I struggle with “gift guides” for a great many reasons. The biggest reason is that gun folks are very particular about their guns and ammo. Scratch that. Gun folks are particular about all of their gear. This means it’s up to you, the gift giver, to do some reconnaissance as there are really only three types of gifts that will fall into the great gift category. These are: something “missing” in their gear, an “upgrade”, or “usable” consumables. There are a lot of quotes there. That’s on purpose. They represent a perception the gift receiver holds and that perception is what the gift giver will need to figure out. 

Assuming the reconnaissance is done, keep a lookout for deals over the next couple of weeks. Black Friday specials might make procurement of these gift ideas more palatable.  

Guns

Every gun guy, or gun gal, with very few exceptions goes head over heels for a new gun. However, be wary if thinking of going this route. Especially when the recipient is an avid enthusiast or collector as they will be very particular about what they want or are looking for. That said, if the target recipient is just getting started or is looking for a first gun to fill a particular role then there are plenty of options, many of which are very budget friendly. 

Before looking into one of those options, don’t forget to consider the regulations surrounding possession and transfers of firearms. While buying a firearm as a bonafide gift and gifting is perfectly okay, there are restrictions in transferring ownership between two folks who reside in different states. Additionally, an out of state gift recipient may be subject to restrictions the gift giver is not subject to. It’s certainly possible, but it’s worth doing a bit of homework to make sure the gift isn’t one that might result in a jail sentence.

With that out of the way, let’s look at some options. 

The vast majority of folks who are getting into guns today are predominantly doing so with self defense in mind. This makes a modern striker-fired polymer-framed 9mm semi-automatic pistol a great candidate for those that don’t already have a defensive pistol. My number one suggestion for this is the Palmetto State Armory Dagger, which I have previously reviewed. Depending on features and sale pricing, or lack thereof, these reliable value priced pistols can be had for somewhere between $250 and $400. If it’s possible, then opt for one with an RMR footprint optic cut to give the recipient more options down the road. 

If the recipient already has a pistol and is looking for a “long gun” for home defense, then I’m going to once again suggest something from Palmetto State Armory. This time I’ll suggest an AR-15. It’s far from fancy, but it’s a solid entry level AR-15 rifle. One of their AK-47 rifles isn’t a bad choice either, but the AR-15 is, in my opinion, far more modular and standardized which, once again, provides the recipient with options down the road in terms of upgrades and customization. A PSA AR-15, or rather a PA-15 in PSA nomenclature, is going to start around $450 and tops out around $900. I’ll suggest sticking to one with a 16” barrel chambered for 5.56 NATO. There are many options to pick from in this price range with those parameters. 

Those of you between a PSA Dagger or a PA-15 would do well to look at the combos they offer. These combos one of each with a healthy discount coming in at an average price of $800. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest something in the scattergun variety for those who are looking to get into a defensive shotgun. I’ll leave y’all with two semi-automatic suggestions here. Both from Beretta USA. The first is the 1301 Tactical, which I’ve previously reviewed albeit a modified one. These are arguably the cream of the crop for defensive applications. As such, I don’t expect to see them for much less than $1,600 any time soon, even on sale. A more affordable alternative, while not exactly budget friendly either, is Beretta’s new A300 Ultima Patrol which can be found for around $900. The A300 isn’t quite as refined as the 1301, but it is still an extremely capable workhorse. If $900 is still not in the budget, then don’t overlook a good old fashioned pump action. The key features for this use case is about a 12 gauge shotgun with a 18”-19” barrel and a 7+1 capacity. 

For the budding hunter, consider a simple bolt rifle in 308 Winchester. This cartridge will work for mostly any medium or large game animal in North America. A Savage Arms 110 Apex Hunter is my pick for this category. It comes in just north of $500 and includes an entry level scope which makes this a turn key hunting rifle right out of the box. My experience with Savage Arms rifles has been superb and the company stands behind their product. It’s a fantastic value that is more than capable for that first harvest and filling the freezer for years to come. 

This section on guns is ending up being far longer than I had hoped. So I will close it out with two 22 LR suggestions that are perfect for recreational activities and introducing youngsters to shooting because of the virtually nonexistent recoil and comparatively less noise. These will also work for small game hunting which is perhaps the best way to introduce youngsters to hunting as well. The first 22 LR is the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite pistol, which I reviewed not too long ago. The other 22 LR is a long gun option also from Ruger, the 10/22 semi-automatic rifle. Both of these are relatively inexpensive firearms and are also very economical to shoot. I like to think of these as the “start here” options for new shooters, but make no mistake, these options can provide the avid enthusiast with a platform for serious high-level competition as well.

Optics

When I was initially writing this post, I started with a general “accessories” section. That section got long and organization quickly became problematic. During editing I decided to break it up in a few smaller more specific sections starting with this one. This process not only allowed for better organization, but it also allowed me to delete a bunch of unnecessary rambling. 

Optics are very much like guns when it comes to gifts – either the recipient knows exactly what they want or they are looking to dip their toes and get started. Given the similarity, I will take a similar approach and suggest solid value priced optics with application context in mind.

Starting with the defensive pistol (or shotgun), the most obvious choice for me is a Holosun – more specifically a Holosun 407K, 507K, 407C, or 507C. Some folks understandably take issue with the country of origin when it comes to Holosun optics. However, one simply can’t deny that they are affordable proven optics for defensive applications. The K series is the slimline optic series that works with most slimline pistols like the Glock 43/43X/48 and the Sig P365. The C series is the RMR footprint compatible optic that will work for pretty much every other optic ready pistol in the market (but may require an optic mounting adapter plate). I’ll refer folks to my reviews of the 507K and the 507C for more information on the optics, but these are my top picks for defensive pistol practitioners who are interested in getting started with pistol mounted optics. Consider spending a few extra dollars for the variants from Primary Arms that include their ACSS reticle which can be very helpful with the transition from iron sights to optics on pistols. The 507C (without the Primary Arms ACSS reticle) is a great option for defensive shotguns. The Holosuns will set one back about $250 to $350.

For pistol shooters who are less defensive minded, consider the Classic Series Reflex Sights from Primary Arms which come in at $150, roughly half the cost of the Holosuns I just suggested.

For the “long gun”, but not the shotgun, that is intended for home defense, the Holosun 403B or the Primary Arms MD-25, which I have reviewed, are a great place to start for rifle red dots. When on sale, both of these options come in just north of $100. When not on sale, these will run about $200. Frankly, the red dot just makes a lot more sense for home defense applications and is also functional for varmint eradication. It’s hard to go wrong with either of these two. If I had to pick one over the other, then I would go with the Primary Arms MD-25.

At the risk of making this section sound like a Holosun fan club, the 507COMP, which was introduced this year, is all the rage among competitive pistoleros. I don’t expect to see these fluctuate much in price during sales events anytime soon as they keep flying off the shelves. However, they come in right at $370 or so which might be in budget for someone with a competitive pistol shooter on their “nice list”. If that’s you and you find one in stock, then picking it up is the right call.

I’ll close out this section with LPVOs, or low-powered variable-optics. While these have fallen out of favor among those who only accessorize their rifles with what the cool kids are accessorizing their rifles with, they are still very functional general purpose optics. I like to think of these like the Swiss army knives or rifle optics. They aren’t exceptional at any one task, but they can help with a great many different tasks. My go to for this category continues to be the Vortex Strike Eagle. PSA seems to offer this year round, year after year, along with a cantilever mount for either $280, for the 1-6x variant, or $300, for the 1-8x variant, when using whatever the current promo code is that is always available on the product page. It’s one heck of a deal on an optic that might be a bit too heavy strictly for home defense, but a fantastic option for the recreational shooter or the rural resident who may have to make a long shot to protect their livestock from predators.

Let There Be Light

Weapon mounted lights are another accessory that a lot of defensive minded folks want to add to their defensive tools. Honestly, I think that those folks would be better served by having a daily carry handheld flashlight if they don’t have one already because weapon mounted lights are only beneficial in a limited set of niche citizen use cases. That said, they are cool and they aren’t entirely without merit. 

For the defensive pistol, there are really only two viable options thanks to holster compatibility in the market. These are going to be SureFire X300 and the Streamlight TLR-1. The former can be found for about $250 when on sale or $325 otherwise. The latter can be readily found for about $150. There are other options that will work for certain pistol and holster combinations, but the aforementioned are the safe bets that are suitable for defensive applications. It’s also worth noting that not all pistols will accept these two options so make sure to confirm mounting compatibility.

There are far more viable options for AR-15s, but I’m going to stick to the usual suspects which are also from SureFire and Streamlight. Namely the SureFire Scout Light Pro and the StreamLight ProTack Rail Mount HL-X. Prices on these are similar with the SureFire hovering around $300 and the Streamlight coming in at $150. The caveat here is that mounting is dependent on the rail system on the rifle. The two most commonly supported systems are Picattiny and M-LOK. Like pistols, confirm mounting compatibility before taking the plunge. 

Given the mounting compatibility complexities and the limited application, the handheld light option is arguably the better gift when it comes to illumination. The handheld option I will suggest is the Fenix Lighting PD35, which I have reviewed. It will come in at around $80. 

There Is Not Such Thing As Enough Ammo

Ammunition is the single largest consumable expense every single gun owner has unless they are strictly collectors. The trick to the gift of ammo is ensure that the recipient has a gun they actually shoot chambered for the cartridge gifted. Assuming the gift giver knows one or two cartridges that will work, then they only need to make a stop at their local big box sporting goods store and pick up one or more boxes of ammo. There are a lot of different ammo options for common calibers – different projectile weights, projectile types, and case materials. Don’t overthink  it, but stick to brass cased ammo. 

Here are the most common cartridges one will likely encounter:

• Pistols
  • 9mm Luger (also known as 9x19mm or 9mm Parabellum)
  • 45 ACP (also known as 45 Auto)
  • 22 Long Rifle (also known as 22 LR)
• Revolvers
  • 38 Special
  • 357 Magnum
  • 22 Long Rifle (also known as 22 LR)
• AR-15
  • 223 Remington (also known as 223 Rem)
  • 5.56 NATO (also known as 5.56×45)
  • 22 Long Rifle (also known as 22 LR)
• AK-47
  • 7.62×39 (also known as 7.62 Short)
• Bolt Action
  • 223 Remington (also known as 223 Rem)
  • 308 Winchester (also known as 308 Win)
  • 30-06 Springfield (also known 30-06)
  • 300 Winchester Magnum (also known as 300 WM)
  • 22 Long Rifle (also known as 22 LR)

More Ideas

Gun folks, for the most part, tend to be utilitarian in nature. As such, there is an opportunity to gift other utilitarian items. Some gift ideas make more sense than others depending on the activities one is involved in. Others are pretty universal, such as first aid. Some of these make great stocking stuffers. Here is a list of more ideas:

• CAT Tourniquet – A trauma medical item everyone should carry ($30)
• Pepper spray – I recommend POM ($13)
• Multi-tool – My current favorite is the Leatherman Surge ($150) 
• Electronic Hearing Protection – The Howard Leight Impact Sport muff is a great entry point into electronic hearing protection and what I suggest ($35-$70)
• Morakniv Companion – A hard-use fixed-blade value-priced knife for camp or hunting ($20)
• Wool socks – If you know, you know ($17)
• Knife Sharpener – My go to portable option is the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener ($35)
• Portable Charger – Dead mobile phone kinda sucks ($40)
• Gun Belt – The Nexbelt Titan EDC belt keeps the pants up and the gun in place ($50)

Gifts are Cool, But…

I hope this post provides some of y’all with some gift ideas for this holiday season for that gun nut in your life. Yeah, I get it. Gun nuts are hard to shop for. The thing is, and I’ve said this in previous gift guides, the reconnaissance is what matters. Without the reconnaissance, the gift is hit or miss. It’s a gamble. With the reconnaissance, the gift will hit the mark that will be remembered. While that right gift will be enjoyed, what will be most appreciated was the time that was taken in finding the right gift as the reconnaissance will likely be conducted via conversation where the gun nut in your life will have the opportunity to share their passion with somebody who is important in their life. It’s the interactions that matter the most. Honestly, even if the gift misses the mark, the interactions won’t. Gifts are cool, but relationships are cooler. 

Happy holidays!