"Which comes first, the ammo or the gun?"

[gassprint1]

You can have all the ammo in the world and it won’t do you any good if you don’t have a gun to shoot it from. Also what if you stock up on 9mm and then run upon a sweet deal for a .45 or 357? Just seems to me that the gun would be the biggest expense and that all other purchases would be dependent on the gun chosen.
I vote get the gun you want first and then ammo, holsters and anything else you may need or want.

Ty for your input. The consensus seems the gun before the ammo. I was leaning towards most of the responses.

 

[bgcatty]

I was gonna say that if you think you must buy the pistol first, buy a gen 5 glock of some sort.

Resale will be much easier when you find you need to sell the pistol to buy ammo.

Seriously, I'd sell off all of the .45 ACP stuff you have. The guns are losing value due to the caliber going the way of the dodo. The ammo is just too expensive and won't get any better, due to lack of a market for it.

I was a 1911 guy for many years. Sold 'em all, along with all the ammo and components a few years back.

Seriously? You sold off the 1911 for a plastic gun? Seriously?

 

[armalitesheepdog]

It cost me $10.50 for 50rds to reload 230gr coated hardcast 45acp. That's with current primer, powder, and bullet prices.
10mm is about the same.
9mm is around $8.50 with 147gr bullets.

If I didn't reload i probably would not shoot much at all.

Then there's the satisfaction of shooting said reloads with great results and thinking to yourself I did that.

 

[bgcatty]

Then there's the satisfaction of shooting said reloads with great results and thinking to yourself I did that.

I agree but my two sons who “invite me to take them shooting” upset all the economics of my reloading hobby. I reload and they shoot!

 

[armalitesheepdog]

I agree but my two sons who “invite me to take them shooting” upset all the economics of my reloading hobby. I reload and they shoot!

Ahaaa But what's a dad to do...lol

 

[williamnewman1]

Common round? Gun then ammo
Odd or uncommon round? Ammo then gun

In my case I have multiple times found a steal on ammo for let's say 224 valkyrie, 303 British, 6.5 swede, 500mag, 50ae, 6.5prc and so on ..... the ammo being half of what it should be I buy it all and then hunt for a nice gun.

Just finished this in 2 different guns, got 10 boxes of hornady match 6.5 prc for $15 a box (retail is $50-55), made me order a decent bolt gun for it....... couple gun shows ago a guy had a mountain of 224 valkyrie, since I bought it all, got it for close to $10 a box (retail is ~$22) , just finished building a nice AR in it.

 

[Bassat]

I was gonna say that if you think you must buy the pistol first, buy a gen 5 glock of some sort.

Resale will be much easier when you find you need to sell the pistol to buy ammo.

Seriously, I'd sell off all of the .45 ACP stuff you have. The guns are losing value due to the caliber going the way of the dodo. The ammo is just too expensive and won't get any better, due to lack of a market for it.

I was a 1911 guy for many years. Sold 'em all, along with all the ammo and components a few years back.

45 ACP going the way of the Dodo, and expensive? I disagree with both statements. No market? Laughable.

 

[pmbiker]

I have a Standard Manufacturing SAA clone in .45 Colt. I have plenty of cowboy-level loads to shoot in it.....but I also have 3 boxes of Underwood +p ammo.

SM says I can shoot +p through it.....I don't want to grenade a $2k gun.

Now I'm saving up for a Turnbull finished Henry big boy.....to shoot the Underwood +p loads.

Ammo before the gun.