2023 Handguns Magazine Father's Day Gift Guide

Mar 31, 2023

It can be a challenge to buy for the everyday carrying father who tends to buy whatever he wants whenever he wants it. It's equally hard to buy for the handgunner who can't do that, but who is particular about what he wants in the way of firearms and accessories. You do need to know three basic things about Dad's pistol or revolver: 1. What make and model is it? 2. What kind of ammo does it take? and 3. Is it optics ready (OR)? With just those three pieces of information, you can be assured of making a solid selection for the gun-toting man who raised you. Unsure? No problem. This lists contains items that are not related to a particular firearm. In other words, Handguns has you covered, so you can shop with confidence.

The Wedge is a compact, high-performance EDC light designed for clean pocket carry. It's outfitted with an intuitive rotating thumb switch that provides tactile control over the constant-on and THRO (Temporarily Heightened Regulated Output) modes.

MSRP: $168.49

streamlight.com

The CR920P might be the only subcompact gun that is genuinely fun to shoot. The all-steel compensator makes the gun as controllable as many full-size pistols on the market. Add a light and an optic and you have a pistol that does double duty as a deep-concealment subcompact and a highly controllable home defense gun.

MSRP: $1,046

shadowsystemscorp.com

The Micro Pistol Sight from Steiner is an enclosed red dot built on an all-metal housing, and its sealed emitter can withstand submersion down to 10 meters. It features a 3.3 m.o.a. dot powered by a CR1632 battery. Run time is 13,000 hours on medium, and it automatically shuts off after 13 hours. It has eight brightness levels, six day/night modes and two night-vision modes. The MPS is 2.2 inches long, and the window is 0.6x0.8 inch.

MSRP: $575; steiner-optics.com

The three-die set for the new .30 Super Carry includes carbide sizer die—which means you don't have to lube the case to size/decap—expander die and a seater die. The dies are precision engineered from quality steel. They’re made in America and hand-inspected before leaving the factory. (In other news, these same dies are also available for the .44 Auto Mag.)

MSRP: $109 ($130 for Auto Mag); rcbs.com

Designed for optics-ready subcompacts, this minimalist holster has a smaller footprint than traditional inside-the-waistband rigs. While it's skeletonized to reduce size and weight, it has a reinforced mouth for sure holstering. The Schema has passive trigger guard retention. Current fitments include SIG P365, Taurus G2C and G3C, Glock 43 and 43X, and Springfield Hellcat.

MSRP: $40; safariland.com

XS Sight has introduced a DXT2 Big Dot for both the CSX and M&P 2.0 Optics Ready pistols. The Big Dot has an orange or yellow big front Glow Dot—which absorbs ambient light and is constantly charged by a tritium center—while the rear sight features a shallow V with a vertical white stripe for a "dot the i" sight picture. There's also the R3D for the M&P OR full size and compact. It has a traditional notch/post sight picture with a Glow Dot front in green or orange and a blacked-out rear notch that's 15 percent than the front blade for easy, fast acquisition and alignment.

MSRP: $116–$144; XSsights.com

Featuring Federal's 180-grain Versatile Hollow Point (VHP) bullet, this is a full-power load with a muzzle velocity of 1,175 fps. The VHP bullet promises consistent range performance and instant, reliable expansion in defensive situations. Built with a brass case and Federal's extremely reliable primer.

MSRP: $58 per 50-round box; FederalPremium.com

The inside-the-waistband/outside-the-waistband holster combines a polymer front with a water buffalo hide backing. The polymer pocket is custom molded, has an open bottom to accept threaded-barrel guns and is optics-compatible. The backing is raised for comfort, and when used as an IWB rig it is secured via metal clips that are easily removed for OWB wear. Fitments include Glock 19 and 43; H&K VP9SK; Ruger Max 9; S&W Shield; SIG P320 and P365; Springfield Hellcat and XD-M; Taurus G3C and GX4; Walther PDP; and Kimber Mako.

MSRP: $75; VersaCarry.com

The Gen 3 version of the Navigator has a new rapid-access pull tab that's compatible with every zipper on the pack so you can customize it. It's available as a bundle that includes the pack and a Premier Body Armory ballistic panel designed specifically for it. The latter provides lightweight, 1.5-pound level IIIA protection; it will stop handgun calibers up to .44 Magnum. The Navigator can be used as a satchel or chest rig. The construction includes bonded nylon thread on critical seams and bar-tacked attachment points. (The bundle doesn't come with everything you see here—just pack and panel.)

MSRP: $270; PremierBodyArmor.com

SCS stands for Solar Charging Sight, and MP2 refers to the gun it fits: Smith & Wesson's M&P 2.0 series of pistols. GR is for green, the only reticle color choice. The sight attaches directly to the M&P's slide, and its charging system not only replenishes power via solar—with a 20,000-hour power reserve—but the reticle automatically adjusts to ambient conditions. The sight has a multi-reticle system: Choose from a 32 m.o.a. circle, two m.o.a. dot or both. The sight measures 1.93x1.03x0.91 inches, with a generous sight window of 0.77x0.58 inch. Weight is 1.03 ounces.

MSRP: $412; holosun.com

Part of the company's Range Dynamics line, the new subsonic load pushes a 62-grain full-metal-jacket bullet at 1,050 fps, making it a good option for suppressed guns. Thanks to its lower recoil and noise it's a fun load for the range as well. Packaged in 50-round boxes.

Price: $52 per 50-round box (Midway); FiocchiUSA.com

Available in standard and compact (shown) sizes, these security cabinets are designed for smaller spaces. The standard exterior measures 52.2x20x15.1 inches and weighs 165 pounds, and the compact is 52.2x10x10 and weighs 80 pounds. They feature RFID technology for quick access, and there's also a keypad. It runs off AC power and features battery backup. The wifi aspect notifies you if the safe has been opened. The exterior is heavy-duty steel, and the interior features the company's nifty Square-Lok system. Exceeds ASTM security safety standards.

MSRP: $527 (compact), $1,027 (standard); hornady.com

This compensator will fit threaded barrels on Shadow's Elite, Combat, War Poet and Foundation 9mm pistols. It uses a clamp on system that won't damage threads, and the conservatively designed port is reliable with full-power ammo. It will work with standard recoil springs, but a lighter 15-pound spring is available if necessary. As a top-side port, it limits blast to the sides—which your fellow shooters on the range will appreciate—and tames recoil.

MSRP: $118; ShadowSystemsCorp.com