The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Gun Enthusiasts: Unveiling Essential Equipment and Practical Ideas for Concealed Carry and Self-Defense Training

Hi, welcome to the Arm Guardian Podcast, season one, episode eight. Today, david and I will be discussing holiday gift ideas for your concealed carrier or arms citizen in your family. So sit back and enjoy as we discuss and give you some ideas for that special someone in your life. Hey, David, how you doing, sir?

Doing pretty good, mr Braun, how are you doing?

I'm doing good, I'm doing good. Have you started your holiday shopping yet I?

haven't yet, but I will be very, very shortly here.

Yeah, I know some people are great at it. They plan it all year long. They start looking for the gifts from clearance after the current holiday season they start buying for the next year. But yeah, I'm in the same boat. I haven't started mine yet and it looks like it's going to be something I'm going to be doing quite periodically. I know from today's date, while we're recording this, we've got five Fridays left before Christmas. Yep, it's coming up. It's coming up quick. So today we're going to talk about some holiday gift options. We're going to discuss several different things and I'll just go briefly discuss or kind of list what we're going to talk about and then we'll go into a little bit of detail on each one. There's some things that you can consider for your loved ones that are gun enthusiasts. You've got holster options, you've got optics, lights, dry fire or training options, targets and shooting supplies, apparel, and then we'll end it up by talking about storage. These are just going to be a quick episode, just to kind of give you an idea. Got someone that's into firearms and maybe you're not. You want to surprise them, show them that you're interested in what they love and give you some ideas of something to consider for that loved one. So, david, you want to mention that you wanted to talk about the holster, so you want to leave this off on a holster discussion.

Yes. So just a general overview of holsters. You have your outside the waistband holsters which basically you can wear on your hip, but some people like to wear a more towards their back hip portion. For the outside the waistband, those are most open carry holsters. Although you can conceal them with a shirt or something like that, If you do raise your arms they will be no longer concealed. Then you have your inside the waistband holsters gives you a little more concealment. Also, they're a little bit, but, with that being said, they can be a little more uncomfortable depending on what kind you have.

In all reality.

I don't think I've ever found one. That's been extremely comfortable. So those are your main two far's waistband carry. Then you have shoulder carry under the shoulder. Think the old police movies from the 20s with the detectives or the untouchables, movies like that. Dirty, dirty they used shoulder holsters. Also, you have ankle holsters and bag holsters, whether it be fanny packs versus. I'm not going on, right, I'm just giving you some ideas. I'm going to give you some explanations. When we're thinking about holsters and, mr Brian, if you want to chime in at any time on this, feel free to do so but kind of gun the person's carry. If you're getting a gift and you want to get them a holster, you need to know what kind of gun they have, right? If they have a revolver and you buy them a semi-auto, a holster is probably not going to fit. Yeah, it's not going to look good, know what kind of gun they have. Also, what kind of accessories. Nowadays everybody's putting accessories on their firearms, whether it be gun lights, lasers, optics, holographic sights. We'll talk about that in a few minutes here. So thinking about those things, because if they have a lot, then the holster is going to be different than if they don't have a lot. Same with optics. So anything you'd add to that, mr Brian.

Yeah, we've already previously done a holster episode Just to kind of talk about this. With the considerations you want to think of what the person enjoys. Are they a leather person? Are they a kydex person? They make outside the waistbands and all kydex Are. They make them in all leather. Know what your person, that you're getting your gift for, what they like? Do they prefer leather, do they prefer kydex or a hybrid combination of them? So just something else to think about. And then the security level of it. Do you want it where it's level, zero, tension held, or do you want some sort of type of a securement, whether it be a snap, just a twist release or something like that? So those are some other considerations for the holsters to think of whenever you're looking for a gift from somebody. So do you got anything else on the holsters Like? This is probably gonna be a quick, just overview episode because we're not gonna go into detail, but we're just giving you guys some options, some ideas to spark your interest and to get you thinking for your loved ones and their toys.

Yeah, we can talk about, and I guess now we can talk about optics. Just general overview on optics, and I'm not gonna cover everything, just some of the main ones that people use today for self-defense honey stuff like that, at least the different types. You have your red dot optics that just have a little red dot in the tube and the reticle. Most of the time they're not magnified, although you can get magnifiers to go with them. That's a topic for another time.

You've also got open and closed emitters on your red dots, especially for your pistols. What those are? The open emitters or the little just got the glass and it's in case the dirt, the downfall with those is dirt and water and stuff can affect the red dot. But if you get an enclosed red dot it keeps everything sealed and you know it, rain, dirt, stuff doesn't block out that red dot. That's on that optic. So that's something you need to consider as well and that goes back to considering with your holes. So that's all I had on red dot there.

Yeah, and then you have your holographic, which are pretty much very similar to red dots, and then you have your laser sights and then you have your scopes, such as you know your magnification. Your scopes are actually magnified. There's all kinds of different magnification. You can get them with fixed magnification, such as they may be magnified three times or five times or on up, but the majority of the ones we use today are variable magnification. They go to different variances of magnification power. You get them pretty big and pretty expensive to relatively small. The popular one, it seems, with concealed carriers and earth, with, yeah, concealed carriers, home defense top situations would be the LVPOs. They go from a one magnification up to the spins. Some go to four magnification, eight magnification, six magnification, something along those lines. Some of them they go higher, but as a general rule those are probably the more popular. So that's just a little bit on optics.

Well, and something else on scopes that you know if you're looking for your hunter enthusiast, you know they've got the whole scopes where the reticle inside is either plain as a black reticle that pops up on there, or it could be a lighted reticle, or either you have some of the scopes that have the night vision attachment or a camera actual camera, where you can take pictures of the what's being viewed through the scope. So those are some others. Those are a little bit on the higher end, but the lighted reticle inside the scope, those are pretty neat, especially if you're shooting in a maybe not a dark time, a dark situation, but you know a low light. You're out in the gear, stand early in the morning or late at night as sun setting and arising and it's kind of hard to see that overlaid black cross hairs and stuff on the reticle in those situations. So having that lighted reticle helps out quite a bit in those situations.

Yes, absolutely, and once again, this is not a, this is a general view on scope. But that's to give you an idea as you're looking, and I think the biggest thing is you know knowing what the person you're looking to buy a gift for is interested in, and then you know making the making decision on that accordingly. Mr Bride, is there anything that you would like to talk about on lights?

We talk about lasers and optics, but lights- yeah, you know you always have a, always can carry a good light with you, and I actually would recommend carrying a small everyday carry light. We briefly discussed these in an overview episode when we were talking about some options that we're going to be discussing throughout some of our episodes down the road. But just a small palm-sized flashlight that has an end switch works real good for concealed carry Bride enough. All you need is about 60 lumens is bright enough to do defensively. You can get them for their 300, 600, 1200 lumens as that goes to the brightness, but most of your concealed everyday carry flashlights would be 60 to 120 lumens. So that's something that you can get the brighter things, but they're not necessarily. You know you don't necessarily have to have them, but just having the different considerations. Also, you're looking for lights. A lot of them for concealed carry will have different light strengths. They'll have a high, low, medium. Some of them will have strobe Just different features that each of the lights have. Is it a rechargeable light? Does it have a replaceable battery? Is it a AAAAA or lithium battery different brands out there? If you're looking for a weapon mounted light for your rifle or even for your handgun, are you looking how? What type of light are you looking for? Does it fit your gun? What type of activation system are you looking for, like on a pistol? Does it have a switch or is it a pressure-sensitive pad? Same thing on your rifle Is it a pressure-sensitive switch where when you grab it it turns on and release it shuts off? So those are just some things to think about. With the lights, you got anything that you want to. Can't think of anything else no, I think that pretty much covers a lot, or the overview, yeah, and then we'll talk about training dry fire options. They make cartridges that fit inside the firearm both your rifles, shotguns and pistols that has a activated laser. So whenever the trigger is pressed, that it activates the laser and you can use that on a target, something that you're aiming at to check your accuracy, your sight picture and sight alignment. That helps a whole lot also with movement of your pistol. There's several things, programs out there. Mantis has a. I'll just throw them out there because they actually have a cool system that I'm looking this kind of on my wish list. It is you attach it to your actual regular gun and it will track your gun's movement during the pressing of the trigger so you will actually see how bad or how much movement you have while you're pressing the trigger. So that will help out with that. You have CERT pistols, the laser-activated pistols that will are similar to the shape, size of different firearms and they use a laser red dot. Whenever you press the trigger and it hits that breakpoint, it will throw a light up on your target, your wall or whatever. And again, that's just for training, Practicing your trigger, press your trigger, reset your sight picture. And then when we talk about dry fire options. Don't forget about just regular training. If you got somebody that's you're getting a gift for and maybe they're looking at a particular class, you see that there's a shotgun class coming up or a AR class coming up that someone's offering somewhere and you've heard them talk about. Hey, I really would like to take this class one day, or a class on shotguns and find one. Get them a gift certificate or pay for their training, get them signed up and offer that to your loved one. I'll take all the training. Anybody wants to buy me training, just email me and I'll take the training if you want to pay for it. But no, no, serious Dry fire and training. We think about buying the holsters, guns, ammo, stuff like that, but don't forget the training. Training is real important. So talk a little bit about targets and shooting supplies. It's a good thing to buy the different targets. Sometimes you can get reactive targets. You can get the self-feeling targets for plates and stuff that have the polymer and then whenever you shoot it they self-heal and you can use them repeatedly A lot safer than steel if you're in a close environment and just get them different training aids snap caps, malfunction caps or ammo that simulates malfunctions for them to train with, and anything that you can do to help them better themselves is a good thing for targets and shooting supplies. Don't forget a range bag. Occasionally, range bags get old, dirty, especially if you use them a lot. Maybe they've got a lot of one that needs earmuffs or safety glasses, or maybe they have prescription glasses and you want to get them a good pair of shooting glasses. They make those that they can wear that are safety, but they are also prescription, where they're not having to use their personal everyday prescription glasses for things. Cleaning kits we can always use cleaning kits, go through solvents and stuff like that quite frequently if you shoot a lot. So, yeah, that's pretty much all I can think of on just little things like that and one of the things on the earmuffs that I have come to like is the electronic.

If you're going to invest in a set of earmuffs, the electronic ones are really something good to look at because they cancel in a way so you can hear what's going on around you, but yet whenever it gets above a certain decibel level it cancels it. So that was a really nice. I like the noise.

And something else with the earmuffs you have to consider are they? You can get slim electronic earmuffs or even slim earmuffs, but are they shooting a rifle? Are they using it for handgun? Because some of the standard earmuffs that you get are large and if you're trying to shoot a rifle and you're leaning your head up against the stock or the sight picture, it makes it a little bit hard or difficult to use those larger earmuffs. So you got your slim electronic earmuffs. You even got some of the ones that sig axle and stuff that actually are like earbuds that fit in your ear and their noise canceling where you can actually hear, and some of them you can have Bluetooth where you listen to music, answer a phone call and stuff while you're practicing or shooting and stuff.

So yeah, that's Absolutely. And then the other thing I'll not discuss for a minute is, you know, pair of clothing, you know one would be shoes. I'm in a good, comfortable pair of shoes. You know that might be something. You know. They at the range and on your feet all day. It's not seven-nose pair of shoes.

Yeah and also no. Are you frequent a indoor range a lot or do you frequent an outdoor range? That's, the outdoor ranges are a little bit more rough or on shoes, so you may want to go to like a boot or something or hiking shoe.

that's a little bit more durable than a just a regular everyday pair of shoes, and you know a lot of the shoes for ranges. You know you have very from the boot top to to the more like a running walking shoe. So there are a lot of options out there for that. Another thing with apparel would be, you know, as far as shooting would be, bags. Yeah, you know, having a good carry bag for the concealed carrier, maybe to carry a firearm or accessories or other just normal everyday things that a person might need to be there in the day, or even carrying multiple guns to the range?

Do they have? Is it capable storing multiple guns or things like that? Are they taking guns and a rifle? You know you got your carry bags for your MSR and other rifles that you take to the range and just depending, I guess, depends on what the what the carrying, what the use. Is the case for bags for storage or for moving around with?

Yeah, and I mean, and then you have your. You know, are you carrying it for your normal everyday carry, defensive, or use it your range bag, I mean, but all that's important. Or, or you know, maybe even jackets, you know, thinking about stuff like jackets, pants, but those are just some of the things with the bags, the shoes that I think are important, that a lot of time we don't think about enough, but they're, they're important to the everyday carrier.

And even going to the range, having a nice bag, having having a decent pair of shoes, yeah, so talking about apparel, I mean most of the time, I know, whenever I give classes I tell people don't wear loose fitting clothing just because you don't want that, especially at an indoor range. If a casing hits the wall and then bounces into your between your shirt and your skin, your body, you know that's a hot piece of brass that's going to burn and sting a little bit. So try to wearing not tight fitting clothes but snug fitting clothes to help prevent any of that from occurring the casing going a shirt down your back in between your glasses if you wear glasses. I've had that happen. So just some things to think about for for apparel?

Yeah, absolutely. And now I guess we'll discuss gun storage. This is one of the most often I feel like one of the over, one of the more overlooked side of the concealed carrier right Firearm enthusiasts. Yeah, Is you have all these nice firearms and maybe even some expensive firearm, right? But how are we storing them? What are we storing them in? I mean, there's different kinds of storage methods, you know, at home, when we're on the run, or I made our own the go in our vehicles. So we're gonna talk a little bit about storage. Mr Brian, your thoughts on storage?

Yeah, storage is. You know there's a lot of different options. Like you touched on, the depending on what you're doing, where you're at, it's gonna play a part into your storage capability or options. So let's talk briefly about what are the different types of storage that are there. Now you've got your gun cases or gun cabinets, which could be a standup cabinet or it could be just a locking shelf box that stores a gun. Really, all of that's all it does is it offers limited access ability to that firearm. It's not really rated for. You know, maybe it's not really rated for major theft or fire damage or anything like that. But you've got your cases cabinets I mean cabinets and then you've got your gun storage vaults or cases, your safes basically. So you got those and those offer usually more storage capability. They offer a greater protection against theft and then they're also fire rated for 15 to 60 minutes depending on the actual rating. Those are some things that you need to be aware of. But you got your safes that are larger typically and for your home storage, but they do have also some small safes sometimes for the vehicles. You got some of the ones that fit in your consoles, got some that fit in the headrest of vehicles, some that fit underneath the secure to the car, under a seat or in a glove box. So that's pretty much the different types of storage capabilities that we have, but you got some things that you wanna talk on storage.

I think you've covered it pretty good. But you know, I think an important thing is just understanding, like Mr Brown said, the difference between the cabinet and the space and what is your intended purpose here. If you're just looking for a place to secure your firearm with limited access but if you do need to access it, get to it quick then a cabinet might be good. If you're looking for something to secure it from fire, then you definitely wanna go with a safe. And if you know you are concerned about theft really concerned then you may wanna go with a safe as well. So it really depends on what you're looking for, and you can get anything as far as size. You can get everything from a little like vault safe to hold a handgun that you can access with your fingerprints, or like keypad or lock box, to a big 20 or 30 gun safe. So there's a plethora of options out there.

Yeah, and something else on the home side of it. You know if you've got a gun that you're using for your home defense gun and that's all it is your nightstand gun, unless you're the only one in the home. I'm not really up for just leaving a gun stored somewhere. Have it some. So usually you want to have it secured somehow. But they make some great nightstand vaults that you can attach to your either your bed, your headboard or even to the nightstand. That usually are either biometric they are decoded or no security pin number that's put in there to open it up. And a lot of these nightstand ones now are having, where you can have a integrated clock with it, charging capabilities for these phones that either use a USB or the quick charge without a cable. So those are some options too if you. You know, look, if your husband or spouse or significant other are interested in something like a nightstand or bedside storage capability. And then also meant finishing up, I guess, on the storage, just because you have a safe cabinet or whatever, think about humidity control. Humidity is enemy to firearms and ammunition, so you need to make sure you have some sort of dehumidifier, which they make some that you plug into electric outlet that dries out and then you just throw it into your cabinet or safe and periodically you just take it out, plug it back up to dry out the moisture beads on it. And then there are some that actually have a dehumidifier built into it that plugs into the wall and you don't have to worry about taking them and drying out the dehumidifier, the microbeads, because it automatically does that. And then also lighting issues for the safes A lot of safes. Now you can buy lights with it already or buy attachments to where, whenever you open up the safe, it's got a motion sensor that it comes on for a short period of time to allow you to access whatever you need in the safe without getting a flashlight or mounting a light in there. So those are just some options whenever we're talking about storage, things to consider with the dehumidifier and lights. That's pretty much it. Anything else you got David? No, sir, I think I'm good, all right. Well, this is our holiday gift guide Again. We just wanted to do this to kind of peak your interest, to make you think if you got someone that's a second amendment gun lover or concealed carrier, home protector, but you got some ideas for them that maybe be different from the dad getting the tie or the Christmas shirt or whatever Christmas sweater or something like that, but just kind of give you some ideas to spark a gift giving for your loved one. And got a couple more episodes for this year before we wind up this year's episodes and we're already working on our episodes for next year. But we hope that you and your family have a happy holiday, merry Christmas, and we look forward. Thank you for your support and we hope that you continue to follow us and support us and if you have any questions or anything, feel free to reach out to us at podcast, at BlueberryTacticalcom, and we will. If it's a guest or if it'sa topic that you would like to see covered, or you just have some information, email us and be here. Mr David will get back with you and help you with whatever it is, or take that recommendation for a guest or topic to cover and we will try to work that into our format. So again, y'all have a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and we thank you for your support. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the podcast publisher, since Billiots are any other entity. The information contained in this podcast for entertainment purposes only is not being construed in the medical, legal or financial advice. The podcast publisher and the affiliate assume no responsibility for the liability, loss or damage caused by the use of information contained in this podcast. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on the information contained in this podcast.