Mr. Franklin's Lonely.

[CALI-gula]

"I once killed a man for snoring too loud."

As it turns out, he was very rich, and since he no longer needed the money....

.

[M. Sage]

I just save a little here and there. And I buy inexpensive guns most of the time, too.

[586L-Frame]

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.

**********
Good advice from Maxicon.

586L-Frame

[SFFRONTMAN]

Stick with used guns and you shouldn't have a problem .

[Fjold]

Budget the luxuries first.

Figure out what you want to buy and then figure out how you can save the money for it. Bring your lunch to work a couple of times a week, don't buy junk food, Starbuck's, snacks at gas stations, and stuff like that. Don't drive anywhere that you don't have to.

With me, the kids are grown up and moved out so I have a lot fewer issues with disposable income (it was a lot tougher when all four kids were in college).

[apbrian112]

lots of good ideas here!! i use most of them... the best way that i've purchased firearms is to save a little bit of disposible income at a time, stash a little away and then when you see an awesome deal jump on it. (being logged on to calguns 12 hrs out of the day helps, just sitting there in the FS forums pushing F5 every couple of seconds)
-did i need the 870 i purchased 2 weeks ago? who doesn't NEED a pump shotgun for HD and i saw one for a song and picked it up.

ride the bus/train to work... gas is a killer!!!

[draconianruler]

Like everybody says, save a little here and there. Then when a good deal comes up jump on it.

My collection has been growing slowly for through the years however I admit only in the last few years did it really start to grow.

To me, my guns will be given to my children just as my fathers will be given to me and my brother. My kids will be getting a HUGE collection from me and their granddad

[tcp]

Don't get married or have kids until you get all the toys you want, also having a job with a company car gives you a lot of disposable income.

[Eagle87Tango]

well, to all you wealthy calgunners Please feel free to send donations to daedalus4.2@gmail.com on paypal. Heh heh. I'm just kidding...well not really...but I am.

...but I'm not.

[The SoCal Gunner]

Haven't worked for the past two years which is when I transferred to a UC. Interestingly enough, most of my purchases were made after I quit.

[BigBamBoo]

....................

[Eagle87Tango]

For income I have a few home based businesses I run. High end PC's made to order. Ham and CB radio repair. And a dust cover business for Ham, A/V, and PC's. Not going to ever be "rich" from it. But I work my own hours and have enough for vactions, guns, etc.

I've always wanted to get into ham or CB radio. Just can't afford it right now. I've often contemplated buying myself a nice truck or van and doing "Mobile PC repair" since that is my background. I'm making $20 an hour at my job now which is the most I've made at any job. If anybody here on the boards knows of any better jobs then post em up. Unfortunately, I'm salaried, so while I do get a pretty good amount of time off, I don't get overtime. (which is harsh working 60-70 hours a week)

What I really, really want to do is be a full time writer. I love to write.

[Pugster]

- I am not married
- I don't take extravagant vacations
- I bring my own lunch to work
- I drive a beater car (No new car for me, my Civic is fine for me)
- I don't buy anything that I can't afford with cash

I put a good amount of my income into IRA and 401k first, but the rest goes to guns and ammo

[Booshanky]

Don't have kids. Get a wife who likes to shoot. Organize your life so you have a lot of disposable income.

[Booshanky]

- I am not married
- I don't take extravagant vacations
- I bring my own lunch to work
- I drive a beater car (No new car for me, my Civic is fine for me)
- I don't buy anything that I can't afford with cash

I put a good amount of my income into IRA and 401k first, but the rest goes to guns and ammo

Basically that's my life too. My car and my wifes cars are paid off. A civic and a cavalier. We moved close to our jobs so we don't spend too much on gas. I eat lunch at work, make food at home for dinner.

We put away about 1600 a month cash, plus money for 401k. After all that it's butter for guns, ammo, and camera stuff.