Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

So one of my dream rifles is a Dakota chambered in .458 lott, which as of today would run in the neighborhood of $7000 maybe $8000.

What would your income have to be in order to justify such a purchase?

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

In my Blaser R93 set up I have over $15,000 . I did'nt know that untill I had to renew the Insuance

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

There is really no right or wrong answer to this question. It all comes down to priorities. I know guys that make $30,000, live in a shack, and own a $35,000 bass boat. They really can't afford it, but they want it and can make the payments.

Fine guns and registered Brangus cattle are my only "vises", and if I wanted a $7000 gun, I would find a way to buy it.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I have a pretty good income but never found the need for a $7000 rifle. To each his own though.....

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

as was said, its all about priorities and putting money where it needs to be put.

last summer i dumped 1200-1300 into a m700 and leupold scope...always wanted a good groundhog rifle...figured i better buy it while i could...worked all summer landscaping and that was the only major thing i purchased. i goto school the rest of the year and live on loan money...i forget what i made last year total..i did work in the spring semester last year as well as all summer, but still less than 10k total...still bought my rifle :eek:

but, i dont have a family, house, car payment etc...im single, live at home with my parents..pay for my car insurance, cell phone bill, gas, etc..truck is paid for...thats why i buy my toys now..i know once im outta college LIFE might start and priorities may or may not change :D will definently get out of the parents house soon...but may or may not have a family and that stuff..and will have a better job..till i get REAL bills, and/or a family, im buying toys every chance i can so i have them for once the REAL bills and family come...


if/when i have a family/real bills, i may never see a 1200$ rifle let alone 7000$ rifle..just depends what bills i have and how the whole family thing goes...if i make 40 or 50k a year and the wife brings in the same, id say we would be doing pretty well...still doubt id see a 7000$ rifle..just rather have a nice house..good vehicles..good lifestyle....

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

Many of these $7,000 rifles are dangerous game rifles in .375 H&H and larger and the owners are used to spending $20,000 on a hunt. (and a lot more)

If one can afford the hunt he can afford the finest gun he can buy.....the gun is usually justified as "reliability insurance".

I believe one can own complete reliability for a helluva lot less but then I've never hunting elephants!

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I could never justify a $7000 rifle ifa rifle is available (either from the factory or worked over by a gunsmith) at a lower price with similar accuracy and durability to the $7000 one. I could go out today and buy the $7k rifle and not be toohurt by itof course I'd have to put off some other purchases. I neverwill,though, for the simple fact that less expensive but no less accurate/durable alternatives are available for a lot less money.

I am not a huge fan of expensive but asthetically pleasing guns, be it fine glossy wood, engraving, superb bluing, or any such thing. I don't care if it's got an ugly olive drab colored synthetic stock as long as it is accurate and durable enough for my needs. Chances are something utilitarian like that can be bought or built for a lot less money than the expensive, pretty version of it.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

The only rifle i would spend that kind of money on is my dream rifle which is either a semi-auto .50 cal bmg with high power scope, preferrably the Barret M187 model or the same model in .416.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I'm sure I'll look harder when the day draws closer that I'm in a position to actually make a .458 lott purchase, though I do see more african gun hunting in my future than say western hunting with a rifle. I've just prefer a bow for some reason I think the longer seasons/ easier tag draws etc...., and while some bow hunters seem to have the view they would only hunt an animal with a bow, when I think of africa, all I can picture is using a big rifle on dangerous game....maybe after ive been to africa and used a rifle my mind will change, but as of now I can forsee hunting africa more than once with a rifle.... so in a sense I can see spending more money on a big african rifle than say a .30-06 for here in the US.

I was just curious to see what others thought though, sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy to consider such a rifle/price but as stated earlier, I think you everyone has their vices....or save and spend on a few select items vs buying a bunch of junk, but never having a few nice items. And I totally understand the all i need is a rifle to perform, somethign about a big african rifle though I just envision gorgeous wood, along with awell performing rifle.

I saw a CZ 550 in .458 lott, even in a fancy grade, for about $2200, though I suspect there may be more of a mid range rifle between this CZ and say a Dakota. Though you take a look at the best and somehow you find yourself trying to justify it, ever had that problem? haha.

Any truth to high end rifles keeping/increasing their value more so than say a rem mod 700? Maybe it can be seen as an investment in that sense, any maybe more justifiable? haha, talk the wife into that one! a rifle is a better investment than that new home! haha.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I wanted the Dakota bad but knew I would never go on the hunt after the purchase price. So i'm building my own with a Montana 1999 Barreled action and exhibition Walnut. I really enjoy woodworking and if I don't rush it I think I can pull off a heck of a job.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

Like others have mentioned, it is a matter of priorities. If you can find a way to afford it without going in to debt or aresure you can make payments, then go for it.

I would not just put it on plastic and worry about payments "tomorrow." You will never be able to enjoy the gun that way.

Oh and don't forget about the incidentals that you will be shelling out for that gun:scope, insurance, etc.

Best of luck with your dream gun purchase.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I've spent about $14,000 by pulling a trigger. Then again, it was taxpayer money. Thanks guys!

Shooting High-Explosive Dual-Purpose rockets is a fun job. :D

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I'm not even going to vote on the poll. Its all a matter of how bad do you want it? I know alot of guys that have real expenisve toys, 40k boats, 20k snowmobiles, 12k 4 wheelers, etc etc etc. These guys really couldn't "justify" their purchases (and I might be one of them), but if you want it, go for it.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

one my wife would kill me with the $7000, hell she's about to kill me over my luck in finding deals on guns that I have bought. two, that is half the price on some of the cars out there. or just one hell of a down payment. you could get a pritty good used truck with that. three. even in today's market, I would use the money on a down payment on land, nice and wooded:D;)

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

If you have to ask then it is too much for you.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I am with oldelkhunter on this one.

My dear fatherm a wise man by the waytold me years ago....son....if you have to post a poll on the internet on justifing money spent on a firearm.... 1, you probably dont need it and 2, you cant afford it.:D:D:D



In all honesty, you are the only one that can answer that question. It's another silly poll.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I voted in the "over $400,000 income" class.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

You could buy several great guns for that amount of money, which is what I would do. Better yet buy one rifle and go on an Elk hunt with the change.

Or Moose
or antelope/muledeer
or Alberta whitetail hunt

I could go on

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I can't agree with this, you can't kill the dream.

Several years ago I wanted a Ruger 17HMR really bad. Instead I bought a Marlin 22WMR figuring it was a high power rim fire similar to the 17. and that would satisfy the desire.

Wrong.

Although the Marlin was a fine shooter, it still wasn't the 17 that I really wanted.

Long story short, I sold the Marlin, saved my money, bought the Ruger and I love shooting it.

IF you can afford it and it does not negatively impact your financial situation, then I say follow your heart.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I don't feel the need to justify buying a $7000 rifle. If I want it and I can afford it I'll buy it. I work for my money.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I have no idea what is going on with Dakota. I bought one in 1992 for $1200. Now that rifle is $4,000 or more. I have no idea what the difference is in the rifle. I think Dakota has done a fine marketing job. Shoot one before you buy It. You may not believe this but I believe an out of the box Remington or Savage will outshoot the Dakota. The one I had was a LH 280 Remington. It shot a little over one inch groups at 100 yards. I thought that was pretty poor for a $1200 rifle. I contacted Dakota-their reply was our rifle's are built for form and function, accuracy is not our main concern. Tom.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I own some expensive guns... All of them are now worth a lot more than i paid for them...

On the other hand, that pickup that i paid $26,400.00 for in 1992 is now worth about $4,000.00!!

Guys have given me crap for carrying an expensive gun when hunting with me, yet they have a boat, travel trailor, SUV, and many other things setting at home "depreciating" to a level that's a lot more "loss" than my gun cost me!

Anyway, i don't have to "justify" what a firearm cost me, cause if i want it, i'll save and go without someplace else untill i get it! AND, i'll use it too, as i don't have any "safe queens"...

DM

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

With the price of fuel, increasing rent, and the generally poor economy.... I think you'd need to be pulling in at least $12K..... or you could stretch it at $11.5K/year ;)



I'd rather spend $7,000 on a safari with a $700 rifle, than $7,000 on a rifle and be too broke to hunt anything with it. By and large I am of the opinion that if you have to budget to buy a rifle, then you probably have no business spending that much money on a luxury item.

If you are single, live alone.. then its your business. But I've seen too many men with new trucks, $40K bass boats, satelite TV and $1000 deer rifles and have kids wearing second hand clothes. The measure of a man ain't his toys, and I'd say it takes a very small man to be so selfish as to not give the best to his family he can.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

This is so true. [>:]

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I haven't found the measure of a man to be, that they live in a half million dollar house, with 100 thou in gas guzzleing SUV's in the yard, and the kids wearing brand name high dollar cloths either...

Some of us were/are smart enough to find a wife that loves to hunt and is very happy to live in a decent house in hunting country... Driveing a nice "once owned" vechile that isn't a gas guzzler... Living like this is how you have a couple, thousand dollar rifles to hunt with, one for you, and one for your wife that loves to hunt with you...

DM

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

You could make under 50K and buy this rifle if you really wanted to do it. My retirement income is slightly less than that and I support my wife(doesn't work outside the home) and three kids and buy what I want. Yes, I have some investments, but I'm not tapping that resource just yet. You just have to save for a longer time before you get it. Being smart with your spending and avoiding debt is like doubling your income. It is also a great stress reliever!

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

1,000 dollars is a pretty good chunk of change for me to spend on a rifle.. So I would have to have 7x my current salary to justify the 7k rifle :D

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I never said it was. Never implied it was either. Never stated that anyone who would spend so much on a gun was a small man in character. What I said was that there are several folks who spend more on things that don't matter, who also don't spend enough on things that do. Would you not agree?

I own a $3K+ rifle (a Dakota, in 330 Dakota). I buy all my suits, and most of my good wool sweaters second hand. I don't have kids (unless you count the dogs, which would be a fair argument). And I have a fiancee who hunts and fishes with me. Beats me at 3D archery half the time too. I know what its like to be blessed. I don't care about fashion, and no one does without around here. I bought that rifle when I was single, just out of college. And if money ever became an issue, it would be the first thing to go too.

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I was more adding onto your post,than aiming my answer at you... I've seen many folks do all of the above in both our post...

To answer your question... yes

DM

RE: Income to justify $7,000 rifle?
 

I gotcha. I certainly agree with you as well. Living beyond your means is no way to go, no matter what your situation. Good hunting to you DM! ;)