18+ Content Warning

By clicking Enter, you confirm you are 18 years of age or older and agree to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Notice: Any content or member activity - including anything you may buy, sell, transfer, or discuss - must comply with current and upcoming laws.

Members are encouraged to stay informed: California Firearm Laws: 2026 Outlook & 2025 Recap . Responsibility for compliance rests solely with the individual member.

caguns.net

Welcome to CAguns.net!
Join our growing community where you can ask questions, share knowledge, or browse our classifieds section.

Sign up for a free account today and unlock full access! Once registered, you can search, post, and take advantage of exclusive features unavailable to guests.

A note on why more of the site now requires an account: automated scrapers and AI systems have been crawling our forums and classifieds at a scale. Requiring sign-in for those sections is the most effective tool we have. It takes a minute to register, it's free, and it keeps what happens here between actual members.

New to California gun ownership or trying to keep up with the changing laws? Check out our sister site CA2A.com — free courses, plain-English legal updates, and step-by-step guides built for California owners.

Advanced features are available only to registered members. Register today!

  • 📢 Classifieds Update — Effective Monday, September 21

    Starting Monday, the free Classifieds ad limit will be lowered from 3 to 2 active ads.

    Verified accounts will keep their limit of 3. All other account limits stay the same.

    Existing ads are not affected and will remain up until they expire.

    Want to keep 3 listings and add features like removing comments and emojis? Upgrade/Verify your account

    More information here

How do you spend your firearms-related dollars?

Where do you spend the bulk of your Firearm-Related Dollars?

  • Collecting/Tinkering/Building: Buying firearms, equipment, gear, components, etc.

    Votes: 34 53.1%
  • Training/Practicing/Competing: Ammunition, Training courses, Range time, competition fees

    Votes: 30 46.9%

  • Total voters
    64
it's not just the price for me, add to it the limited capability of the .22 , good for plinking and very small game, not so much in SHTF scenario.
I agree. I have plenty of defensive ammo. What I want to be able to do is go to the range twice a month and practice so I can keep my skill sharp. My preference is to use the caliber and firearms that I would actually use in self defense. Should ammo become tight or funds tight, I can supplement training with .22s and less on the center fire calibers of choice. Part of why in trap league for nearly a decade I ran a Mossberg 500. If someone breaks into the home and I have time, the 590 is my choice. I have literally run tens of thousands of rounds through my 500 in trap and other sporting clays. I don’t need to look at loading anything and check for a loaded chamber automatically by feel and thumbing on and off the safety.
 
Oh, totally. My total prepping involves earthquake supplies.

But also Dawn detergent.
Having supplies for earthquakes and using that as a basis for conversation is a much better approach for any conversation to get a feel for who may or may not be allies should your local neighborhood have issues. Hunting is another avenue into the conversation. The Bay Area is very liberal and mentioning I am a gun owner risks loosing my job. I’m not joking. Much in the same way I would never let folks at work now I voted for Trump and vote republican in all elections.
 
Having supplies for earthquakes and using that as a basis for conversation is a much better approach for any conversation to get a feel for who may or may not be allies should your local neighborhood have issues. Hunting is another avenue into the conversation. The Bay Area is very liberal and mentioning I am a gun owner risks loosing my job. I’m not joking. Much in the same way I would never let folks at work now I voted for Trump and vote republican in all elections.
What you did what!? Wow… 🤯
 
Always had a good balance of both, recently got into USPSA and that's all I want to do now, lol. Well that and train to get better at it.

The difference in my training now is that it is a lot more intentional and it's very easy to find someone that is far better than you and pick their brain, or go train with them!

Previously we ran lots of drills, room clearing, course qualifications (like the MEUSOC Qual) etc, but all of that was more geared towards getting things done within a certain time limit (not nearly as much urgency) as opposed to seeing who can do it with the best balance of speed & accuracy, which changes the entire dynamic.

So now, have plenty of pews, but will be primarily focused on training and shooting matches. Oh, and trying to drag my long time friends/training partners into it as well. Already got one to go through the intro class, just gotta get him to his first match now!

Wish I would have got into USPSA many many years ago.
 
Thanks to everyone who voted!

Obviously, starting out is always skewed towards buying guns and gear. But I thought things would change over time.

I’m surprised at how many like to tinker and collect over shooting, though. I think the poll at the top is now closed, but I’ve really enjoyed being surprised by the result. Obviously, everyone still does both.

I expected more weight given to shooting/training/competing, but the results are pretty even, with the shooters in the slight minority. Only a limited number of votes overall, but representative of enthusiasts. This makes sense, given all the threads dedicated to new firearms and equipping them.
 
I can’t speak for all on here but it seems there are a bit of us still young into the hobby. Or limited on time to invest. Training and comp are more time intensive.
 
I can’t speak for all on here but it seems there are a bit of us still young into the hobby. Or limited on time to invest. Training and comp are more time intensive.

Oh, definitely. I have the same problem. This is why I’ve made a point to slow down the purchases and focus on improving with what I have.

Am I going to buy a 2011? Yes. Probably at least 4 that I can list at the moment. But am I going to train on polymer striker fired pistols? Also yes.

It’s easy for me to buy stuff, but the time commitment to train and take courses is hard. So I’m redoubling my efforts to train more than I buy. It’s been tough to do so far this year.
 
Now that I’m here I don’t think I’ll be buying much in the way of firearms, on the list 2 bolt actions in some flavor of 6mm, 9mm Ruger pcc, and this was a blind spot but some kind of ranch rifle. Looks like sig, fm, and cmmg are the options. After that ammo, lots and lots of ammo.
 
More of collecting and little of training and competition.
 
I been to one training class it was a holster draw class I enjoyed it . But I do spend on some up grades for example I just got a mcarbo trigger spring set for my cz sp01 . I always changing grips and cleaning
 
I spend my gun money on gas and travel. I have every gun I ever wanted. I have enough ammo to last well into my 80's.

I don't like private indoor ranges, too much dirt and noise. Having some nut blow his brains out on my birthday sort of dampened any desire to return.

My range is usually BLM land where I can shoot alone without distractions. My Jeep Wrangler gets me to the best spots.

Not into shooting competitions either. Good enough is good enough for me.
 
When I sell a gun or anything gun related. I usually put the money in a 401K.
 
Back
Top Bottom