Budget Planning

[Mberry]

I've seen this thread before somewhere for the pistol shooters, and I thought it would be helpful here. I'm a new guy, so my budget plan is pretty embarrassing... I don't have one!

Would some of the experienced guys mind sharing their budgets for the season here? It would be helpful for those of us just starting out to know what we are in for and maybe reveal a few things that we haven't thought to plan for.

Thanks!

[ramairthree]

Well, for the past year my son and I have tried to get in a match a month for pistol, and one a quarter for multi-gun. We ended up shooting 12 pistol and 2 multi gun in ten months. I will just cover some basics. For 9mm, about 150 each a match. You could buy at Walmart for about 23c a round for brass cased, boxer primed, reloadable US made FMJ. We can reload for about half that. For shotgun, about 50 birdshot a match each. Under 25$ again at Walmart. Slugs or buckshot closer to a dollar a piece. Figure ten bucks each a match there. For rifle, about 100 rounds each. That was about 30 to 40c a round, again, reloaded for half that. Those are all pre-panic prices and availability just for ammo. Recent events have made us hold off the last match or two we could have gone to. We do not train in between matches, add in ammo for that if you are going to. Expect for pistol, 100 - 150$ in holster, belt, etc. You may decide you want another pistol, different holster, more mags, etc. For multigun, you will decide the Mossberg 500 you had for 20 years is not cutting it, buy a SA, a mag tube, some ammo holders. For rifle you will decide to get a flip magnifier for your red dot, then a 1-4x to try, etc. So yeah, even for just a hobby level competitor it can get pricey.

[promod1385]

Shooting is like motor sports and the old saying goes "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?" How much do you want to spend is all relative to what your trying to achieve. I spent less than $1000 to get in to 3gun and used an old 870 I have, I didnt feel out gunned in the least and it took me a few events to learn what I liked/didnt like and I made informed decisions from there.

What do you already have? What division do you want to shoot in? Do you plan on traveling to any major events? All of these quesitons need to be answered but the bottom line is you need trigger time! All the bells and whistles arent going to mean much to you at this point, get out and shoot some events spend your money on ammo and practice, practice, practice!

[Mberry]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I saw a thread somewhere in the pistol forums where a lot of GM level guys broke down their yearly budget. I'm not looking for "how much should I spend on my shotgun", I'm looking for "I budget $2k a year for pistol practice ammo" or even better, "for every major, I budget $1500 to cover the cost of travel, hotel and ammo".

As for me, I just started all of this last year and shot one major in 3-Gun. I did three majors in USPSA and figured out that I enjoy 3-Gun a whole lot more. All my guns are pretty much set for this season. I have a few tweaks to do, but I think that will always be the case! I plan to hit at least four majors this year and probably eight to 10 club level matches. My goal is to build up experience over the next four years, when I can retire from my full-time job, and go pro upon retirement.

My Major list for the year so far:

Tarheel

FNH

BRM3G

Fallen Brethren

Colt 3-Man (?)

What I would like to see is other competitors breakdown's for-

Ammo (Match and Practice)

Range Fee's or memberships

Entrance Fee's to club level and major matches

Travel

Lodging

Gear/ Maintenance

Random- Jersey's, eye and ear pro etc...

Thanks!

[carbon9]

I don't keep track. Otherwise I would have to acknowledge exactly how much I am spending, become cost conscious and stop having so much fun!

[caz41]

Unless the major is in your back yard budget minimum 1k for each match

[co-exprs]

This got me curious and now I wish I had not looked. I don't budget. I tried to work out an allowance with my wife. Magically though, every month I find my account without an allowance. So I do what every self respecting husband does. Ask for forgiveness later.

In 2012 I burned:

10k pistol ammo. 99% reloads and mostly cast lead or Bayou at an average cost of .17ea and a total of $1700

3k 223 rifle ammo. 100% reloads running mostly 55gr Hornady and some 69gr SMK. Average cost .23ea, total $700

2k 308 rifle ammo. 50% surplus 50% reloads. Surplus .35ea, reloads .45ea. Average cost .40ea for a total of $800

1.5k bird shot. 50% AA, 50% reloads. AA .32ea, reloads .10ea. Average cost .21 and a total cost of $315

250 special shells. Slugs and buck all factory. Average .75ea. Total cost for specialty shells $187

Total ammo cost for 2012 was $3700 give or take.

I spent roughly $1000 on entry fees which included, Steel challenge most Fri nights at my club between May and Oct and 2 to 3 multi gun matches each month.

I also burned on average 2 extra tanks of gas per month, during the match months of March through Oct. Which included trips to the range a couple times per week. $1000.

Grand total of $5700 in general expense for 2012. This does not include funds spent on gear and guns.

I offset some of this cost to the family budget by teaching pistol marksmanship classes at my club. I don't make a ton of money at it, but I managed to put about $1500 back into the check book through teaching. I am also just getting good enough to occasionally win something good off the prize table, and I managed to put $1600 back into the checkbook from prizes.

So by this account about $2600 total from the checkbook, but I'm certain I could find a grand or so worth of stuff in my shop I've forgotten about. The key thing for me is to remember during down time to keep things restocked, or at least pay for restocking and the purchase of gear. If I pay for it gradually all year long, then my wife never gets a bill for $1000 in bullets and boat goes unrocked. No matter how hard I try to keep the spending in check it always seems to be just a little bit too much.