One of the best parts of reenacting is the ability to freely carry around weapons! I'm not talking about pocket knives and long, sharp sticks, I'm talking about Bowie knives, tomahawks, Kentucky Flintlock rifles, cap-and-ball revolvers stuck in your belt, and smoothbore, .75 caliber muskets hanging from a sling on your shoulder. Unfortunatly the real prize, a good rifle/musket, will usually cost around $500. But once you have one, they're a blast to shoot. Let's say you're short on cash, you can buy a good, period Bowie knife or hip knife for under $100. If you have, like no money, steak knives with wooden handles actually are pretty period-like. Tomahawks/hatchets usually cost around $30. Single shot or Cap-and-Ball revolvers are usually the last piece of weaponry you might buy, probably because they aren't as important as, say, a good rifle, but are fun to own if you've got the money. These run about $200-$300. A good place to buy non-firearm weapons is www.crazycrow.com while a good place to buy guns is www.cabelas.com. Many reenactors choose bows rather than guns, which I say takes more skill, but a good bow can be expensive also, running from around $100-$200. But I personally think guns are better!