Mr. Franklin's Lonely.

[Eagle87Tango]

I'm being serious here.

I've been looking through the galleries lately and a lot of people have a lot of expensive guns. I love guns with a passion. Time, money, and location are a big part of why I can't fully divulge in my passion. I would honestly like to know what some of you do and how you afford your firearms. If you don't want to post about it, send me a PM, and let me know if someone's hiring.

[cactus]

Rail road, you can kiss your free time to shoot them good buy but you will have the funds to keep upgrading your safe.

[fal_762x51]

Funds? I work overtime just to afford the firearms I want. Sure I don't get to shoot them very often, but I'm stocking to the gills for my retirement date.

Look at your city or county personel department for government jobs.

[Hopi]

Once you get to 500 posts, Calguns.net will start to send you a weekly paycheck.

[USN CHIEF]

You can always join the Military...

[USN CHIEF]

Once you get to 500 posts, Calguns.net will start to send you a weekly paycheck.

Oh, I forgot about that.. That's how I buy my ammo..

[maxicon]

I have a system that works pretty well for me. I buy guns like I save for retirement - slow and steady. The progress isn't dramatic, but over the years, it adds up.

I buy good quality, inexpensive guns that shoot (relatively) inexpensive ammo and, value priced good quality accessories. They're not junk, but they won't win you any bragging awards on the forums, if you care about that. I have very few guns that cost over $500, and quite a few that were under $350.

Saving up for a $350 gun is not a huge task, depending on your cash flow. I'm an engineer, but I've got a family, and they take priority over guns. I'm paying $30k+ a year for schools right now, so I'm not buying many guns or expensive gear, but I bought them steadily over the years when I could afford them, so I've got plenty to play with until the kids are out on their own.

Once I got the basics covered - an inexpensive but reliable home defense 9mm, a few inexpensive .22s for cheap practice, and an inexpensive centerfire rifle and shotgun, I'd hit the gun shops on a regular basis, and when something popped up that I considered affordable, I'd buy it. Sometimes on layaway, at $100/month, sometimes paid in full, depending on cash flow. Another customer snickered at me once at Sportsmen's for putting a $250 gun on layaway, but I've got it now, and that's what counts.

After a good number of years of this, I've got a nice assortment, and have expertise on quite a wide variety of gun types and styles. Sure, there have been a few lemons, but that happens with expensive guns as well.

It would be great to have a $1500 Les Baer, but for the same money (including tax and transfer), I have (for example) a CZ75B, a Springfield Milspec, a S&W 586, and a Ruger MKII. They're all great guns, shoot more accurately than I do, and my kids will still be shooting them after I'm gone with any luck. They're also worth more than I paid for them now.

Likewise, I've got a handful of Leupolds that cost between $150-300 for less than the cost of a single NF or USO, and mounts and rings for them for less than the cost of a single LaRue SPR. I know the values, watch forums, and when something that's an excellent deal pops up, I jump on it.

Some people are happier with fewer, nicer guns and accessories, and more power to them. Different strokes, and all that. I'm a really big fan of variety, so this works very well for me. Is it gear anyone would drool over? No, unless you put it all into one big freaking pile, but I don't do it for other people.

YMMV, as always, but there are lots of good quality guns that don't cost a fortune out there. Do your research, save steadily, figure out which shops are best for this, and hit them regularly, even if you're not planning on buying. I've got some of my best deals that way.

[1911su16b870]

If you have Franklins, you will never be lonely

[1911su16b870]

Once you get to 500 posts, Calguns.net will start to send you a weekly paycheck.

good thing I was not drinking a beverage while reading this post.

I'm still waiting for my stimulus check and calguns check!

[Axewound]

Be young and have a disposible income.
Its taught me how to budget my self for the necessities:
1.beer
2.gas
3.Guns and ammo
4. Other. Such as food or school

[What Just Happened?]

Young and disposable income. No significant other helps as well.

[run8]

Which railroad do you work for and what is your craft?

Yes indeed, working for a railroad pays you very well, like Cactus says you'll never have time to go shooting though. But you'll certainly be able to afford your interests, though save for a rainy day incase you get sick or something happens.

Rail road, you can kiss your free time to shoot them good buy but you will have the funds to keep upgrading your safe.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Easy, most of my collection I bough back in the 90's when I was in the business; buying at dealer cost made it possible AND the trickle down from the .com bubble - nerds and geeks (no offense! I count myself part of that great unwashed mass) love gadgets and guns, and when they were making lots of money they tended to spend lots of money. Having a store right smack dab in the middle of tech central helped also.
*sigh* I miss .com money, I really do.

[Beelzy]

I simply sold both kidneys.

Seriously though, I saved a little at a time then when I had a few hundred
extra $$ I would pray that no unexpected bills would pop up before I got to
the gunshop. Then after a while I would sell one or two to "trade up".

Buy what you want now, for they won't get any less expensive.

[AngelDecoys]

Like others here, most of my collection has been slow and steady as well. I take the time to research and buy each item. It's taken years but I have time, and other expensive hobbies (SCUBA and photography for example).

If your primary income is taken up with regular expenses (and the wife's priorities) you can develop a secondary income. One shooter I know down at the club was pressed for 'hobby fun money' (His wife wanted everything extra to go for 401K, or vacations). Here's a couple of things he does. Works for him.

One of the things he does in the late fall (before it rains) is hire out the local teenagers to get the leaves out of the gutters around town ($40 a pop). He splits the cash with them and the kids like an adult scheduling, and handling the money. (And he doesn't have to be on roofs).

In the spring/summer, he gets the same kids to do a free carwash (for donations) about once a month.

He also does ebay on commission.

The general point is since that income doesn't come from the 'general fund' his wife knows it's extra. He gets to spend it on whatever he wants. All in all, I find it somewhat amusing for him since their 'general fund' is adequate already for both their hobbies (They're both Professionals). Anyway, it's a balance that's worked for both of them over the years.