Holiday Gift Ideas for S&B Customers

Shopping for a firearms enthusiast can be a bit challenging with the holidays fast approaching. From the vast array of options to the picky taste of a potential owner at times, here are some fantastic options that will be a hit, whether they appear in a stocking or a wrapped gift.

Let’s start if you have no idea what the person receiving the gift owns. Gift cards are an obvious option, but it often seems like minimal effort was put into thinking of the individual. With that in mind, ammunition is always an easy win. You can never go wrong here because it’s a highly valued and consumable commodity. Typically, 9mm range ammunition (ball ammunition) is an easy win. Think twice about purchasing hollow points (also known as defensive or carry ammunition), as commonly called, people carrying firearms have a specific brand and type of hollow point they prefer. If the intended gift receiver is a hunter, typical hunting rifle calibers such as .308, 30-06 (pronounced thirty-aught-six), or 6.5 Creedmoor are also viable. .223/5.56 firearms are also quite common and an easy choice. Again, stick with range/ball ammunition in all of these cases.

Now, let’s explore your options if you know what firearm(s) are in the mix. Extra magazines are always an easy choice. They are also disposable items that last a long time, so people often won’t replace them alone. Having a new set of magazines show up as a present is always a welcome and thoughtful win. This is especially true for pistols, less so with an AR15. If a person owns both a handgun and an AR15 style of firearm, lean more towards the pistol magazines and potentially 1-2 AR15 magazines. The staff at Stock & Barrel can easily guide you to the appropriate options as long as you have either a picture or model of the firearm(s).

Safety is one of the most significant concerns when it comes to firearms, and that extends beyond even the handling of the firearm. The cost of advanced electronic hearing protection has jumped dramatically, meaning consumers can purchase high-quality hearing protection at a low price. If you know that the enthusiast has been using standard ear muffs or foam earplugs, a set of electronic noise-canceling hearing protection is another easy win. The advantage of this choice is that someone under 18 can legally gift it, so if you’re trying to help a child, gifting something for an adult who enjoys shooting electronic hearing protection is a perfect choice. Next up would be something like an electronic safe for a handgun. If you know that the intended recipient keeps a handgun close to them at night, such as in the nightstand drawer, keeping it more secure is always a solid choice. Electronic safes can be hand either with a keypad in the shape of four fingers, or with a biometric fingerprint sensor to unlock them. The keypad, as opposed to the biometric option, is preferable, as biometric sensors can be inconsistent compared to pressing a simple set of keys in a stressful situation.

Along the same lines as safety, and likely the best option out there is training. Stock & Barrel has a solid training staff across a wide variety of platforms to suit the needs of any level of shooter. In particular, for someone newer to firearms, consider the Permit to Carry Concealed Class. This will enable someone to carry concealed legally through the majority of the country (30 states as of December 2024) and give them the knowledge they need to make wise choices when employing a firearm in self-defense or defense of another. For the more experienced shooter, consider the Close Quarters Shooting 1 class. This will provide a basis for understanding how to employ a handgun from roughly 12” away, which statistically is a typical distance in self-defense engagements. This type of instruction is vital to someone already carrying a handgun concealed often or even daily.

Next up are optics, whether they be a scope or a red dot. Few modern firearms can not accept some form of optical sight, so these are also easy solutions. The challenge is knowing which sight is appropriate for the recipient. This is where having some information on the intended firearms becomes vital to making the right choice. Even better, if you can get the firearm over to Stock & Barrel before having the sight mounted, that adds an extra touch of consistency and surprise, avoiding the hassle and having it professionally installed. Optics can also range widely in price, so consulting the staff at Stock & Barrel will help guide you. Red dots on a pistol or rifle are expected to cost hundreds of dollars, with rifle scopes when they’re fully set up with a mount in the thousands of dollars.

Firearms are typically the last option for a few reasons. Chief among them is the return policy on most firearms. Nationwide, it is common that if you need to return a firearm after purchase, especially if it’s been fired, you will be subject to what is known as pawn pricing. This means you’ll receive a significantly diminished value for your return (20% of its purchase value is often seen). To prevent you from potentially losing a painful amount of value on a return, it’s best to know exactly what that person wants to receive if you purchase a firearm for someone. If you are unsure of the specific model but have been given details, work closely with the Stock & Barrel staff to make the best choice that is currently available.

The holiday season can be a stressful time when it comes to making educated choices in gift-giving. One of the best things you can do is gather information before purchasing firearms-related gifts. Using these guidelines and the knowledgeable assistance of the staff at Stock & Barrel means you’ll make the best choice to be met with smiles and hugs when the recipient opens their gift. Happy Holidays!