months - the cost of the range trip and ammo end up being about 40-50$, so - couple hundred a year if I don't buy anything new - plus maybe another 50 a year for cleaning supplies etc. So, about $250 a year, after initial investment on firearms. If you bought a new firearm at say 700 and another 300 for gear to go with it. Then break that out over 10 years. If you did basically what I do - for one good firearm, it would be about $350 a year for 10 years to have and practice periodically. $3,500 for 10 years. add a 2nd or 3rd gun, you can see that it will all add up fast.

A permit is not needed in Wyoming if a person meets all of the requirements for a CCW permit other than the proficiency requirement. (Note: there is a residency requirement, so this does not apply to non-residents.) A permit costs about $75 initially. You can meet the proficiency requirement by showing participation in an organized shooting competition. (They took match scores from me over 20 years ago.)

A resident can buy something like a Ruger EC9S and a Boraii Eagle pocket holster and be all-in with new equipment for about $250 plus ammo. Add the permit cost and some match fees (or class fee) if you want the permit.

Armored farmer said:

Ruger SR9C (my personal favorite)
View attachment 879633

Ruger lcp
View attachment 879632 his & hers.
I will shoot at least 25rds per gun, per month.
My practice is informal, and I mix it up:
Double taps
Reloads
Point shooting
Speed drills
Dark with weapon lights or flashlights.
Precision from rest

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Have your own range?

What you have to pay to exercise your rights, is going to be what it is. Some of us are luckier than others in that respect. Its just another "license" fee you have to pay, and like driving, hunting, fishing, etc, if you want to do it, you pay the fee.

As far as guns and gear, Ive always gone with buy what has a good rep and what you shoot best with, and go from there. Even if you can't afford it. We always seem to figure out a way to get what we need, if we really want something. Where theres a will, theres a way.

You dont have to spend a lot of money to get decent guns and gear either. $500 should easily get you a good, reliable gun, and the proper accessories to go with it.

Attaining the necessary skills and maintaining them, is really up to you, and is your responsibility. Like a license, that just costs what it costs. I would hope that if you are carrying a gun, you could, at the very least, pass a basic police qualification course or something similar with what you choose to carry, and at least maintain that level.

If you stop and actually think about how many people are carrying guns these days, and have little or no training at all, its a pretty scary thing.

No one is saying you need to shoot hundreds of rounds a week, but if thats what it takes you to be reasonably proficient with your gun, then it is what it is.

AK103K said:

If you stop and actually think about how many people are carrying guns these days, and have little or no training at all, its a pretty scary thing.

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Since you brought this up, It got me thinking. I'm wondering what the statistics would be with regards to training if all the civilians who actually used a firearm a self defense situation were polled. How often have they gone to the range, how many rounds they usually fired, if they ever took a training class (my guess is that the overwhelming vast majority of gun owners have not), how many rounds have they put through the firearm used in the incident, how much firearm experience have they had, etc. Also, how many shots were fired, at what distance, where did the bullets hit, how many missed, etc.

I'm surprised no one has ever attempted such a study. The results would be interesting and very helpful IMHO.

One way I shoot more without breaking the bank is to practice with a firearm in .22lr that has the exact same ergonomics as my everyday carry. You can get the 500 rds per week for a $20 bulk pack. Buy quality guns built like tanks (thinking of Ruger on this one) that just keep working, and have wonderful CS services (anything mechanical can and will break). Move to Vermont or New Hampshire where guns aren't as frowned upon and carrying is cheaper, one of those doesn't even need a CCW. Reload your empty brass. There are many ways to reduce costs associated with shooting, you just have to get creative.

Labguy47 said:

One way I shoot more without breaking the bank is to practice with a firearm in .22lr that has the exact same ergonomics as my everyday carry. You can get the 500 rds per week for a $20 bulk pack. Buy quality guns built like tanks (thinking of Ruger on this one) that just keep working, and have wonderful CS services (anything mechanical can and will break). Move to Vermont or New Hampshire where guns aren't as frowned upon and carrying is cheaper, one of those doesn't even need a CCW. Reload your empty brass. There are many ways to reduce costs associated with shooting, you just have to get creative.

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This is good advice and I just basically did this myself. I picked up a Ruger Standard / .22 LR semi-auto pistol, basically just for practice. On those days when I do get to the range, no more hitting the counter for high priced ammo in whatever caliber, I can just shoot the .22 till I'm blue in the face and call it a day. Also, good for just basic practice, stance, sighting, just more experience shooting for comparatively inexpensive ammo. In a way I see the Ruger as something that will pay for itself several times over in the long run cutting other costs.