Mean income.....

[MattB]

It comes down to how people want to spend their money and what money they have. I have a friend who loves to build rifles (he doesn't need) and the cost of actions, barrels, stock, and optics diminishes what he is able to do in other aspects of life. No skin off my back, but also not how I chose to spend my money nor an indication of our relative financial wherewithal that he has many more rifles than I do.

 

[nrh6.7]

And nothing wrong with that, each of their own.

Until you run the numbers and see this dude is right at 50% debt to income ratio just on those two payments, and that's before helping pay for the apartment.

ETA: it is still his choice, but he'll never get ahead with that mindset.

 

[wyosam]

Agreed. I like nice stuff as much as the next guy, but the “it HAS to be this, don’t even waste your money on that” mentality is even dumber in hunting than most pursuits. The vast majority of hunter’s accuracy is not the fault of the tool. Hell, you can buy a sub $500 off the shelf combo that will shoot MOA or better if the cheap scope is screwed on reasonably well. In my mind, the rifle comes into the hunt for a fraction of a second right near the end, the rest of the time it is just another thing to carry. Nobody “needs” much of anything to hunt big game. It has happened effectively for ever. Any old 30-06 that can be shot somewhat accurately can take any game in North America, or the world for that matter. I hunted for decades with a sporterized 03A3 Springfield. It had a cheap bushnel scope on it. It had no different outcome when the trigger was squeezed that any other rifle I have used, or seen used, including the big magnums. Squeeze trigger, elk dies. I have found that I like nicer tools more (although I’m still a well under $1000 combo guy). Do I need it? Only when I’m explaining to my wife how much I need it, and all the horrible things that will happen if I used one of the other rifles in the safe.


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[Apollo117]

It's EXTREMELY irresponsible! However, it's still a relatively free country and we are free to be irresponsible, yes.

Of course it's irresponsible. Just don't tell them that. Somebody has to buy new $50k toys so that I can buy them used for less.

 

[OXN939]

Hell, you can buy a sub $500 off the shelf combo that will shoot MOA or better if the cheap scope is screwed on reasonably well. In my mind, the rifle comes into the hunt for a fraction of a second right near the end, the rest of the time it is just another thing to carry.

True indeed, but that fraction of a second is the most important part of the hunt by far, and cheap optical systems (scopes, bases or rings) are many times more likely to cause a missed or wounded animal than quality systems.

If your cheap binos fail at the worst moment, you borrow your buddy's binos or use a different optic and are mostly fine. If your cheap riflescope fails at the worst moment, you miss or wound an animal and your entire season could turn into a disaster.

 

[DangerRanger]

Well I make decent money but nothing crazy, my wife also works and makes more than me so that helps. I luckily don’t have college debt and I drive an older truck so I have very little debt other than a reasonable mortgage.

hunting/shooting stuff is pretty much my only hobby, and I like nice things. However I don’t just go out and buy crazy stuff. I get to know the market and look for used stuff in the classifieds, eventually I run across great deals. I’ve built a few customs and also have a few great factory rifles. Everything has its place. There is usually a nice balance of great quality without diminishing returns, while I sometimes go over it because firearms have become like art to me in a way, for friends and newer shooters I try to recommend this avenue. Having good equipment is vital, and not being in debt is as well.

 

[Goatie]

I chimed in early on this thread and I’ve read and loved (even learned on) every post. I’m a fairly frugal guy with some nice custom rifles. I lost my career job about a year ago and have bounced around part time gigs since it happened. I haven’t stressed too hard as I built up a savings for the last few years for exactly this crummy occasion. While fully employed I’d buy rifle parts and build guns while my friends laugh at my gun collection and say things like, “my $400 rifle kills deer just the same”, or “imagine what you could do with that money you spend on hunting.”

Those same people, own (own debts on) $40k boats, $40k ice houses, $60k diesels to pull them. They still call me the dummy.

My job situation crashed about a year ago and I’ve stayed financially safe, even with a silly gun hobby. If need be, selling my custom gun collection may lose 2-3k overall. If a few of my buddies lost their job for a month their life would come crashing down. The interest on the life of their 6year truck loan is more than id ever lose on my rifles.

Still love fishing with those guys though

 

[5MilesBack]

My dad was a kid through the Great Depression so he lived his life that way. He never spent a dime that he didn't have to and he always paid in cash. I guess some of that rubbed off on me because we are very much alike......but I do like quality stuff when I buy it.......at a deep discount. I have three vehicles and the newest is 19 years old. But they still work great and even better......I really like them.

 

[Eltigreblanco]

Growing up we were pretty poor, and now I make fairly good living so I've been on both sides. I've learned you save money in the long run buying quality items one time instead of cheap items multiple times. I still look for things that are good quality but not necessarily a big name brand, and I buy most of my stuff used

 

[Trial153]

You only live once, and there will always more money to be made. I am thankfully i was brought up around people that made making money look easy and those habits and that kind of thinking carried over to me.
The only thing I can add this is discussion at this point is that we should all probably place more value on experiences then objects. What we have can always be replaced with money, but what we experienced is priceless after the fact.

 

[fmyth]

I've always thought of a hunting rifle as a simple tool used to kill wild game. When it came time to purchase a rifle for my first western elk hunt I bought a cheap TC Compass .300wm with a Vortex scope for under $300. It worked exactly as designed: I shot elk. Elk went flop. After carrying that heavy S.O.B. of a rifle for 11 days in the mountains I am replacing it with a Tikka/SWFA combo for nearly triple what I paid for the TC. Now that I have a little experience I understand the value of a more refined higher quality "tool". Also, I've come to the realization that I am getting older and it's OK for me to spend more money on things that will bring me greater enjoyment even if a cheaper alternative is readily available.

 

[Greenmachine_1]

True indeed, but that fraction of a second is the most important part of the hunt by far, and cheap optical systems (scopes, bases or rings) are many times more likely to cause a missed or wounded animal than quality systems.

If your cheap binos fail at the worst moment, you borrow your buddy's binos or use a different optic and are mostly fine. If your cheap riflescope fails at the worst moment, you miss or wound an animal and your entire season could turn into a disaster.

If this were true, then you should never ever be in the field with anything other than iron sights, and shooting at ranges you are comfortable shooting at with those sights. It's the only way to eliminate failure modes in your system. Everything is relative and rifles, optics, and all related components might fail. That's true with the highest end pieces down to the cheapest thing that won't break so that you can justify purchasing a better one.

It's truly your life and you can reasonably live it however you want. Spend money on the things that make you happy. I highly recommend no one go into debt to pay for any hobby, but it does happen and that's a personal choice.

If it's your only passion or you shoot a lot, then a custom rifle is probably something to consider. If you aren't going to shoot more than 300 yards 99% and only shoot your rifle enough to verify it's still on before season, then spending more than $500 on a complete rifle is likely wasted money. If you are on this site, then you are likely in the middle of those extremes and will be doing something that suits your needs and money you are willing to spend.

Me personally, I make a reasonable income, but try to be financially conservative. I don't drive new vehicles (newest is 11 years old the wife's and oldest is 15 years old), and try not to go into debt for my hobbies. I don't shoot anything custom and everything has been pre-owned. Would I like to have the latest and greatest everything? Of course! Am I willing to spend the money to have it? Not yet, but I prefer to play the long game.

 

[Cahunter805]

Definitely agree with a lot of things stated above but I like custom guns and will continue to build them as I can.
One thing not mentioned is a lot of times a person will ask a gun related question such as
I want to setup a hunting rifle to shoot 700-800 yards and paper to 1000. IMO that’s where a semi-custom and custom gun really shine.
If the limit is 300-400 most factory rifles fit that category.

 

[tdhanses]

One thing I always chuckle about in these threads is the but I don’t drive a $50k truck, have an Atv, camper etc... how about the $500k house. I have many friends very house poor that make a great living, they also have over $100k in vehicles etc etc.

 

[EastMT]

One thing I always chuckle about in these threads is the but I don’t drive a $50k truck, have an Atv, camper etc... how about the $500k house. I have many friends very house poor that make a great living, they also have over $100k in vehicles etc etc.

Man we just went through this. We sold our last flip house are currently buying a modest 3/2/2 house. The banker says, wow you have no debt, we can approve you for an extra 250k, uh no thank you, I’d rather spend my money traveling and hunting than show some people my extra sq ft. yes I know that Buick Lesabre is debt free and good for a long time, but she won’t last forever so just because I don’t need a new car now doesn’t mean spend like a sailor.

I don’t want the nicest place I can afford, I want the plainest place we can reasonably be comfortable in. (and hang stupid amounts of heads)

 

[Muley Buck]

To you younger guys who are still trying to figure this out, I'm 44 and spent my whole life working in the trades. I worked the best paying trades, but that is not an enormous income....but it's a good one.

Today my house, cars, tools and everything else are paid for. I don't have a $60k truck on $5k worth of wheels, and it's a very average place here in a small town. My wife can stay home with the kids and all are well kept.

I'm able to hunt two states a year and average about 30-40 days per year hunting. It was not until about 3 years ago that I realized how charmed my life is. I am lucky enough to have a wife who doesn't need a new BMW every year and my kids don't know what a Gucci belt is.

The moral of this is simply that is is not how much you make, it's what you save and what's important to you. Get those interest eating payments out of your life as soon as possible and try to pay with cash. It hurts to hand over a pile of cash a lot more than a credit card.

Buy what makes you happy, you only live once.....but know that financing happiness rarely comes out happily in the end.

At my age I've still never owned a brand new car and a Winchester 21 is a lifetime goal that I'll probably never meet.....but when I step back and look at the big picture, I feel like life is pretty damn good here at our place.

Hope everyone else can say the same.

I don't say this to be a dick in any way. Infact I agree with all of what you wrote. Hey you never know what can happen, don't write off buying your first brand new truck or that Winchester Model 21. I am a 3rd generation owner of a Winchester Model 21, that has gotten it's fair share of field use primarily by my grandfather and my father. My grandfather and that model 21 were responsible for a lot of dove and quail dinners for us growing up. It's a family heirloom that has great significance to me and I try to instill this in my boys so they know and understand as well.
As far as the truck, well I too thought I'd NEVER own a brand spankin new truck. I never saw the benefit of it really, I kinda still don't but, the stars aligned in ways I never could have expected or anticipated in 2015 and it happened, and it made sense. Really I'm just saying don't lose hope of things. They may become more attainable than you ever realized. A dream fulfilled is a an irreplaceable feeling.

 

[OXN939]

Dang alright. I understand now.

Everyone reading this- sell whatever you currently carry and get a Jennings Bryco because, whatever you have,

all related components might fail. That's true with the highest end pieces down to the cheapest thing that won't break so that you can justify purchasing a better one.

Also, since there's a chance that you can get food poisoning from any meal in the world, start hitting up gas station sushi on the reg

 

[Rob5589]

Beyond who spends how much on what; it aggravating when someone says they have 500 for binos yet are told over and over to save another 500 or 1000 for used or new Swaros. If someone has 500 to spend, they have 500. Many folks aren't willing to spend 1500 on binos for two weeks a year, regardless if they could spend more.

 

[brushape]

It’s not just guns it’s everything, I’m done chasing the unicorns. Shot the same 30-06 for like 12 years and had one shot I couldn’t take so I built a long range rifle. Now 6 years and probably 20 animals later I still haven’t shot anything I couldn’t have with that same savage 30-06. I like surfing the web and forums and seeing the new gear but social media is ruining our world.


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[Goatie]

I remember being young and asking my dad why he didn’t like watching cartoons. I distinctly remember being appalled when he said, “pretty soon you’re not going to like them either”.

I think it’s probably like that for some of us and what we spend money on. Whatever the age, you have a monetary priority.