At my current level… never!!
If the lottery comes through…yep
If the lottery comes through…yep
How many folks actually.........?
- Thread starter AJ
- Start date
I am from a long line of frugal Scotsman!
Bought a 6 1/2" 99% Registered Magnum [missing original grips] added period correct no Bark stag grips and a stag grip adaptor. The gun was a whopping $325 plus tax. The grip and adaptor cost me about $225/250 IIRC
Picked up an ANIB Sig C3 .45 20 years ago for around half of the $1,142 MSRP.
Some times it pays to have a fair amount of knowledge and a bit of cash in your pockets.. Rich guys buy expensive toys, tire of them, and trade them off for a "new toy".
Bought my most expensive handgun from Wilson Combat a Beretta 92 Centurion Tactical for $1,250 Serial # is my birth month and year as a retirement gift.
LOL I've taken "several" stock guns and spent another 40-50% of the gun's
original cost to get Smith's to build me the gun I want!
Best bargains in the World for me were the S&W Performance Center Guns from the 90s. They didn't sell well around here at 2-3 time the cost of a stock guns. I got 5 for just a couple hundred more than the same guns from the main factory.
Bought a 6 1/2" 99% Registered Magnum [missing original grips] added period correct no Bark stag grips and a stag grip adaptor. The gun was a whopping $325 plus tax. The grip and adaptor cost me about $225/250 IIRC
Picked up an ANIB Sig C3 .45 20 years ago for around half of the $1,142 MSRP.
Some times it pays to have a fair amount of knowledge and a bit of cash in your pockets.. Rich guys buy expensive toys, tire of them, and trade them off for a "new toy".
Bought my most expensive handgun from Wilson Combat a Beretta 92 Centurion Tactical for $1,250 Serial # is my birth month and year as a retirement gift.
LOL I've taken "several" stock guns and spent another 40-50% of the gun's
original cost to get Smith's to build me the gun I want!
Best bargains in the World for me were the S&W Performance Center Guns from the 90s. They didn't sell well around here at 2-3 time the cost of a stock guns. I got 5 for just a couple hundred more than the same guns from the main factory.
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The only firearm guilt that I can share is that I had a Ruger "Old Army" that was in great shape and had no problems it. I had heard about Reeder's in Arizona, gave them a call and ended up sending the old girl off for a full custom job that resulted in a Douglas premium octagon barrel and special large frame for my oversized hand, as well as trigger/action job that set me back a bit over a grand over my initial purchase. The plus side is that the thing shoots fantastic, the downside is that it is almost too pretty to shoot. I am trying of making a point of getting it dirty more often.
These threads are always amusing. I’m fortunate enough through very hard work to own many dozen $4000+ pistols, with some being double that and into five figures. I own many more dozen $2-$4000 pistols.
Yes, the Indian is the most important variable, but the arrow makes a HUGE difference. People that use that phrase, generally have no experience with nice guns.
Yes, the Indian is the most important variable, but the arrow makes a HUGE difference. People that use that phrase, generally have no experience with nice guns.
These threads are always amusing. I’m fortunate enough through very hard work to own many dozen $4000+ pistols, with some being double that and into five figures. I own many more dozen $2-$4000 pistols.
Yes, the Indian is the most important variable, but the arrow makes a HUGE difference. People that use that phrase, generally have no experience with nice guns.
Yes, the Indian is the most important variable, but the arrow makes a HUGE difference. People that use that phrase, generally have no experience with nice guns.
HOUSTON RICK
Member
My firearm collection is pretty much shooters, and they punch holes, stave off invaders and bring down prey as good as any Winchester commemorative. We all like different things which helps make the hobby interesting.
You think those Wilson's are expensive? Take a look at a quality double shotgun sometime.....or more over, a quality double rifle. And yes, folks buy them....
STORMINORMAN
Member
Ug! Him have many excellent bows, but how many arrows does him actually shoot?
Him knows!
Cheers!
P.S. Who makes him's arrows?
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Come on over. We can bring most anything that you may want to shoot. Just name your poison and we (my shooting partner and myself) have quite a few toys to choose from. Range is six miles from the house.
Was at Cherry Point for a Reunion about a week and a half ago. Sure has changed!
PM me if you want.
AJ
Two comments here.
1) Today you can buy a Tisas or RIA branded 1911 for around $350 new. That’s an inflation adjusted price equal to about $110 40 years ago, and 40 years ago you were going to pay around $250-275 at the low end for a new, non Colt 1911.
In other words an entry level RIA or Tisas 1911 costs about half of what a similar 1911 would cost 40 years ago, with the major difference that the Tisas and RIA 1911s will actually function reliably and have fairly decent triggers, by factory standards. That’s largely a result of a) modern CNC machining and the greatly reduced need for hand fitting on a CNC made 1911, and b) inexpensive foreign labor.
2) That also means the $2K to $5K custom 1911s today would be comparable in price to $600 to $1500 custom 1911s in 1982.
I don’t think those custom prices have outpaced inflation and they are no more expensive today than they were 40 years ago in terms of actual buying power required to buy one.
However, there is now a much bigger gap in the price you pay for a stock 1911 and a custom 1911 in terms of the buying power required as the base model 1911s are actually less expensive while also being better functioning.
$1200 gun on a budget, I never thought I would own a $1200 pistol.
I spent around 600 on a CZ PCR, a year or so later I sent it to Cajun Gun Works for a 600 dollar tune up with their Pro package.
It shoots right up their with a friends $3500 Wilson.
$1200 hundred to me is the same as $12,000 to the rich guys if they make ten times what I make and believe me that's easy to do.. I have no regrets.
I spent around 600 on a CZ PCR, a year or so later I sent it to Cajun Gun Works for a 600 dollar tune up with their Pro package.
It shoots right up their with a friends $3500 Wilson.
$1200 hundred to me is the same as $12,000 to the rich guys if they make ten times what I make and believe me that's easy to do.. I have no regrets.
.38SuperMan
Member
Your $175 dollar investment in 1974 is now equivalent of $1,113. Gasoline was regularly 24.9 cents a gallon when I got my first car and frequently paid 17.9 cents. When I was young my dad bough gas for 14.9 cents a gallon.
Inflation is alive and well if you’ve not noticed.
I used to shoot IPSC and had a totally custom 38 super double stack race gun for unlimited class. I don’t remember what I paid but think it was in the $2500/3000 range 30 plus years ago. I literally shot it until the frame cracked and I didn’t feel comfortable getting it welded. $3000=$6,700 in todays dollars.
Around that same time I had my limited class gun built using a mill spec
Springfield frame and slide. Just guessing I’m going to say I had $1,500+ in it. Today $1,500=3,350.
Inflation!
Inflation is alive and well if you’ve not noticed.
I used to shoot IPSC and had a totally custom 38 super double stack race gun for unlimited class. I don’t remember what I paid but think it was in the $2500/3000 range 30 plus years ago. I literally shot it until the frame cracked and I didn’t feel comfortable getting it welded. $3000=$6,700 in todays dollars.
Around that same time I had my limited class gun built using a mill spec
Springfield frame and slide. Just guessing I’m going to say I had $1,500+ in it. Today $1,500=3,350.
Inflation!
Ingramite
Member
Well, at 50 posts into the thread there isn't a whole lot to add.
Yes, I'm nodding my head in agreement. There are quite a few who purchase these upper end pistols, not just 1911s.
Funny thing is, when you go to a forum that supports this activity with an active classified section you'll find them scratching their heads and wondering why anyone would buy a revolver or a black plastic bullet squirter.
Many of these high end guys climb the ladder with progressively more expensive pistols at each rung. They trade two to get one. It may take years to finally get to the top. Never satisfied and always reaching. They might pay more for a pair of "nice" grips than my last pistol cost.....and then you find out that they never shoot them. A virgin pistol is worth more to them than one that's been fired. If it has been fired they can tell you to the round how many times and it's always a very few times.
The guns are beautiful and the photography is always outstanding. Funny thing is, I get to enjoy their efforts by just looking at them. Sort of like when a pretty girl walks into the room.
Now, tell a non-firearm person how much you paid for your last revolver and watch them come unspooled.
Yes, I'm nodding my head in agreement. There are quite a few who purchase these upper end pistols, not just 1911s.
Funny thing is, when you go to a forum that supports this activity with an active classified section you'll find them scratching their heads and wondering why anyone would buy a revolver or a black plastic bullet squirter.
Many of these high end guys climb the ladder with progressively more expensive pistols at each rung. They trade two to get one. It may take years to finally get to the top. Never satisfied and always reaching. They might pay more for a pair of "nice" grips than my last pistol cost.....and then you find out that they never shoot them. A virgin pistol is worth more to them than one that's been fired. If it has been fired they can tell you to the round how many times and it's always a very few times.
The guns are beautiful and the photography is always outstanding. Funny thing is, I get to enjoy their efforts by just looking at them. Sort of like when a pretty girl walks into the room.
Now, tell a non-firearm person how much you paid for your last revolver and watch them come unspooled.
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bc1023;142001049 Yes said:
OP
AJ
US Veteran
I haven't bought a "new" gun in a lot of years. Try to buy gently used guns if possible. I do look closely at better guns that show a fair amount of use as this is usually an indicator of the gun being accurate.
The closest I have come to a top of the line piece was when I was stationed in Calif. I became friend with a guy named Jim MacDonald, he had a small shop in his garage. He operated under the name of Mac's .45 Shop , and was in Seal Beach. He built custom M1911 IPSC guns. I traded him three Colt Series 70 Government Models in .45 ACP for one of his guns, built on a blued Colt Series 70 that I had. I had $200 in each of the Colts. His guns were on par with Wilson's at the time. Had seen folks come into his shop and give him $2K plus their gun to be modified into a IPSC gun.
LOL just got a Wilson Combat Email..... they now offer 90 different finishes..... to release the inner Ranger or SEAL in you!
Ah the good old days; Sir do you want that in Blue, Nickel or we now have it in stainless steel!
Ah the good old days; Sir do you want that in Blue, Nickel or we now have it in stainless steel!
Grayfox
US Veteran
I won't buy one of those fancy custom guns. While I am a decent shot, I'm just not good enough to wring $3000-4000 worth of accuracy out of one. 
I do just fine with the regular factory offerings. Although I may get the upper tier models.
If there's any customizing to be done, I do it myself.
I do own one custom gun. A 1964 Clark Longslide .45. I stumbled across this one used about 15 years ago and just couldn't pass it up. Paid just over $1000 for it. That was pretty high back then. But today, a lot of factory offerings are that much and more.
Great gun. Still as tight as it was when it was made and far more accurate than I'll ever be.
I do just fine with the regular factory offerings. Although I may get the upper tier models.
If there's any customizing to be done, I do it myself.
I do own one custom gun. A 1964 Clark Longslide .45. I stumbled across this one used about 15 years ago and just couldn't pass it up. Paid just over $1000 for it. That was pretty high back then. But today, a lot of factory offerings are that much and more.
Great gun. Still as tight as it was when it was made and far more accurate than I'll ever be.
Joe Reeser
Member
THE PILGRIM
Member
As I have posted, bought the special order Model 19 in Guam for $105.
The Dude who ordered it expected to pay $95 and refused to pay $105.
The Dude who ordered it expected to pay $95 and refused to pay $105.
It is all relative. When I was into trap shooting $3000 would
not come close to a high end trap gun; buying a good fishing boat can easily hit 6 figures new with a couple of big outboards hanging off the end; and a country club membership for your golfing can cost you plenty. The handgun hobby is one of the least expensive there is. I enjoy just shooting the old Smiths I have because they are great machines and any of them is better than I am.
not come close to a high end trap gun; buying a good fishing boat can easily hit 6 figures new with a couple of big outboards hanging off the end; and a country club membership for your golfing can cost you plenty. The handgun hobby is one of the least expensive there is. I enjoy just shooting the old Smiths I have because they are great machines and any of them is better than I am.
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