Guns are expensive, ammo is expensive, optics are expensive—everything is expensive! Hell, a Subway sub cost me like 15 bucks today! It’s ridiculous, but I have a dopamine addiction to feed and a lot of shooting to do. How do I do it affordably? I might not be the best shooter, but I know how to stretch a dollar when it comes to shooting. I’d be broke if I didn’t.
Save Your Money and Find Better Ways to Buy
With that in mind, I want to share with you the three tips I rely on most to save some cold, hard cash when shopping for guns, ammo, and the like.
Memberships Save Money
I’m using the term “membership” a little loosely here, as it encompasses a wide variety of things you could consider a membership. First, I have a dedicated email for promotional offers from websites I like and trust. I get Daily Deals from Palmetto State Armory, updates from Bucking Horse Outpost, and more. These deals get a quick look and sometimes a quick purchase.
Another “membership” I believe in is store credit cards when they are worth it. I’m also a responsible credit card user and never use credit cards as a temporary loan. For example, I use the Academy Credit Card to get 5% off my purchases, and that’s where I get most of my 9mm ammo.
Combine that with a website membership, and I get random coupons and alerts for discounts. Recently, I got 15% off a thousand rounds of 9mm because of the credit card bonus and a temporary vets discount.
Other memberships include signing up for stuff like GovX if you qualify, or Expert Voice, or similar websites. It’s not always a great discount, but there are hidden treats and great sales. Military members and veterans should also sign up for the Exchange; sometimes, they do random ammo sales.
Police Trade-Ins
When you hear the term “police trade-in,” you likely picture old Gen 3 S&Ws, beat-up 870s, and carry-handle AR-15s. That’s not the case right now. Currently, there is a huge shift to optics-ready guns amongst police forces and a slight sales slump. What we are seeing are Glock Gen 5 17s for $349.99, and Gen 3 and Gen 4 models for even less.
Police trade-in guns can be fantastic, especially right now. I’m seeing a ton of 870 Police Magnums, which are in fantastic shape because, for the last two decades, the AR has taken over as the dominant police long gun. These are barely used, and kept-in-the-armory type guns.
Additionally, police trade-in ammo is a thing. I got 500 rounds of .38 Special for 99 bucks because it was a mixed police trade-in. I got a ton of Federal Tactical slugs for an excellent price I can’t recall, also police trade-ins. Bucking Horse Outpost is great for police trade-in ammo.
Estate Sales
My hidden secret to getting cheap guns and cheap ammo is estate sales and auctions. When I go to these sales, I’m often the only one interested in guns and ammo. I don’t meet much resistance, and I can score insane deals. I got a beautiful M1 Garand made in the 1950s for $700; I got 500 rounds of .45 ACP for 60 bucks once.
One time, a gentleman who was a reloader passed away, and he had a ton of ammo for sale. Reloads can be iffy, but I was able to look through the notes and details of the man’s work, and he was detail-oriented. Every load had a card with load data and even performance details. I was able to get piles of .44 Special, .45 ACP, .38 Special, .32 ACP, and more for pennies on the dollar.
Auctions can be trickier, but also fantastic due to federal law. A lot of resellers attend auctions, but resellers don’t have FFLs, so those who are legally smart stay away from guns. That eliminates most firearm competition. Not always, and rural areas tend to be a little harder to bid in, but discounts and bargains can be found!
My Tricks to Save
Saving money isn’t always easy in the gun world, especially with ammo. However, with a little planning and preparation, you can save a lot. It takes effort, and you have to judge what your time is worth. As a gun writer and all-around gun nerd, I’m willing to put in the work, but it might not be for everyone. At the very least, I can share my tricks with you.
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