Guns:Gear:Ammo:Training cost ratios?

[YVK]

I don't think Rob was looking for a specific dollar amount

Yep, I think so too. In fact, I think he asked for percentages in order to keep private info private.
I am merely pointing out a limitation of relative numbers. Somebody with 10/90 breakdown of hardware/software expenses may seem to be more "serious student", while in reality he may have had less training and practice than somebody with 50/50 breakdown and deeper pockets.

[Magsz]

Ammo is about 90% of my budget right now. I want to shoot and the only real way im going to get better at shooting and manipulating my weapon is by using it.

I would say about 5% of my budget is allocated towards gear purchases but 99% of that 5% is dedicated towards replacing broken parts, buying more consumables such as magazines, recoil springs etc. Right now about the only thing im screwing around with are different pistol sights. My carbines shoot as well as i do therefor there is zero need to bolt additional crap onto them in an effort to receive sudden shooting nirvana from a piece of plastic or metal.

The other 5% of my budget would be allocated towards training if i could find some worthwhile classes in my area. Right now the moola is spent at private ranges, drills night with Rob_S and other assorted venues.

Now, i do want to address F2S's comment about time spent. One of the things that really sucks about this "hobby" "lifestyle" or whatever it is that you want to call it is that we spend way too much time thinking about what we want to do and not enough time actually doing it. I dont now about you guys but the average "shooter" does not have access to a range that they can simply walk onto and go practice. I would give my LEFT NUT for access to a range like that. Instead, i spend one day a week shooting, some times two but that leaves five to six days to sit and think about what i can do to get better, what i can bolt onto the rifle, pistol, belt, back, chest, head etc. Thats why this hobby has become as crazy as it has with the plethora of little widgets. People want to feel as though they are still partaking in their hobby even when they're not on the range. Bolting a new piece of gear to the rifle renews the persons interest in using that firearm because it is suddenly new, different and wonderful.

I see this in myself but the fortunate (or unfortunate) thing is that i simply cannot afford to buy a ton of toys if i still want to shoot as much as i do. So, its either buy a bunch of stuff to perceivably receive happiness or gain a massive sense of fulfillment through my dry fire routines with my existing gear and revel in the results at the range on that one day a week.

Neat post Rob, good contribution F2S.

[Redmanfms]

I haven't put money into training in years. I know I should, but I've either not had the time (too much work) or not had the money (no work).

I haven't bought much in the way of guns or gear lately either, but not for lack of money, I just have kit that works pretty good for me and I've never been much of a gear queer.

The bulk of my money gets spent on ammunition. Most is shot, some of it in "absolute training" mode, the rest is squirreled away.

I figure:

• Guns/Gear- 10%. Working replacement, spares, etc.

• Training- 0%. Sadly, needs to change.

• Incidentals- 5%. Stuff like targets, target holders, reactive targets, steel plates, etc.

• Ammunition- 85%. Say, 60% shot, about 50% of that "serious."

[rob_s]

Thinking of this a bit more: Rob asked everybody to report in percentages, so everybody did. The question is what percentage points actually convey. One's 50/50 split on weapons/training may mean twice as much funds allocated to training than other guy's 20/80, if first guy's absolute expenses are 10 grand and second guy's 3 grand.
So, I think we need some clarity in what's being asked:
- how much goes into financial planning of training/ownership
- what's folks priorities are, which is probably best reflected by percentages
- how much people spend in total

It wasn't meant as a measuring stick to compare shooters to one another. Also, we all know people that expend thousands of rounds downrange and attend a half-dozen classes a year that get outshot by guys that rarely shoot and my attend 3 classes a year if they're lucky.

I was more interested in knowing if people even had a handle on how the costs break down, or a budget for the shooting pursuits at all.

[Watrdawg]

I think percentges will vary over time also. Right now it's all about ammo and training. I have my weapon and all the gadgets that I'm going to use for now. So no more money into the weapon. I also have whatever gear I'm going to be using. So it's all training and ammo. My goal is 3-5 classes for my handgun and M4. Naturally I'll be purchasing the ammo for each and practicing what I learned in the various classes afterwards. So it's probably going to be 35% Training and 65% Ammo for now. Numbers will change depending upon If I decide to purchase another weapon or not.

[Failure2Stop]

I would say that if you are spending more on guns and accessories than on bullets, your priorities are geared more toward possession than proficiency.
Gross generalization, but I think readers will get my gist.

[rob_s]

I would say that if you are spending more on guns and accessories than on bullets, your priorities are geared more toward possession than proficiency.
Gross generalization, but I think readers will get my gist.

I would tend to agree. Although I would add the caveat of the bullet expense being based on revolving stock and not stockpiling. I watched a guy during the election roll a pallet of ammo out of a gunshow, and I bet it's still sitting in his garage un-cracked.

[Watrdawg]

Rob_S, My brother fits the guy you were talking about at the gunshow. The other day we were talking about hitting the range and I mentioned that I had already put a couple of thousand rounds down range. His response was "Why waste all that ammo?" I explained it was ammo spent taking a class and the shooting I had done before and since. He still didn't understand how I could waste all that ammo. He hoards it. I bet he hasn't even put 250 rds through his weapon.

[jklaughrey]

We have a couple of tin foil coots here that buy up all the local once fired LC reloads that a local shop does. I swear they must be on speed dial. The owner charges them .25 per round of 55 or 62 gr weights. If us LE get to buy some on the occasion the tin foiled hoarders are out of town we get them for .19 per round. But these 2 guys literally by the gun shop owners count have purchased over 30k since he started selling reloads. Not bad for 2 years of sales I suppose. Funny thing no one ever sees these guys at a range or in the woods shooting/training.

Could be they are Costa groupies and follow him to trainings LOL.

[Jellybean]

...One of the things that really sucks about this "hobby" "lifestyle" or whatever it is that you want to call it is that we spend way too much time thinking about what we want to do and not enough time actually doing it. I dont now about you guys but the average "shooter" does not have access to a range that they can simply walk onto and go practice. I would give my LEFT NUT for access to a range like that. Instead, i spend one day a week shooting, some times two but that leaves five to six days to sit and think about what i can do to get better, what i can bolt onto the rifle, pistol, belt, back, chest, head etc. Thats why this hobby has become as crazy as it has with the plethora of little widgets. People want to feel as though they are still partaking in their hobby even when they're not on the range. Bolting a new piece of gear to the rifle renews the persons interest in using that firearm because it is suddenly new, different and wonderful.

Agree.
For those of us who have a lot of time and little money, there's really not much we can do aside from plot and plan. Which I suppose in a sense is good, as it gives a lot of time to think things over instead of rushing in.
But at the same time, it sucks because, for me personally, I constantly have stop myself, say 'no you don't need all that crap' and get back to square one. I have certain goals to achieve, and I know where I'd like my budget to be allocated, but I guess it's hard to focus on that when you're not actually doing it.

(end violin playing )