This video shows you how to install Mag Extensions for the Glock 26, 27 and 33.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me. . . a shotgun package that rocks!  You can buy all the other gifts somewhere else, but the SM-1 only comes from us.  If you need a reliable shotgun package for patrol, home defense or competition, the SM-1 is for you.  We take your existing Remington 870, 1100 or 1187 and turn it into a fully customized shotgun with every accessory you need for $425.  Check out the video below.

This one is for you Captain H.  Maybe she’ll finish out that Gatling kit!

Ruger 10/22

If you don’t have a Ruger 10/22 you have missed more fun than should be allowed.  These rifles are the standard for 22 auto loaders.  They offer unbelievable options for full customization to make these guns anything your imagination can dream up.

These guns can provide all day shooting fun without much cost, and the best part is that you can buy one at  your local big box store for under $200.  If you want to get really crazy you can always get a Gatling Gun Kit from Tactical Innovations.

Why do you need this?  Because you can.  Merry Christmas Captain H, and congratulations again on becoming Sheriff.

One of the best things you could get is some training gift certificates.  Two schools that we have first hand knowledge of are the Tactical Shooting Academy in VA and Tactical Response in TN.  Both of these schools will help you shoot better while you are having fun.  If you have a choice between more guns and training, take the training!

One of the best accessories out there right now are the new lasers that are being offered for self-defense.  The most recognizable may be those from Crimson Trace, but other companies like Laser Max are also putting some great stuff out there.

Lasers give you another way to line up a shot in low light, they provide shooters with bifocals the chance to shoot without seeing fuzzy sights, and they also provide a sense of security and possibly a level of intimidation to any intruders.

Don’t misunderstand, these are not the cure all of your shooting woes.  They won’t help you squeeze the trigger or decide when to shoot.  But they can be very useful in assisting your shooting needs.

These units are definitely high on the cool factor, but they don’t come cheap.  Expect to pay $200 and up for most of the units.  If you are buying these, you either love yourself or someone else a whole lot.

Every shooter could use some new leather gear this winter.  Christmas is the perfect time to surprise them with a nice rig that will comfortably secure their weapon.  We actually just had this conversation in our shop the other day with a customer who we advised to go to Wild Bill’s.  Bill has been making great leather for a long time, and we have used many of his designs personally.  Right now I am wearing one of his belts.  I have one in each color and they have lasted 7 years.

Most of his holsters are around $60 which is not bad for a good leather holster.  Many of the holsters can be teamed up with a belt and mag carrier for a package deal.  If you don’t know what to get, simply find the model number for the gun you want to carry and call them.  They will set you up with everything you need.  If this is your first Bill’s holster, try the Classic Speed Scabbard.  It offers stability and solid concealment.

One thing that everyone needs to take seriously is their hearing protection.  Too many older shooters didn’t do a good job of this and countless rounds later they have hearing difficulty.  Let’s remember you only get one chance at this.

A product we like are the Pro Ears hearing protection line.  They offer many styles that allow you to shoot and still hear those around you.  The muffs come with an amplification system that cuts off whenever a shot is fired.  This means that you can hear instructions while the muffs are on and shoot without hurting your hearing.

Check them out at proears.com.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me. . . A range Bag!  If you shoot very much you need to find a suitable carrying system to get your gear to range and back.  Range bags allow you to carry ammo, mags, hearing protection and multiple handguns.  Some hard cased bags even allow you to mount a spotting scope.  You can find tons of great bags at Midway USA.  They have a wide variety of bags for any budget.  We have used bags from Allen and Brownell’s for years with complete satisfaction, but if you already have a suitable bag there are some things that you can put in them to make your range experience better.

We like to have a set of good gunsmith screwdrivers.  These differ from your Craftsman sets because they are not tapered.  If you use a tapered screwdriver you will round off the heads of your gun screws.  Brownell’s offers gun specific screwdrivers.

It is also a great idea to have a small cleaning kit with you.  We have mentioned those from Otis, but you can make your own for each specific gun with a little ingenuity.  Things like extra hearing and eye  protection need to be in the bag.

You should have a good supply of Sharpie pens for marking targets, and a staple gun for hanging targets.  Extra springs for your pistol and things of that nature are never a bad idea.  The final thing you should think about carrying is a dowel rod.  These can be used for removing a squib load from the barrel.  Buy one from Brownell’s or make your own.

Look at your needs and decide what will work for you.  If you will think ahead, you will enjoy your range time more, and have the ability to fix small problems as they arise.

When we think about outfitting a gun for our customers, we always ask them to consider a weapon mounted light.  These lights offer you the ability to identify threats, disorient an assailant, and in general they provide a comfort level to us when light is low.  Obviously they are not for everyone, and they don’t work in every situation, but our Glocks all have them.

From a L/E perspective they are great.  One of the hard things to do is to clear a room or building while holding a mag light or other hand held light.  Some argue that the weapon mounted light poses a risk of being an easy target, but considering any light gives away your position we are willing to take that risk.  We prefer having a good shooting grip on the pistol.  One thing to consider; the weapon mounted light should not be used as a traditional flashlight because you are obviously covering anyone you point it at.  Don’t deploy it unless the situation calls for your weapon to be drawn.  Carry another light or two.  You can never have too many.

We use the M3 light from Insight Tech-Gear.

These lights are a great value at less than $100, and they have more holster options available than any other light out there.  You can buy a kit that comes with an extra bulb, batteries, and a holster.  The holster allows you to clip the light to your belt for rapid deployment or for using as a simple flashlight.  For those of you who have CCW’s this is perfect for situations that have low light.  If you need the light you can quickly install it on the gun.

There are a lot of other lights out there from many great companies, but for the price this is hard to beat.  If you are wondering what to get your shooter, this is a great gift that they are sure to appreciate.

So if you get a little bored and lonely after the holiday cheer has passed and it’s too cold to go outside and shoot, why not try to build a gun from Legos?  That’s right I said it, LEGOS.  I am sure that like me you have played with them when you were a kid, but now you can build model guns like this:

Yes it’s true.  You don’t have to spend $30,000 to own a MP-5.  Just go to Brickgun and buy a kit.  While these kits are ridiculously high, I guess it is more tacticool than doing a puzzle of a winter scene.