When I was handed the assignment of coming up with must-have guns and gear, my mind reeled. There are so many items to choose from! Are we talking about basic or advanced items? Items for survival, hunting, target shooting, or recreational shooting for the family on a Sunday afternoon?
You get it; the possibilities are nearly endless! I pondered for a time and decided to go middle-of-the-road. I’ll try to cater to folks who might like to casually hunt, probably also enjoy target shooting, and, naturally, into defending their families too. Of course, there’s only so much room in one article, so I’ll need to keep within certain lines here. Let’s get started.
Guns
It’ll come as no surprise that we’ll discuss some guns in this article. I’ll talk about a few basics here.
AR-15
It’s America’s Rifle. The AR-15. I consider it an absolute necessity if you’re “into” firearms. I’ve been asked by people who solely view firearms as hunting tools, “What do you need an AR-15 for?”
Well, it covers a number of bases. The first base it covers is, “Because I can have one, so I will have one!” The freedom guaranteed by our Second Amendment is justification enough.
Next is the defensive value of the AR, which is considerable. Certainly, it’s one of the most capable rifles/carbines of all time for defending hearth and home. Not to mention, they’re simply fun to shoot! Recreational enjoyment is another perfect reason for owning one.
Although not legal, I’d be perfectly able to land any game animal in my state using an AR-15 if times became very rough. They are extremely accurate and, with good shot placement, can bring game down.
Finally, the real reason the Founding Fathers gave us this right is because we don’t have to worry about deer becoming too oppressive.
The AR-15 might just be the most accessorized firearm in American history, or at least right at the top.
A Semi-Auto Pistol
Which one? Take your pick; there are dozens out there to choose from now. Most of them are as stellar compared to any time in our history! Glock, Sig, Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Heckler & Koch, Ruger…the list goes on. Currently, I really like the Hellcat and Hellcat Pro from Springfield Armory and carry them daily.
Why a semi-auto pistol? Aside from being a lot of fun to shoot at the range, they’re perfect for defensive carry. These days, if you’re able to and comfortable enough, you should have one with you to defend yourself and those around you.
Nowadays, they’re making pistols more compact while designing them to hold more rounds than ever before. The designs are simply amazing!
A Shotgun
A reliable 12 gauge shotgun is a great home defense or hunting implement. Personally, I go with the pump action because I’m familiar with it, having trained on duty with it for years. The pump action doesn’t rely on gas operation like semi-autos do and is less ammo-sensitive because of that. In short, I believe they’re more reliable.
12 gauge ammo is readily available at most places where ammo is sold. Trap/target loads, hunting loads, defensive loads — there are so many rounds to choose from! It can cover a lot of your bases.
A Rifle
Either bolt action or lever action, take your pick. In fact, I suggest at least one of each, because…reasons.
The lever gun is a classic design that’s fast to operate, short, and handy. If you go with the .30-30 round, it’s powerful enough to take down most game and sold anywhere ammunition is available. It’s an old, classic round that’s endured over a hundred years for a reason. Ruger is resurrecting the Marlin line, and they promise to be top-notch rifles. Getcha one!
Bolt action rifles can be incredibly accurate and reach out over long distances. They’re simple to maintain and operate and come in any caliber you can conceivably think of (along with some you never knew existed).
A Rimfire Pistol and Rifle
When I say rimfires, I mean the .22 Long Rifle. It’s another round that has endured since the 1800s, and for good reason. It’s ammo that’s quiet, lightweight, inexpensive, and fun to shoot. I recommend at least one handgun and rifle in the .22 Long Rifle caliber.
Ruger’s 10/22 carbine is a near-perfect choice. It’s inexpensive with tons of accessories for it — including magazines. Savage’s MK II FV-SR with a heavy barrel is also a stellar choice. It’s lightweight, short, and extremely accurate.
Ruger’s MK IV .22/45 pistol is a nice choice for an accurate .22 LR semi-auto pistol that’s easy to field strip for cleaning.
Other Gear
Guns aren’t everything – you need support gear as well. Gotta keep the guns running like well-oiled machines, right?
Cleaning Kits
There are lots of cleaning kits on the market. In fact, the choices can be bewildering.
For my pistols, I usually just go with the incredibly simple cleaning kit that comes in the pistol case. Glock’s is a perfect example of the simplest cleaning kit known to man — and an effective one at that. There’s a rod that you can shove cleaning patches int6 w5th a brush that screws into the rod. That’s it, nothing more. I usually add an old toothbrush, and I’m good to go.
For rifles, I like a more purpose-built kit so I can use one kit on many of my rifles.
One of the coolest inventions for cleaning guns ever is the spray solvent/lubricant. It makes cleaning guns SO much faster and easier! Being able to spray it into those little hard-to-reach areas of pistols and rifles really increases the effectiveness.
Tipton’s Gun Butler Cleaning Center really makes cleaning a rifle easier. t provides a stand to rest the rifle on while you swab and scrub the bore.
Scopes
We need to see what we’re shooting at, right? Scopes will help us to do just that! There are many to choose from, as well as various bases to use when we affix the scope to our rifle.
Whether you go with a scope from Sig Sauer, Leupold, Vortex, Trijicon, Burris, Steiner, or many other brands, you can be assured of quality. I have a few scopes from Vortex that served me well for the past few years and one from Leupold. A good scope will extend the range of your rifle.
If you’re not after long-range, you might enjoy the benefits of a red dot sight (RDS). They’ve been used for years on rifles, and now, they’re all the rage for pistols.
Magazines
Since many rifles and pistols are magazine-fed, you’ll need magazines to keep them going. How many? It all depends on what the firearms are used for. For magazine-fed rifles, I suggest at least ten magazines for each one.
For pistols, I’d say at least four magazines at a minimum. More is better, for certain. Magazines wear our eventually and can also get damaged or lost. Having spares on hand takes the sting out of their loss.
Slings
A rifle or shotgun is incomplete without a sling. An easily adjustable sling accomplishes a few things for long guns. It gives flexibility and versatility. If the shooter needs to transition to a handgun, a sling allows that to instantly happen. A good sling will also permit shooters to attain better accuracy with their rifles by acting as a shooting aid. Finally, a sling frees up our hands so we can do other things while we still have control of our long guns.
I’ve really come to like Blue Force Gear slings because they’re durable and instantly adjustable.
Parting Shots — Must-Have Gun and Gear
There you have it, a quick list of must-have guns and gear. Sadly, I could only include so much information in this article, and I could have gone wild listing more products. I realize there’s a lot that had to be left out.
Hopefully, this brief, broad list gives you some food for thought and gets you looking at some must-have items that you’d like to add to your tactical toolbox if you don’t already have them.
Good hunting!
