As a little girl, I used to start writing my Christmas list on Thanksgiving Day, the same day the toy sales inserts arrived in the newspaper. This year, to my astonishment, similar advertisements arrived in the mail before Halloween. Retail companies add to holiday stress by pushing the shopping season earlier and earlier each year. So for those frantic people, who already feel the stress, I have a few holiday gift ideas for the shotgun enthusiasts in their lives – or, for their own list.
Sponsored by CZ-USA Field Sports
For those who want to add a new shotgun to their Christmas lists, I have a few suggestions.
CZ’s SCTP Sterling has a unique design that helps both female and youth shooters keep their heads up and eyes on the target. Chambered in 12 gauge with 28-inch barrels, it handles both 2-¾- and 3-inch shells and comes with 5 interchangeable chokes.
MSRP: $1,361
The CZ Quail has a 13 ¾-inch length-of-pull, making it more comfortable to carry and use for youth shooters and smaller-statured hunters. A deletion on the midrib trimmed off a noticeable amount of weight from the muzzle end of this shotgun, making it easier to shoulder and a bit quicker to swing on target.
MSRP: $629
These semi-automatic shotguns use a gas-less inertia operating system, which means a far less stringent maintenance schedule. The CZ 1012 is available in bronze, grey and black, as well as a synthetic black or camo finish.
MSRP: $659
If you want to give someone a firearm, I suggest rather than purchasing it, buy a gift certificate from your local gun shop. Let the recipient pick out the shotgun that offers a good fit, feel and is easily manageable.
A gift of shotgun lessons is a great way to help a recipient hone skills and build confidence. However, don’t just send the recipient or new shooter to any instructor. Ask around at your local hunt club or clays course and find the best training in your area.
The book I’ve most often heard quoted while shooting clays, gold medal Olympian Lanny Bassham’s With Winning in Mind, is a great read for anyone wanting the skills to control their mind under pressure associated with sports. His self-improvement tips and strategies are 100% based on competition. When purchased directly from the Mental Management store, there’s an option to have the book autographed and personalized.
MSRP: $16.95
Wing shooting instructor Brad Varney wrote Maine-Ly Wing Shooting, in a way I found easy to understand. It’s almost like Mr. Varney, who had over 45-years instructing and 60-years of wing shooting experience, is sitting in my living room and we’re chatting over a cup of coffee. I learned quite a bit from his book, such as drills to help me keep my eyes on the target and ways to practice mounting the shotgun.
MSRP: $19.99
This combination gun case and range bag means I only have to carry one piece of luggage for my hunting and shooting range trips. The Wingshooter’s Case holds a fully assembled shotgun while efficiently organizing all my necessary accessories: chokes, hearing protection, eye protection, cleaning rags, etc.
MSRP: $189
A gun sock is a great way to protect your shotgun from nicks and scratches when moving it in and out of your vehicle. The CZ-USA 52-inch gun sock is made of silicone treated polyester that protects the shotgun’s finish from moisture.
MSRP: $5.99
For trips to the clays course or the woods, the CZ-USA padded rifle/shotgun case offers extra protection for my shotguns. It accepts shotguns with barrels up to 30-inches, as well as both scoped and un-scoped rifles. There’s even an outer accessory pocket for miscellaneous items.
MSRP: $35
If you’re willing to put a little work in your holiday gift giving, I suggest creating your own personal gift certificates. Consider the following options:
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and GTM Original. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
Merry Christmas Joe! Thanks for reading my article about gift ideas for shotgun enthusiasts, I hope you found it helpful. As the managing editor of Women’s Outdoor News, it’s important for our posts to have good SEO which means the titles need to be searchable. If you google “Merry Christmas” you will notice it brings up Christmas songs, so that would not work. Plus, we try not to repeat titles. In in past I’ve also written, Michelle’s ’12 Days of Christmas’ Gift List for the Outdoorsy Woman, Gift Ideas for the Firearms Enthusiast, 5 Gift Ideas from CrossBreed for the Woman Who Carries Concealed and more. If you search “Christmas” on Women’s Outdoor News you will see many articles with Christmas in the title. Hopefully you find them helpful when buying Christmas gifts for the women in your life.
As a mother of 2 Eagle Scouts who brought them along to ring the Salvation Army bell while wearing Santa hats during the Christmas season we always made sure our boys said, “Merry Christmas!” However, my job at Women’s Outdoor News is to make sure our articles reach the most viewers possible, which means good SEO. For that I spend time creating titles that fit the criteria.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
We say “Merry Christmas”, not “Holiday gift ideas”.