Poll: How much is an "Expensive rifle" to you? - Page 3

Irondog54 · December 30, 2017, 10:57 PM

I like to keep well below $1000 when I can. Savage rifles fulfill that bill, and perform well. An exemplary rifle that I really want might go $2500, but that would be a stretch for me.

Road_Clam · December 31, 2017, 05:31 PM

$2K is my limit I would spend on a firearm. There is no reason for me as an amateur precision shooter to spend more to gain potential accuracy. Spending $1200-$1600 on a new firearm generally gets you excellent quality and precision. My upper end new purchased firearms :

Desert Eagle 44 mag brushed chrome $1550
Springfield Armory new production M1A loaded $1530
S&W 460 mag Performance Center $1399
Pedersoli 1874 Sharp's Silhouette (unfired used) $1249
Savage 12 FT/R 308 $1180

Totally happy with the outstanding quality and precision "out of the box" from these firearms.

Danoobie · December 31, 2017, 08:46 PM

Strangely enough, I was actually looking at an old HK91 for very close to 2500$
the other day. I don't use .308, though, and what really turned me away was
"What would I use it for?" Looked like a great rifle, but I doubt it would shoot MOA.
They've just become collectibles, at this ppint.

bamaranger · January 2, 2018, 01:40 PM

Since you stated "all up".....rifle and optics, I went with $1000. A bare rifle over $500 I consider expensive.......but I am constantly chided by everyone that my comprehension of prices stopped about 1990.

A bit of a rant, I am constantly shocked by the rising prices in our sport. One looks over the Rifleman magazine, and gear and guns run four figures routinely.
Guided hunts a small fortune, a pick-up/ 4WD more than what I paid for my house and 10 acres (years ago). Blackpowder as expensive, or more expensive than a pound of smokeless. My hunt club dues have quadrupled.
Ammo and components, I won't even go there.

fredvon4 · January 2, 2018, 02:52 PM

My $500 vote is all about me, and me only, from experience over the years

For me a Fire arm is a TOOL

Sure there are many high end tools I would love to have...mostly for the stupid reason of prestige or they are just so damned good looking

Example a Sako FinnLite 22-250 I just love the feel of the damned thing, it fits me and I really like the inset rubber on the synth stock...and it is 6.5Lbs light...bu mostly I like it for looks

Shot a friends Sako Finnlite... frigging tack driver at 400 yards with off the shelf ammo and cheapo scope

Same day I saw the Sako ---on the shelf was a Savage model 11 204 Rugar for $385

Tad heavier... not nearly as beautiful

years before I had shot a 204 Rugar at prairie dogs and was pretty good with my uncles rifle...brand unknown

So I had to decide....great looking lovely rifle for $1600 or utility rifle that will get the job done for under $400.....frugal won AGAIN

So has gone my personal fire arms buying since I was a adult... utility first.... brand loyalty has some factor, fit n feel has a big factor

I find I can shoulder and shoot well with about any long gun but pistols and revolvers are much harder to shop for... so far my hand gun shopping has never had a chance to try it out first....so I tend to the lower cost versions...just not willing to spend the big bucks on the so called best of the best 1911...when my personal experience with the Army issued one was pretty good....for the 1911 .45s intend purpose and effective ranges I am real good with that pistol

I personally do not have a high end or Race version with every possible enhancements

I have learned how to properly bed a rifle and exploit some good aftermarket things like triggers

BUT I do have many gun nut friends who just have to have the very best of the best and that is totally cool with me... but I do smile a lot (inside) when my pawn shop $95 Sears Ted William's model 100 Win 30-30 rings the 400 yard steel and they miss

webphut74 · January 2, 2018, 07:02 PM

$1800 is my tops. I spent $2200 on GB but I have since found that there seams to be a nicer one that shows up for less. So I just figure once I open the shipping box in my home , It should be about $1800. I’m a Sako A series fan. Specifically, any of the A Series or PPC rifles with the classic, not deluxe, hand rubbed oil finished factory wood stocks. They have to have the factory orange rubber butt pad and no iron sights to catch my eye though. I have almost a few time bought it now on several Sako rifles, but allowed me to cool off and wait for one that is cheaper. If the integral dove tails are drilled, then no more than $1200. I do not care what the condition the barrels are in, because I have found the modern CNC machined barrels are more accurate than the hand machined original barrels. I know, my style is catty wompus, but that’s just me. I won’t buy a rifle though if it has an aftermarket barrel though. Funny huh! I love those older actions and original stocks.

dakota.potts · January 2, 2018, 08:26 PM

It depends.

I used to think anything much over $500 was an "expensive" rifle.

Then I shot Precision Rifle Series with a custom rifle that would have amounted in the thousands before the scope (also in the thousands) was included.

Now I'm looking at trying to get a $1,000 rifle and $600 scope to shoot PRS again and it's barely doable in that price range. I would consider $1,000 "cheap" for that sport. Run of the mill is $3,000-5,000 without optics.

glockman55 · January 2, 2018, 08:51 PM

I would spend $600 on the Rifle and $1200 + on the Glass

kenny53 · January 2, 2018, 10:28 PM

The most I have spent on a rifle was $1200 on a Springfield M1A standard.

CCCLVII · January 5, 2018, 09:38 AM

To me any thing over $3000.00 so I voted 2500

Glock_17 · January 8, 2018, 07:27 AM

2k for a new LDT-M14 rifle. For me, thats a once in a lifetime thing though.
Typically i stick with under 1k for "new to me" firearms

Willie Lowman · January 8, 2018, 09:10 AM

my most expensive...

SCAR 16s after I had accessorized it, $3200
MM23E $12,000 For the gun and a spare barrel.

Lohman446 · January 9, 2018, 03:52 PM

For $500 I can go buy a rifle for most any task on the planet (IIRC one of the "econo" models is available in .375). Expensive to me is anything over the cost of what I can get a functionally similar product for. Not to say that I don't do expensive but expensive is luxury spending.

View Poll Results: How much is an "Expensive rifle" to you?
$500	13	6.16%
$1000	100	47.39%
$2500	78	36.97%
$5000	15	7.11%
$10,000	5	2.37%
Voters: 211. You may not vote on this poll

December 31, 2017, 05:31 PM	#52
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	$2K is my limit I would spend on a firearm. There is no reason for me as an amateur precision shooter to spend more to gain potential accuracy. Spending $1200-$1600 on a new firearm generally gets you excellent quality and precision. My upper end new purchased firearms : Desert Eagle 44 mag brushed chrome $1550 Springfield Armory new production M1A loaded $1530 S&W 460 mag Performance Center $1399 Pedersoli 1874 Sharp's Silhouette (unfired used) $1249 Savage 12 FT/R 308 $1180 Totally happy with the outstanding quality and precision "out of the box" from these firearms. __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid" Last edited by Road_Clam; January 1, 2018 at 09:27 AM.

January 2, 2018, 01:40 PM	#54
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	optics Since you stated "all up".....rifle and optics, I went with $1000. A bare rifle over $500 I consider expensive.......but I am constantly chided by everyone that my comprehension of prices stopped about 1990. A bit of a rant, I am constantly shocked by the rising prices in our sport. One looks over the Rifleman magazine, and gear and guns run four figures routinely. Guided hunts a small fortune, a pick-up/ 4WD more than what I paid for my house and 10 acres (years ago). Blackpowder as expensive, or more expensive than a pound of smokeless. My hunt club dues have quadrupled. Ammo and components, I won't even go there.

January 2, 2018, 07:02 PM	#56
webphut74 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2017 Posts: 6	Poll: How much is an "Expensive rifle" to you? $1800 is my tops. I spent $2200 on GB but I have since found that there seams to be a nicer one that shows up for less. So I just figure once I open the shipping box in my home , It should be about $1800. I’m a Sako A series fan. Specifically, any of the A Series or PPC rifles with the classic, not deluxe, hand rubbed oil finished factory wood stocks. They have to have the factory orange rubber butt pad and no iron sights to catch my eye though. I have almost a few time bought it now on several Sako rifles, but allowed me to cool off and wait for one that is cheaper. If the integral dove tails are drilled, then no more than $1200. I do not care what the condition the barrels are in, because I have found the modern CNC machined barrels are more accurate than the hand machined original barrels. I know, my style is catty wompus, but that’s just me. I won’t buy a rifle though if it has an aftermarket barrel though. Funny huh! I love those older actions and original stocks. Last edited by webphut74; January 2, 2018 at 07:18 PM.

January 2, 2018, 08:26 PM	#57
dakota.potts Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2013 Location: Keystone Heights, Florida Posts: 3,084	It depends. I used to think anything much over $500 was an "expensive" rifle. Then I shot Precision Rifle Series with a custom rifle that would have amounted in the thousands before the scope (also in the thousands) was included. Now I'm looking at trying to get a $1,000 rifle and $600 scope to shoot PRS again and it's barely doable in that price range. I would consider $1,000 "cheap" for that sport. Run of the mill is $3,000-5,000 without optics. __________________ Certified Gunsmith (On Hiatus) Certified Armorer - H&K and Glock Among Others You can find my writings at my website, pottsprecision.com.

December 30, 2017, 10:57 PM	#51
Irondog54 Junior Member Join Date: December 23, 2017 Posts: 7	I like to keep well below $1000 when I can. Savage rifles fulfill that bill, and perform well. An exemplary rifle that I really want might go $2500, but that would be a stretch for me.

December 31, 2017, 08:46 PM	#53
Danoobie Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2017 Posts: 351	Strangely enough, I was actually looking at an old HK91 for very close to 2500$ the other day. I don't use .308, though, and what really turned me away was "What would I use it for?" Looked like a great rifle, but I doubt it would shoot MOA. They've just become collectibles, at this ppint.

January 2, 2018, 02:52 PM	#55
fredvon4 Junior member Join Date: January 18, 2010 Location: Lampasas Texas Posts: 154	My $500 vote is all about me, and me only, from experience over the years For me a Fire arm is a TOOL Sure there are many high end tools I would love to have...mostly for the stupid reason of prestige or they are just so damned good looking Example a Sako FinnLite 22-250 I just love the feel of the damned thing, it fits me and I really like the inset rubber on the synth stock...and it is 6.5Lbs light...bu mostly I like it for looks Shot a friends Sako Finnlite... frigging tack driver at 400 yards with off the shelf ammo and cheapo scope Same day I saw the Sako ---on the shelf was a Savage model 11 204 Rugar for $385 Tad heavier... not nearly as beautiful years before I had shot a 204 Rugar at prairie dogs and was pretty good with my uncles rifle...brand unknown So I had to decide....great looking lovely rifle for $1600 or utility rifle that will get the job done for under $400.....frugal won AGAIN So has gone my personal fire arms buying since I was a adult... utility first.... brand loyalty has some factor, fit n feel has a big factor I find I can shoulder and shoot well with about any long gun but pistols and revolvers are much harder to shop for... so far my hand gun shopping has never had a chance to try it out first....so I tend to the lower cost versions...just not willing to spend the big bucks on the so called best of the best 1911...when my personal experience with the Army issued one was pretty good....for the 1911 .45s intend purpose and effective ranges I am real good with that pistol I personally do not have a high end or Race version with every possible enhancements I have learned how to properly bed a rifle and exploit some good aftermarket things like triggers BUT I do have many gun nut friends who just have to have the very best of the best and that is totally cool with me... but I do smile a lot (inside) when my pawn shop $95 Sears Ted William's model 100 Win 30-30 rings the 400 yard steel and they miss

January 2, 2018, 08:51 PM	#58
glockman55 Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 179	I would spend $600 on the Rifle and $1200 + on the Glass

January 2, 2018, 10:28 PM	#59
kenny53 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2015 Location: My back yard Posts: 971	The most I have spent on a rifle was $1200 on a Springfield M1A standard.

January 5, 2018, 09:38 AM	#60
CCCLVII Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 432	To me any thing over $3000.00 so I voted 2500 __________________ Always looking for a good hunt!

January 8, 2018, 07:27 AM	#61
Glock_17 Member Join Date: July 19, 2017 Posts: 33	2k for a new LDT-M14 rifle. For me, thats a once in a lifetime thing though. Typically i stick with under 1k for "new to me" firearms

January 8, 2018, 09:10 AM	#62
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	my most expensive... SCAR 16s after I had accessorized it, $3200 MM23E $12,000 For the gun and a spare barrel. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

January 9, 2018, 03:52 PM	#63
Lohman446 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2016 Posts: 2,192	For $500 I can go buy a rifle for most any task on the planet (IIRC one of the "econo" models is available in .375). Expensive to me is anything over the cost of what I can get a functionally similar product for. Not to say that I don't do expensive but expensive is luxury spending.