NPSS Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 (edited) We all know shootings sports like USPSA/IPSC and 3 gun have a certain reputation for "Race guns" and special equipment. Some of it's warranted, a lot of it isn't. How and where do YOU save money?Used guns and gear for beginners? Reloading your own ammo? Make your own case lube? Car pool to matches? Use a certain economical bullet type for practice? Maybe a different powder too?? Promote brands on social media for discounts? Share below. Ideas will be used for media to get more shooters shooting matches. *What I'm not looking for is responses like " you won't save any money shooting these games herp de derp I shoot 40 majors a year and use gold plated brass" Edited November 30, 2015 by NPSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kosh79 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 It's funny cause you speak of race guns.........they make up a small portion of shooting sports. Save money???? Shoot production use a glock buy discount ammo ride with a buddy that shoots and look for deals. FTW and I don't mean for the win Hacks lmao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mitch Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I built a 3-Gun carbine for <$600 (no optic). Totally competitive, too. The main thing is free-floating the barrel. A couple years ago you could get a Model 1 Sales free float tube for $35. Now it's $55 or so. Gets really hot if you shoot more than 2 rounds per second for more than 20 seconds, like a very high round count rifle stage. Cools down between stages in any case. Doesn't get hot at all if your AR is just a range toy, i.e. shooting groups, doing drills, etc. AR triggers: I use the AR Trigger adjuster, JP yellow springs, and cut off the hammer spur. Works well enough to ring 15" gongs at 500 meters. $30 Glock triggers: Ghost connector, 3.5lbs. Anything else is retarded. 1911/2011 stuff: generally just expensive. I find myself checking out the RIA stuff regularly, especially since they finally put out some single stack guns in .40S&W. They just need to make a USPSA legal .40 cal SS gun. My direct experience with their double-stack/2011 is that it is excellent and will accept STI mags. Shotguns: used=cheap, open the loading port yourself (filing aluminum is fast and easy, if you know HOW to file), bulk pack ammo will run your Benelli just fine all the time, Fiocchi low recoil slugs are cheap Reloading: solid copper 55gr projectiles are cheap from American Marksman, coated pistol bullets, Titegroup for pistols, only buy small rifle primers and use them for 9mm, .40S&W, and .223. Makes a ton of sense to only have one type of primer on hand if you only need one type of primer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gino_aki Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I look for 1911/Para/STI and Winchester Super X Model 1 parts, Weaver scopes, and various computer parts on Ebay. You can really save money by keeping an eye out for things like magazines, grips and stuff by creating saved searches and even have them notify you when items get listed. Every so often you can score some really great deals from sellers who may not know the value of something or are just wanting a quick sale...I've gotten Caspian and STI slides, Bar-sto, Nowlin and Wilson barrels, and just about every tool that Brownells sells for the 1911 for 25 to 75 percent off dealer prices. For my Super X Model 1, it's practically the only place to find spare parts. I would hazard a guess that my experience would be true for other firearms parts as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) Shoot a Glock in Production Division. They don't cost an arm and a leg, They run right out of the box. Mods, all of which (in Production) add up to just a few hundred dollars, are drop in, so your gun won't be spending endless weeks at the gunsmith's just sitting around until he gets to it. Better yet - there's hardly any metal to put a Dremel bit to, so you aren't likely to screw it up and have to buy another gun ;^D. Use Kydex gear (in Production). It works and it's cheap. Load you own on a SDB. Unless you shoot more than a couple thousand rounds a month, a fancier/faster press is just more money spent (I personally enjoy reloading so the time spent is not onerous to me). Of course, reloading requires meticulous attention to detail, and a degree of obsessive compulsiveness helps avoid potentially dangerous rounds, so it's not for everybody. If you reload for production, use coated bullets. They cost 30 to 40 percent less than jacketed, are more than accurate enough for the action shooting game, and use less powder for the same velocity for the bullet weight. Source your brass carefully - prices vary from free (range pick ups) to expensive (brass in catalogs where the vendor has the item as an afterthought, not as a primary item for sale), but I should add that quality matters as much if not more than price. Get your reloading components via group buys with your shooting buddies. Saves considerably on HazMat. charges. Find a place where you can practice at a discount or for free. Sometimes that means joining a club and volunteering to administrate or manage the range or matches. Edited December 3, 2015 by kevin c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 We all know shootings sports like USPSA/IPSC and 3 gun have a certain reputation for "Race guns" and special equipment. Some of it's warranted, a lot of it isn't. How and where do YOU save money?Used guns and gear for beginners? Reloading your own ammo? NO OTHER WAY.Make your own case lube? YES, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I GOT BORED!Car pool to matches? SOMETIMES BUT GENERALLY NOT.Use a certain economical bullet type for practice? I MAY LOAD UP SOME XTREMES FOR PRACTICE OVER THE WINTER Maybe a different powder too?? NOPE. WAC FOR EVERYTHING FOR OPEN.Promote brands on social media for discounts? ABSOLUTELY Share below. Ideas will be used for media to get more shooters shooting matches. *What I'm not looking for is responses like " you won't save any money shooting these games herp de derp I shoot 40 majors a year and use gold plated brass" The only "cheap" way to shoot USPSA is Production with off the shelf striker gun and load your own ammo with coated or plated bullets. Trust me, don't try to shoot Open division on aProduction budget! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 where do YOU save money? Used gear? Reloading? Car pool to matches? Use economical bullets for practice? +1. That's right. And, don't buy in over your head - set a budget, and stick to it. Remember, in addition to the cost of the gun, you have other gear, reloading supplies and transportation costs. You decide how much you want to spend, and stay within your budget. I'd add " buy in bulk" perhaps with a group of fellow shooters, to save money. And, donate your time where MD's let you shoot for free - can pick up brass that way, also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddKS Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I think for most people that most important cost to control is ammo. Whether you shoot a $500 gun or a $5000 gun you still have to feed it. You can control ammo cost in two ways. You can either shoot fewer rounds or reduce the cost per round. Substituting dry fire for live fire helps control volume. Buying in bulk is the best way to control per round cost. Always buy in lot sizes that leverage the best per unit price. Also, be sure you figure in shipping when you are looking for the best deal. Free shipping is a significant benefit if you are shipping 10,000 bullets. Haz charge is a flat fee. Make sure you are getting your $25 worth. If you pay $25 in haz on 4# of powder it adds over $6 per pound to the cost. If you pay the same $25 to ship 32 pounds it only adds 78 cents. This last one is more hack than cost savings. Never have less than 1 year's worth of components on hand. Shortages are inevitable. Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPSS Posted December 2, 2015 Author Share Posted December 2, 2015 We all know shootings sports like USPSA/IPSC and 3 gun have a certain reputation for "Race guns" and special equipment. Some of it's warranted, a lot of it isn't. How and where do YOU save money?Used guns and gear for beginners? Reloading your own ammo? NO OTHER WAY.Make your own case lube? YES, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I GOT BORED!Car pool to matches? SOMETIMES BUT GENERALLY NOT.Use a certain economical bullet type for practice? I MAY LOAD UP SOME XTREMES FOR PRACTICE OVER THE WINTER Maybe a different powder too?? NOPE. WAC FOR EVERYTHING FOR OPEN.Promote brands on social media for discounts? ABSOLUTELY Share below. Ideas will be used for media to get more shooters shooting matches. *What I'm not looking for is responses like " you won't save any money shooting these games herp de derp I shoot 40 majors a year and use gold plated brass" The only "cheap" way to shoot USPSA is Production with off the shelf striker gun and load your own ammo with coated or plated bullets.Trust me, don't try to shoot Open division on aProduction budget! You can shoot limited for just as cheap as production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 We all know shootings sports like USPSA/IPSC and 3 gun have a certain reputation for "Race guns" and special equipment. Some of it's warranted, a lot of it isn't. How and where do YOU save money?Used guns and gear for beginners? Reloading your own ammo? NO OTHER WAY.Make your own case lube? YES, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I GOT BORED!Car pool to matches? SOMETIMES BUT GENERALLY NOT.Use a certain economical bullet type for practice? I MAY LOAD UP SOME XTREMES FOR PRACTICE OVER THE WINTER Maybe a different powder too?? NOPE. WAC FOR EVERYTHING FOR OPEN.Promote brands on social media for discounts? ABSOLUTELY Share below. Ideas will be used for media to get more shooters shooting matches. *What I'm not looking for is responses like " you won't save any money shooting these games herp de derp I shoot 40 majors a year and use gold plated brass" The only "cheap" way to shoot USPSA is Production with off the shelf striker gun and load your own ammo with coated or plated bullets.Trust me, don't try to shoot Open division on aProduction budget! You can shoot limited for just as cheap as production. Not with a 40. But yes, with a 9mm scoring minor you sure can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beastly Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Dry fire (Stoeger, Anderson). Planned live fire sessions with specific goals. Practicing/training vs. just shooting another match. Consider getting training vs. relyign solely on self-training. This can also save a lot of wasted time and effort. Guns and presses tie up funds, sure. But they are also the big ticket items with the best resale value. Consumables and the innumerable bits and pieces of shooting and reloading gear, travel, etc. are what drives costs up. Buy consumables in bulk, with friends if necessary for discounts and to reduce shipping/hazmat fees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tha1000 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Test drive a gun before you buy, if you can. I was two shadow's deep before I figured out that I liked shooting a pre b/85 combat better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 Shoot local matches instead of paying entree fee's/gas/food/Hotel for larger matches , besides the cost savings if the weather turns bad or something personal comes up you are not committed. Help with set up or s.o. / r.o or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 I tumble my brass with lizard bedding off Amazon Prime and Nu Finish car polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywizzle Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 The only advice I give to new shooters is use the gear you have for an extended period of time before spending money on replacement gear, custom gunsmithing or even buying a new gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPSS Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 We all know shootings sports like USPSA/IPSC and 3 gun have a certain reputation for "Race guns" and special equipment. Some of it's warranted, a lot of it isn't. How and where do YOU save money?Used guns and gear for beginners? Reloading your own ammo? NO OTHER WAY.Make your own case lube? YES, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I GOT BORED!Car pool to matches? SOMETIMES BUT GENERALLY NOT.Use a certain economical bullet type for practice? I MAY LOAD UP SOME XTREMES FOR PRACTICE OVER THE WINTER Maybe a different powder too?? NOPE. WAC FOR EVERYTHING FOR OPEN.Promote brands on social media for discounts? ABSOLUTELY Share below. Ideas will be used for media to get more shooters shooting matches. *What I'm not looking for is responses like " you won't save any money shooting these games herp de derp I shoot 40 majors a year and use gold plated brass" The only "cheap" way to shoot USPSA is Production with off the shelf striker gun and load your own ammo with coated or plated bullets.Trust me, don't try to shoot Open division on aProduction budget! You can shoot limited for just as cheap as production. Not with a 40. But yes, with a 9mm scoring minor you sure can 40 isn't that much more to load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 You can also save by using a .22 conversion for some of your live fire practice. There will be a change in the balance of the gun, and splits and recoil recovery will be unrealistically fast, but the big positive is putting the hits on the paper or steel as you test and refine technique. Like many shooting related supplies, .22 LR ammo is currently still scarce and what you can get is pricey, but when it becomes available and reasonable price wise, it should save you half or more the cost per round fired over centerfire ammo. Another plus for those like me who have backs that they'd like to last for another thirty or forty years is that you don't have to worry about picking up the brass. ;^D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slostang Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 The only thing I've discovered when trying to save money within the shooting sports, is that you'll wind up spending it on something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Single Stack Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 That is so true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapemeister Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Don't' let your pride or ego keep you from being thrifty in order to finance your shooting. Pick up brass at local and major matches. Sell it to your buddies to help finance your shooting. Don't pass up the .22's either. They go in the scrap bucket along with the other rejected brass and gets turned in for cash once or twice a year. It takes about 6 .22 cases to make one 9mm case, but over time the weight adds up. I rarely pass up an opportunity to pick up aluminum cans. You only get about a penny a piece these days, but for each can that's one penny less I'm spending for a bullet. Shoot lead for practice, and coated for matches. Only about $10 to $12 difference per thousand, but it adds up over a year. Don't buy a gun you have to pay a gunsmith to work on....shoot Production. Most these days have lifetime warranties, and they pay the postage, too. Wash out a milk jug and fill it with tap water....it's almost free and just as good as bottled water. Buy discounted gift cards on line. Look at the savings as your shooting money. One square less of toilet paper per sitting adds up over the year.....more bullets! The list goes on and on. My grandma used grandpa's old underwear as dish cloths, but I won't go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 From the voice of (rueful) experience: There is a lot technique to be learned, tested and refined on your own, but in doing so, without having somebody to monitor your progress you can pick up bad habits that will be hard to break by the time you realize or are told you have them. If you are serious about performing well at the action game, it is worth while taking a class from one of the teaching professionals. It won't save you money, but it will save you a lot of time progress wise. If you do take a class, TAKE NOTES, PRACTICE what they suggest. The advice, the expense, the time spent is worth nothing if you do not apply what is suggested. I have taken classes from most of the pros who travel to California, all good in different ways, but I made slow progress because I didn't really apply much of what I was taught. Other advice: if you travel to regional, area or national matches (and it is worth doing so at least on occasion so you can experience the higher level competition), you can save a lot on travel by: Driving and sharing rooms with other shooters. You save the expense and hassle of traveling by air (with guns) and arranging car rental. You will have your friends with you as well, a big plus when you are all strangers in a strange land. Consider doing the VRBO or airbnb thing. I do it frequently (or, more exactly, my wife, the dollar and web savvy one in our marriage, makes all the arrangements). There's a big saving in the cost per night, and a further saving by preparing at least some of your own meals (eating out every night could be considered a treat, but it'll cost you). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beechnutbob Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Airsoft makes some stuff that works with real guns. They make a copies of holsters for open guns, mag holders and belts, bought whole setup holster, mag pouches, and belt for 119 shipped and have been using it for three years. I wanted to go from a upright C-more mount to a 90 degree mount. There is a airsoft 90 degree mount with the same hole spacing as an STI upright, made of aluminum available for 15.00 compared to 70 too 100 for a "real one" Been on my gun for two years, 15000 rounds and works great. Put a C-more module in a knock off C-more rail ride on an AR. Still going strong, The problem with the knock off c-more is the dot is not bright enough in sunlight, other wise seems to be holding up fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric4069 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 using coated lead bullets (picked up from manufacturer at a major match so no shipping fee) for loading 40 makes my 40 major reloads cost about the same as my JHP 9 mm minor reloads. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaosshooter00 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 This may not fit into this thread, but I do a couple things to help save my local club money. First and foremost, I stopped them from using "rattle can" hardcover and went to the local hardware, ask for their water based miscolors from the paint department and have them tint it as dark as they can. Ten dollars is the most I've paid for a gallon so far. Take it home, pour 3/4 into drink bottles or milk jugs that will seal well, fill the empty 3/4 can with water, shake the wee out of it, get your pawnshop spray gun and go to town. A gallon lasts almost two years for us. Second, we remove our staples from every stick, every match. Sounds stupid, but how many times have you changed sticks due to no good area for staples? We also shoot our targets to death, for us, only the classifier needs new targets every match. We get between twenty and thirty people per match, so we may get more life out of them than other clubs. Our core group likes to shoot as often as possible, so carpooling is a huge help with the three to four travel matches a month, all within three hours of home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapemeister Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I rarely see anybody else take home used targets after a match, including the untouched no-shoot targets. Either they're not practicing, a target manufacturer is sponsoring them, or they're buying new targets. I actually know people that buy new targets for practice...and I totally don't get that. But, I'm being a bit hypocritical because I buy pasters to paste my used targets. My new years resolution is to use masking tape, instead. My new years resolutions to save money and buy more bullets: Quit smoking = lots more bullets Masking tape instead of buying pasters = more bullets Eating at home more and taking stuff with me to eat during and after match = more bullets No more store bought bottled water = more bullets More diligent about turning off lights at home when not needed = more bullets Limit Red Box visits to once every two or three weeks, and then only one movie = more bullets No purchases at Walmart unless I use a discounted gift card bought on line = more bullets Washing and reusing corn cob media at least once = more bullets I'm sure there's other stuff to save money on. I'm kind of thinking about giving up beer and coffee but I don't know if that's realistic. Wish me luck ..especially with the smoking thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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