The answer is obviously yes, right? Buy that fourth mid-quality AR, slap a Holosun on it, and call it your latest build! I do recognize the difference between my needs and my wants. I’m not discouraging people who want to own firearms, who want to buy another firearm, or even buy a mid-tier AR with a Holosun on top of it. What I would like you to do is learn from my mistakes. My mistake was owning a dozen mid to cheap-tier firearms with an obsession over always adding a new gun and not focusing on three more important investments. Instead of buying another polymer frame, striker-fired handgun, I should have:
– Invested in higher quality firearms.
– Invested in higher quality gear.
– Invested in myself and my ability to effectively utilize my firearms.
I still love getting a new gun. That new gun smell, that first range trip, the first shots fired, it’s all good fun. However, I caution folks about piling up a wide variety of firearms without first investing some of that cash into quality options. I’m betting more than one person reading this has a dozen guns but never shoots them because ammo is expensive. One cheap Turkish shotgun is worth a case of 5.56, so is it really all that expensive in hindsight?
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The New Gun Checklist
It’s okay. I’ve been that guy who always prioritized looking at my new gun rather than shooting the dozen I already have. Today, I want to provide you with a practical checklist you should answer before you purchase another firearm. I’ll explain the why behind each item, and hopefully, you can walk away from here with some renewed priorities.
1 – Do I Own a Quality Holster For My Concealed Carry Firearm?
I see a ton of people purchase a $500 gun, a $400 optic, and a $200 light and shove it all in a $40 holster from Amazon with a FOMI clip and craptastic design. A quality holster can cost up to $100, but it’s still fairly affordable compared to the purchase of another firearm. Get a good, well-made holster from Safariland, Phlster, Harry’s Holsters, etc. Yeah, it will cost more than $40, but it’s a buy-once-cry-once affair. To be completely honest, $40 is $35 too much for most of those holsters.
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2 – Does My Home Defense Weapon Have a (quality) Weaponlight?
I say weapon light because so many people use long guns, and using long guns and handheld lights is tough. However, if you are using a handgun and prefer a handheld light, that’s fine as long as you have some sort of illumination to go along with your home defense weapon. A good light ensures you can identify threats from friends, see your sights, and make your shots count inside the home. A quality weapon light from Streamlight costs less than $200.
3 – Do I Have a Non-Lethal Option?
If you carry just a gun, you only have one defensive option, and you’ve purposefully shorted yourself in scenarios where a gun might not be the best option. In intensely crowded environments or situations where you can’t establish a safe backdrop for your shot, nonlethal becomes another defensive option. It’s easier to pepper spray vicious dogs than it is to shoot them in most situations. A can of POM pepper spray costs $13; don’t skimp on it.
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4 – Do I Have Funds to Go To the Range and Practice?
Before you squeeze the financial trigger on that new gun, ask yourself, when was the last time I practiced with the guns I have? If I buy this new gun, can I purchase 250 rounds and the range time to get a good trigger finger workout? Can I shoot a match this weekend if I buy the new Taurus Deputy?
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5 – Do I Have a Quality Medical Kit?
If you can put holes in things, you should be able to treat any holes someone puts in you or in others. A quality medical kit that’s made up of quality components from reputable manufacturers. We aren’t talking about your basic buy-it-at-Walmart first aid kit. We are looking at kits designed to stop the bleed. A high-quality, advanced, premium-grade kit from North American Rescue costs $200. That’s a Gucci-type kit, and it costs less than most guns.
6 – Have I Taken a Defensive Class?
Finally, before you buy a new gun, when was the last time you took a defensive-oriented firearm course? These classes can be expensive, and so can the ammo, but you’ll get through a hefty two-day course for about $500. That’s the average price of most quality handguns. If you have never taken a class or haven’t taken one in years, then maybe a new gun isn’t the best way to spend money.
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Stop, Collaborate, and Listen
I know and understand the siren’s call at the gun store. I get it, but I do think sometimes you gotta resist that call. If not, you might wind up bashed against the rocks. Sometimes, you need to take a look at your other priorities and determine what money goes where.
