Gift Guide For Shooters

I saw a great meme the other day: It said, "Quit saying I'm hard to buy for – you know where the gun store is!". Made me laugh and also made me realize that gift-giving season is almost upon us. If you've got a shooter or two on your list, here are some ideas from stocking stuffer to splurge.

SSP Eyewear

SSP Eyewear is known for great shooting glasses, and their newest offering is the Methow Kit with six different interchangeable lenses plus the ability to accept an adapter for prescription lenses. A clear, adjustable floating nose piece prevents blind spots and fits almost any nose shape. The lenses are designed to enhance any shooting situation: clear for low light or rain, bronze for brightening those orange clays and reducing eye fatigue, yellow for increasing visibility of orange targets in low light or overcast conditions, purple for bright sun or snow glare, orange for medium to low light, and pink to enhance targets against a green background.

The Methow Kit runs around $130, but SSP has a lot of other great options. Check them out at http://www.sspeyewear.com.

Alien Gear Holsters, Mat

I can't do a gift guide without including Alien Gear Holsters – I love their stuff. The one that really caught my eye recently is the new ShapeShift Backpack Holster. I've seen a lot of harnesses and things like that so that you can strap a holster to your chest for use with a backpack, but the Alien Gear holster has a tactical clamp that fastens securely to your backpack strap to hold the holster in place.

It's ribbed so it stays wherever you put it. Because the holster shells are custom made for each model gun, you don't have to worry at all about your weapon's sliding out of this holster unless you want it to. It's just under $50 and perfect for any backpacker or hunter. Find this and lot of other fantastic holsters at http://www.aliengearholsters.com.

One thing every shooter needs is a gun cleaning mat, and Alien Gear has one of those, too – and it's less than $15. Theirs is lightweight, flexible, won't crease, and stays put. The top is neoprene so it won't mar your weapon. The perfect gift for under $20. http://www.aliengearholsters.com.

Effective Range Targets

Effective Range Targets are the ideal gift for any hunter. Here's how they work: Set the target at 100 yards. Fire five rounds from a hunting position. Now you can determine your effective range up to 600 yards based on which vital ring all five shots have impacted.

The targets are available for over 20 game animals and they provide practical and ethical information you can use in the field. As you look at the photo of the targets, notice the various rings with different diameters. If all five of your shots land within the first ring, you'll be accurate all the way out to 600 yards.

If you land them all inside that last ring (the fine lines, not the big bold outside), you're good out to 200 yards. The targets come in packs of five for $10 - $20 depending on species. Go to http://www.effectiverangetargets.com (use promo code WHE2019 for 40 percent off!).

Fix It Sticks

If your shooter is also a tinkerer, the Fix It Sticks new All-In-One Miniature Torque Driver is the perfect gift. It's available individually or in a kit, and provides six torque values most commonly used by expert and professional shooters, all in one compact driver. There are no settings to hassle with – just install any ¼-inch bit or socket and tighten until the proper torque is achieved.

Just watch the settings on the side, or go between the settings for custom torques. The kit comes with their T-handle wrench, a ½-inch socket, and fifteen ¼-inch hex bits commonly used for scope mounts, action screws and other firearm accessories. The driver alone is $60, and the kit is $112. Check them out at Fix It Sticks.

Scentlok Jackets

It gets cold outside during hunting season, especially if you are sitting in a blind or out on a hillside glassing. A good jacket is essential, and Scentlok has jackets in a variety of camo patterns, weights, and styles. They not only protect you from the elements, but also they have Carbon Alloy technology for maximum odor absorption – crucial for bowhunters or any time the wind keeps shifting.

The brushed tricot outer and fleece upper liner makes for a silent stalk and zip pockets keep your gear secure. You have to check out their complete line of hunters' clothing at http://www.scentlok.com. They had a Vapour waterproof midweight jacket in Realtree Edge for under $90 when I logged in.

Glock E-Trainer

Anyone with a CCW knows that training is essential – and not just now and then. Ideally, you should be able to train every day. That's where dry fire comes in. This is simply pulling the trigger on an empty gun. One of the reasons that dry fire drills are effective is that you can practice shooting in a variety of positions, fire while moving, practice drawing and firing, and even do things like practice firing from inside your vehicle, all safely and at home.

The problem is that every time you pull that trigger on a semi-auto, you have to rack the slide to reset it. If you have a shooter who loves Glocks, fix that problem for her with a Glock E-Trainer from ww.ConcealedCarry.com.

For under $25, this little device simply installs on the back of the slide and lets you repeatedly press the trigger without having to rack the slide. Perfect!

Guide Rod Weapon Light

One of the coolest gifts I've seen by far is the Guide Rod Weapon Light by DeadPoint. These little LED lights fit inside the pistol where the guide rod goes – right under the muzzle. Installation is a DIY job, and the lights are plenty bright with replaceable batteries. They are designed for a variety of Glock pistols and are around $150 each. Go to http://www.deadpointlights.com to see the models they'll fit, watch an installation video, and shop.

Stocking Stuffers

If you're looking for stocking stuffers, pick up a couple boxes of ammo, a gift card, a bottle of Hoppes gun solvent, gun oil, or even a small gun tool kit to go in the range bag. Buy an hour at the indoor range for $15, or splurge and get a membership. Targets are always needed, too, and they don't cost much.

Head over to Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabelas, or Bass Pro and just wander around in the shooting section and you're sure to find a lot of great ideas. For instance, you can get a nice ammo storage can for under ten bucks. Happy Holidays!