May 11, 2023
By J. Scott Rupp and RifleShooter Staff
This Father’s Day, you have plenty of options for the rifle-shooting dad that won’t break the bank. However, if you’d really like to get the father in your life something special, we’ve also included some higher-ticket items that are bound to improve his rifle-shooting lifestyle. Some items may require that you know the make and model of your loved-one’s rifle, but that’s easy. Just get dad talking about his favorite rifles and pay attention to any details offered regarding make, model and caliber. Even if you don’t have that information, we’ve got you covered with items any rifle shooter will love, no matter which rifle he owns.
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.
300 Lumens; runs 3 hours / THRO Mode: 1000 lumens USB-C Rechargeable Designed for clean pocket carry Waterproof 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
3. Hornady Ammo Cabinet This cabinet is just right for storing your rifle ammo or your reloading gear—or both. It features the company’s new Square-Lok system for easy customization, and the cabinet comes with two adjustable shelves that support 100 pounds each. It includes three shelf or floor mats to protect your stuff, and it has a magnetic motion light to make it easier to find things. Comes with three plastic ammo cans and 10 magnetic, rewritable shelf labels. Dimensions are 18x12x40 inches, and weight is 48 pounds.
MSRP: $629; hornady.com
NEW! The 9mm carbine is growing as a popular choice for self-defense, and now Speer is offering a defensive-minded load designed specifically for carbines as opposed to pistols. The bullet is a 135-grain Gold Dot G2, which has an elastomer-filled nose for better barrier penetration and bullet expansion. While velocities weren’t yet available at press time, Speer promises “ideal” speeds and flawless cycling.
MSRP: $77 per box of 50; speer.com
You might’ve heard of this scope but weren’t able to find one. You should be able to now. These affordable riflescopes are available in 2-10x40mm (1-inch tube), 3-15x44mm (1 inch) and 5-25x50mm (30mm). They have locking turrets with zero stops. All offer the E3 reticle, which has holdover and windage marks, while the 3-15X can also be had with a standard plex. The 5-25X adds a Fine Plex reticle option, which is calibrated for the 140-grain ELD-Match 6.5 Creedmoor load. The two larger scopes have side parallax adjustment. Waterproof, shockproof and fogproof, with Burris’s Forever warranty.
MSRP: $455–$899; BurrisOptics.com
NEW! Featuring a bullet with a proprietary open-tip match design, this new line is loaded to what the company calls “extremely tight” specifications for top downrange accuracy. The load employs Gold Medal primers and brass along with a specially formulated propellant. G7 ballistic coefficients and muzzle velocities in feet per second are in parentheses: .223 Rem. 77-grain (0.183, 2,720); 6.5 Creedmoor 140-grain (0.285, 2,675); .308 168-grain (0.221, 2,650); and .308 175-grain (0.257, 2,600).
MSRP: $38–$49; FederalPremium.com
Machined from aircraft-grade aluminum, the scope boasts a 34mm tube for lots of adjustment, and its power range bridges the game between mid- and long-range shooting. Reticle is the illuminated EBR-7C, and the system uses the company’s XD optical system for high resolution and color fidelity. The elevation turret has the tool-less RevStop zero stop for sure return to zero. Adjustments are in m.o.a.
MSRP: $850; VortexOptics.com
Today’s precision rimfire shooters are stretching distances like never before, and two new loads from Lapua are the result of extensive product development. Both have 40-grain bullets that leave the muzzle at 1,106 fps and hence produce identical trajectories, but the Super Long Range is specially selected to produce the tightest groups.
MSRP: $20 per box of 50 (Long Range); $25 per 50 (Super Long Range); lapua.com
Loaded with an all-copper hollowpoint with a profile designed for accuracy and speed, Knock Down delivers controlled expansion in a variety of popular calibers. It uses a clean-burning proprietary powder for top velocities and reduced fouling. The lineup includes .243 Win. (80 grain at 3,415 fps), 6.5 Creedmoor (120 at 2,900), .270 Win. (130 at 3,100), 7mm-08 (140 at 2,825), 7mm Rem. Mag. (160 at 2,935), .308 (150 at 2,900), .30-06 (150 at 2,950) and .300 Win. Mag. (165 at 3,100).
Retail Price Range: $35-$52; FiocchiUSA.com
Whether you’re at a long-range match or hunting, rangefinding binoculars are handy and fast. The new BX-4 Range HD is a 10x42 binocular with a high-contrast red OLED display you can see in any light. Range is 2,600 yards on reflective objects and 1,600 yards on trees. It provides ballistically calculated ranges for uphill/downhill shots thanks to True Ballistic Range/Wind (TBR/W) technology. The power button can be programmed for left or right side, and the ELD glass promises edge-to-edge clarity.
MSRP: $1,600; leupold.com
The Bull rifle rest will handle full-length rifles, and the frame can be adjusted between 18.3 and 26 inches for proper support on any bench. It has a wide stance for stability and rubber feet at the corners to keep if from slipping. The front and rear yokes have non-marring pads, and a screw-style yoke tower makes for easy height adjustment, and it can be locked in place.
MSRP: $43; MTMcase-gard.com
The Henry Big Boy is a lever gun chambered to .357 Mag. and .44 Mag., and the new sight set from XS should make a perfect companion. Made of CNC-machined steel, the set comes with rear sights of .230 and .191 rear apertures, and the front sight has a white stripe for quick acquisition. Installation is easy, and the sights are backed by a 10-year warranty as well as a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
MSRP: $111; XSsights.com
Molded from high-impact plastic, this case is 50.5x11.3x3.2 inches inside and 51.5x14.4x4.3 inches outside—plenty of space to hold two scoped rifles. Egg-crate-style foam protects gun and topics, and the four snap latches have padlock holes. There are also tie-down grooves for lashing the case to an ATV or vehicle cargo bed.
MSRP: $68; MTMcase-gard.com
What’s the point of having a super-light rifle if you’re going to weigh it down with a massive sling. The new Featherlight Minimalist weighs only three ounces—counting the steel swivels—and is only 0.04 inch thick. But even though it’s minimal, it’s strong, with a tenslive strength of more than 3,000 pounds per square inch. Further, it can handle temps from -22 to 248. Available in black, black and tan, black and orange, and gray with Prym1 camo.
MSRP: $25; ButlerCreek.com
