Quote Originally Posted by Tim K View Post
Shawn's insight is spot on, Particularly for the shooter who knows they will go the distance and be all-in at some point. My path has been nearly identical to his, and his advice is extremely sound.

For the unsure, the dabbler, the "for now" hobbiest, the alternative is to invest a little today and spend a bunch more down the road. If I were advising a brand new shooter who had no confidence they would end up neck deep in this game, I'd suggest a Ruger in .243 if you reload or 6.5 Creed if you don't. Add a Burris XTR II and all-in you'll be in the game for $2,500.

Is this the best solution? No way! Is it a reasonable solution for a guy who's unsure if this is a long them addiction or just a fad? Absolutely. Only you can determine the best course. Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd listened to the voices that said to spend the big dollars up front. On the other hand, $6k to $7K, all at once, would have been a sufficient deterrent way back when that it would have kept me out of the game and I'd never have given it a shot.

My best advice, when you distill it down, is to spend every penny you have to get started. Every dollar spent on glass and guns is well spent. Every dollar saved is likely pissed away. Spend what you've got and enjoy yourself. It's a very rewarding pastime, regardless of how much you invest. Just know that each and every dollar you "save" will likely cost you $2 in the end.
Tim sums it up better than I do, I tend to get a bit long winded (shocking right hahaha) But the last paragraph here pretty much sums up the entire idea of what I've been trying to convey.

BTW ^^^^ He's the crack dealer that gave me my first taste of this game and it's been full tilt ever since.