open cost

[teros135]

4 hours ago, Sarge said:

If you lose much 38sc brass that gets expensive. A 32 round stage costs $4.80 just in brass.

 

Yep.  And that's $48 for a 10-stage major match.  The same as you'll spend for a 300-round practice session at $160/k for the ammo.  This ain't exactly a cheap hobby.  

[tomjerry1]

I guess we could spend countless hours batting this subject around, passionate camps on both sides, all with valid points. I guess it's not the equipment, but the comradery, competition, and support for the sport which drives us to the fun. 

[HoMiE]

25 minutes ago, tomjerry1 said:

I guess we could spend countless hours batting this subject around, passionate camps on both sides, all with valid points. I guess it's not the equipment, but the comradery, competition, and support for the sport which drives us to the fun. 

Taste great...less filling!

 

I’m in the pick a bullet that will run in your gun and fits your budget and go shoot camp. 

[3gunDQ]

Shooting is cheap AF... go join a country club (50k) , pay dues(500-750 monthly), pay greens fees($20), buy golf balls($100), pay cart fee ($30)... so like $200,000 a decade. I could fly to pebble beach and buy new clubs and a brand new golf cart every time I play golf and come out ahead of the 50k and $600 a month for ten years as much as I play these days, but golf cost out the ass. AND it sucks.

 

I love my Supercomp guns... I could afford to shoot new brass and leave it on the range every trigger pull, I just ain’t that stupid. Stuff cost money you just have to choose how you are going to spend yours.

[fatjoe123111]

1 hour ago, tomjerry1 said:

I guess we could spend countless hours batting this subject around, passionate camps on both sides, all with valid points. I guess it's not the equipment, but the comradery, competition, and support for the sport which drives us to the fun. 

I agree pick one and have fun that’s why we do this.

[jcc7x7]

Yep

Pick your fun and reason and go shoot and stop talking about it you could be dry firing!! LOL

sometimes just as much fun to coffee shop talk about it than actually do it.

It all seems enjoyable to me.

I'm getting my gear ready for a range trip later today!!!

[abb1]

The question on expense all depends on you. Buy a good gun once that is reliable, and the  expenditure afterwards is the same as any other gun. The expense is that there are so many upgrades, that the constant mission for getting that perfect gun is limitless, and one is in a constant state of upgrades whether it comes to putting in a new trigger, sight, scope mount, grips, guide rod, comp, etc.. It is sort of like getting a tattoo. It looks good, you like it and then you want more, and more, and that can become an addiction. The next thing is caliber, stick with 9mm. 9mm Major is safe with todays powders and brass is cheap and reusable. Like Sarge says, I too have picked up my brass and loaded it umpteenth times. My suggestion to those that are thinking about open and concerned about future costs is to do research to find out which style of open gun suits you. The next step is buy it and PRACTICE! Practice is what will make you shine with that open gun, not all the upgrades available.

Edited December 24, 2017 by abb1

[kneelingatlas]

To the OP:

 

With gun and mags figure 2-5 times as much money as Production, as for variable costs: I use plated bullets in Production and jacked in Open, so there's 20-30% more for projectiles, then I use three times as much powder, which costs twice as much per pound, driving the powder cost to 600%.

 

Brass cost is nil, I use range brass in 9 major with rare issues; take it from 9 major shooters, not 38 shooters trying to justify their choice as "cheaper" 

[Hi-Power Jack]

3 hours ago, abb1 said:

 Practice is what will make you shine with that open gun.

 

Proper practice   ...   it has to be good practice.

 

I "practiced" incorrectly for decades, and never improved - I enjoyed the "practice"

but never got any better.    

 

Combination of dry fire and correct practice is a great idea.