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Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

How much do you spend a year on shooting?


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Combining the needed hoarding since 2008, Umm, I'll take the 5TH!

There is no hoarding. I bought that stuff years ago. It was all on sale. I got a great deal because I took all of it. I was doing the guy a favor really. Helping the local economy and such.
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My wife and I just started USPSA and 3 gun this year. We used to do cowboy action shooting, but stopped for several years. According to my wife, if we go to a 3 gun match, we probably spend about $350. Of course, we live in a place where we have to travel for 3 gun.

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I am still saving money reloading vs buying factory ammo! And I have an oil well I will sell you at a discount price.

If I take my wife; its a get away weekend..match fees, ammo and travel cost dont count.

Its cheaper than owning a boat or going on a trophy hunt in Alaska.

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I fly to a major match somewhere in the US every month. Each one of those trips costs me about 1,500 dollars in total. The I shoot about 800 rounds a week between practice and matches. I do reload.

Match fees, ammo and travel are all direct costs of shooting for me. Include two different range memberships each year (total $350) and then the other costs of doing business in gear like mags, springs, sights and so on that get changed or replaced and yeah, 20 grand this year for me might be an under valuation.

My wife and I had a discussion about the costs and I explained it to her that I was earning a "Master" degree in shooting this year, and was going to spend the same amount as I would have on grad school. So yeah, is what it is. She collects guitars and bicycles, neither of which are cheap either.

And the motorcycle analogy is apt! Holy smokes, those were thousand dollar weekends back in the day...............road racing motorcycles.

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I actually guesstimated how much I spend a year on shooting based on average consumption a few months back. If I shot all the Level II & III matches that I wanted to shoot it would cost me $6,551 a year. As of now for just Local matches and weekly practice it is only $3,141 a year.

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$1200.00 - $1500.00 per year for ammo, $20.00 per match (usually 10) and the annual fees for insurance and such plus gas (only shoot local matches)...not more than $2000.00/year. More for fun and socializing for me.

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Too Much!

So far it has cost me $5k for landscaping, $6k for new hardwood flooring, and a new car for the wife.

Otherwise not so bad.

Ranger6

"If it's on the internet, it's got to be true. They can't put anything on the internet if it isn't true." A. Lincoln

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Wife and both shoot USPSA and Speed Steel. At least 4 matches a month & practice is about 1k rounds a week. We have been at this just one year and have done one Area match and one Sectional. Whatever the cost the fun is well worth it.

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Who knows. I could say as a starter my costs are $125 a year for the range membership, $15-20 per match for fees x 7 so far this year, 3 2-gun matches involving about $30 ammo each, pistol matches costing maybe $12-15 ammo each, plus whatever the wife and I shoot together in practice, and now when hosting friends and family at the range. It keeps getting more all the time, but that's a good thing because that's more fun to be had on sunny (or not) days. More magazines, a tax stamp this year, etc.

I suppose it's easier to look at how much ammo I reload as that's in bigger chunks--off the top of my head I know I've bought at least 2000 9mm bullets, 1100 in .40, more or less 1000 5.56, then primers and powder for each. Next year I'll probably buy in much larger quantity so I actually know how much I'm using rather than nickel and dime here and there to where it's not known...now that I know how much really to expect! I didn't know just what a full year of rifle and pistol matches would use before, but now I do, and I'm VERY glad I got into reloading!

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Can't answer this, my wife may read the post!! LOL

That's what I'm thinking. She'd know the real value of what I've spent instead of "I've had that for awhile" or "It was only $20"

Oh so I'm not the only one that uses that trick? New gear comes in the house, I hide it and play with it for a while and when she asks.."What is that?" I can (without lying is the key part) Tell her "What? this? i've had this a while now!"

I've got a new AR hiding out as we speak :devil:

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You don't have to worry about your wife finding out about things if you include her in your shooting activities. My wife is my best friend, so why would I not want her to enjoy having fun the way I do? Why would someone choose someone to spend life with who would not have things in common with that are main points of spending time and/or money?

Edited by yellowfin
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You don't have to worry about your wife finding out about things if you include her in your shooting activities. My wife is my best friend, so why would I not want her to enjoy having fun the way I do? Why would someone choose someone to spend life with who would not have things in common with that are main points of spending time and/or money?

I do include her, but she doesn't like the competition side of stuff, and she doesnt understand the need (ok,ok want) to try all the new gear etc. Plus a baby sitter for 2 kids (3rd due any day now) is super expensive!!!

Plus some days I just need a guy/gun/beer after shooting day to myself!

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Ah, gotcha. Well, good to know she does stuff to keep in good shape, that's definitely worth trading babysitting days. The wife and I are figuring out the budget and schedule to see when we can start our own family too. My hat's off to ya for the hard work.

Something that worked with my wife and me buying competition gear is that while she doesn't compete right now, she does immediately find that if I'm buying guns that shoot more accurately, she shoots them more accurately and considers that fun enough for her, so I shoot one thing while she shoots the newer, better, faster whatever. Ditto with ammo component purchases--if she's shooting on the cheap because I do and I keep her ammo supply full so she doesn't do without, she doesn't question it much.

Congrats on the family expansion! Good reason to have a Ruger Mk2 ready for the little ones' future.

Edited by yellowfin
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You don't have to worry about your wife finding out about things if you include her in your shooting activities. My wife is my best friend, so why would I not want her to enjoy having fun the way I do? Why would someone choose someone to spend life with who would not have things in common with that are main points of spending time and/or money?

You don't have to worry about your wife finding out about things if you just tell her, and continue doing whatever you think is best.

I pay the mortgage and buy most of the food and finance the vacations and fund the retirement accounts, so my wife doesn't really care what else I spend my money on.

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I try not to do the math

This. I don't want to do the math. It may frighten me.

Oh god, I was right to be scared.

I shoot about 600 rds a week (2-3 local matches) @ .15 per round. $90 a week in ammo

$40 a week in match fees.

130x4= $520

Plus, it seems every month or so, something pops up that's $125. Repairs, replacements, range fee etc.

$520+$125x 12= $7740

This doesn't count buying any guns :(

Edited by Jaycwebb
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You don't have to worry about your wife finding out about things if you include her in your shooting activities. My wife is my best friend, so why would I not want her to enjoy having fun the way I do? Why would someone choose someone to spend life with who would not have things in common with that are main points of spending time and/or money?

You don't have to worry about your wife finding out about things if you just tell her, and continue doing whatever you think is best.

I pay the mortgage and buy most of the food and finance the vacations and fund the retirement accounts, so my wife doesn't really care what else I spend my money on.

:cheers:

Honesty is a virtue. I enjoy coming home and telling my wife about the great deal I just got today! She certainly isn't a fraction of the gun nut I am, but she enjoys my passion and take a genuine interest in the things I love. The important part is to reciprocate.

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