No I don't think you are being a Deek Arch I understand your point of view totally. But my situation would put me at one gun and a few knifes if I played by those rules. I would at this pint with the circumstances being what they are I would rather have enough decent weapons to get me through than only one great weapon. Trust me if I was making enough to get out of my house in town and buy top of the line weapons I would. I just cant I don't get to keep enough of my money hell almost half of it is gone before it even gets to me. If everything goes hunky dory (very unlikely) then I will have to suck up the loss of cash but when the SHTF I will be glad to have what I have.

PS how the he11 are you loading that much I cant even find powder to restock and it makes me not want to use what I have.

We are all good Arch I just haven't had the 30 years to stock up yet the government supplied my weapons and ammo for the 15 years before I started buying my own.

No worries Greaser.

I stopped reloading years ago when ammo prices dropped. I was buying brass case 9mm for $110 a case (1000) delivered, and 5.56x45 surplus for $129 a case (820). It actually cost more to reload so I sold my set up and bought ammo.

That ammo was shot years ago and now I can't even find 9mm locally.

If I could go back 10 years ago I'd buy every 550rd box of Federal Bulk Pack 22LR that Walmart's within a 1 hour drive received every week, because I was paying $8.96 per 550rds (plus tax). That same box is now $39.99 at our local Walmart and I rarely see them on the shelves.

I've been selling off my excess collection to buy ammo for training. The anti-gunners beat us by using the same method I've long suggested we use against them: starvation. They're starving us thru artificially inflated ammo prices resulting from their multi BILLION round orders. (I've often said a pandemic tax revolt would be the only real way to have reform: it would starve the government resulting in angry mobs when entitlements were no delivered and ultimately would force the FR to print more fiat currency. The ultimate result would be hyper inflation followed by economic collapse followed by a return to the truly private gold standard).

I feel your pain, brother. Nothing makes me sicker than selling a Colt AR for less than I paid just to turn around and buy ammo that is 250% higher than it was three years ago.

I even bought a BB gun as an attempt to stay proficient without bankrupting us!

Well, last week I ran across a new .357 handi and decided to just buy it and be done with it. Guy said they had layaway and since I'm not in any rush to use it I decided it can sit at the shop until a couple months before deer season starts. I usually can't seem to find one come that time so it works for me. Our hunting rules will actually be changing soon to where we can use whatever rifle you want on private land during primitive weapon seasons. I just always wanted a .357 handi rifle and this one will be for plinking and handing to any new shooters or hunters who may want to hunt with me. I bought an old 30-30 for that role but decided I didn't like the idea of inexperienced folks having to pull the trigger to drop the hammer after they chambered a round. Maybe as they (meaning "I") get more comfortable I will move them to the 30-30 but I think a single shot .357 will do just fine for anybody where we will hunt. Reamed out to .357 maximum should also make it an interesting rifle to have in the hunting lineup.

I don't know what I will do with my 45-70 handi rifle. I guess I will lock it up and let it collect dust until I figure it all out. The next hunting rifle I want to get is a .308 or .300wm bolt rifle and I think either of those may sort of diminish any reasons I could have for keeping the 45-70 handi. Maybe not as big a pill but still plenty of reach and plenty enough medicine for these parts. The only plus to the 45-70 is that other than the $30 one piece rings I most likely wouldn't spend another dime on that rifle including buying any more ammo. I have 4 boxes of lever revolution ammo and it shoots that great. It's not that much of plinker (to me) and it's all about the meat. The rifle probably wont see 50 rounds in my lifetime if it remains in my possession. While I'm sure it will be worth it if decided to use it the whole "primitive weapons season" was the main reason for owning it. And the .357 handi would now have me covered if I should ever end up on public hunting grounds. A barrel swap to .308 or 7.62x39 may be the way to go with this one...

This post got long... Was just thinking out loud...

Yeah I used to shoot a 550 count every week. Haven't shot that in a year
Being A poor college student with an annual income of $24000 before taxes, before bills. Guns and gear is a very painful investment. I can only buy the best I can afford but can even afford the ammo to practice with the guns I can afford.
And I won't buy the cheapest guns. I shoot for mid range quality.

I''ve been trying to convince myself to sell my M1A and SLR-107 to fund a SCAR17. I think it's the "buy thrice" part that's bugging me. But looking at what I will spend to make the M1A and SLR107 what I want them to be I'd still come up short and likely have spent what it would cost me to just get everything sorted out.

Dang I was hoping you had a secret reloading supply line. LOL
I have been stacking as much silver as I can which has been almost none lately so when the dollar crashes out I have something besides my necessities with real value. I have a grim view of our future I hope it doesn't come to it but I fear it will.

I hear you on the .22LR I even sold mine and bought a 17 HMR because ammo is available and at pre crazy prices.


I am looking into selling many of my toys to pay down debt and get closer to getting out of town. If I could find more than a pound of powder at a time I would try to get more of that as well. I am pretty well stocked but as I said I really don't want to use what I cant replace. I think I am going to have to start frequenting the gun shows again hoping to find a deal.

I will be adding a Wilson combat to my line up as soon as I make it out of town and I would also like to add one of there ARs to my line up as well but those are at least 2 years out.

The 17 is available for $2500 now which is considerably less than I paid for my two Heavies.

$24000 is an OUTSTANDING income for a college student. I made $25000 my first year out of school (as a top of class graduate architect) and my bachelor degreed wife was making $15 per hour ($30k) after ten years at her bank when she quit two years ago.

Yeah but it doesn't go very far these days even coupon shopping for my food. I know it better than most kids my age and I don't even have a college degree yet.
Last year was my first year of college and last spring I graduated with a certificate in precision manufacturing. This fall I will get my CNC programming certificate.
This spring I will graduate with a precision manufacturing degree and a CNC programming degree( all this in 2 years total). I worked hard and have maintained a 4.0 GPA and was lucky enough for a aerospace machining company to hire me and offer to put $2000 a year towards my school.

I know I got it better than most. But it's not easy when the SHTF clock is running and I got only so much time to prepare.

I was thinking the same thing. I made $19,000/yr as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps, and I was on the clock 24 hours a day, and I wasn't smart enough to GI Bill my way into some type of degree. You're doing good, gun dog.

Thanks guys I know I'm very blessed. It's sometimes hard to remember I'm years behind y'all in my gun purchasing prepping stuff.
But good things come to those that wait right?