If your father is a gun guy, you know how hard it can be to find gifts for him. You may well also be tired of getting ties and golf tees on Father’s Day, though at least that last one is handy for rimfires. Well, not to fear. I am here once again with an all budget guide to easily leave laying around with red circles drawn on it, or forwarded directly if subtlety is not your strong suit.
SB Tactical Brace
When it comes to “AR Pistols” or PCC’s of all varieties, often the weakest link is the brace. Fortunately, the original hotshots over at SB Tactical have it covered. The industry leader in braces of all varieties and weapons platforms, you can find anything you need here. Getting Dad a brace can cover a multitude of goals. If his factory pistol came with some lame barely get the job done brace, this is an absolutely outstanding upgrade. And if he doesn’t have a pistol yet, getting him this starting part is a great way to get the ball rolling. For an AR style gun, the Hex Mini Kit is minimalist but awesome and will set you back about $109. The coolest model they make is the SBPDW, which comes in at $299.
Magazines
With the state of the world right now, you absolutely cannot have too many magazines. This is an excellent choice even if your dad already has everything under the sun. Anytime a gun comes in for review, I check with my boys over at Gun Mag Warehouse to see if any cool aftermarket options exist for it. This has lead me to some excellent finds. I have in house right now some 19 round Glock 43X magazines from ETS, and a 30 round drum for a P365 from ProMag. If you want to go a little less extreme, I am also currently recommending SUREFEED brand AR-15 magazines. Aluminum GI style magazines like God intended, with a cerakote coloring to give them a little bit of style. Whatever heat your father is packing, Gun Mag Warehouse has something to keep it fed.
Optics
This one can get pricey, so I am coming to the party with 2 options. First up is the original gangster, the EOTECH 512. Quite possibly the most iconic optic of the GWOT, this holographic sight is still an excellent choice today. It feeds off 2x AA batteries and has been proven the world over as coffin nail tough. Remember those displays with a bullet hole through the glass but the sight still working? That was EOTECH. This bad boy will set you back about $500, but you only have to buy it once.
On the no trust fund end of the spectrum, we do have another contender. Our full review of the Primary Arms SLx MD-25 should be up soon, but I’ll say now that I recommend it. This is a fantastic micro red dot option, with features aplenty. The 2 MOA dot is excellent for rifle work and has a battery life on par with industry leaders. At a price of $169, this is hard to beat.
NAV 22
Let’s say you need to step your game up to recover from the dollar store BBQ tools you picked up on the way over last year. Dad would never call you on it, but all know it was weak sauce. And if you have siblings, I’m sure they haven’t let you live it down. In that case, you need to bring the rain, in the form of the coolest rimfire suppressor of the year. From our friends over at Odin Works, the all new NAV 22.
The NAV 22 pretty much speaks for itself as the cool factor goes. The modular design lets you change the length and baffles depending on the needs of your gun, and it is rated for all rimfire rounds as well as 17 Hornet.
Now an NFA item is a bit tricky to give as a gift, I know. But, Odin Works has gift cards. Slap a gift card for $379 and a picture of the NAV 22 in an envelope, problem solved. Not only does this prevent Dad from taking the cash and using it to buy Mom’s birthday present, but it is usable for anything at Odin if he decides not to take the suppressor plunge. Bonus points if you happen to be on the same NFA trust as the old man, and he’s ever bought your Mom a bowling ball for Christmas.
Ammo
Once again, I think this speaks for itself. If you can find some ammo on the shelf, you are never gonna go wrong here. With the state of the world, bullets are about the best investment around for good measure. At this point, Wolf steel case would still be appreciated, but try and find some Hornady to class it up. I’m a huge fan of the American Gunner line if volume is the name of the game. If Dad is happier on the bench than he is at a run and gun course, Hornady Match is the way to go.
Holster
In almost every gift idea thing I read, a Cross Breed Holster is on the list. Because I have been carrying one for over 10 years, and this is a Gospel that must be spread. You are not going to find a more comfortable everyday carry holster, and if Dad doesn’t have one, this will change his life. Whatever gun he has, odds are excellent that Cross Breed has a solution. And even if he has one of the other models, new holsters have been developed over the last few years that are revolutionary. For small guns like the P365 and Hellcat, I like either the Reckoning or Appendix AIWB. If he carries a larger gun, the SuperTuck is still the King.
Now, what if none of that strikes your fancy? What if Dad has some crazy job, like being a gun writer, and he has everything? Well, there is one last option. Any competition shooter will tell you, nothing changes the feel of your AR like a compensator. And a really good compensator can also mitigate flash, unlike the muzzle brakes of old. All the cool kids swear by the Surefire WarComp right now, but I wouldn’t know because I don’t have one. But still, enough solid shooters I know recommend to get me to put it on this list. You may have noticed all the other pictures were taken by me, except this one. Here is a link, directly to the WarComp in the cart at Brownells. The 22 caliber one, not the 30. And that friends, is how you drop hints.
OK, Clay
Spill the beans about the golf tee and rimfires, dammit.