A Very Carry Christmas – The Best Time of the Year

Here we are once again, rushing to finish up our all important Christmas shopping. And since Santa doesn’t seem to have an FFL, some of the goodies are gonna have to come from you. It has been a great year for all of us in terms of concealed carry new hotness, so that is how I chose to orient my shopping list this time around. If somebody besides Saint Nick comes down your chimney, these are the tools you want.

Crossbreed Micro Reckoning Holster

The newest development from Crossbreed, which is my go-to concealed holster option. While I initially reviewed the holster for a full size 1911, it really shines for the smaller guns. Secure, comfortable, and I dare say even stylish, this holster has it all. It is available for all the major CCW guns, and absolutely will not disappoint. It also has some new add on features, such as an integrated spare magazine holder, if you really need to go for it. I recommend the “ founder’s series” as your leather option, for that extra oomph.

P320 X Compact

Now, this is obviously a bigger ticket item, but someone on your list may have been extra nice this year. Offset by giving the kids a stocking full of coal, especially if they are teenagers. I have never been shy about my love affair with the P320 X series, and I fall into the “ collect them all” mindset with this family of weapons. The new X compact builds off the success of the X Carry, which was a hybrid size of gun. ( Full size grip, 3.9 inch barrel.) The new X Compact is, for lack of a better description, Glock 19 size. But with all the goodness of  the Sig X family, like that fantastic trigger and tritium sights out of the box. Available on Guns America for $699.

As a bonus round, if you already own the X Carry, the X compact is available as just a grip module. There is a .3 inch difference in barrel length between the Carry and Compact, but it is pretty close. Considering the grip module is only $60, this is a pretty sweet way to mix it up.

First Spear Line One belt

Back down to the “no trust fund” level of gifting, is one of my all-time favorites. The First Spear Line One Belt. Now at first glance, this might not seem like the ideal gun belt. But trust me, I have been using one for years. While it is thinner than a traditional gun belt, it still has plenty of rigidity for holding up that X Compact you bought 5 seconds ago. Urethane covered nylon might sound like fancy words for plastic, but it 100% passes the real-world test. It will never warp, crack, rot, or fail. I have had one since 2011, and it is still my favorite everyday belt. While I hate to give any credit to SEALs, for any reason, this SEAL founded company delivers in spades.

Brownell’s Glock Slide

This is one of the single greatest parts we have seen for the year. Brownell’s has always made excellent house brand parts, and are my preferred AR magazine supplier. This year, they really hit it out of the park with slides and barrels.

For roughly the same price as having your Gen 3 Slide machined for an RMR, Brownell’s now offers a complete replacement slide. And at an amazing price of $189.99 at the moment. While aftermarket Glock slides have been available for some time, the barrier to entry has always been price. I’ve seen them as high as $900, and normal is about $500. For that cost, I’d just buy a new gun. And while I have recently seen slides cheaper than $189, they aren’t something I would feel comfortable trusting. Brownell’s not only has the reputation, but they also have a no BS customer service and warranty department.

Whether you need a slide to complete a Polymer 80 build or convert a 40/375 SIG Glock to 9mm, this is a great option.

Rat Training Package

We have to have at least one reach for the stars item on the Christmas list, and so here we go. This one definitely falls into the Powerball Christmas, because it is a knife that costs almost as much as the gun mentioned above.

If you have followed me here on Guns America for any length of time, you know I consider a stabby thing part of a balanced CCW load out. And while you can certainly get by with cheaper options I have listed in past years, this one is….. exceptional.

Why? Simple craftsmanship for one. The owner over at Headhunter Blades is a lifetime disciple of the knife. In his words, “ The universal problem with today’s knives is that they are designed and built by people who don’t use knives for anything but to cut strings and open boxes.  We need knives designed by guys who are experts in their use.  No frills, no sheaths the size of boat paddles – just 100% effective form and function.”

And I would tend to believe it in this case. While a lot of the knife world is a Walter Mitty fantasy, there are some legit instructors. Harley Elmore and his blades come to me highly recommended by some of my boys still in Special Forces, and that is a hard thing to ignore. If you are in the market for a no-nonsense edged weapon, this one is worth a look.

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