Christmas is just around the corner and everyone is doing their last minute shopping. Maybe you have a gun owner in your life, but aren’t well versed in the community yourself and can’t decide what to buy. Or maybe you’ve been extra good this year and have earned yourself another present with your name on it. Either way, you need to find a quality gift. We’ve compiled our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide so you don’t have to slog through the crap pedaled by other places. For the thriftier among us, check out our paired Stocking Stuffer guide for gifts below $30!
Training
All the gear and guns in the world are virtually useless if you can’t effectively operate them. There are more trainers around right now than you can shake a stick at, and sifting through the quality and crap can be a daunting task. Luckily, you have us! We’ve taken more than our fair share of classes, and have several After Action Reports to help you see what’s right for you. Below are some of the trainers we recommend. Don’t see the one you’re considering? Check out our Discord to speak directly with the community to find your answer. If you’re carrying a gun, you should know how to properly use it, otherwise your next Christmas may be spent in a concrete cell!
- Haley Strategic D5 Handgun
- Shivworks ECQC
- Rangemaster Instructor Pistol Course
- Shooter Symposium
- Mid West Tactical
- First Person Safety Defensive Pistol Skills
- Citizens Defense Research Handgun Tests and Standards
Shot Timer
Drills that measure both your speed and accuracy are critical to your development as a shooter. While there are plenty of free apps out there that try to replicate shot timers, nothing beats the real thing. Our favorite is the Pocket Pro II. You can even use these to time how fast your family opens up their Christmas presents!
- Pocket Pro II Shot Timer for sale HERE
MantisX
Training classes, competition, and dry fire are all great ways to improve your skills as a shooter. The latter option is by far the most economical, but with how little feedback you receive, it’s easy to lose interest and become complacent. The MantisX series of dry fire trainers helps to not only keep you engaged, but provide you with more precise feedback with each repetition. Like a miniature coach attached to your gun, the MantisX provides data on your timing, alignment, and more, with multiple models being suited to specific tasks. Check out the MantisX series if you’re wanting to improve your dry practice.
Peltor TAC 500
Protecting your hearing is critical, especially around firearms. Tinnitus is no fun, and permanent hearing loss can be devastating. While stopping loud noise is important, being able to hear what’s going on around you is critical as well. Electronic hearing protection like the Peltor TAC 500 amplifies subtle noises such as voices while dampening the blast from firearms and more. Never again will you be shouting “WHAT?!?!” on the range. Spoiler alert: these will not filter out Christmas carols.
Optics
Romeo5
- Every good rifle needs a solid optic. Yes, you can do great work with iron sights, but a red dot or low power variable optic will take you further and provide a slew of benefits including ease of target identification, shooting from unconventional positions, and more. The SIG Sauer Romeo5 offers high quality at a low price.
Pistol Mounted Optics
- Much like with your rifle, your pistol shooting can be greatly improved with the addition of an optic. Nearly all of us here at Firearm Rack have joined the slide-mounted optic club, and membership is increasing daily. This allows for not only greater speed and precision when well-practiced, but also provides better situational awareness when aiming, as well as increased feedback under recoil. Not all MRDS are created equal, but we’ve put several models through the ringer to help you make the right decision for your situation.
Magpul Tejas Belt
You wouldn’t believe how much of a difference a good belt makes for concealment. Normal belts fold over or flop your gun out from the weight. This is not the case with the Magpul Tejas. Made of bullhide leather and an inner rubberized liner, the Tejas is both functional and fashionable. I have worn mine daily for over 3 years both at work and in training, and it still looks nearly as good as the day I bought it. I suggest buying two; one for your extra Christmas weight, and one for the rest of the year.
Good Holsters
Raven Concealment Perun
- Most shooting competitions, and some classes, require shooters to use outside the waistband holsters to participate. Like anything else, a good holster needs to be comfortable, accessible, and properly retain your firearm. Unfortunately quality usually equates higher cost, but the Raven Concealment Perun is the exception to that rule. Offering holsters for multiple handguns, with each being ambidextrous and adjustable for cant. Patrick and I have covered the Perun and in short, we’re fans.
- Raven Concealment Perun for sale HERE and reviewed HERE
Tenicor
- Tenicor hit it out of the park this year, releasing several new holsters. The Velo and Sagax Lux have been great EDC holsters for me, and have converted several shooters I trust into Tenicor owners as well. Offering comfort, excellent concealment, give Tenicor a look for your concealment needs. These low profile holsters help keep handsy coworkers from noticing your pistol at your next Christmas party.
Harry’s
- Wheelgunners rejoice! Just because your gun is outdated doesn’t mean that your holster needs to be too. The Harry’s Holsters Icon is one of the best options on the market for those looking to conceal a revolver. This was my EDC for nearly six months of this year, and the first time I truly was comfortable enough to forget my gun was there. Fitting a variety of guns, with multiple colors, while being completely ambidextrous, the Icon is one of many great products offered by Harry’s Holsters.
- Harry’s Holsters Icon reviewed HERE
Phlster
- Are you the person who is constantly swapping between different handguns? Buying and selling holsters adds up and can make upgrading your rig a pain. PHLster released their Floodlight earlier this year to help remedy this issue. The Floodlight allows shooters to effectively carry nearly every pistol on the market, so long as that pistol is attached to a Surefire X300 or TLR-1 weapon light. While the X300 is a girthy boy, I speak from experience saying that carrying it is legitimately possible and much more pleasant than most think.
Magazines
XTech Tactical
- Whether you’re an H&K fanboy, a Slavaboo, or just looking for good gear, you should be checking out XTech Tactical. XTech makes high quality magazine extensions for HK handguns, along with some of the best AK magazines on the market. Santa wants you to give the gift of good AK mags for Christmas.
Torkmag
- Do you find your inner fudd constantly battling your inner mall ninja? Wishing your 1911 struck as much fear into the hearts of anti-gunners as your scary black AR-15? Fret no more, Torkmag is here to take care of you. Announced earlier this year, the Magdapt 1911 allows shooters to feed their AR-15 with 1911 magazines. Offered in 10mm and 45ACP, with both 8” and 16” barrels, you can finally convert your two World Wars into two Gulf Wars. Torkmag is taking preorders now, and expects to ship shortly after the New Year, making this the perfect time to jump aboard. If only the boys in Vietnam had this kind of stopping power. Check out Torkmag’s standard AR-15 and Glock magazines for increased capacity without increased bulk.
- Torkmag Magdapt 1911 previewed HERE
- Torkmag 35 Round Magazine reviewed HERE
Guns
PCCs
- Pistol Caliber Carbines have been all the rage over the last few years. So much so that USPSA made an entirely new division of competition to accommodate their popularity. Being easier to shoot than a handgun, and less expensive to feed than a rifle, you can see the attraction. Everyone from Palmetto State Armory, to Ruger, to Heckler & Koch are jumping for a piece of the action, leaving us to reap the rewards. The pennies you pinch shooting pistol calibers are pennies to put toward Christmas gifts for that special someone in your life.
Brownells Retro guns
- Wanting a solid rifle but all of the modern blasters just don’t tickle your fancy? Brownells has you covered. Their Retro line of AR-10, AR-15, and AR-180 rifles mates the uber aesthetic designs of the past with the performance of today. Take a trip down memory lane, or be the coolest LARPer at your next training class.
Charity!
Donate to Firearm Rack’s Patreon to help keep us alive! Believe it or not, none of us are pulling a paycheck from writing for Firearm Rack. Our firearms, range time, ammunition, and more is almost entirely out of pocket except where noted, which adds up quickly. Simply maintaining the website, Youtube channel, our Discord server, and laying groundwork for future endeavors is more than enough work for a fulltime job, on top of our careers and personal lives. As little as a dollar a month helps to keep the lights on and relieves some of the stress involved with continuing to bring you quality, shill free, content. Spread a little Christmas joy from your family to ours.
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Support My Work
If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Writing isn’t my full-time profession, and nearly everything I do comes out of my own pocket. Between ammunition, tuition, range fees and more, expenses add up fast. If you like what I have to offer, consider making a donation to my Patreon.
Every bit helps bring more work like this to you, and contributes to shortened timelines or more in-depth work on my part. You’ll also have more direct access to me, offering suggestions for future projects, looking behind the scenes, and getting early access to some content. You can find my Patreon >>HERE<<
I can second the Magpul Tejas belt. It was my first (and still only) dedicated carry belt. It’s sturdy, strong, and well made.