By Chris “Ranger” Gay
Christmas time is here, and we cannot think of a better gift for our loved ones than spreading 2nd Amendment cheer.
No matter what you will be celebrating this holiday season, a firearm or firearm accessory is always a gift of love.
Think about all the gifts you have given your loved ones in the past: ties, socks, appliances, electronics, etc. none of those items will provide the safety and security for their family. They may provide some entertainment, but that is different from going to the range with friends and having a little friendly competition.
And of course, we all know the signs that the gift was not what they really wanted. That does not happen when you give them a firearm or its accessories. So, as we approach Christmas, your friends at 2nd Amendment Armory have put together this little holiday buying guide to help you out.
Pistols
Small or large, great for target practice and personal defense. They come in a variety of sizes and calibers. The 9mm caliber is the most popular and provides excellent stopping power as well as ammo prices that are very affordable and readily available.
Rifles
Again, lots of options here, good for hunting and target shooting. Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) are your AR or AK variations and are extremely modular so the recipient can customize them however they want. They come in two sizes, AR-15 (smaller calibers 5.56mm / .223, etc.) and AR-10 (larger calibers 7.62x51mm / .308 etc.) and are extremely fun to shoot and customize.
Then you have your bolt action and semi-automatics. These usually come with a wood stock, or the more modern ones have synthetic stocks making them much lighter for that long walk through the woods. Excellent for long range shooting and hunting.
Shotguns
Numerous options including tactical, pump action, over/under, or semi-auto. For those that enjoy bird hunting or sporting clays, we recommend a long-barreled shotgun. The semi-automatics are easy to use and great when hunting, but the over/under is best for those doing clay competitions as most of the time there is a 2-round limit per round. Pump actions will work, but you may lose the shot by the time you load the next shell.
Tactical shotguns have a myriad of uses, but most popular is home defense. Shotguns are great for home defense because they require less aim and better safety in the home. If loaded with the correct shells, the rounds will not go through every wall in your house.
Accessories
Depending on who you are buying for, there is no limit to the accessories they may want or need. Optics, night sights, holsters, range bags, magazines, cleaning kits, range gear such as eye protection and ear protection, speed loaders, non-lethal defense sprays or tasers, custom parts for firearms, targets and purses are just some of the options you can go with.
Training
By offering your loved ones a class on safe gun handling, advanced shooting techniques, or a concealed carry class you are showing them that you really care about them and their safety.
Ammunition
I saved this for last because this one is the easiest. All you need to know is what caliber they need, and they will love this gift. With ammo prices being what they are, everybody that shoots will love the gift of ammo!