Cost saving acquisitions

[Kevin l]

A few months ago when I received my LTC-A I was warned by many here that I’m going to go broke. I never doubted it, and as it so happens, the balance in my bank account hit an all time low (single digits) and for the first time in my life, my credit cards carried a balance at the end of each month.

One of the major contributors to my spending aside to buying more guns is feeding them. Here are two acquisitions that I’ve made in the past month or two to ease some of the pain while still being able to enjoy shooting my Glock 21.

Advantage Arms .22 lr conversion kit.

Bar-Sto Semi-drop in replacement barrel.

My latest and probably smartest cost cutting acquisition is a reloading setup. I probably should have purchased a different scale and maybe tumbler, but I got the blessing for this and went all out Dillon. Initial cost in getting setup cost quite a bit, though in the long run I'll definitely save and will be able to custom tailor my ammo. I chose .357 Mag for my first set of dies and am learning on .38 Spl to be used in my Ruger GP-100, something built strong enough to tolerate small mistakes and cheap enough if I screw up and need to replace it.

Here’s an acquisition that doesn’t save money and was actually the main influence for the reloading setup. Chambered for .45 Win Mag, ammo is seasonal and very expensive. This is my favorite gun, if it wasn’t a collector piece this would be following me to the range every time regardless of how much ammo costs. If this looks familiar, it belonged to an NES member before. Guessing who won’t be much of a challenge.

Thanks for looking.

Kev

 

[PaiN]

A few months ago when I received my LTC-A I was warned by many here that I’m going to go broke. I never doubted it, and as it so happens, the balance in my bank account hit an all time low (single digits) and for the first time in my life, my credit cards carried a balance at the end of each month.

Same here, I can sympathise....Got my CT CC permitt back in March and its been a complete spending spree since. Just crazy. In fact today, I'm posting, some firearms for sale, that I don't need and don't shoot. I've got to clean up alittle.

 

[stoneypete]

Reloading is good. However you don't really save that much. Why? Because you end up shooting MORE!

.22 conversions are GOOD! I just bought one for my AR15. .02/round as apposed to .25/round is good. Real good.

Love the .45.

 

[FhvnLT4A]

Someone needed to STOP me this month... im 2 grand deep in my credit card and STILL LOOKING TO SPEND!!! LOL... '
That 22lr conversion for the AR is looking mighty tasty right about now. Im about a 500 rounds deep in it...

 

[drumenigma]

If there is one thing I have learned since getting in to firearms is there is no such thing as a "cost saving" acquisition. There are only varying degrees of cost. If you shoot .22lr everyday you can shoot for a long time on a small budget. If you shoot .50 BMG you're going to have to remortgage every time you go to the range.

 

[Joe R.]

I miss the days of running a battlepack of .308 thru the FAL everytime that I went to the range with it. I'd run out of money if I tried to keep up with my 2000 and earlier shooting habits!

You can get most of the practice and motions down by using the .22's. The CZ-452 Trainer is good for us Mosin and Mauser guys because the sights are miltary pattern. The stock feels like a thinner version of the M39 so that is great for me. It would be nice if the .22 versions of all the WW2 bolt guns were more "affordable" for the average person to get - G-d knows I'd like a .22 Enfield!

If you can find/afford one, a real good quality air rifle can also keep the costs down, after the initial costs for equipment has been made. I use both the Air Arms TX 200 Mk. 2, an IZH-46M, and my Anschutz LG250 to practice fundamentals. You can pick up a Daisy 853 for decent money that will shoot accurately enough that any mistake is your fault, not the guns. A Daisy Avanti 777 is good for pistol practice. Don't just get whatever is the cheapest because not all of these are good/worth it. The cheap ones will have accuracy issues along with trigger/sights that aren't up to the task. The ammo costs have gone up for these too but the average for good pellets is still around $10 for a tin of 500 for .177 or 250 for .22. If nothing else, cleanup is easier after shooting these!

Joe R.

Joe R.

 

[BillO]

Great cost saving choices. Can't go wrong with a Dillon.

 

[packingungal]

"Life Enhancements" - When one enhances his/her life they gain a sense of well-being....a health benefit. It is all in how it is viewed.

Very nice "life enhancements" Kevin!!

 

[Kevin l]

If there is one thing I have learned since getting in to firearms is there is no such thing as a "cost saving" acquisition.

Reloading is good. However you don't really save that much. Why? Because you end up shooting MORE!

Thanks for the comments everyone. I know what you mean by that. Within these few short months I've learned that whatever I don't spend feeding these guns, I'll just spend it elsewhere! Let's see, I now need more dies, powders, bullets, primers, chrony, etc...

With some degree of truth also, its a way to convince my wife that WE need it.

"Life Enhancements" - When one enhances his/her life they gain a sense of well-being....a health benefit. It is all in how it is viewed.

I really like the way you put it!

Thanks again,
Kevin

 

[William Wallace]

Reloading is good. However you don't really save that much. Why? Because you end up shooting MORE!

.22 conversions are GOOD! I just bought one for my AR15. .02/round as apposed to .25/round is good. Real good.

Love the .45.

How can the savings be that substantial? you still gotta buy the bullets.

 

[stoneypete]

How can the savings be that substantial? you still gotta buy the bullets.

Right now, because I own the brass and the last powder I bought was still reasonable, I'm loading .45 for $5.20/box of 50 lead and $7.60 jacketed ball.

I have not bought .45 at retail prices in YEARS so what is my savings?

 

[William Wallace]

god help me... I don't even have an LTC yet. It's been over 2 weeks since I applied, so maybe in another 2 weeks I'll have a license burning a hole in my pocket. Two items are calling my name:

S&W performance center v-comp

S&W M&P 15T

Absolutely no justification for me buying them since I've only been shooting a couple times, but thats like $2000+.

Maybe ill start with a 22 bolt action rifle instead for a couple hundred

 

[drumenigma]

god help me... I don't even have an LTC yet. It's been over 2 weeks since I applied, so maybe in another 2 weeks I'll have a license burning a hole in my pocket. Two items are calling my name:

S&W performance center v-comp

S&W M&P 15T

Absolutely no justification for me buying them since I've only been shooting a couple times, but thats like $2000+.

Maybe ill start with a 22 bolt action rifle instead for a couple hundred

::little voice in your head::"Buy them both. You know you want them. Buy them before Obama get's in office."

 

[Jake L]

Contact me to spend a little less on an AR15 and you can build what you want.
John