Make no mistake about it, even though participation in the shooting sports is way up (especially among first-time gun owners) the price of doing so has also gone through the roof in the past few years.
Not only have guns themselves sharply appreciated in price, but the price of ammo has doubled, tripled, in some cases even quadrupled in the wake of a nationwide ammo shortage of which we’re only just starting to feel some relief.
But prices remain high. That being said, here are some top tips for saving money on the shooting sports, starting with the gun itself and working through ammo and accessories.
Build Your Own Rather Than Buying an MP5Â
Building your own pistol or rifle is not a guaranteed way to save money. In some cases, it’ll even cost you more. However that is not likely to be the case if you are looking for an HK MP5.
The HK MP5 is notoriously expensive and can set you back thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars. Building your own, either with a genuine HK upper, or with parts from a brand that’s known for its MP5 clones, is a much more economical option.
Building your own (start with an MP5 upper and then by parts) will not only alleviate the issues associated with shortages (assuming you can find the parts) but it can save you money.
Word to the wise: unless you have the inside knowledge of a firearms lawyer, don’t build it with imported parts or you will need to ensure 922(r) compliance. Rather, make an MP5-style platform from American-made parts.
Be Smart About MP5 AccessoriesÂ
You can go wild with MP5 accessories, or you can be a bit more austere. The thing is, the more you expand with MP5 accessories, the more the overall project will cost you.
Sticking with stock accessories, such as standard MP5 sights and a tropical handguard, will save you on the bottom line of the project, and make the whole thing more affordable, so keep that in mind.
Buy Ammo in Bulk
Looking for ways to save money on an HK MP5 or the build is only one way to keep the costs associated with the shooting sports down.
One of the best overall ways to keep prices down is to be smart about how you buy ammo, as ammo is the most significant variable cost associated with shooting.
Probably the best way to keep the cost of shooting down is to buy ammo in bulk. Buying a pack of 20 or 50 9mm cartridge is one of the worst ways to overpay.
Rather, buy in bulk, in the largest quantities you reasonably can. This will drive down the per-round cost of ammo, saving you in the long run.
Just make sure you store the ammo wisely, somewhere cool and dry, that way you don’t lose any, because if you end up wasting ammo it’ll obviously cost you, not save you, regardless of how cheap it was when you bought it.
Shop Police Trade-Ins, Sales and Other SpecialsÂ
Buying in bulk is just one way to save on ammo. There are lots of other ways to get deals, too. Among the best of these are to shop sales, specials, including police trade-in specials, and to buy off-brands.
Shopping police trade-in specials is one of the best ways because precincts will often offload ammo really cheap, and you have a good chance of getting a deal on 9mm since that is one of the most widely used handgun cartridges in official service in this country.
Make Your Own TargetsÂ
You are literally going to shoot targets full of holes. There’s no reason to pay more for them, especially if you’re just plinking and don’t need to be really precise about scoring.
There are free templates for targets you can get online and print off at home, and you can literally also make your own with a compass (or even just a coffee can) and some cardstock.
Shoot at State Ranges (Where Applicable)Â
Lastly, if you can, find a free range. Most states operate free ranges for hunter training. Use is usually subject to visitors being in possession of a hunting license or a permit to use the range, but they are generally much more economical to use than ranges that require you to pay for a lane by the hour.
These state ranges are sometimes subject to certain regulations and there’s a chance you might not be able to take an MP5-inspired platform to one, but you’ll have to look into it on a case-by-case basis. If you can find a free range it is well worth it, and can save you a lot on your shooting hobby.
Explore MP5 Uppers, Parts and Other Accessories HereÂ
Whether you’re here for an MP5 upper, some MP5 parts for a build, or are here for MP5 accessories, we have you covered. Check out our full collection and see if you can find what you need.
Hopefully you found the suggestions contained in this article helpful and can put some of them into practice. If you have any questions, get in touch with us and we will help you out as best we can.