The hacks,short cuts and money savers thread: How you save money and s

[EDA]

Good luck with quitting the smoking - you'll save alot of money with long-term medical costs too (COPD is a pricey one...and it adds to your health insurance)!

I've purchased all my USPSA pistols used so far from here! (SS, Ltd, Open). I'm sure I've saved a bunch on those to purchase all the other things - rigs, reloading supplies, etc. They have all run great!

[Daft]

If you are on a budget, 3gun will break the bank unless you can and are happy with stock stuff you already have. Shooting open will really break the budget
+3 for Glocks, add to that a long barrel one like 34 or 35.

Reload in 9mm as its cheaper than .40 and less of the brass bulge issue. Use your not perfect reloads for practice. Buy a case gage. There are sources for once fired reloads that are much cheaper than your local store.

Carpool is cool as you can chat about shooting at the same time

Cowboy 3 gun can be fun

Visit a match first, then start with what you have

[e5young]

I think Im way too cheap, but I spend hours after matches cleaning up the brass that no one cares to pick up and I usually leave with a 5gal bucket full. I go home, tumble, sort, and it ends up on calguns LOL. I make some pretty decent money selling tumbled brass. As a college student, it helps me afford to shoot more.

[IHAVEGAS]

Quit smoking = lots more bullets

Heck with just bullets - quit smoking = really swanky new gun every year . It helps me to have a goal that I am juiced about.

When you figure out what you could save on booze and the extra 50% you are spending to buy processed food that is bad for you (for some reason healthy food is cheap) , the gun hobby is largely paid for.

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)

No debate in concept. Where I shoot locally there are Grand master & Master level folks who will help you for free just for the love of the sport , or for a very reasonable fee. A side bonus is that it is fun to get to know those folks and shoot with them.

Sort of the same thing about big matches, if local shoots are pulling in plenty of very good shooters and you are getting you clock thoroughly cleaned, that is maybe telling you what you need to know.

[nahanshew89]

I quit some of my nastier habits, that freed up a lot of extra money. I carpool with my buddy whenever I can (whenever he goes). Same buddy has all the stuff for reloading, so I buy the BS and he'll load it up for me, and he does a fine job of it too. When I'm not getting reloads from him, I buy reloads from a local guy for about 2 bucks less per box. Things are about to change for me though, my son is due to be born in May. I'm thrilled to be having a baby, but I know it's gonna cut big time into the only hobby I really have, and that's kind of a bummer.

[Beastly]

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?

One trick I've found that people look down on but works nonetheless is to pick up all the loaded rounds on the range ground and pull the bullet and dump the powder in a 8# jug. Develop a load from the "pulled" powder and rock on.

You might only be comfortable using it for practice loads, but I use it for matches and everything.

The random collection of powders and powder sizes/types (ball, flake, stick, etc) will never be uniformly mixed. This sounds like a really bad idea. Manufacturers specifically recommend against mixing powders.

Use it as fertilizer.

[IHAVEGAS]

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?

One trick I've found that people look down on but works nonetheless is to pick up all the loaded rounds on the range ground and pull the bullet and dump the powder in a 8# jug. Develop a load from the "pulled" powder and rock on.

You might only be comfortable using it for practice loads, but I use it for matches and everything.

The random collection of powders and powder sizes/types (ball, flake, stick, etc) will never be uniformly mixed. This sounds like a really bad idea. Manufacturers specifically recommend against mixing powders.

Use it as fertilizer.

I think he was ahead of you on spreading the fertilizer .

[Beastly]

Trolled!

PS> Bad form to troll on something a noob might actually do and blow self up.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Beastly

[teros135]

Unfortunately, he trolls quite a bit. Problem is, the result is like the Little Boy Who Cried Wolf - you never know when his advice is real.

[nahanshew89]

The old "range trash reload". Yea, never a good idea lol.

[Youngeyes]

Note to the Forum community. Under no circumstances is it advisable to mix and use different unknown powders. All reloading is to be done in a safe manner. Any suggestions to the contrary are to be disregarded. Reload and shoot responsibly.

[wtturn]

Note to the Forum community. Under no circumstances is it advisable to mix and use different unknown powders. All reloading is to be done in a safe manner. Any suggestions to the contrary are to be disregarded. Reload and shoot responsibly.

^^^^^ this.

[A-shot]

Shoot a crappy glock well. But I LOVE Harleys and precious metal, so less montana gold. FML

[obsessiveshooter]

Here's what I have done to save money:

*Use Lee reloading equipment

*Use coated lead bullets (I use BBI)

*Use titegroup (less powder in each cartridge)

*Use Chinese knockoff mag pouches and "airsoft" belt, shipped from China. It just plain works. (I know, not cool, but it's all I could afford at the time)

*Shoot a Glock in limited.

*Shoot a Taurus in Single Stack. (I hear your snickers, but you would understand if you shot mine)

*drill out the factory front sight and insert a fiber optic rod, black out the dots and your rear sights to make target rear sights

*you can find really nice aggressive texture 1911 grips on ebay for around $13

*Learn to do your own trigger jobs and gunsmithing. YouTube is your friend.

*bring home mildly shot up targets from the matches you shoot. Make your own target stands, don't buy them.

*wear shoes designed for sports that are played on the same surfaces we play on. Think soccer, baseball. These can be found way cheaper than Salomons. I'm sure you've never seen a baseball infielder wearing trail running shoes, and they need to take off, get to a specific spot and stop quick just like we do.

*lube your gun with synthetic 5w30. The drippings from a quart bottle you just used to change your wife's car's oil will go a long way.

*Bladetech and other companies sell holsters on Amazon, often for cheap. I got my glock's holster for about 35 shipped.

*My range bag is a HUSKY brand bag with a metal carry handle and plastic bottom from Home Depot. It has zippered compartments all over and the center divider has slots that work for 10 magazines. I've yet to see a better range bag, and this was like 30 bucks or so.

*I try to fight the urge to buy my way to better performance. My pistols shoot straight. The only thing keeping me from placing higher in matches is transitions, seeing my sights faster and having the patience to not break the shot till I've seen what I need to see. It's not my equipment.

[motosapiens]

I saved craploads of money by giving up motorcycle racing and taking up uspsa. This is one of the cheapest sports I've ever been serious about. The money I save has been spent on wine-tasting trips and homebrewing supplies.

[herky]

I save all my change and one dollar bills, never spend them except to tip, adds up quicker than you would think. Easily pays my local match entries for the year.

[nitrohuck]

I cast my own rounds and powder coat them

my average .40SW rounds = $0.05

My average .300blk round = $0.13

[marky123]

I PC cast bullets too,literally everything in New Zealand has gone up 20% in 2 years.

Berrys plated 124gn 9mm were $136 /1000

Winchester spp $75 /1000

Winchester action pistol $55 1/2 kg

Gen 4 glock 34 $1300

Ouch

[IHAVEGAS]

I PC cast bullets too,literally everything in New Zealand has gone up 20% in 2 years.

Berrys plated 124gn 9mm were $136 /1000

Winchester spp $75 /1000

Winchester action pistol $55 1/2 kg

Gen 4 glock 34 $1300

Ouch

Big ouch. Is the government getting the money ?

[marky123]

No the importers/wholesalers

[RPatton]

Give up golf.

I don't play golf but I know a lot of people that do. My head is not tough enough to have a hobby that I would have to drink to enjoy.

"A golf course is a waste of a good rifle range."

[Alan550]

Give up golf.

I don't play golf but I know a lot of people that do. My head is not tough enough to have a hobby that I would have to drink to enjoy.

"A golf course is a waste of a good rifle range."

I don't play golf 'cause I already know how to cuss!

[Kungfurabbit]

Give up golf.

I don't play golf but I know a lot of people that do. My head is not tough enough to have a hobby that I would have to drink to enjoy.

"A golf course is a waste of a good rifle range."

Gave up golf. Selling the clubs paid for a SJC Titan comp, belt, mag pouches and FO sights.

Just now getting in on reloading, there's a free public range I frequent with buckets in hand. Never thought to grab the .22 brass. Think a broom and dust pan and just sweeping it all up to sort, tumble and sell or scrap would be a good idea.

Home made target stand and paper plates.

[Kungfurabbit]

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

Good luck quitting, I quit for 4 years and got sucked back in... Chantix worked for me but it's not for everyone. Just started back on it. Haven't shot a match yet but I'm thinking better physical condition and healthier lungs would help with this sport as it would with any other. And each time I stop to buy a pack I look at the receipt, sigh and say "that coulda gone to powder..."

[grapemeister]

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

Good luck quitting, I quit for 4 years and got sucked back in... Chantix worked for me but it's not for everyone. Just started back on it. Haven't shot a match yet but I'm thinking better physical condition and healthier lungs would help with this sport as it would with any other. And each time I stop to buy a pack I look at the receipt, sigh and say "that coulda gone to powder..."

Thanks for the words of support. I still haven't quit smoking or started working on any of my new years resolutions. I've actually not practiced or shot a match since early December. For the last three months I've been trying to figure out what has caused the disinterest in shooting. To me the notion seems far fetched, but I still can't help but wonder if maybe not tackling the smoking habit and not working on some of my other goals has caused depression and therefore lack of interest in shooting. Or, maybe I just simply needed a break.

Anyhow, I'm not giving up. I will quit smoking, eventually. It seems like such a waste of money, and time, not to mention my health. Probably the biggest thing that bothers me is how sociably unacceptable it is now. People don't want to be around it, I know. Heck, even I don't like the smell of it.

Chantix may be the next step. The patches, while allowing me to go for long periods of time with out smoking, didn't seem to curb that ever present urge to smoke.

Thanks again, and good luck with conquering your habit.