5 Guns to Gift This Holiday Season

Many of us love to receive gifts, but the holiday season is also about giving gifts. Why not give your loved one or best shooting buddy a gift they can use repeatedly, customize to their preferences, and protect themselves with? 

You can probably guess where I’m going with this…use some of that money you got for Christmas and consider gifting them a new gun! 

This holiday gift guide has something for every shooter. From handguns to rifles to shotguns, we have you covered. Best of all, any of these can be found for under $1,000, so you can go and buy yourself something too. 

Without further ado, here are our top recommendations for guns to gift this year!

Top Guns to Gift in 2023

Glock 19 Gen5 MOS

It shouldn’t come as much surprise that the Glock 19 Gen5 MOS has made our list. 

For many reasons, it’s easily one of the most popular pistols on the market. It features front slide serrations, an optics-ready slide, and an accessory rail.

The Holosun SCS makes a great addition to the Glock 19 Gen5 MOS. (Photo courtesy of Cabela’s)

Since Glock has arguably the most extensive aftermarket support of any manufacturer, you’ll have plenty of accessories to choose from to utilize that optic cut and accessory rail. 

With a standard 15+1 capacity (it can also accept many extended capacity magazines) and the famous Glock reliability to go along with it, the Glock 19 Gen5 MOS is a worthy gift, regardless of whether it will be used for concealed carry, home defense, or simple range fun.

Why not have a few 33-round magazines for your Glock 19?

Palmetto State Armory Sabre

For those AR-15 obsessed friends of yours, consider the new Palmetto State Armory (PSA) Sabre. 

There are many variants of the Sabre to choose from, but this forged 13.7” model chambered in 5.56 delivers a ton of value, coming in under $1,000 for the complete rifle. The only things you’d need to buy are some backup sights or an optic, and a few extra mags to go along with it.

The Sabre is almost ready to go out of the box, minus sights or an optic. (Photo courtesy of Palmetto State Armory)

PSA did not cut any corners with this rifle. From the forged 7075-T6 upper to small details like the ambidextrous Radian controls, Hiperfire RBT trigger, and Father’s of Freedom BCG by Microbest, it balances durability, price, and performance. 

You’ll find B5 Systems upgraded furniture, and the Sabre has plenty of M-LOK and Picatinny space to mount your favorite optics and accessories.

The fact that this rifle is under $1,000 should make you consider getting one for yourself too, while at it. 

Taurus 605 T.O.R.O.

Revolvers are classic, time-tested, reliable firearms that remain popular today. Taurus has an extensive lineup of revolvers that now includes optics-ready models such as this Defender 605 T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optics Ready Option).

When classic meets modern. (Photo courtesy of Taurus)

If you have a friend or family member who appreciates revolvers but also likes modern optics like the Holosun HS507K X2, this is the revolver for them. 

This pocket-sized .357 Magnum features a 3-inch barrel and holds five shots. The compact but rubberized grips provide a solid control level and help mitigate recoil. 

All the recipient will need to do is choose which optic to mount on it!

A much different view than with those revolvers of the past

Mossberg 590S Optic-Ready

Does someone you know like shotguns? The Mossberg 590S Optic-Ready is a versatile 12-gauge shotgun that can serve many purposes. 

Want a truck shotgun? This can work. Want a home protection shotgun? Yep, this will work for that, too. Want to shoot some clay pigeons? Sure, why not?

Tactical but subtle. (Photo courtesy of Mossberg)

The 590S Optic-Ready features an 18.5-inch barrel and boasts a 9+1 capacity when using Short Shells. Aside from being optic-ready, one of the main selling features is that it can cycle 1.75, 2.75, and 3-inch shells interchangeably without needing a mini shell adaptor. 

In addition, the standard features are also impressive as it has dual extractors, an ambidextrous safety, and an anti-jam elevator for smooth operation. 

If a shotgun is what you think they may want, this one is ready to fill almost any role.

Springfield Armory Echelon

The Springfield Armory Echelon was released only several months ago, but it has made a massive splash in the industry.

Many would argue that the Echelon is a better-looking firearm than some of its top competitors, and I’m one of those people!

While many standout features exist, the Central Operating Group (COG) is one of the most notable. The COG is self-contained and serialized, which allows you to move it between different-sized grip modules.

The COG is easily removed

It also features a Variable Interface System that uses self-locking pins to allow the shooter to mount over 30 optics directly.

If you need more to sell you on the Echelon, it also has ambidextrous controls, a fantastic grip texture, and a tactical slide with some of the best serrations and cuts I’ve seen in a long time.

Lastly, it comes with a 17 and 20-round magazine, giving you 20+1 in the palm of your hand. 

The Echelon would make an excellent gift for someone wanting to take their pistol game to the next level.

The trench cut, deep serrations, and flare in the rear of the slide make the Echelon very easy to manipulate.  (Photo courtesy of Springfield Armory)

Determining Which Gun To Gift

Before you go and “pull the trigger” on one of these guns, or any gun for that matter, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. 

Legal Considerations

First and foremost, ensure the person you are buying the firearm for is of legal age. These ages can vary by state, so be sure to check. In addition, ensure the person does not have any felonies or even certain misdemeanors that would prohibit them from owning a firearm. 

Shooting Style

Unless you’re buying the gun for someone completely new to firearms, they likely have a platform they prefer. Try to stick to what they are familiar with and would get the most use out of. Don’t get me wrong; any gun should be appreciated if gifted, but I think it should be one they will actually use.

Budget

This one is obvious, but set a budget and stick to it. There are reliable and quality guns at almost every price point (within reason), so do not feel obligated to spend a certain amount. Buy what you can afford, or wait and save some extra cash. At the end of the day, a gift isn’t necessary, so only do so if you can afford it. 

Conclusion

I hope if you made it this far in the article, one of the guns I suggested piqued your interest. If not, that’s fine too. So many other guns would make great gifts, too; this article would be hundreds if not thousands of pages long if we tried to list them all. 

Do your research, complete your due diligence, and have fun shopping! Don’t be afraid to get something for yourself too! 

As always, stay safe, train hard, and have fun.