Farmer, I have been purchasing guns since I was about 10 and have been for the last 26 years. I am more of a purchase and keep kind of person and I tend to keep more than I need. I tend to be very busy during the hunting seasons so I keep hopeing that I will someday get to use the guns that I have. Right now, I only hunt deer here in ND, but some day that will change. Right now I have twin girls on the way, so its good that I have "stocked up" on my gun purchases. I don't think the gun money will be a priority come December.

I'm an electrical engineer, not making much money the last couple of years as a beginning consultant. I have a small collection of rifles, gathered over the last 30 years. About half of them are from my single days, the better ones came later. My wife shoots .22 now and then, and is not really opposed to buying rifles if there's loose cash in the household.

I'm an independent sales rep, single, with hobbies as my vices. the two expensive ones are guns and alpine skiing/ski racing. Skiing is my business so the equipment costs there are under control. Over the years, I've just accepted the fact that I want to have about one new rifle project each year. When I decide to do a new one, I sell off an old one. Although I usually lose some money on each trade off, at least the new toy is reduced in cost by at least 40-50% Currently keeping rifle inventory stable @ 5 guns.

For me, shotguns, rimfires and handguns are tools, I have what I can use and I leave them alone. Rifles are the vice. But, as long as I adhere to "sell one, build another", I can afford it.

JimF

[ 10-03-2002, 08:34: Message edited by: JimF ]

I'm a Land Surveyor for Caltrans, ( CA highway dept). I work like a dog under very dangerous conditions. I make decent money, but you can't see "Rich" from where I'm standing. I drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney. Chase women and just bought a new truck. Bought a Lance cabover camper to put on that truck. Got a fishing boat, a kayak and a wooden canoe. Got about 25 rods and reels to fish with. Got six rifles, two shotguns, and a .357 revolver. And I use all this stuff frequently.

Why?

Because I never saw a hearse with luggage racks!!!

You can't take it with you when you die.

Whether or not you wake up tomorrow is not up to you.

Some smart guy on this forum has a quote on the bottom of his posts that says," You only go around once in this life. If you do it right, once is enough."

Now, none of this applies to you lucky guys that have kids. They are always most important and come before all else.

Guns can be fairly likened to jewelry. You wear them. They are adornment. They make statements. Some are silver and can never hope for more, while the golden ones are much admired and cannot be improved upon. Untold numbers outlive their various owners and continue, despite their advanced age, to speak with authority from another time. They all smoke, as is their instinctual habit, and only ask that the user pour them a drink or two after each exercise, to restore their tarnished throats. At rest, they provide us equal pleasure by just being there. Her I am, they seem to say. Just as you left me. Ready to wear...and like yourself, glad beyond measure to be out in the world again.

I am a sales guy, sell software and professional services, my wife sells medical devices. We make really great money. I drive a crap car (10 year old mazda) and live in the suburbs in an old yet neat house. Spend way too much time at work and always worrying about paying a mortgage..etc etc. Never one for displays of wealth...rather just like my rifles and reloading stuff...and most off all like going out and shooting. They are motivational items for me, life is too hard not to have stuff that you enojy.

Automotive machinist used to dragrace Should see bankers face when asked for a loan to buy race parts now a shooter cheaper Never buy ammo always make your own.

Electrical Engineer.

I have a frugal wife, two kids and a modest lifestyle.

I have had a vast array of different guns, but not many at one time and none of them expensive. Shooting doesn't have to be expensive. Many of the most dedicated folks in a sport are willing to put big bucks into it, but to merely participate is a different matter.

I'm happy that the people with more time, money and dedication to the sport are so willing to share information. It' saves me a lot of time and money and allows maximum use of the time I do spend on the range and out hunting.

I'm a 54 year old Project Manager for a General contractor. My wages are not that great but at least I'm no longer in the corporate world of the Oil business and I'm known by my name and not an Employee number. I think that setting a goal to purchase a certain rifle , scope or handgun and saving till you can purchase it is all it takes. I agree having both of my children grown and gone from the house helps allot and I reload for some of my buddies but all that does is allow me to purchase the reloading suppies thatI use. But believe me it's not the guy with the most that bothers me. You show me a hunter with only one rifle and I will show you someone that can shoot.
(Usually anyway)

Well, the job title says "Mechanical Systems Specialist", what it really means is I'm an instructor, technical writer, and consultant for railroads/railways on locomotive maintenance, repair, remanufacture, and operation. It's a pretty good job, I've travelled extensively, and I get to arrange my hunting where ever I go. Sometimes it's feast or famine, like any consulting position, but mostly it's pretty steady. As for the gun thing, I've just been buying and trading for 40 years, I know how to work a lathe (I worked as a machinist for a few years) and have access to a great many shop tools. So I do a lot of my own work. Makes it a good deal cheaper. The kids are older, one's moved out, so I'm only paying for the one still at home (mostly). That frees up some money too. I don't drink much, I don't gamble (except with my life when I bring a new gun home), I never smoked, my newest vehicle is 9 years old (even though I get the corporate discount from GM, they still cost money), do the majority of my own vehicle maintenance, etc. It's all doable, just hard when you're first starting out. FWIW - Dan

Timber faller, make damn good money when I am working. We get cut to short days late in the summer during fire season, and are usually snowed out Dec. - March or April, unless we have a job on the coast. I ride in the crummy to work everyday, don't pay for that, and saw gas is provided. I get $150 a month saw rent, I buy a new one every year, and 2 pairs of $300 boots a year. Those are really the only costs I have for work, besides clothes, which don't last very long.

I am married with no kids, I still act like a kid myself, so how am I susposed to raise one that dosen't turn out like me. I work hard and play hard, drink too much beer and my lip will probably fall off from the copenhagen, but its the life I choose. We spend most of the money I make and pay bills with my wife's income, with a bunch left over. She is a civil engineer for ODOT (good pay) and has her head on straight, and keeps me out of jail.

This is how I afford my excessive gun buying, along with all of the other toys we have accumulated.

I work for a farmer since I retired from the Corps of Engineers. I was a maintenance foreman at The Dalles Dam for several years and a mechanic there for many more. I have an eclectic collection of firearms.
I sometimes guide old codgers around the White River Game Area This is just a test to see if Mouskie reads any of these

willie,

I'm a gunsmith, I have weapons all over the place, but they ain't mine. I thought I would collect weapons by taking those that customers failed to pick up, but in the 23 years i've been in business, that hasn't happened. So I don't know what to tell you... good luck!

Malm

I work for Halliburton in the Gulf of Mexico. This is an oilfield service company. In my particular speciality there are 35 of us for the entire gulf. Not a millionare but make enough to keep head above water. There is the family money and my money. Mine gets to buy about two VVCG baqrrels a year, this doesn't include the optics. Have an understanding wife who buys me a barrel for my encore every Christmas in what ever caliber I want.

I'm a retired Air FOrce Officer working on second career in Microchip Manufacturing; best part-time job I ever had. I work Suday - Tuesday and every-other Wednesday, giving me lots of time to play with guns and flyrods. Only thing holding me back from buying all the guns I want and traveling the world shooting things is my wife, and she's damn good at it!

Retired Marine working as a Corrections Officer. I'm single with no bills, the kids are grown and on their own. The ex doesn't get anything. My house and truck are paid for.

How does one own 30 to forty rifles plus other shooting related paraphanelia.
Easy.
Desire, planning, discipline and time(I recently turned 50). I am a self employed real estate investor and make a living managing my rental properties. This is my fourth career. I've gone broke twice before and transitioned from real esate sales and appraisal to property ownership and management. I spend a lot of time on the road in my truck. I go to 8 to 10 pawn shops a week, most gun shows that come to town, and let my close friends know that I will purchase a firearm if it interests me.
Every pawn shop I have been in, as well as many gun stores, will let you set up a lay-away. It amazing what $25 per week will buy over an extended period of time.
A couple of examples, (which you can choose to believe or not). A couple of years ago I purchased a Rem. 700 Sendero in 7Mag with a Burris 8X32 Signature scope for $500. I found it in a pawn shop, and put $50 down and paid it out at $25 per week. I figure I either got the rifle or the scope free. Also about four months ago I saw a Ruger#1 chambered in 300win mag topped with a Leupold 3X9 X50 scope. They had sold this rifle to a fellow who decided he did not want a single shot, and brought it back to trade for something else. I got this rig for $450. Once again I put it on lay-away and paid it off.

Friends and acquaintences
About a year ago a friend called and said his cousin needed to buy some carpentry tools. He needed $150. He offered to sell me a Marlin model 336 lever gun in 30-30 and a Checz 7.62 X 39 semi auto. I came up with the $150.
I'm not a big fan of lever guns so I sold the 30-30 for a nice profit, and gave the 7.62 to my son.

I don't mean to be bragging about the deals I have made. Rather the idea is to give you some examples to get your gears turning.

Finally, make offers. Just because the price is listed, it doesn't mean that it won't be sold for less. I made three offers on rifles last week. I only scored on one. It was a beautiful Browning 1885 High-wall in 30-06. A local gun shop here in the area has four branches. I saw this gun at one branch where I don't do much trading. This rifle had been put on lay away and had not been paid on in six months. I had it shipped to a branch where I trade. At this branch they knocked $100 of the list price and let me put it on lay away for six months( no interest on lay away's).
As with most of the other respondants, I don't drive a new truck, gamble or smoke.Other than guns and hunting, I have few toys. I've been married to the same woman for twenty four years and don't have to support two families.
I have been collecting for seven years in earnest. In that time I have collected approx. 15 different single and double action pistols, and approx 30 rifles. I currently reload for 28 different calibers. An obsession, perhaps, crazy, for sure.
GWB

[ 10-21-2002, 11:16: Message edited by: Geedubya ]

I'm an anally-retentive, obsessive compulsive disordered pedant with a penchant for nitpicking and trivia.

OK then, I'm Chief Editor for an educational publishing company! But my wife likes the first description better!

I'm a former teacher, as is my wife -- she still teaches a couple of days a week and tutors to keep her hand in. She also writes (for the company I work for -- guess who gets to edit her work? Maybe that explains her description of me!)

We have one daughter left at home, in her second last year of secondary school (she's 16). She goes to a (good) private school -- which is great, but fees, excursions (to Italy this year!! ) cost us somewhere around $12 000 to $15 000 a year. That's a lot of guns!

Then again, we have our very restrictive laws. So I only have three rifles (which the media here would call an "arsenal"!!) -- an Anschutz .22 rimfire, a Savage 340 Hornet and a Savage 10Fp in .223.

My next purchase will be an under-and-under shotgun for sporting clays at the club -- my dearly beloved gave me the money a couple of birthdays back -- but it had to be "requisitioned" to pay a couple of bills.

Oh well. We have a pretty good life even if money's not flush -- I don't smoke or gamble at least. (Notice I didn't say anything about not drinking beer??!!?? ) Well, I am Australian, after all.

Bruce

[ 10-22-2002, 17:45: Message edited by: BIWOZ ]

I serve as a police chief and city manager by day and teach at a local university at night. In my spare time I work as a consultant to newly incorporated cities who wish to start their own police departments. Moreover, my wife makes great money; her income is enough to take care of the monthly bills by itself, thus leaving plenty of discretionary income to by as many Sakos as I choose - my only bad habit. I think I need a twelve-step program, but I would probably have to go to Finland to find one.

Consequently, my wife has become tired of my chronic Sako collecting and has unilaterally placed a Sako buying moritorium on me for an indefinte period of time. I am hoping she lifts this moritorium by the Big Reno Gun Show in November.

Unfortunately my busy schedule doesn't allow me to shoot/hunt as often as I want.

[ 10-22-2002, 20:34: Message edited by: DOCTOR LOU ]

I'm a Safety Director (plus many other things) for a regional road construction company. We are winding down for the year real soon - YAHOO. Until about 6 years ago I only had 2 guns. A 22 bolt (WWII trainer) and an old Rem 870 Wingmaster. Then my son turned of age to hunt and more were needed. I have been on a gun buying binge of sorts over the last 3 years. I'm now up to 14. Just got 2 more a couple of days ago. Most are at the low end of the price curve. Nothing fancy - Remington 870s (4), Savage 110, Ruger M77s (2), Winchester 1200, Marlin M60s (2), a Savage 10FP, NEF HandiRifle and a couple of handguns. I started reloading about a year ago and really enjoy it.
Dave

I sell Yellow Pages advertising, and my wife works as a Registered Nurse. We've go no children. I'm 55 and don't have 30 guns. I have 8 including 1 shotgun: .22 bolt action, 30:06 carbine pump, 300 Win.Mag, .375 H&H, 375 Ackley Improved, 416 Rigby, 458 Win.Mag, and a 12 guage semi. You don't need 30 guns to get the job done, probably 3, plus a shotgun.

26, work as a financial analyst for a major international firm.

Make good money. Busted my ass getting through school with an MBA and CPA. Did all of it on scholarships so I don't owe any school loans.

I mainly live like a college student, but I save the extra money and invest in a few things I really like. Like guns.

One thing that helps is that I really keep an eye on the used gun market and wait until a great deal comes along on a gun. That way I can buy it, and if I like it I keep it. If not, it moves down the road and at worst I break even. Usually I make a few bucks.

Great example - Just bought a Desert Eagle. Has both .50 and .44 barrels. Bright chrome plated. 24K plated trigger/hammer/sights/other small parts. Barrels are matching finish.

$810 bucks on Gunbroker. What kind of great deal is that ???????

As said above it is priorties that matter. I bought my first rifle at age eight,( Winchester single shot for $21.00 I mowed lawns) first pistol at age 12, (Bretta .22 short Minx for $13.00, paper route)first shotgun was given to me by my father at age 14, (sweet little no name Belgen side by side 16 ga youth gun he brought back from WWII). While in the Army I moon lighted in an Army gun Club and bought; Star .380,($45.00) a S&W 44 mag, ($210.00) Winchester 9422 amg, ($70.00) Sako 22-250 heavy barrel, ($180.00) and a S&W mod 27 .357 mag,($190.00). As a student in college I bought a Colt Series 70 .45,($200.00) a Mini 14, ($180.00)and a Dan Wesson .357 mag (can't remember). I n Graduate School I bought a H&K P9s in .45 acp and a H&K 91 both were $500-700 each. I worked my way through school and had two kids while there but watched my pennies. I'm an old fart now with an empty nest, (same keeper wife) and make good money selling high dollar automation systems. Last year I went CZ nuts and bought five of them, (CZ 9mm pistol, .22 LR trainner, .22 mag American, .223 Lux and .223 Varminter). I have been buying guns for over 40 years and have bought good guns through thick and thin. If you keep the gun hobby, (addiction?) for as long as I have you will have a good collection too.

Handyman, entreprener, and investor all rolled into one. The answer to you question is this: Buy low, sell high. Watch your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. Be patient. Befriend an excellent gunsmith. Marry an understanding woman that will make your buddies jelous. And most importantly, DO EACH OF THESE THINGS IN THIS ORDER!!! Try and reverse them and you risk certain failure

I work at ScottAero, a company founded by my father here in Az. We were formerly a NASA contractor but now do consulting ballistic study, research and testing for the arms industry. Much of our work is designing test programs and related training for the industry. The upside of the job is getting to do a lot of shooting, the downside is the related paperwork and constant deadlines.

lets see: start early. add often. and live a lot of years so your mistakes can be erased by time appreciation.

I am a senior ecologist for an international consulting company. went for 20 years from field ecologist to division VP in a Fortune 500 company. three kids, two in college now. two boats, four cars, two houses, and about two dozen merkels. Rental house pays for the boats and college expenses. When you eventually sell some of your quality guns you know why you bought quality guns.

guns have fared better this last biennium than any stocks in my 401!!

stretch to the limit to buy any gun. only buy ones you can not afford. shop around for the best one or two deals a year, and then negotiate to a cant lose much price. buy only resale and used or as new but not new, so that someone else pays the shine penalty.

After a few years, your can-not-afford-gun or rifle starts to look like a sound investment or at least a breakeven resale, which is better return than you get on cars, boats, vacations, tools, or whatever else would coax that money from your pocket..

In the words of a great wag: I did not pay too much, I just bought too soon.

Invest more in a safe than in a gun, if you have children especially.

RustyRifling,
Welcome to the forum!
Please feel free to jump right in and share some of the knowledge you have acquired if not confidential or propriety.

Greg, thank you. It is nice to be made to feel welcome. I hope I have something to contribute to this forum, but available time is always a problem. To be honest, because of the work my associates and I do, we usually have more questions than answers. But let me know if we can help. Just ask.
Rusty

Rusty, let me ditto that welcome. As far as questions, there is this thread about WSSM's in the mid-bore forum...... Just kidding, (well, not really, but there is that confidentiality thing again).

Great to see you here, Dutch.

Ive mostly driven trucks for the past two decades. I dont own nor do desire to obtain 30 rifles. Im still working on a small but versatile battery of guns that are superb, beyond that I would prefer spending some $ on a once in a lifetime hunting trip as opposed to 20 more guns.

Hi
Well im Bricklayer make good money over here in oz
Own 20+ rifles,pistols as long as they are not taken away ........

Cheers

I figgered out a long time ago that I would never be able to buy the guns I wanted so I better learn to build them. Found an old Atlas lathe at a yard sale for $350 and went to it.

It also helps to ALWAYS have a few hundred set aside in case you run into a guy who doesn't. I bought a Valmet 12 gauge/.30-06 (my most expensive gun) that way for $325. Also once swapped a S&W 58 straight across for a Franz Sodia hammer gun in 16 gauge/8x72.

Dutch, in an earlier post (above) you referenced the new WSSM cartridges. I have had some experience with the .223 WSSM (very little) and am doing some load projections. I posted a good bit of information about the WSSM case in the "Smal-Bore" forum if you care to go have a look. I'm to pressed for time to repeate it here. (And too lazy)
Rusty

I'm a Border Patrol Agent in sothern AZ. I've done that for the last 15 years in various locations and the job pays pretty well but I have a mortgage car payment and two kids. I don't have the 50 BMG but I do have a lot of rifles. I don't have an exact count right now. Before I got on the government dole I worked as a machinist at APEX rifle Company in Flagstaff AZ. I've got a small machine shop in my garage as well as bluing tanks and do gun work on the side. This is where my play money comes from. I've got two rifles halfway finished right now that I can't finish because I ran out of money and business has been slow. I had to get a FFL to run the business. (I use the term "business" loosely because it seldom sees a profit at the end of the year) Anyway, with the FFL I can get guns scopes accesories etc. at wholesale. Also I seldom sell a gun unless it's a real lemon. I'm pushing 40 and I still have the ruger 77 30-06 that I bought when I was 14. I worked all summer at Flagstaff Trap and Skeet range to buy it. When you don't sell them off you can accrue quite a collection.

Migra

Well I'm an 8' foot tall professional jockey... I don't win many races so I'm forced to work as an IT Systems Consultant on the side. Moneys OK but I have a wife, a mortgauge and a future hunting parther due in February.
I work bloody hard and rarely go to the pub and never gamble. My money goes on bikes and guns. My collection is modest but well loved, I take pleasure from owning, cleaning shooting and reloading my guns. I love the Austrlian countryside and my hobbies allow me to spend time there.

I rob stagecoaches and trains between Strawberry Point
and Eldora.

Danno,

Business a little slow these days?

I drink and smoke, drive a late model sports car and a brand new diesel, and have my clothes dry-cleaned. How to afford firearms?

T-A-U-R-U-S

Can't really say. You know what I'd have to do if I told you, right? Shop bargains, do some light 'smith work, collect and never sell.