Practical Long Range Shooting – Gucci Gear: 

www.gunslinger.net.nz
© 2008, Shane Cossar, New Zealand.
All rights reserved.  
Contact:  shane_cossar@hotmail.com

Gucci Gear Topics:

The purchase price of the rifle, optics, electronic and other equipment are just a small part of the lifetime cost of shooting this system.

COSTS

International Ordering  
This shooting system cannot be purchased off-the-shelf at a local gunshop.  Most of the items were purchased internationally and directly – primarily from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.  The majority of orders were placed through web on-line ordering systems and most payments were made with a credit card on secure payment processing pages.  In a few cases order and credit card details were either emailed or faxed.  The majority of charges were billed at the date of the order although in some cases charges were not applied until goods were shipped, which sometimes was a couple of weeks later.  There were no issues using a credit card, although there were a couple of calls from the card company asking me to confirm some transactions were valid and expected.

Retail web sites often have a policy or section outlining the sales process and shipping methods for international orders.  Many companies, due to credit risks, packages that have been lost, plus the risk of running foul of export regulations, simply choose not to accept international orders.  Not so clear are the commercial restrictions which prohibit a company providing to NZ which could infringe a local distributorship agreement.  Email inquiries often go unanswered, so be prepared to make some ‘phone calls to confirm availability. 

Shipping and GST  
While foreign list prices, when converted to NZ dollars, appear significantly cheaper than comparable NZ retail prices, there are extra costs to bear in mind.  Firstly, shipping and insurance can be surprisingly expensive, as items will often be sent via courier rather than via the post.  Secondly, as the package enters New Zealand it may also be subject to taxes – primarily GST (12.5%).  Goods having a value of more than NZD$1000 are also subject to an Import Transaction Fee of $22.  All items having import charges also incur a $3.38 Customs Import Entry Transaction Fee. 

For information about NZ Customs charges visit:
www.customs.govt.nz

Where goods have been mailed and import charges apply, New Zealand Post will mail out a notice detailing the fee to be paid, and how to pay it.  Where goods have been couriered the courier company, or their customs agent, will telephone advising the charges.  So be sure to include your full daytime telephone contact when you place your order.  Credit cards are accepted for the payments and goods will not be released until payment has been made.  Where goods are charged that are valued more than NZD$1000 it is also necessary to complete a Customs form in order to be given a Customs Importer Client Code - with that code to be used when other such charges are applied.

Wait Lists  
Because this equipment is very effective it is in high demand and wait lists are unavoidable.  In this case nine months for the rifle, six months for the rifle scope, and several weeks for  other components. The rifle and rifle scope both required deposits to secure the order.  

System Costs  
There are three significant costs to owning a long range shooting system.  Firstly, there is the initial purchase cost.  Then there are the actual shooting costs, such as ammunition and cleaning materials.  Locations for shooting large calibres are few and far between, so there will also be travel costs.  Thirdly, the barrel is likely to be ‘blown out’ after between four and five thousand rounds.  A replacement barrel and associated equipment to safely do the change can expect to cost one third of the original rifle purchase cost again. 

Table of Initial Costs

Weight
kg

Nominal Cost
excl. shipping

Landed Cost $NZD
+ Customs

Rifle

Accuracy International AWM

6.900

GBP 3,280

Dep 3,000
13,000

AI AWM accessories

1.500

GBP 2,045

above

Accu-Shot BT08-QK, butt spike

0.340

USD   199

251

Sniper Tools ACI + ADI

0.040

USD   422

558

Optics

US Optics SN3 T-PAL 5-25x58 w H37

1.133

USD 3,888

Dep 2,710
2,600

Leupold Zero Point Boresighter

n/a

USD    69

89

Steiner 10x 42 Practical w SUMR bino.

0.749

USD   796

995
Cstms 124

Steiner eyepiece cover + tripod adaptor

0.060

USD    74

94

Leupold 12-40x 60 s.scope w H32

1.048

USD 1,300

2,139
Cstms 202

Leupold Digital Camera Adaptor

0.050

USD   149

220

Leupold 60mm Anti-Reflection Device

0.020

USD   149

220

Vectronix SST3-3 mini tripod

1.400

CHF 1,016

1,316
Cstms 154

Electronics

TDS Recon, PDA

0.640

USD   999

1,730
Cstms 249

Holux GR-271 CF GPS Receiver

n/a

USD   189

-

Horus Vision ATrag1s5 ballistic calc.

n/a

USD    30

-

Horus Vision A-Trag MX ballistic calc.

n/a

USD   298

405

Nightforce ballistic calculator

n/a

USD    70

-

Lex Talus PSW and FFS ballistic calc.

n/a

USD   150

188

Kestrel 4500 NV Pocket Weather Station

0.102

USD   340

530
Cstms 140

Newcon 2500CI Laser Range Finder

0.420

USD 2,386

3,065
Cstms 201

Rite-in-the-Rain, Data Book

0.720

USD   211

280

Equipment

Horus Vision CATS targets

n/a

USD    98

129

TAB Rifle Cover

0.539

USD   142

299

TAB SAS (Suppressor Anti-mirage Shield)

USD    62

-

TAB Shooting Mat

0.500

USD    78

140

ESS V-12 eye protection

0.100

USD   130

MSA-Sordin Supreme hearing prot. (2)

0.280

USD   654

852
Cstms  83

5.11 and Arktis Clothing

n/a

n/a

800

Blackhawk STRIKE MOLLE pouches

0.100

USD   150

250

Camelbak Talon pack

1.700

USD   146

250

HSGI Sniper Waist Pack and Suspender

0.200

USD    74

138

Ammunition

.338 Lapua Magnum, Black Hills, 250Gr, 200 Rounds (1 case)

10.000

1,900

.338 Lapua Magnum, Lapua Scenar, 400 Rounds (1 case)

20.000

USD 2,172

Dep   850
2,560

Lifetime Costs  
The full costs of shooting a medium calibre rifle are staggering.  There is a total system cost (listed above) of $30,000, with a lifetime of twenty years, shooting only 500 rounds per year and requiring $5000 every 10 years for a new barrel.  Add annual factory ammunition costs of $4750 and approximately another $1500 for travel and cleaning materials.  Firing 10,000 factory produced rounds over those twenty years is a total expenditure of approximately $165,000.  That’s a true cost of $16.50 per shot fired including $9.50 for each round of ammunition.  That doesn’t take into account any finance costs or inflation.

Another way of looking at it is that the total system purchase costs ($30,000 + $5000 + $5000) are slightly less than a quarter (24%) of what the total expenditure will be over the twenty years.  This should help explain why not only the best-of-breed products have been selected but why there are also some items purchased that will not be frequently used.  Buying cheaper substitutes, or not purchasing some items, will not significantly reduce the total expenditure.