Firearms then optics then accessories $$$$

I'm having a shuffle round, selling some stuff and tidying up rifles I have in half ready condition.

I tend to buy a bare rifle because it is "cheap" so I thought I might highlight real costs for beginners. It's never cheap once you actually set it up.

Essential:
Scope
Rings
Bases
Scope covers
Cleaning gear
Test ammo

Optional:
Trigger
Bedding
Suppressor
Dies
Test components


Now that seems simple enough but it's not. I have a Sako and a Ruger. I have a 30mm S&B. The S&B could go on either the Sako or the Ruger but long term is going on the Sako.

Sako and Ruger have dedicated rings that cost a fortune, particularly the Sako. You need to get the heights right, so re-shuffling scopes adds $$$$ every time.

The rifle is the cheapest part. Getting them all set up to use costs time and money.

I try to do one at a time then move onto the next.

I always have two, so if one is at the smith, there's one set up ready to go (failing here currently).

This has always been my greatest annoyance when shooting. I buy two many rifles and never factor in how much time and money it takes to get them to where I am happy with them (and then getting bored and selling them).

Or you can just buy a rifle with iron sights to keep costs down

Or have more than 2 rifles. Think of them as golf clubs with each one for a specific task. Good luck finding a caddy though

It gets even worse when the rifle you have been waiting for pops up second hand set-up with rings/scope/suppressor that's only going on the shelf to be re-set up in the way you prefer

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Originally Posted by Tussock

... how much time and money it takes to get them to where I am happy with them (and then getting bored and selling them).

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Then isn't the answer (after all that time and money), NOT to get bored with them and sell them? :D

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

Then isn't the answer (after all that time and money), NOT to get bored with them and sell them? :D

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But that answer is boring :D

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

Then isn't the answer (after all that time and money), NOT to get bored with them and sell them? :D

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But some of the fun can be just getting them to that point in the first place. It's the building that is the attraction.

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

But some of the fun can be just getting them to that point in the first place. It's the building that is the attraction.

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This I understand, the project itself can be very satisfying...but then you wouldn't consider the factors of time and money as it is a project of love.
The trouble seems to be the NEED to sell as bored, then buy another...then spend the time and money...then sell as bored...then....

It can almost be classed as an addictive cycle.

Definition of Addiction by Merriam-Webster
Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits. People with addiction cannot stop doing or using something that becomes compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences ie marital/social/financial...

Could say the same of cell phones....

I have just spent way to much on my new tikka.
Will it shoot better than the standard rifle... possible.
Does it look better , hell yeah.
Will I get bored and sell it when another 'must have' toy appears.? I would like to say No as I will lose heaps of money..... but ........
Human nature I think.

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

Could say the same of cell phones....

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Yeah sort of true but cellphones get better with increases in technology so to upgrade is warranted.
Can't use the same excuse for firearms...

Greetings All,
I can thoroughly recommend procrastination as, at least, a partial fix for the obsessive buying and selling of rifles. For me this works a little better on the selling side than the buying side and the crowded nature of my rifle cupboards shows this well. Some purchases have lost their gloss after a short time but most are still here waiting for their time in the sun. I feel obliged to take them all for a spin from time to time but must admit that some have not left the safe for a while. Still, there is always tomorrow.
Regards Grandpamac.

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

Yeah sort of true but cellphones get better with increases in technology so to upgrade is warranted.
Can't use the same excuse for firearms...

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Well... kinda can.... New materials being used for starters. I have my rifle fitted with a carbon stock for example , and a titanium bolt handle. Wasn't that long ago these became available and not always possible to retrofit older rifles as they aren't made to fit them.
Optics technology moves on , (although admittedly not aiways an excuse to replace entire rifle, but if you want thermal these on the whole require a pic rail which not all rifles have or can be fitted to.) Same can be said of chassis systems...stocks...etc

It's a valid observation. That $1k project/novelty rifle ends up costing well over $2k when it's all setup.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

....Will I get bored and sell it when another 'must have' toy appears.? I would like to say No as I will lose heaps of money..... but ........Human nature I think.

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Yeah human nature to a degree. But if you look at it rationally rather than emotionally or additively, there is no 'must have' rifle after you have lets say 4 rifles that you have spent love, time and money to get them perfectly to where you are happy with them.

Four different calibers, four different scopes...the correct weight, stock, accuracy etc. Really why not stop there and be satisfied?

I'm sure it can be done despite human nature....or are we all doomed to never being satisfied and always wanting the next toy?

I think so.... again it's human nature to want the latest and greatest to some degree in my opinion. Lets use cell phones again.... I have a $300 large screen smart phone. It does everything a $2000 smart phone can do . It may have a slightly smaller memory which someone other than myself might find restrictive and only has one camera ( although why you would need 5 or 6 is beyond me ) but at the end of the day it does everything it should. I wouldn't consider it slow or anything as nowadays it is probably the server and broadband speed that is the limiting factor. I do not feel the need to change phones every time a new model is released , yet you see people lining up for a day or more to be the first to trade in the current model phone on the next version even though most of the time the "upgrade" has no functional difference except you now need to buy all new accessories because they changed the plugs ..... and they lost a grand in the swap. Did they 'need' the new latest great phone ....doubtful... is it really any better than the old one because the screen is 5 mm bigger .... doubtful .... will it stop them from doing the same thing when the next latest greatest model comes out .... no.
Human nature and the power of advertising at work.
(i am still waiting for a phone to be released that has a type pad big enough for human fingers so I don't have to keep rewriting txts when I can't hit the right bloody letter instead of the ones on either side ... even my kids know that when i have my phone in hand and I am cursing I am trying to write writing a txt ... lol)

I used to do what Tussock did, i bought a Sako, spent $$$$....treated the fuker as a safe queen in case i dropped it and then sold the bastard....Norinco & Baikal for this 'winner' now.....:P

After extreme accuracy obsession to the point my hunting rifle shot sub MIL at 100m, I now don't care. 2"@ 100m = dead deer at far enough. All my ballistics knowledge means I'm not that worried about calliber or groups like I used to be.

The guy I buy a lot of stuff from thinks I'm retarded for this reason. He thinks I should care. He does not realise I have been there and done that and now I'm amusing myself shooting weird guns.

I buy it, shove some factory ammo in it and off I go. Shoot it to its limitations.

Now I'm back full circle, sick of the limitations and want to hit what I want when I want again.

One thing I am ruthless about. When I use a gun I always think "love this thing, I should use it more". Just one outing where I don't enjoy it and it's gone.

Never sell a rifle you have not handled lately. Nearly sold my 338, got it out and cleaned it and thought I must be mad.

Scopes are a one way street. Had Leica Binos, S&B combo and sold both. You can see in the dark with these. You shoot more in that failing light than any other time, much of it impossible to see without the optics. Had to find both again. Binos alone is no good because you can see it but can't shoot it.

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

Yeah human nature to a degree. But if you look at it rationally rather than emotionally or additively, there is no 'must have' rifle after you have lets say 4 rifles that you have spent love, time and money to get them perfectly to where you are happy with them.

Four different calibers, four different scopes...the correct weight, stock, accuracy etc. Really why not stop there and be satisfied?

I'm sure it can be done despite human nature....or are we all doomed to never being satisfied and always wanting the next toy?

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I think you’re on the money, 4 well set up rifles is plenty to be honest. As far as centrefires go I’m running just two at the moment. Both are well set up with decent scopes and suppressors; they won’t be sold and replaced with something theoretically better but in reality not much different, which is normally how it rolls with similar cartridges in real world conditions.