What have you done for a new gun?

[crabo]

Back in the day when I had only been married a couple of years, I wanted to get a deer rifle. I grew up hunting with my dad and did a lot of hunting and shooting with friends. But when I met my wife, I was really into guitars and cars and this is how she knew me. I think at that time a had a S&W 22 pistol, a Model 27 357, and a 22 rifle.

To make a long story short, I agreed that if she bought me the Ruger #1 in 30-06 for Christmas, that if I wanted a new gun after this, I would sell one of the others first. I thought I could get out of this deal at a later time with a little schmoozing and sweet talk.

About a year later I brought a gun home that I was thinking about buying. Well, I couldn't get out of the deal without going through World War 3. I gave the gun back and started working on a plan.

I had just done a hail job repair on my dad's car and had some extra cash. It was our anniversary, so I took her to the jewlery store and we started looking at ear rings and necklace pendants. As we looked around she spied a diamond tennis bracelet. They had 2 models, one with 6 diamonds and one with 12. The 6model was nice, but the 12 diamond model stayed on her wrist way too long.

The price was $800 and this was about 1979, so it was no small chunk of change. I asked her, if I buy this for you, what will I get for it? She said, "anything you want". I was already getting what most of you guys are thinking, so I said that "I want out of the deal about no more gunsunless I sell one first" and she readily agreed.

About a month later I brought home a new gun and she immediately threw up the agreement about no more new guns unless I sold one first. I told her to look at her wrist and to remember the agreement. What a deal!


So what have you done to get a new gun?

[Mumblypeg]

Just come up with the money. If she don't like it, tough! I had guns before I had her. Not as mean as it sounds. I have my money, she has her money. I buy what I want , she buys what she wants. No problems with that.

[beanflip]

Well I just ask what the total is and pay. Just bough a :Fire:40 cal. yesterday:drinks:

[imashooter2]

No big deal. I just walk into the living room holding my Johnson, show her the new toy I bought and tell her to run out to the kitchen and make me a sandwich.






As far as you guys know anyway...[smilie=1:

[theperfessor]

When my wife and I first got married we didn't have much money so we had to spend most of it on living expenses - rent, gas, etc. I was the major breadwinner for a while (as a machinist), then she got a job but was underemployed, then I got laid off and decided to go to college. Things were real tight for a while so the only guns I could afford were the ones I got by doing extra work and trading services for used guns. Then I got my BS and she got a job w/Postal Service and I got a job as faculty at a community college.

We were both making roughly the same income and both working full time so we sat down and split up living expenses into roughly equal parts. We agreed that anything we made over the needed amount was ours to spend as we wanted as long as we were responsible and didn't get into debt. A lot of trust there but we are both pretty responsible and conservative in our spending habits.

We started a mini-storage business for our retirement and plowed our money back into that to get debt free, never taking out any of the money we made for personal expenses.

Wife recently retired, house is paid off except for small second mortgage for some small remodeling work, one of two cars paid off (hers) and I'm overpaying each month on my loan to get out from under it, life is pretty good for most part.

I invested in machine shop equipment and have mostly paid it off. Now when I want to buy guns or equipment I can't normally afford I just do some engineering consulting or pick up some subcontract work from friends in machine trades business.

Takes a lot of trust to have marriage like this but we've never argued over money. Other things, yes, but not money.

Don't mean to ramble on but this is how it works for me.

By the way, we've both invested in our education before we've spent money on non-essentials. Seems to have paid off better than the stock market.

[Calamity Jake]

When I tell MBH I'm going gun shopping, she says bring me one home too

[RP]

Well I see some here are living a dream and some are still dreaming. I pay all the bills but the ones my wife has her cell phone and what ever else she has. Anything I buy is up to me I dont have to hide anything or make any deals. She told a freind of mine one time when i got a new gun as long as I take care of the family I can get whatever I want.

[Mumblypeg]

When I tell MBH I'm going gun shopping, she says bring me one home too

Man I've heard that one too! And she means it.

[klcarroll]

When I tell MBH I'm going gun shopping, she says bring me one home too

@ Calamity Jake;

Does she have a sister????:bigsmyl2:

Kent

[Bret4207]

My wife ahs never said anything about any gun I bring home. Guess I'm lucky.

[Shiloh]

Been a long while since I got anything from an FFL holder, But my approach is she doesn't need to know. I often traded custom work for cash to buy used firearms. The last gun smithing work I had done was $250 for a new barrel on the '03 Springfield. She said She didn't think it should be that much but let me write the check.

Shiloh

[Taylor]

I guess I'm the lucky one,my wife likes guns and tools.

[hydraulic]

When we were first married, and broke, I bought an old stevens pump shotgun for $5. When pheasant season came around I sold it for $25. I told her, "Here is the five I spent and here are two more tens. Go buy yourself a new dress." She looked at the two tens and said, "I'll buy a $10 dress, you take the other $10 and go buy another gun. Never had a problem with buying guns since.

[Ed Barrett]

Since i'm on my fourth wife now I won't take up any more of your time!

[shotman]

dont have a wife. Its worked for 55yrs dont have a problem--well one got too many guns rick

[buck1]

At work they offered up a $10.00 wally world gift card for each info card we filled out on our own time on a competitors unit, we had to go out in the desert and find them. I got up early one morning and came home late that night. By morning I had enugh cards done to get my 11 year old son that brand new cammo 20 ga shotgun he had been drooling over and just enugh change for 100 shells. Time well spent...........Buck

PS when I got home I looked like my avatar.........

[BIGGUNGOBOOM]

Its been a fair trade off, my situation with the wife is some what like the perfessor's gig. bills are split down the middle and whats left on each side is ours. doesn't take long for me to save up for a new toy, plus my gun smith lives down the road and will save a gun for me and take payments. it has worked great all these years. before marriage it was a different story, I would sell/trade or do what ever to get a gun that I THOUGHT I wanted, I do regret selling some of them, but that's how it goes. now a days I have bout all I want, but now I have discovered this thing called precision/bench shooting, now I am hooked and find myself looking for more. nasty habit this is :)

[blackthorn]

I have only ever bought 2 new firearms, both rifles and both a long time ago. In those days money was tight, one income (mine) and 2 little kids. There was some weekend overtime available cleaning up in the plywood mill that I worked at. Before I signed up to work the overtime I told her I would not work overtime to pay bills but since we had NO spare money, I would work it and we would split the net 50/50 with the understanding that we could spend our shares on whatever we decided no questions asked. "Net" was determined to be $20 for a days work. From my share I finally was able to buy a 300 Wby, with a flip-off scope and open sights, along with a sling and 1 box of cartridges. After negotiations, the whole lot cost me $425. Later (years) I got a new 243 Parker Hale with scope as well. Now I own over 100 firearms but those 2 are the only ones I bought new. I am working on my second marrige now and I have the best there is to be found (together 17 years +)! Other than reminding me that I only have ONE trigger finger, she doesent care what (or how many) I buy. Just prior to retirement I bought all of a friends handguns (6) and all his accumulation of ammunnition, loading components etc. No complaint from Gail. Several times I have spent $1000 or so on accumulations of reloading or casting stuff and she just pitches in and helps me load it in the truck.

[RKJ]

We've been married 30+ years now, so whatever it is it seems to be working. Anyway, I've begged, pleaded and got mad (in my younger stupid days) :) But for the last 6 years I've worked a 2nd job, (I substitute teach and work weekends at my regular job so it's not as bad as it sounds, plus it keeps me busy. At the time I started I was bored to tears and needed something to do.) This allows me to pay for my motorcycle and any new guns I want. It works for us.

[supv26]

I buy my toys and she buys her toys. It's always been that way and will never change. I don't understand this asking for permission for something. That ended for me when I moved out of the nest when I was a kid.
:???:

[Sprue]

Wifey doesn't notice any difference between a new or old addition (they all look alike). She's never seemed concerned that a once empty corner in a room is now occupied. However, she is well educated.

[S.R.Custom]

So what have you done to get a new gun?

Since my fondness for peace, freedom, happiness and rational thought exceeds my desire for co-dependence, emotion based decision-making and constant criticism, I've stayed single...

That said, I don't buy much on credit and I save money when I can. But occasionally I do have difficuly coming up with the cash for some of the larger buy-ins to my "retirement fund," so I have been known to resort to lay-away... [smilie=1:

[Navahojoe]

My wife and I will be married 19 years in Nov , 2009. In those soon to be 19 years she has never questioned me when I said, " Honey, I am going to buy a gun today", except to say,"do you really want or need it? If so, buy it". I am well pleased with my wife, to say the least. I was married twice before her, and was determined to not let anything so trivial as a gun purchase, {read fishing tackle,new dress for her, jewelery for her, boat motor, ect} enter into our marriage. If I can afford the gun, and I want it, I am blessed to be able to buy it with out any problems, rebuttal or arguments. By the same token, it works in the other direction also. If she wants it or needs it, whatever it may be, if I can afford the purchase, she doesn't go home empty handed. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't buy anything and everything that comes along. I am selective in my purchases, just like my wife is in her purchases. WE are BLESSED to have each other.
NavahoJoe

[nekshot]

I met my wife to be at 16. Started dating and got married at 19. We literally grew up together. I taught her to shoot and hunt and always kept her informed of gun purchase possibilities. Only responce from her is if I can figure out how to pay it,get it. We have been married 34 years and never had any issues over guns. There have been alot of guns I did not buy because I could not figure out how to pay for them.

[buck1]

""There have been alot of guns I did not buy because I could not figure out how to pay for them.
__________________
Look twice, shoot once. ""

Theres a ton of truth in that statment Joe!!!

[OeldeWolf]

I did not have many guns till after the last exwife. Those I had, I had inherited 2, bought 1 off an FFL, bought 2 off of people who needed money, and sold 3 for food with ex#2.

But since then, I have recycled cans and scrap to afford ammo/components, used a work bonus to get a set of cap and ball revolvers and a lee mold and 10# production pot.

I also put in about 13 hrs labor on a person's BMW for a rifle and pistol, and used layaway at the local gunshop a lot.

And yes, a lot of guns I would have liked have not gone home with me. But, except for with ex#2, I have never resold any I purchased.

[captaint]

I once knew a guy who swapped out his wife's diamond in the engagement ring (without her knowledge) for a new gun. A couple of years later she broke another prong and went to get it fixed - busted! He ate crap for that for years.
I have a great little woman. She has her stuff, I have mine. After 34 years I guess we get used to these things. Mike

[BD]

I seem to be Ok if I keep it down to one or two guns a year. And, there's been years when I didn't buy anything new. Considering some of the more major stuff we've talked each other into, the guns are a pretty minor issue.
BD

[crabo]

I got to thinking about this because my friend who owns several pawnshops likes to tell the story. At the time my wife was going to law school. 25 or so years later, he nows tell the story as she drew up a written contract and made me sign it. It was never a written contract, just a verbal agreement. He has so much fun telling it, I let him tell it his way.

She passed away at 29 a couple years later. It's amazing the things you do different the second time around. I married a farm girl from North Dakota who grew up in a family of hunters. This wife says my guns and guitars are my girlfriends. They come and they go, but she is my wife and she stays. I'm gonna keep her. Wife number 2's picture is below.

[Navahojoe]

There is a lot of truth in the statement " I did not buy a lot of guns because I could not figure how to pay for them." Been there, done that! It make me sick to walk away from something like that, but I have to "man up" about it, and think, there could be a chance later on.
regards,
NavahoJoe

[clintsfolly]

back in 1981 i wanted a xp100 in 7br worked a deal with my local gun shop. i was to cast 3500lbs of boolits his lead,pot and 8an 10 cavity moulds. the wife (got 30+yrs with her now) culled most of them to help me out! the xp is gone but i still have her. Clint

[trickyasafox]

I'm unmarried, but money is always tight. I have had great dealings with a few dealers (I only go to 3 and one just retired) and they have always been understanding - allowing me to use lay-a-way.

Education first, savings second, then anything else goes to guns and accessories. I don't really have other non shooting hobbies so I can focus what money I do have available into the things I like.

[clodhopper]

When the kids were little and money was tight I scrounged cans, worked odd jobs, sold fur, deer capes, and some deer horns to finance gun purchases.
Took up bullet casting so I could shoot them.
Now we have been together 31 years. They all look the same to her, well except for THAT UGLY ONE. Have told her many times if she would just shoot the M-1 she would see the beauty of it.
Our house, cars, and boat are paid for. We live simply, but often I am driving down the road with twice as much value in the shooting equipment as the automobile. uhh, that mean I drive cheap cars.

[pumpguy]

I collect Marlin lever guns that she never notices a difference in. For the most part, though, she doesn't really care. She just got a new MacBook and an elliptical trainer. She doesn't dare say anything.

[billsr]

We have been married 41 years. Never a problem with my buying guns. I worked part time in a gun shop years ago and came home with a new handgun, showed it to my wife, and she said it was nice, but why didn't I ever buy rifles. The following week I came home with two Ruger heavy barrel varmint rifles in .308 Win and 22.250 Rem. When I showed them to her she said "it's about time you got some rifles". She always calls me if she finds a gun(s) at garage sales and wants to know if she should buy it or them. One time she came home with a Thompson Center Hawken Kit in .54 caliber. Paid $50.00 for it. I love this woman.