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Money Better Spent on Time or Gear?

Estes640

Estes640

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Supporter
Feb 13, 2017
1,622
508
Birmingham, AL
#1
Everyone has their own ideas of this, but I'd like to get someone else's opinion. I recently just sold a defiance deviant for a couple reasons one, I have gun ADD, and two because I wanted a switch barrel.

As I'm starting to plan my new build out on a mausingfield or a TL3, I'm realizing how much that really comes out to be. I'm in the situation where I could build one, but I don't believe I'd get the use out of it that I would need to to justify it.

So here is my question: do you buy more into the gear, getting best of the best, or would you rather spend time on the range with say a tikka tac a, a crap load of ammo, and take a class?
 
#4
The fundamentals.

Trigger control and breathing being the two most noticeable and to me most difficult to fix once a bad habit had been developed. I wish I would have taken classes to help iron out those issues right away.

Next was the wind. We don't get much wind here where I live so a class somewhere out west would have given me the opportunity to really learn how to read and call the wind.
 
#5
I think it could depend on age. I’m 24 (married, no kids) and am blessed to be in a job that may allow me to purhase a custom rifle/AI within a year. Now would I be a better shooter buying a good factory rifle and ammo? Sure would be.

But I’m thinking if I can get into a higher end rifle now with less financial obligations, I have the rest of my life to learn and become a better shooter, rather than buying a custom 10 years from now while also having kids/mortgage/etc.

So basically it could depend on your life circumstances, and where you can possibly see yourself in 10 - 20 years. Me? I want to be on my 4th or 5th barrel in 10 years, shooting the same custom rifle I hope to purchase by this time next year.

In the meantime, I’m using a CZ-455 to train, learning proper fundamentals, wind, and positional practice. The only thing I really can’t replicate is recoil management. Besides that, I am able to train for about $0.17 - 0.30 per shot with Federal GMM or Ultra Match.
 
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#6
Absolutely nothing wrong with a custom. I'm sure I will have a custom one day but I will tell you my Tikka will hang with just about any custom out there. Two of my shooting buddies have multiple 5k plus rifles. While they are bad ass they don't shoot any better than my Tikka. Get the Tikka and some reloading equipment. You won't be sorry.
 
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#7
My advice is going to be a bit different but here is what I would suggest:

If you need to save some money, then do so, and don't worry about it, however,
If you are in a position to get a really good rifle, get 1 really good rifle with 1 really good scope & a really good scope mount.
You don't have to spend a fortune, for example that new PVA John Hancock rifle for $2k would be a excellent unit.
Pick your caliber that you are going to use & stick with for a bit.
Invest in good quality very consistent ammunition (or reloading)
Then you won't ever be wondering if it is you or the gear, if you know the gear is rock solid.

Then shoot & enjoy it, no need to feel like you have to get xxx amount of rounds down range, just shoot as much as you feel comfortable with & love. If you can take classes even better.
 
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#9
I would rather use nice stuff today than the best stuff in a year.

If there's a cheat code for getting good though, it's probably a really nice .223 Remington bolt rifle, a good powder measure, and lots of ammo. Seriously, just shoot the piss out of one. 90% of the rifle shooting game is "Hold the rifle steady. Press the trigger without moving the rifle". Learn to hit small plates at 500 yards with a .223 from all the goofy props that PRS uses would put you ahead of most of the pack at a PRS match.
 
#10
A factory Tikka can hang, I've done it. It's not a custom, but it's really (really) darn good, and I think it was an important step in the journey.

Step 1: Buy factory tikka 6.5.
Step 2: Shoot it til you're tired of it, or the throat burns out. Learn to reload, check dope, shoot positional.
Step 3: Have gunsmith install quality cut rifled barrel in 6mm BR variant.
Step 4: Be amazed at ease of finding low sd, accurate loads.
Step 5: Use skills developed with factory puke tube to hurt feelings, crush dreams, and bruise egos at the match.

Just my opinion, but if you are starting from scratch, get a tikka, shoot now, learn sooner.
 
#11
its hard when you got money in your pocket burning a hole... and you're a new shooter. I have a Ruger precision with a good scope that i shoot the hell out of. Ive looked at custom builds and planned so many rifles out this week alone haha! but i have to resist. I grew up shooting deer rifles so i feel my mechanics are decent... Positional shooting has been challenging at a distance so that's what I practice now... I will probably look into a class in the next year or so. When im cleaning more than half the stages consistently, I may then look at that custom rifle.
 
#14
An R700P and a mountain of dirty FGMM brass probably produces more first round bingos at a UKD, all weather, all conditions - if you use your practice time wisely.

If you do not, reload. You won't save any $$, but you'll shoot more, and you'll develop a deeper understanding of it all.

Since wind is 50/50 Art/Science - you just have to be out there doing it, and be successful enough times in all conditions that you can intuit the art portion of wind.

A class will help flatten the learning curve

If you spend a lot time doing this over the years - one platform / one optic / one suppressor - multi cal
 
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#15
I've heard it answered like this:
Commitment before equipment.

Plenty of people go out with brand new, best of everything, and don't have the fundamentals to use said equipment to its potential.
Many times that equipment ends up for sale because the shooter doesn't know that they don't know how to shoot properly.

Buy decent stuff, use it up and find out if it's your thing. If it is, burn that barrel out.
I will add that you should make sure you have a scope that tracks properly. Otherwise if you stretch things out, you'll never know if it's you or the system.
 
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#16
Buy the best you can afford for your goals and application. A custom action won't make you a better shooter, that's practice and knowing your rifle, However if you can afford one....why not?..If you can only spend money on one spend it on glass..my 2 cents for what it worth
Good luck
 
#17
The biggest common factor among the best shooters is they shoot lots of ammo every year. Go to a local club PRS match and you will see that there is only a very loose correlation between the expense of a guys setup and his score at the end of the day.
 
#22
Both. Throwing money at equipment isn't going to make you a better shooter but it's also kinda hard to learn with a polished turd.

You need a GOOD reliable setup that you can have confidence in that it will perform. Then you need to go out and run it.
 
#23
I appreciate all the responses guys! I forewent my mausingfield idea and am the proud new owner of a 6 dasher built by PVA on a kelbly atlas tactical, all for an absurd deal found on here. Will be arriving next week.

It's been a while since I've been at the reloading bench so it will take some time getting back into it. I appreciate all the advice. Now to find some loads and run with it. My buddy and I are planning on taking the may course at Core so everything should be coming together.
 
#24
Estes640 said:
I appreciate all the responses guys! I forewent my mausingfield idea and am the proud new owner of a 6 dasher built by PVA on a kelbly atlas tactical, all for an absurd deal found on here. Will be arriving next week.

It's been a while since I've been at the reloading bench so it will take some time getting back into it. I appreciate all the advice. Now to find some loads and run with it. My buddy and I are planning on taking the may course at Core so everything should be coming together.
Click to expand...

Congrats! Only downside is no excuses now, can't blame the rifle! You got some good glass for it?
 
#26
Estes640 said:
I appreciate all the responses guys! I forewent my mausingfield idea and am the proud new owner of a 6 dasher built by PVA on a kelbly atlas tactical, all for an absurd deal found on here. Will be arriving next week.

It's been a while since I've been at the reloading bench so it will take some time getting back into it. I appreciate all the advice. Now to find some loads and run with it. My buddy and I are planning on taking the may course at Core so everything should be coming together.
Click to expand...

I saw that deal in the classifieds. What a score, hope it works out for you.
 
#27
I am new to learning about precision/long range shooting but have been around another very gear heavy/equipment centric gun game for awhile now with USPSA. This question comes up all the time over there (like nearly daily). "Should I buy this fancy custom 2011 open gat that is gonna be 5k before mags? Or should I shoot the Glock 34 I have sitting in the safe?"

Regardless of shooting sport, the thing that makes you better is lots of dryfire, and piles of empties. If you can afford to take a class with an instructor that knows a thing or two, that can subvert some of the learning curve and get you down the right path... But it always will come back to you just have to get out there and put in the work.
 
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