Dave DeLaurant
Member
A recent thread has stimulated my thinking about the percentage of my entire 'firearm' budget that goes toward buying guns against what I spend on that long list of related merchandise.
I tend to think of the firearm manufacturers being the largest players in the SHOT Show economy, but maybe all the other related stuff is where the bulk of my spending actually goes. Stuff like ammo, reloading components and tools, optics and mounts, extra magazines and other spares and custom components, gunsmithing fees, research books, storage boxes and safes, cleaning and maintenance gear, shooting range equipment, competition and range fees/memberships, transportation costs to/from gunshops and shooting/hunting venues, hunting licenses and tags, CCW license and class fees, cases, slings, pouches and holsters.
I consider myself a shooter/collector, meaning that some guns I buy are for my informal collection but everything eventually gets shot. I keep good records for insurance purposes on firearm purchase prices and firearm-specific accessories like stocks, optics and magazines, but not for all the other expenses surrounding my interests in firearms. Of the 38 rifles I currently own, original cost and the costs for specific accessories (particularly optics) runs about 1-to-1, not including dies and ammo. If I had to guess, all the other stuff would probably add up to a bit more than either category.
How would you estimate your own gun-related spending? Mostly shooting hardware, ammo or everything else?
I tend to think of the firearm manufacturers being the largest players in the SHOT Show economy, but maybe all the other related stuff is where the bulk of my spending actually goes. Stuff like ammo, reloading components and tools, optics and mounts, extra magazines and other spares and custom components, gunsmithing fees, research books, storage boxes and safes, cleaning and maintenance gear, shooting range equipment, competition and range fees/memberships, transportation costs to/from gunshops and shooting/hunting venues, hunting licenses and tags, CCW license and class fees, cases, slings, pouches and holsters.
I consider myself a shooter/collector, meaning that some guns I buy are for my informal collection but everything eventually gets shot. I keep good records for insurance purposes on firearm purchase prices and firearm-specific accessories like stocks, optics and magazines, but not for all the other expenses surrounding my interests in firearms. Of the 38 rifles I currently own, original cost and the costs for specific accessories (particularly optics) runs about 1-to-1, not including dies and ammo. If I had to guess, all the other stuff would probably add up to a bit more than either category.
How would you estimate your own gun-related spending? Mostly shooting hardware, ammo or everything else?