FX The outrageous cost of High quality airguns WOW

In this day & age most serious hobbies or after work pursuits are all $$$$$$$

I bet we're right in the middle of the bell curve, as far as hobbies go. I have a friend who has a $1K or so beater offroad bicycle, and a fancy one that by the time you add up all the fancy aftermarket parts probably cost him about $4K. He'd probably be 95% of the way there with a Diamondback or whatever I saw at Costco the other day, but chasing that last 5% is part of the fun.

you only live once, and your money wont spend where your going to either place when your gone so, if you can....enjoy yourself when you can

$2K? Cheap at twice the price. Try collector cars. I have two out in the garage. I'm prepping one for sale...do that and I could buy a Red Panda in every caliber!

Yes I,m retired & on a much stricter budget then when I was working. But do not get me wrong my wife &
I prepared for retirement in paying our home off, as our car & truck. But with the price of some of the top
air rifles being what they are, I will never own one in my lifetime. But heck the ones I own with most of my guns
are more accurate then me with most shots. One thing I have learned in my ole age is this. Many times it is
more fun dreaming of owning something you know you can never afford, than finally owning it. Think about that ?
How many times in your life you bought something you always wanted, & in time after owning it, you hardly
ever play with it again. Fly

You have to remember that EVERY space or thing you could do or play in is a business opportunity for somebody to exploit. No matter your interest or skill level in whatever it is, there will be somebody out there looking to turn a buck in that space by enticing you to ratchet it up another notch . . .

I realized this through my kids and youth sports. They wanted to play ice hockey, which they did, and there is no real cheap way to do that. They got good, so they ended up going up the chain a few steps, but I drew the line when I saw that the next level was moving beyond sport to the business of "college/pro prep" and would slowly take over their lives - there were other things to experience and do in their young lives.

The epiphany came when I realized some of my coworkers were paying almost the same as I was for their kids playing soccer vs. ice hockey. Soccer! A sport that should at its core be just kids, a ball, and field . . . . what the heck was going on?!? Well that was it - the business mindset had taken over, and fully paid coaching staffs were involved (at least our hockey, and even the next step up if we took it, were all volunteer coaches typically with a kid on the team).

In the end, we all just need to have perspective on why we are in this "hobby" and what it should cost us. I'll admit that I spent big bucks on a new Huben K1 a while ago and I love it, but given what it can do (and all the precision engineering and parts that went into it) I see no reason to spend equivalent amounts on ANY mass produced bolt or lever action gun, given my current perspective of the hobby (think FX or Daystate if you want). I will admit to buying a used Daystate Air Ranger several years before the Huben and do like it, but I personally don't think it was ever worth the asking price when new - and the latest crop is even worse in that regards.

I know I can't take it with me, but at those prices I'll let my kids have some of it, but still enjoy this hobby. Now all that said, I could see a Thomas or other "custom built" gun at some point in my future, as I do think those are in a different league . . .

Just the perspective on this particular grumpy old man . . . .

I know that most of the club volleyball teams around here have paid coaches. Granted, they don't get paid much; a few hundred dollars for 25 practice sessions and eight games. But I bet it's easier to hire someone at basically token wages than it is to get someone to volunteer and commit to it.

Considering how many good entry level guns are available, no one really needs to spend thousands to participate in air gunning. We gladly do that to ourselves.

That said, kept within control I don't think that as an activity it's expensive when strictly looking at barriers to entry. Gun, pellets, (compressor if you're into a PCP)...that's not so bad

But I like shiny things too, so am also guilty as charged.

I do the sport of falconry...no $ involved except gas for the truck. oh I own 5 fx air guns all scoped $15 k
used to be a pro Moto crosser..new bike every season 10k
all I can say is enjoy what your doing with out risk at my age.

I could probably sell all my entry to mid levels and my vintage guns and buy a few of the big money guns but that ain't gonna happen. I was priced out of that market from the git go.

I am an audiophile,$$$$$ I am happy now,I do not need to spend more.I am finished from this 45year old hobby? I have taken up gardening ,My routine ,Cup of coffee ,read up on AirGun Nation ,too much time spent here all the while listening to my $$$ stereo I love,have breakfest then get the garden tools ,do some work ,then it time for my beloved Air Guns.....all the while thinking I should go fishing ,I am older now so chasing women is harder and I am softer....be happy with what you have,um sorta of not the way we are

I just got into kites a few months ago. Yes, kites that kids fly. I thought "an innocent and cheap hobby". Now, I'm spending $100 and $200 on "beginner" kites.

The prices of some of the higher end PCPs is what made it easy for me to justify buying my Daystate Super Legerro HPA compressor. It seems a bargain compared to the cost of the current crop of top of the line PCPs…

Sleestak said:

Considering how many good entry level guns are available, no one really needs to spend thousands to participate in air gunning. We gladly do that to ourselves.

That said, kept within control I don't think that as an activity it's expensive when strictly looking at barriers to entry. Gun, pellets, (compressor if you're into a PCP)...that's not so bad

But I like shiny things too, so am also guilty as charged.

Click to expand...

I was amazed when they reached $1,500 some years ago and said no way. I own a few of those guns now, but all were bought used. Most I've ever paid was $1,300 for an AEA Terminator with upgrades from BinTac. Only gun I ever paid more than $1,000 for.

Sure if you are shooting competitive you probably have to spend big bucks, but plinking and pests don't require $2k or more.

Compared to fishing my airgun addiction is cheap!

Guess that I could buy a couple of hooks, some line, cut a pole, dig some worms and fish from the shore... but I don't! I need a boat full of stuff!

We complain about airgun prices but I think we have gotten off pretty easy. I went to the hardware store to pick up a couple of nuts, bolts and washers and they are FOUR TIMES the cost they were 2 years ago. Needed a can of weed-killer, 'twas $17.95 last year, now it's $49.95 for the same can.

I think about how much off the shelf hardware there is in the average PCP and the cost of all the high precision custom parts that have to be designed, fabricated and assembled. Prices haven't changed that much all considered.

Anyway, it is what it is... welcome to sticker-shock!

Cheers!

Next year I have plans to purchase the Daystate compressor and a few rifles. One PBer and an Airgun. It will be my first time going above the 2k mark for an Airgun with the Mora 357 purchase. But this will depend on price increases. I may not do it if prices keep rising. Same goes for scopes, actions, barrels, binos, etc. Ammo only for awhile. Boycott with my wallet? I also think of the retail business owner that a lot of times are own friends. We spend time on the phone with them, they take care of us when we really need a hard to find part, many shoot with them on weekends, compete with them at competition and we don’t want to see their businesses struggle because of politics and greed. Some small shops simply can’t absorb the additional costs. FX, Utah Airguns, Airguns of Arizona, sure they will be fine, but not the pellet shop, HPP, talon tunes, and other small shops, we need to make sure if we do buy we do our best to see if we can get stuff from the little guys.

There's always paramotoring to really waste some money

AlanMcD said:

They wanted to play ice hockey, which they did, and there is no real cheap way to do that. They got good, so they ended up going up the chain a few steps, but I drew the line when I saw that the next level was moving beyond sport to the business of "college/pro prep" and would slowly take over their lives - there were other things to experience and do in their young lives.

The epiphany came when I realized some of my coworkers were paying almost the same as I was for their kids playing soccer vs. ice hockey. Soccer! A sport that should at its core be just kids, a ball, and field . . . . what the heck was going on?!? Well that was it - the business mindset had taken over, and fully paid coaching staffs were involved (at least our hockey, and even the next step up if we took it, were all volunteer coaches typically with a kid on the team).

Click to expand...

My son played hockey... went from rec league... to single-A travel hockey.... to AA.... and then living out of state at age 15 to play AAA.... and then Juniors Premier. A season of hockey cost as much as a high-end private school tuition! He was good, but there are a ton of players just as good and better. Plus he did not come from tall / big parents. No chance of making NCAA Div 1 or the pros.

Now he's a Marine and doing well.

Hockey (and horse riding lessons for his sister) was VERY expensive. BUT! But..... it was still way cheaper than drug rehab or lawyers!

It was all well worth it.

Life sounds good. You're all doing so well!