Everybody has budgets....but at different stages of our lives...the budget issues change.
As I've gotten older, bills are all paid, home is paid off, cars are paid for ....kids are all grown ( and not living in my house ! ) ...grankids are all doing ok ..../ retirement accounts are well funded....I still work full time & there is more money for all kinds of stuff that has little, if anything, to do with what I need...so I spend some money as part of my gun hobby ....and I hope everyone gets to that point in their lives.
I have about 40 or so handguns / a mix mostly of good 1911's and S&W revolvers...I shoot everything I collect - in a variety of calibers( from 9mm to .44 mag ). I have 15 or so shotguns...mostly target guns ....in 12ga, 16ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 ....
can I justify spending $3,200 on a single action revolver....like a Freedom Arms I bought recently ....well, I've have had it for 6 months or so / put probably 3,000 rds thru it ...and every time I shoot it, there is a big grin on my face. Is it practical ( a 5 shot revolver in .357 mag )..No. Is it a nice gun -yes, very nice ! Do I enjoy it every time I touch it, shoot it, clean it ..Yes !... Is it worth it - Yes, every penny !! My philosoply is - you have to be honest with yourself...not take money away from things that truly need to be done to help someone in your family / protect your financial security ....but at the same time, you have to enjoy the journey / and supporting your hobbies are part of why we enjoy the journey.
A lot of guys have way more guns than I do ....but none of them have more fun with their guns than I do ! If all I could afford was one old $500 revolver...but I loved it every time I held it, fired it or cleaned it ...it would be just as valuable to me - and mean as much to me as a $3,200 revolver.
To answer your question my primary carry gun: is a Wilson Combat 1911 in .45 acp - because its a gun I shoot the best. My "desk gun" is a Kimber 1911 / just in case. My bedside gun ..is a S&W model 66 a 4" in .357 mag .....my primary competition shotguns are all Browning Over Unders..../ the other 45 guns ....a number of 1911's in 9mm & .45 acp, S&W's in .357 mag and .44 mag ...are all for fun at the range ...my adult kids, grandkids, etc..../ someday my 2 boys will each get half of the collection....but I'm only 62 ...and plan on being a very grumpy and very old man for a long time.
As I've gotten older, bills are all paid, home is paid off, cars are paid for ....kids are all grown ( and not living in my house ! ) ...grankids are all doing ok ..../ retirement accounts are well funded....I still work full time & there is more money for all kinds of stuff that has little, if anything, to do with what I need...so I spend some money as part of my gun hobby ....and I hope everyone gets to that point in their lives.
I have about 40 or so handguns / a mix mostly of good 1911's and S&W revolvers...I shoot everything I collect - in a variety of calibers( from 9mm to .44 mag ). I have 15 or so shotguns...mostly target guns ....in 12ga, 16ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 ....
can I justify spending $3,200 on a single action revolver....like a Freedom Arms I bought recently ....well, I've have had it for 6 months or so / put probably 3,000 rds thru it ...and every time I shoot it, there is a big grin on my face. Is it practical ( a 5 shot revolver in .357 mag )..No. Is it a nice gun -yes, very nice ! Do I enjoy it every time I touch it, shoot it, clean it ..Yes !... Is it worth it - Yes, every penny !! My philosoply is - you have to be honest with yourself...not take money away from things that truly need to be done to help someone in your family / protect your financial security ....but at the same time, you have to enjoy the journey / and supporting your hobbies are part of why we enjoy the journey.
A lot of guys have way more guns than I do ....but none of them have more fun with their guns than I do ! If all I could afford was one old $500 revolver...but I loved it every time I held it, fired it or cleaned it ...it would be just as valuable to me - and mean as much to me as a $3,200 revolver.
To answer your question my primary carry gun: is a Wilson Combat 1911 in .45 acp - because its a gun I shoot the best. My "desk gun" is a Kimber 1911 / just in case. My bedside gun ..is a S&W model 66 a 4" in .357 mag .....my primary competition shotguns are all Browning Over Unders..../ the other 45 guns ....a number of 1911's in 9mm & .45 acp, S&W's in .357 mag and .44 mag ...are all for fun at the range ...my adult kids, grandkids, etc..../ someday my 2 boys will each get half of the collection....but I'm only 62 ...and plan on being a very grumpy and very old man for a long time.
