I spend a lot of time on the range as a competitive shooter and instructor. I’m going to share my Christmas list with NRA Women readers. I have used and tested these products … and want more of them! All of these items are useful for the firearm owner and shooting sports enthusiast in your life. While I do work with some of these brands, my affinity for these items comes from their functionality. I love all of them enough to purchase myself.
ANSI Rated WileyX Sunglasses
I use sunglasses almost daily. From endless driving to scouting stages and training on the range, they are always necessary. However, the one thing I will never do is wear sunglasses that are not ANSI rated while I shoot. It might seem like a small thing, but if you use firearms a lot, you are eventually going to experience something that makes you thankful you were wearing a good pair of eye pro! The styles that WileyX offers make it simple to always protect your eyes from stray casings and UV rays. You’ll also never have to search for a pair of eye pro again. You can step out of your car and onto the range completely covered. It’s also great for spectating at the range without compromising your safety.
Even kids and finicky teenagers feel that they’re cool enough to wear all the time. I initially wore a pair for a show I was filming, and fell in love with them. I bought my own before I even began a relationship with the brand. My favorite pair is the Weekender. They are polarized, cute and ANSI rated.
BOG DeathGrip Tripod
This is something you didn’t know you needed for reloading work. The tripod is for working on installing scopes and chronographing ammunition. I use the Deathgrip Tripod to hold rifles while I boresight them, and to establish a repeatable height and distance from the chronograph. When testing multiple rifles and loads, this is perfect because I can just leave it in place and swap rifles in and out. It makes testing and sightin-in four to five rifles go a lot faster! The tripod is also useful if you are sitting in a ground blind. I’m sure that’s the initial intent, but it also excels as a tool for working with rifles in load development. This has been a favorite tool of mine for the last few years. I’ve also used this to hold phones, cameras and other items I need held at a certain height.
Lockdown Puck and Logic Plug
Millions of people have purchased their first firearm in the last two years, and there’s obviously a demand for firearms storage options. One item that I think is useful is Lockdown’s Puck. You can monitor an existing safe or a locked closet or cabinet (say your liquor cabinet or a room where your safe and ammunition are kept). You can even monitor the humidity and temperature of your safe with the puck. If you are one of the fortunate people who has a vacation home, or travel frequently, the ability to receive alerts from the Puck can be very useful! Add in the Logic Plug from Lockdown, and you can control items plugged into it from the app, like your dehumidifier, lights, etc. The plug is also compatible with Alexa and Google assistant. For new gun owners, this is a simple step toward making your safe or any locked space into a “smart” space. For those with small children or aging parents, these are two simple items to help monitor what’s happening with more than just firearms.
They make another item I’ve grown fond of—the Lockdown 75 LED vault light. It’s a medium-sized light bar intended for your safe, which comes with screws to mount it, or built-in magnets to secure it. I use this a lot inside my car in the winter as the back area is not well lit and this is an inexpensive alternative to running an additional light in my vehicle!
Caldwell Max Grip Sling
Finally, a hunting sling that stays put! I’ve hauled a rifle around the woods since I was 12. Usually, the rifle I built with my dad, using the same braided leather sling. It was nostalgic. It was pretty. It didn’t work very well. The length wasn’t all that adjustable and it would slide down my shoulder and onto my arm, as well as start to slide backward, resulting in the muzzle pointing further and further behind me instead of straight up. This meant that I had to re-adjust every minute or two. I initially thought that Caldwell Shooting Supplies’ Max Grip Sling looked odd and too wide for my shoulder. As it turns out, this is my favorite sling! It does not slide down, and my rifle stays pointed upward. The width is actually comfortable when walking into the stand. The best bonus was when a huge buck walked out and my rifle was resting on the sling on the bar of the elevated stand in front of me. I simply left the rifle on the sling, shouldered it, and was able to quietly and steadily track until he paused. I fired a great shot and that is what sold me on it. I want another one for my other rifles!
Viktos Bersherken Jacket
My husband and son have this jacket through a brand relationship. I borrowed it a couple weeks ago and quickly bought my own. We live in Wisconsin and I’ve worn this in temps below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, with a lot of wind, and absolutely love it. The Bersherken jacket‘s sherpa fleece lining is so nice and it extends to inside the pockets! There are also pockets up high on the chest, perfect for hunters as they are out of the way of holsters and slings. This jacket is also truly wind-proof. It’s well-made and a great value. They even have two camo-sleeve versions available. Viktos is a family-run business in my home state, and their commitment to law enforcement and military is something to respect.
This is nowhere near everything I love, but all of these products been extremely useful and I want to share their functionality with others. However, consider that you don’t actually have to spend money to give a gift that impresses your loved ones. You could simply spend time with them and share your passion for firearms by learning together, teaching each other and giving the gift of knowledge.
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