TexasCHLforum.com

Droshi wrote:Thanks! Good to know it isn't all that complex.

However I must admit that carrying a weapon is a much more expensive undertaking than I initially estimated. The reasons are many fold, but in case anyone else is interested, I estimated something like: Handgun + state fee (figured around same as driver's license) + a bit extra. Actuality is something like:

1) Handgun
2) Handgun
3) Sell one of the above, then repeat to another handgun
4) Holster (repeat as above, but many more times)
5) Belt
6) ~$240 for all fees for actual CHL (which should have been done FIRST btw as per the long wait...giving me now nothing to do while waiting for the card)
7) SD Ammo
8) Target ammo and range fees on a somewhat regular basis
9) Cleaning equipment (I started from zero...dad has all his stuff that I usually used when I hunted with him...no reason until now to have my own)

Have I forgotten anything? Just to throw out a figure, my first estimate was based on a Bersa 380, and was about $300 + lets say another $100 in my mind for CHL and extra things. It now turned out to be:

1) $300 (bersa)
2) $650 (H&K P7 PSP)
3) -$240 (bersa selling...if I can)
+$400 (Micro Desert Eagle...for pocket carry when needed)
4) $145 (TT Gunleather)
5) $90 (TT Gunbelt)
6) $240
7) $45 (.380 and 9mm...20 rounds each)
8) estimated about $40 per month (range fees and 50 rounds per month...not sure what this will actually be)
9) $80 (surprising to me, but included a bit of trial and error, and I'm not sure I'm done yet)

Total: $1710 + $40 per month for the forseeable future (not to mention some extra for the yet unforseeable expenses)

Now, I don't consider myself a cheap person, or that my life isn't worth some arbitrary dollar amount...all I'm saying, is that I didn't expect it. Now this is also the legal and best way as per my research, meaning I could sacrifice and just use inferior weapons, ammo, carry methods, or mess with legality to cut costs substantially. But when people say they can't afford to carry, I really see where they are coming from. And yes, I'm sure there are legal and arguable good ways to cut a bit of cost, but when each thing is a few dollars more to get a lot more quality...I usually went for the quality.

Hope I didn't offend anyone here, or suggest that we are all a bit short-sighted. Usually I make a huge spreadsheet for any under taking to estimate all these costs, but for some weird reason, in this case I thought it was just too easy to need such a thing...guess I was wrong. :)