CCW without breaking the bank

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One of the Ruger budget pistols would be my pick for the lowest cost handgun that I'd have confidence in. But if you are in it for the long haul the additional costs of a Glock, Smith, Sig, or other gun designed for duty use by LE or the military just isn't that much more. Especially if you consider the cost of one of those used. Over a period of 10-15 years you'll spend more on ammo than any of the guns cost. If you're going to commit to owning a firearm for defense you need to commit to regular practice.

My permit cost isn't really a factor and there is no range qualification required. But I do get in some practice at least once a month.
 
Dry fire is a major benefit, and its not just the shooting part, nor is it specific to any type of gun.

It allows you to practice your presentations from how you carry the gun, working on clearing your cover garment and getting the gun into play quickly and smoothly, and without thought, etc. Pretty much anything you can think of to work on.

Doesnt cost you a thing other than your time.
 
There are quality firearms available at very reasonable prices right now. I don't have it anymore but I had a Taurus PT 111 G2 (predecessor of the G2C. There some things about it I didn't like & I don't have it anymore but it was a serviceable handgun for under $200. I have recently seen SR 9's for sale online for $250.
Lately I don't get to shoot as much as I have in the past. I am trying to remember but I believe a Georgia Weapons license is $75.00. There is not a training requirement here. I did take one class with my sister. I don't really have the funds to do a lot of formal training. I spent a lot of money on ammunition trying to learn how to shoot. Then I read a Mas Ayoob book that helped a lot. Since then I have changed some things. Trying to keep learning. My ammunition is more expensive because I am a die hard that still shoots .40. I am thinking about getting a 9mm or a conversion barrel just for the cheaper ammunition. I tend to like .40 for compact (mid-sized pistols) & 9mm for smaller.
I am fortunate in that while I don't own a lot of land I have friends & family that own places I can shoot on private land.

Edited to add: There is nicer gear available but I mostly use safariland GLS holsters though I do have some nice leather for some of my guns & I have a Bianchi fancy stitched belt that works well. I did try one composite gun belt. It didn't work out well for me (I tore it up where the buckle went.)
 
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I get that for some folks, especially younger guys with families, money can be tight. But what's the priority? I've worked with a lot of young guys I've known over the years who cheap out on their carry rigs, don't get to the range much, don't pay for any training, but drive big honkin' trucks or SUVs with $650 a month payments. And pay a lot every month for tobacco products (which shorten their lives, ironically) and alcohol.

My guns, my gear and my training are a top priority as part of taking care of my family, so it's a big part of our budget. The wife can cheap out on my casket when I go, just roll me into an old cardboard box, but while I'm around, I'll pay premium prices for handgun leather (and a few kydex thingies maybe), ammo, and training (well, and guns too, it goes without saying).
 
It really does depend on where you live.
A friend went through this recently.

S&W Shield M1.0 9mm - $249.99
200 - Winchester 115 gr FMJ - $34.99
100 - Winchester 115 gr JHP - $39.98
1.5" Gun Belt Leather (No Name Clearance Item) - $29.99
Blade Tech Kydex Holster (Amazon) - $19.99
Cleaning Equipment - NA (Already had)

Tax - $44.50

Subtotal - $419.44

Discounts
S&W Rebate - $50.00
10% Discount on accessories and ammo bought with pistol - $10.50
Tax Discount - $0.84

Subtotal - $358.10

CCW - $5

Total - $363.10
 
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I get that for some folks, especially younger guys with families, money can be tight. But what's the priority? I've worked with a lot of young guys I've known over the years who cheap out on their carry rigs, don't get to the range much, don't pay for any training, but drive big honkin' trucks or SUVs with $650 a month payments. And pay a lot every month for tobacco products (which shorten their lives, ironically) and alcohol.

My guns, my gear and my training are a top priority as part of taking care of my family, so it's a big part of our budget. The wife can cheap out on my casket when I go, just roll me into an old cardboard box, but while I'm around, I'll pay premium prices for handgun leather (and a few kydex thingies maybe), ammo, and training (well, and guns too, it goes without saying).

Putting food on the table & a roof overhead are my top priorities for taking care of my family.

Gotta agree about the booze, cancer sticks & oversize redneck hot wheels though.
 
My .02.....

Theres absolutely no reason in the current firearms market to limit yourself to something ultra cheap. Decent namebrand handguns are plentiful.

You need to handle and preferably shoot before hand what you're interested in. Pocket carry and micro pistols are all the rage it seems nowadays but dont go down that road blindly. I dont know what your firearms experience is.

You absolutely need to practice with your carry piece. Dry fire is a great free training exercise but nothing replaces live fire. Ammo is also ultra cheap at the moment so again, there really isn't any excuse to not shoot at least a few boxes a month.


I fully support the right for someone to go buy a pistol "just to have for defense" and never do anything with it, but you do yourself a big disservice by doing so. Having a gun for SD in your home is one thing but EDC is more of a commitment and your responsibility is measured much more so than a simple HD scenario should the need arise.
 
In some states, permits are low cost and easy. In others, CCWs are on the expensive side if available at all.
Not a problem if like MS Pelosi and Chuckles Schumer, you can afford bodyguards, but for the rest of us, yeah, it can be a problem. Not so much the paperwork for a permit and a class ($250 +/- plus ammo for the permit & class in my neck of the woods---but I still think it's worth it) but all the rest---a handgun, magazines or speeders, range time, range ammo, leather or Kydex gear, and additional training. Insurance is also good to have. Alternatively you could keep your Hi Point in a Uncle Mike's from Walmart and ignore it until the next time you have to renew your CCW.
Assuming you have other financial obligations----taxes, tuition, medical bills, a mortgage or car payment, realistic budgeting is simply a fact of family life.
While you'll get brow beaten by internet gun experts if you don't at least shoot 250 rounds weekly, attend Gunsite or some other academy every other year, and carry a Wilson Combat or Glock(pick a two digit number---any two digit number) or SIG Legion.

I'd really like to avoid that in this thread.
To be clear, I'm also not talking about a "hobby" like hunting but a commitment to protecting your family from crime, using your 2A Rights.

What matters to you? How much do you budget to do what you do with your CCW piece to keep competent in your shooting skills?
How's it working out for you?
‘Guns’ can be a hobby and a commitment to protecting oneself.

I’m at the pistol range about every other week – more for the enjoyment of shooting than to keep competent in my shooting skills.

And I manage my finances in such a way as to afford range fees, the cost of ammo, and other firearm related expenses.
 
If I could have back all the money that I pissed away on junk guns and junk holsters I could probably afford two trips to Gunsite.

If you're just starting out and you know nothing you don't even know what you don't know. I didn't even know how to find a good trainer or what type of gun I should get as a result I got no training and a bunch of crappy guns.

When I took the required Colorado concealed handgun course I don't think I learned anything but my wife said she learned a lot. I think the most important thing that he did was give us a CD with every single Colorado law referring to firearms on it. I think the second most important thing he did was tell us when he didn't know the answer to a question.

Shortly thereafter my wife and I wanted to take an NRA approved personal protection in the home class. I saw an advertisement in our local gun shop and I called the guy. He kept me on the phone for an hour and a half telling me about all his adventures in South Africa. I mean I really think that this guy didn't have any friends and I was probably the first person that he'd spoken to that day.

So if I could go back in time and stop myself walking into that gun store to buy my first handgun I would have made myself by a copy of Kathy Jackson's book Cornered Cat (assuming it had been written) and read it before I bought anything. I highly recommend that book. It will give you pointers on selecting the right gun for you. It will give you pointers on selecting an appropriate trainer for you. It will give you pointers on how to carry. It is mainly orientated to women but there is a lot of good information in there for guys too.

If a new shooter was asking me now I think I would recommend that if at all possible they find an instructor that will let them take the NRA basic handgun safety course and try several guns before they bought a gun. Because I think if they did that they have a better chance of getting the right gun for them on the first try.

I wouldn't waste my time recommending a particular gun to anybody because they never listen to your recommendation anyway. The last time I was asked the person asked me what I carried and what I would recommend for him and I told him that I carried an M&P 9.

As soon as I showed him the gun he said "That's too big." He ended up with Glock 42 and I don't know if he even carries it.

A couple of months later he asked me why I carried such a big (comparatively) gun. I told him truthfully that in my experience Tweakers hunt in packs. He looked at me like I was out of my mind and he never asked me about guns again.

I have been incredibly lucky in that with the exception of my concealed handgun permit class all the legitimate professional training I've ever had was either paid for by my church or my employer. Right now professional training is not in my budget.

One of the ways I keep my costs down is by keeping a small number of guns. With one exception every handgun I own is a 9 mm so I only have to buy one caliber of ammunition. I keep maybe 2000 rounds on hand for the one .40 S&W I own but it's certainly not a priority.

I buy ammunition in bulk which lowers the per round price. I only carry 9mm Glocks so I'm not duplicating magazines. I predominantly buy Glock 19 magazines and they fit in three of the four Glocks that we own. Also Glock magazines tend to be cheaper than Smith & Wesson magazines. And even cheaper than that if you buy MagPul magazines for Glocks.

When I say duplicating magazines I mean I'm not buying one 15 round magazine for my M&P and one 15 round magazine for my Glock 19 and 1 10 round magazine for my 26. I have 9 magazines for the M&P and that's probably all I'll ever buy for it but that's still almost three hundred bucks that I could have spent on something else.

I pissed away a lot of money on cheap holsters before I invested in a quality holster. With the exception of one gun that's strictly for pocket carry, every handgun I own has a matching Galco CM holster. Now that I've made the final decision to only carry one of two Glocks I'm going to get a Kramer belt scabbard for each of them and I'll probably never have to buy another holster again.

Another thing that I do that I'm certain has at least save me the price of the light over the life of the light is my flashlights are USB rechargeable.

The range that we go to costs $142 a year for a family membership fee and $14 range fee for the entire day every time we go. In good weather I try to get there twice a month and I probably shoot 200 rounds practicing drills that I learned in training.
 
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It really does depend on where you live.
A friend went through this recently.

S&W Shield M1.0 9mm - $249.99
200 - Winchester 115 gr FMJ - $34.99
100 - Winchester 115 gr JHP - $39.98
1.5" Gun Belt Leather (No Name Clearance Item) - $29.99
Blade Tech Kydex Holster (Amazon) - $19.99
Cleaning Equipment - NA (Already had)

Tax - $44.50

Subtotal - $419.44

Discounts
S&W Rebate - $50.00
10% Discount on accessories bought with pistol - $10.50
Tax Discount - $0.84

Subtotal - $358.10

CCW - $5

Total - $363.10

That's a damn good price except he'll probably be replacing the belt soon
 
I simply shoot a couple magazines (including the defensive ammo already in the gun) every time I go to the range. In fact, my PPS shoots better than many of my full size options. Like many things I enjoy, I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like. As for guns, good CCW options are readily available for little money. I was at Vance Outdoors on Friday and found brand new PPS m2s for $250 and Shields for about the same. These are solid guns.
 
If I could have back all the money that I pissed away on junk guns and junk holsters I could probably afford two trips to Gunsite.

If you're just starting out and you know nothing you don't even know what you don't know. I didn't even know how to find a good trainer or what type of gun I should get as a result I got no training and a bunch of crappy guns.

When I took the required Colorado concealed handgun course I don't think I learned anything but my wife said she learned a lot. I think the most important thing that he did was give us a CD with every single Colorado law referring to firearms on it. I think the second most important thing he did was tell us when he didn't know the answer to a question.

Shortly thereafter my wife and I wanted to take an NRA approved personal protection in the home class. I saw an advertisement in our local gun shop and I called the guy. He kept me on the phone for an hour and a half telling me about all his adventures in South Africa. I mean I really think that this guy didn't have any friends and I was probably the first person that he'd spoken to that day.

So if I could go back in time and stop myself walking into that gun store to buy my first handgun I would have made myself by a copy of Kathy Jackson's book Cornered Cat (assuming it had been written) and read it before I bought anything. I highly recommend that book. It will give you pointers on selecting the right gun for you. It will give you pointers on selecting an appropriate trainer for you. It will give you pointers on how to carry. It is mainly orientated to women but there is a lot of good information in there for guys too.

If a new shooter was asking me now I think I would recommend that if at all possible they find an instructor that will let them take the NRA basic handgun safety course and try several guns before they bought a gun. Because I think if they did that they have a better chance of getting the right gun for them on the first try.

I wouldn't waste my time recommending a particular gun to anybody because they never listen to your recommendation anyway. The last time I was asked the person asked me what I carried and what I would recommend for him and I told him that I carried an M&P 9.

As soon as I showed him the gun he said "That's too big." He ended up with Glock 42 and I don't know if he even carries it.

A couple of months later he asked me why I carried such a big (comparatively) gun. I told him truthfully that in my experience Tweakers hunt in packs. He looked at me like I was out of my mind and he never asked me about guns again.

I have been incredibly lucky in that with the exception of my concealed handgun permit class all the legitimate professional training I've ever had was either paid for by my church or my employer. Right now professional training is not in my budget.

One of the ways I keep my costs down is by keeping a small number of guns. With one exception every handgun I own is a 9 mm so I only have to buy one caliber of ammunition. I keep maybe 2000 rounds on hand for the one .40 S&W I own but it's certainly not a priority.

I buy ammunition in bulk which lowers the per round price. I only carry 9mm Glocks so I'm not duplicating magazines. I predominantly buy Glock 19 magazines and they fit in three of the four Glocks that we own. Also Glock magazines tend to be cheaper than Smith & Wesson magazines. And even cheaper than that if you buy MagPul magazines for Glocks.

When I say duplicating magazines I mean I'm not buying one 15 round magazine for my M&P and one 15 round magazine for my Glock 19 and 1 10 round magazine for my 26. I have 9 magazines for the M&P and that's probably all I'll ever buy for it but that's still almost three hundred bucks that I could have spent on something else.

I pissed away a lot of money on cheap holsters before I invested in a quality holster. With the exception of one gun that's strictly for pocket carry, every handgun I own has a matching Galco CM holster. Now that I've made the final decision to only carry one of two Glocks I'm going to get a Kramer belt scabbard for each of them and I'll probably never have to buy another holster again.

Another thing that I do that I'm certain has at least save me the price of the light over the life of the light is my flashlights are USB rechargeable.

The range that we go to costs $142 a year for a family membership fee and $14 range fee for the entire day every time we go. In good weather I try to get there twice a month and I probably shoot 200 rounds practicing drills that I learned in training.


Amen brother!
 
It’s only been recently that I’ve been able to afford trips to the range with any real regularity (and the ammo cost that goes with it). That being said...

Self defense for me has been a bit of an evolution, and I see no reason to stop evolving. I’m happy to spend on better tools for the job or knowledge on how to use them (more on that in a minute).

I started by carrying a 1911 that I mostly traded into-traded a couple guns I was indifferent about and about $75 cash to get into it. I found a used 1791 holster for it on ebay that had plenty of life left in it (still does!). That was a $30 item I think. Cost for equipment was minimal, but that was due to luck and frugality.

For training, i do more dry fire training than with live ammunition. It’s training i can do at home. Especially centered around the draw and presentation. That’s free. Only investment is time and study.

I’m fortunate to have access to a pistol instructor who is a close friend. We wish we lived closer to each other, but he sends me stuff that he runs across that he thinks I could use. I don’t turn it down.

SD is important to me and for my family. But I also understand there are limits to what my budget can handle, so I glean as much as possible whenever possible. It works, but can be a bit spotty at times.

I guess what I’m saying is there’s a difference between being frugal and resourceful versus simply being negligent or unconsciously incompetent.
 
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Tough to put a definite "budget" on what I spend to protect myself and my family. Have owned firearms for over half a century. Still have most every one I've ever owned. I hunt, shoot sporting clays and shoot at my private range once a month or so. My "practice" time is just part of the hobby, and my hobby also includes a mess of handguns. I have reloaded for many years to help keep costs down. While I have only a coupla guns I use for CWC, neither is very expensive, while my hunting handguns cost the most.That said, most anything I own could and can be used for HD.

It's not how much you spend to protect your family, it's how well you protect your family. Owning the most and the most expensive firearms in the world is moot if you don't know how to use them properly. Shooting a cheap gun well is nuttin' to be ashamed of. Awareness and prevention before a threat rears it's ugly head beats out any and all. While "tactical" training is the newest rage, odds are, you will never need to clear a meth house or take down a group of terrorists. Know how to shoot what you have well and know how to keep your wits about you under stress and you will do just fine. Practicing quick reloads and clearing a jammed action costs nuttin' but a little time. Take it. Take advantage of dry firing to keep trigger control and sight acquisition up to snuff. Practice your awareness every time you stop at a gas station, go to a restaurant or risk to venture into Walmart. Your eyes and your mind are your best weapons for SD and cost you nuttin'.
 
That's a damn good price except he'll probably be replacing the belt soon

Likely. It's Vietnamese made so I'm not expecting a lot but it seemed surprisingly robust on inspection and is labeled steel core. He asked me a decent holster at a reasonable price for someone that really didn't know what he wanted and I suggested the blade tech. I've had good luck with them as a budget holster.
 
A Kahr CM9 is a good quality, compact and cheap to shoot carry gun... it is one of my favorites.

An XDs in .45 is pretty compact and has a bit more power.

I don't really want to conceal carry much bigger myself.

It is a shame that states are pricing the second amendment out of reach of the average citizen.
 
I spend quite a bit on guns, range time, components, and associated stuff each year. I trade also. But I don’t have a family. I shoot around 7000 rounds a year now geared toward defense shooting. I’m hoping to bump that up to 10,000 rounds a year.

However there are plenty of good reasonably priced guns, and if you do your homework so you buy once and cry once, it can be done fairly cheaply. 9mm is a logical choice for an inexpensive but effective round.

Honestly I think a bit of training and a lot of practice with a reliable gun is far more important than owning a bunch of guns. And getting into reloading early in can save you quite a bit in ammo.

Either way though, it’s going to cost some coin. But if the complete package saves your, or your family member’s lives, you won’t care a bit.
 
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I bought a ruger .380 lcp, the second one with a few mod,s and stainless slide. with a stippled lower frame from a friend who went to a 9mm sig. he wanted to give it to me, bu i made him take a 100.00 and he game me 2 boxes of ball ammo and a cheap inside the pants holster. I have quite a few handguns, but wanted a very small pistol for hot weather carry. I shot the two boxes of ball with no misfires or feed-ejection problems.
 
I’m coming from a different angle. As a firearms instructor, I’ve seen it all…$3k Wilson in an $5 Uncle Mikes and a $5 Hi-Point in a $150 Galco and everything in between. People are going to purchase the gun they want, but not the gear they need, nor are they going to train the way they should…how many people train in the rain, sleet, snow, mud, at night, when you’re so tired you can hardly keep your eyes open…hell how many go shooting like that? Shooting is PITA, you have to pack everything up, drive to the range, maybe sign in, set targets, load magazines, CRAP forgot something, reset targets…then pack everything back up, drive home, unpack everything AGAIN, then clean everything…and this is from a guy that shoots 300-500 a week, granted 400 of that is on a skeet or 5-stand field, but it’s a PITA! 99% of all my students took the course to be able to get the permit (state law) and 99% of those have not fired their gun since the class, so do you think their thinking about how much money they need to budget for CCW outside of the initial class cost? NOT HAPPENING.
 
I’m coming from a different angle. As a firearms instructor, I’ve seen it all…$3k Wilson in an $5 Uncle Mikes and a $5 Hi-Point in a $150 Galco and everything in between. People are going to purchase the gun they want, but not the gear they need, nor are they going to train the way they should…how many people train in the rain, sleet, snow, mud, at night, when you’re so tired you can hardly keep your eyes open…hell how many go shooting like that? Shooting is PITA, you have to pack everything up, drive to the range, maybe sign in, set targets, load magazines, CRAP forgot something, reset targets…then pack everything back up, drive home, unpack everything AGAIN, then clean everything…and this is from a guy that shoots 300-500 a week, granted 400 of that is on a skeet or 5-stand field, but it’s a PITA! 99% of all my students took the course to be able to get the permit (state law) and 99% of those have not fired their gun since the class, so do you think their thinking about how much money they need to budget for CCW outside of the initial class cost? NOT HAPPENING.
I agree, but by virtue of being right here on this forum we're at least thinking about priorities.
The differences between a CCW holder deploying a firearm and a LEO are considerable.
These days LEOs enjoy far more firearms training than we did in my day, but that training, and the ammo and even the firearms, are most likely provided by their Agency.
Not so with CCW holders and while there are those who apparently spend a lot of time and money on training & equipment, for most of us and for a variety of reasons, it ain't gonna happen.

There isn't a point to training like a Ku Chi tunnel rat if we're not going to be doing the stuff Ku Chi tunnel rats do, unless you see it as more of a hobby.


That's sort of what this thread is about---what does it take to be a better shot or at least prevent skills from going South?
It takes money
It takes time
It takes desire

The first two points are often in short supply.
That you're carrying a loaded firearm should motivate your desire to carry wisely.:)
 
There are plenty of quality handguns handguns these days that are moderately priced.

I've gotten some quality belts/holsters that didn't break the bank.

In the long run ammo for practice is probably the largest expense.

I've saved a lot of money over the years by doing about 1/3 of my practicing with 22's.
 
I didn't get the logic behind having to spend money on an expensive holster and other accessories continent on the price of the gun or vis versa... If the holster does it's job, and the wearer is comfortable and happy with it, what difference does it make? If I own a Taurus G2C, Ruger SR9, S&W SD9VE, Ruger Security 9, or other sub $300 pistols that are reliable and I shoot well, what difference does it make if I put it as expensive holster if that's the only holster that works for me? That doesn't mean I have to go out and order a new gun because of it... That whole way of thinking seems borderline snobbish to me.

IMHO, carry a gun that fits is your hand, that you shoot well, that you're content with, that fits your budget, an that's proven reliable by going out and actually shooting it. Buy the holster that fits your budget, that you're happy with, and accomplishes it's intended purpose. That's what should matter instead of price point and looks.
 
This seems pertinent to the discussion---do you see a difference between your carry gun and your sporting arms when it comes to shooting?
For me it's yes AND no. I have no sporting reason for having a snub nose .38. It certainly isn't a "fun" plinker and the only critter it's been used on was to put an injured horse out of it's misery---I'd prefer to have used a .22 but .22 ammo was unobtainable during the deepest, darkest ammo shortage(yeah I probably could have hunted some up, but I needed it now---the poor animal was suffering!.
Of course the basic elements of marksmanship transcend all shooting sports so there is some carry over, but to consider a round of skeet or trap in the same league as training for CCW is just too great a stretch.
My CCW "kit" has annual expenses, too.
---Buying components for "range" ammo, since I reload and really have no other use for .38 Specials
---Buying a box or two of fresh "carry" ammo every year, shooting a sampling of the new stuff to make certain it works and shooting up the remainder of the oldest box for practice as well as to add to my brass cache. These expenses I can budget for,
 
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