xtry51
NES Member
The other things is a good point. You need extra (at least 6 imo) mags, holsters (concealment and combat/competition style), mag pouches, and a good belt, on top of sights to be effective with your pistol in training or competition. So if a whiz-bang glock with a gold colored barrel costs $1000 (more I am sure), you still need to invest an other ~$2-300+ in support gear. Or, buy a $500 pistol, spend the rest of that money wisely on gear and ammo, and chuckle to yourself at the nickle plated sissy pistol that the guy next to you takes out of it's own special case.
I can say that when I buy a pistol, it's an automatic $1200-1500 total expenditure just to start:
Gun
Mags (at least ten)
Holster for belt (bladetech)
Paddle holster (bladetech)
CC holster (Crossbreed)
New sights (especially Glocks, stupid plastic!)
Mag pouches for belt (FASTMAG)
Belt (if you don't have one)
Etc, etc.