reasonablenut

What is your absolute ceiling on spending when it comes to a gun?

I've been advocating that the Old Man buy a Fulton Armory M-14, that is loaded to the tits. This exceeds his spending willabilaty. About $3,500 if you want a decent Krieger barrel.

His argument is that Springfields are more affordable and can be tricked-up from their out-of-the-box state.

Now the reading audience has to understand that the old man hates glass. He seems to deliberately buy weapons where scopes are either overkill or too eccentric to be of any real use. I respect the position but strenuously disagree. Especially with any kind of long-range precision shooting.

The one we are currently looking at is a Springfield Match-Grade rifle. This is a bit more reasonably priced and is still a gorgeous looking rifle.

I have proved to myself that, given the means, I will spend buttloads of money on crap that is total overkill or well beyond my ability to use effectively.

My question:

What's the most you have ever spent on a gun, what was it, and what was your rationale (your excuse to your significant other will do)?