Good advice thus far, but you have to look at the total cost of acquisition. I used to hit the shops weekly hoping to find a firearm that I wanted for $50-75 less than retail. Then I saw how much I was spending on gas that could have gone to guns and ammo. I also realized that I was spending a lot of potential range time driving from shop to shop. I could have just paid the extra coin up front and gone to the range or gone hunting.
You also have to consider the total cost of ownership. I focus on the 308 and 30-06 these days because ammo is cheap and sold everywhere. Over the long haul, you pay a lot more for ammo than you do for the rifle. There are several used Tikkas for sale around here for $400, but they’re all either 270 WSM or 7 WSM. $308 is less than $15/box if you buy online, but the WSMs are $25-26/box. That adds up quickly if you shoot very much. It’s a little different if you handload, but only a little.
Okie John
