Saving Money at the Range

We live in difficult times. The economy of this country has created problems in many family’s budgets. My wife is very frugal and has found many ways to save money. This has taught me to stretch a dollar and has me thinking about the many ways I save money at the shooting range. The gun industry is flourishing in the United States. But because of that, products abound. There are many different targets out there to fill the market. Targets to please everyone from paper to ¾ inch AR500 Steel. In my training program I’ve found paper works very well and is economical. To save money, I use paper plates. I shoot at a popular outdoor range that has many members. Because of this I have seen many “Splatter” type targets used. The Splatterburst brand targets are very popular. I notice that many people that shoot these targets don’t use the black and red dots that are provided to cover the holes to continued using the target. So I’ve pulled the targets from the trash and cut off the dots. That way, I have something to put on my paper plates to use as a bulls eye or point of focus. I’ve amassed a big zip loc full of these dots. I also cut off the unused 4 inch targets that are often unused on the Splatterburst target. Also in the area of backing for targets I just keep an eye out for large cardboard boxes and cut them up. I also make my own silhouettes with cardboard or paper. You can also make your own target stands if the place you shoot does not have stands available. This can be done economically too. The internet is full of ideas from expensive to very economical. I also don’t buy range bags. In just a cursory search of the internet you can find range bags from $65 to over $300! I bought a Protégé duffel style bag from Wal-Mart for $15. Now it is just a bag. It doesn’t have special slots for hand guns and magazines. But my bag serves my purpose and has lasted me several years. If worse comes to worse, I’ll buy a new bag every 5 years and still save money. When you look for a bag make sure it will carry heavy loads because 100’s of rounds, several magazines, and a couple handguns are heavy! What I’ve noticed is many people only shoot 3 or 4 times a year. I have no problem with that. That is called recreational shooting. But for those that train, or would like to train, ammo and its cost and availability can be an issue. I have been buying ammunition since the 80’s so I have come up with a storage program for ammo just as my family has a preparedness and food storage program. Like canned food, ammo is first in, last out. That requires dating ammo so you know when it went into storage. I also keep track of it all on my computer. What I suggest is if you train to limit your shooting to a certain number of rounds. I have limited myself to 50 rounds a workout. That is altered once in a while but generally its kept to 50. Depending on your training program, you should limit yourself. The reason for the limit is I could go through 300 rounds easy. I love to shoot and it is therapeutic for me. But I go to the range 2 or sometimes 3 times a week. That would add up fast and be quite expensive. Now if you are training for competition that is a different story. You would have a budget and possibly a sponsor. That would not limit your ammo use. But most people train once or twice a month. You shouldn’t skimp on your gun. But many people can’t afford a Glock or a Kimber. These are great, reliable, guns. But Ruger, Smith and Wesson, Kel-Tec, and other makers have more budget conscious guns available. I know some of you purists out there are stuck on a particular brand but not everyone can afford a H&K. Buy a gun you are comfortable with and that you can afford. Like Golf, you can invest quite a lot of time and money into shooting. Invest what is necessary and what you can afford. I am a gun nut. It is my hobby, my defense, and my passion. At one time I competed. That didn’t last because of my obsession with defense but it was fun. Shooting can be expensive but the cost can be mitigated in many ways. Ammo can be reloaded but that requires equipment, components, and room to do it. I’ve reloaded for years but started when I was competing. I acquired the equipment over many years. I even have cast my own bullets, which requires another set of equipment. I probably could save money reloading now because I have the equipment. If you shoot large caliber rifles then reloading might be a money saving option. These are just some ways I have used to save money at the range. Shooting can be a very rewarding venture and if you own guns for defense it is critical. There are many accessories for shooting but also many ideas for fulfilling your needs without breaking the bank! Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn