Comparing the Cost of Shooting Sports

[Sol]

Actually it's you that "looking at this all wrong." What a nonsense posting...

Plenty of hikers and golfers not into guns in a recreational sort of way still have firearms for self defense.

My point is that firearms offer both a hobby and a utility.

 

[huntsman]

Hunting/shooting is a cheap entertainment for me. I own the land and buy my firearms very judiciously, a $500. gun amortized over a decade or more is a cheap tool. Really my only cost is ammo and occasional accessories. Since I've limit my calibers I don't have a lot of cash tied up in cartridges that aren't part of my regular uses .

Try archery. One bow and a dozen arrows that you get to use over and over. We have both archery and riflery at summer camp and the budget for archery is a third the riflery cost.

My only complaint with archery is there's no BOOM I like BOOM

 

[Hardtarget]

This is ...interesting. I really never thought much about all these other hobbies/activities and the cost involved.

I shoot and I reload. There is more cost than we really want to talk about.
There is photography. Another cash hog hobby.
Leather crafting...$$$

I need to stop finding extra things to do.

Wait! I forgot...computers.

Mark

 

[1911 guy]

My issue is keeping my head down.

No problem on a rifle stock, but golf makes me pick my head up to see where the ball is going. Which usually means it's still sitting on the tee.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I gave up hunting as it was too expensive for the time I could enjoy it. By the time I buy a license ($100), drive 300 miles ($300), camp for 5 days ($100), that's $500. If I go twice it's $900. That doesn't include the $1200 to hunt on private property if I want, any gear or ammo.

I don't play golf so wouldn't know about that.

I joined a private gun club and that will work out to about $70 yr. if I stay there 10 years. I can shoot almost anytime so my ammo is my only other cost. I reload so I'm spending about $1000-$2000 a year for that. The nice thing about it is I have something to do year around and not just 2 weeks a year.

I don't really think any rec activity is going to be cheap. I look at it as therapy and worth every dime.

 

[J-Bar]

Some folks say they don't get involved in cowboy action shooting because it takes four guns...two single action revolvers, a lever rifle in pistol caliber, and a shotgun; about $2500 to be reasonably competitive with used firearms.

But then I see them hauling a $20,000 bass boat on a trailer, plus gas for that king cab pickup truck, and I wonder!

By the way, I like golf. I can shoot my age on a public course just as easily as on a country club course. These days I can shoot my age in about 12 holes!

 

[oneounceload]

But then I see them hauling a $20,000 bass boat on a trailer, plus gas for that king cab pickup truck, and I wonder!

Similar in sporting clays - I see guys using their $50K-4 door pick up to pull their $25K Polaris 6 seater on that $6K custom trailer. Let's not forget the overpriced Yeti coolers and the $$$$$ target gun. One guy I know shoots a Kreighoff K-80 that has the Apollo moon landing engraved on all three sides. That's a $110,000 gun.

Glad he has that kind of disposable income.

But even entry level decent guns are about $3K plus gas, ammo, target fees. I can't do it every day, but even once a week starts to add up and I get the evil eye from the SO now and again when she sees the credit card bill!........

 

[buck460XVR]

Most any recreational hobby is going to cost you something. Dirt bikin', 4-wheelin', golf, Sporting Clays, Trap, Stamp Collecting, antiquing, etc, etc. Kinda why most of us have worked hard all our lives so we can afford to play.

My point is that firearms offer both a hobby and a utility.

So can that Harley(recreation and transportation), fishing pole(recreation and food), bass boat(recreation, food AND transportation!). Sometimes we try and justify a toy to the wife by telling her it's not just for fun. Like "Honey, I need a new 4-wheeler to plow the driveway, not just for running the trails!"

One can spend a lot on toys or spend a little. While the bragging rights vary, many times the satisfaction doesn't. Sometimes it's just the quality time we get to spend with family and friends that makes it all worth it. I shoot Sporting Clays myself. I have a Browning Citori O/U, but I prefer to shoot with my Grandpa's old Savage/Fox SxS 16. I shoot about the same with either, but the old 16 still makes me smile even on my bad days.

 

[Aragon]

Some folks say they don't get involved in cowboy action shooting because it takes four guns...two single action revolvers, a lever rifle in pistol caliber, and a shotgun; about $2500 to be reasonably competitive with used firearms.

But then I see them hauling a $20,000 bass boat on a trailer, plus gas for that king cab pickup truck, and I wonder!

By the way, I like golf. I can shoot my age on a public course just as easily as on a country club course. These days I can shoot my age in about 12 holes!

I would say it has to do more with:

* Extremely non-challenging targeting (also a big reason why many DO get involved.)

* The required costumes (also a big reason why many DO get involved.)

 

[larryh1108]

In all the hobbies you can't count the initial cost of the main item (Guns, bikes, etc) as part of the total cost per use unless you use that item one time.

A nice gun can last your lifetime but figure it for 20 years and the per use cost drops dramatically. I don't know how long a $2000 bike lasts or even the wheels/tires but the per use price also drops dramatically.

My golf clubs cost $1000 when I purchased them new in 2000 and are still perfect 15 years later and I doubt I'll replace them in my lifetime. Per use is peanuts.

So, when figuring the true cost of a hobby, once you get past the main expense you just look at what it takes to get you thru that particular use (ammo, green fees, tags, golf balls, entry fees, gas, etc). While still not cheap it doesn't really cost a lot more than a nice dinner with the wife at the local steak house and is usually a lot cheaper,

 

[huntsman]

A nice gun can last your lifetime but figure it for 20 years and the per use cost drops dramatically.

Yep and if one can resist the temptation to continually upgrade or "try" different guns even the cost of a fine firearm is reasonable.

It all depends on one's goal when it comes to owning firearms, if someone is about accumulating then yeah the costs could be prohibitive but if the goal is to purchase a firearm for use, well firearms can be quite versatile even though the gun industry spends a great deal of money trying to convince otherwise.

 

[Aragon]

In all the hobbies you can't count the initial cost of the main item (Guns, bikes, etc) as part of the total cost per use unless you use that item one time.

A nice gun can last your lifetime but figure it for 20 years and the per use cost drops dramatically. I don't know how long a $2000 bike lasts or even the wheels/tires but the per use price also drops dramatically.

My golf clubs cost $1000 when I purchased them new in 2000 and are still perfect 15 years later and I doubt I'll replace them in my lifetime. Per use is peanuts.

So, when figuring the true cost of a hobby, once you get past the main expense you just look at what it takes to get you thru that particular use (ammo, green fees, tags, golf balls, entry fees, gas, etc). While still not cheap it doesn't really cost a lot more than a nice dinner with the wife at the local steak house and is usually a lot cheaper,

Sure you can. It's the cost of entry into the individual sport.