Christmas Eve is upon us.  

It’s been a tough year for America. The Mrs. and I wish you all a wonderful holiday, whatever  your belief system. 

In our country, this is a traditional time for family, friends, and good spirits.

This being a gun blog, feel free to share here firearms-related gifts given and received.

Let’s keep it light and pleasant. Next week is time enough to discuss the Potter verdict, politics, and related matters.

Have a happy and light-hearted weekend.

59 COMMENTS

  3. Last Christmas I got a Henry Big Boy Steel in 44mag. Hoping for a 45-70 this year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.

  4. Thank you, Mas, and you and yours have an enjoyable holiday as well. Take care & stay safe – as I’m sure you always do.

  5. Mas:

    Merry Christmas to you and the Mrs.!

    May you receive something you want for Christmas!

    One of the best Christmas surprises I recall vividly is receiving a box full of leather goods from Don Hume in 1967. I had been watching for it, but the family beat me to it, and put it in another box, wrapped it, and this large box went under the tree. I had resigned myself to the idea that the order had not made it in time for Christmas. Imagine my surprise when I opened that box and found the contents!

    All the best!

    Shawn McCarver

  6. Merry Christmas to you and Gail and family, Mas. Some firearms and ammo being given – Sig P365XL Tac Pac, Buffalo Bore .38 spl hardcast wadcutters, Wilson Combat rebuild of an old 870 Police. How about you guys?

  7. The Christmas when I was 15, I had been extremely rebellious, but things were getting better with my Dad. At the end of the morning, all gifts had been opened, and he told me to look in his closet. Now, my Dad had been a Marine Gunnery Sargeant, was awarded a Bronze Star for valor in Korea, an IBM’r in civilian life when being an IBM’r meant something, and nothing as ever out of place in his perfectly, organized closet. In the corner was a carbine rifle case, I immediately grabbed it & ran back into the den & when I unzipped it, the most beautiful, Marlin Golden 39M Mountie slid out. I cherished that little .22 rifle & kept it immaculate until I handed it down to my oldest son. I’ll never forget that Christmas & how that act of grace on the part of my tough Dad, changed things forever between us.

  8. My Christmas present to myself is a new dog to take over the job of guarding our house after my previous 16 1/2 year K-9 buddy passed. The new guy is only 11 weeks old, so he’s got a ways to go before he’s ready for tearing intruders into little pieces. I did get a Mossberg 12 gauge Shockwave several weeks ago. I already have the Remington 870 version but the Mossberg is capable of using the very short mini shells. The one way screw for the tang mounted safety is a bad idea and I will replace it when I get a larger aftermarket safety.

    Merry Christmas to everyone on this blog – except Brandon if he’s checking in on us.

    • Esteemed Tom606, so what breed of dog did you get? Understandably a great Police Dog type, naturally? What did you name him? You will feed him well, good sir, but not to overfeed, of course. I am being trained by an American Basset Hound, a great pal. A friendly gift of a muscular and actually speedy little hunting powerhouse with a great nose, big paws like a bear, jaws like Godzilla, and might be quick and strong enough to finish even a wolverine in an emergency. Almost totally fearless, she trees cougars single-handed. Bays beautifully. Teaching her to sing along at the campfire. I didn’t name her “Wendy,” but “Squeaky.”

    • Tom606, you must have taken very good care of your K-9 for him to live 16 1/2 years. Always very hard to lose a good dog. Often good to have two dogs at once, and to bring on another when the first one passes. Not as hard on you.
      One thing I always think of regarding pump-action and semi-auto shotguns. A small piece of styrofoam sometimes gets stuck in the magazine tube and jams the whole thing up. Sand and dirt can do the same thing. Happens rarely, but can be tragic at the wrong time. A clean tube is essential! One thing I noticed that John Satterwhite often did when trick shooting with a semi-auto 12-gauge: he kept the muzzle slanted up with buttstock down, especially between shots. Obviously can aid in successful magazine function. Same would hold for getting the next shell in the chamber in a pump gun. Partly why I generally prefer a pump-action rifle over a pump shotgun for “predator control,” especially in Canada.

    • @ Tom606 – “I did get a Mossberg 12 gauge Shockwave several weeks ago.”

      I also have a Shockwave but I purchased the 20 gauge version. I would imagine that a 12 gauge Shockwave is a handful to manage. Especially if buckshot or slug ammo was used. On the other hand, it is not too bad in 20 gauge. At least, I don’t think so.

      Furthermore, the 20 gauge has ample stopping power. At least, against humans. I loaded my Shockwave with Brenneke slugs and ran it over the chronograph. The box says that these slugs are rated to give 1,550 fps from a long shotgun barrel. Naturally, the velocity was less from the short barrel of a Shockwave. Still, this ammo registered 1,310 fps with the chronograph set at 12 feet from the muzzle.

      Consider this as a projectile. The 20 gauge Brenneke slug weighs 3/4 oz. (about 328 gr.). It is 0.615 inches in diameter and it is traveling at about 1,310 fps. That give a kinetic energy value of about 1,250 ft.-lbs. and a Taylor’s Knock-out value of 37!

      For comparison, a 147 gr. 9mm Luger load, from a pistol, would have a K.O. value of about 7. A .44 Magnum revolver with 240 gr. full power ammo would generate a K.O. of about 20. A .454. Casull full power, 300 gr. load, from a revolver, would give about 27. I admit that a 12 gauge slug load would give a K.O. value of over 50 but, unless you are fending off a grizzly, who cares?

      I am confident that my 20 ga. Shockwave would do the job for home defense and still be quite manageable under recoil. Home or vehicle defense is about the only useful purpose for a Shockwave other than just being a fun gun to shoot! 🙂

  11. Inspired by one of your recent interviews on the Wilson Combat Channel I bought myself a beautiful Colt 1911 for Christmas, in .45 ACP of course. Just came inside from the range and I am stunned at how comfortable it is to shoot. Merry Christmas to you and Gail!

  12. Thank you for your contributions. I admire you and I appreciate your ideas and you’re writing.

    Best wishes for a healthy happy and prosperous Nee Year.

    Bob

  13. Keep the Mas in ChristMas! 😉

    Have a wonderful Christmas, Mas and Gail! You are a blessing.

    Erich and Gina

  14. Merry Christmas to you and the evil princess. May the coming year be a blessing for us all. No new guns under the tree this year ?

  16. Merry Christmas to you Mas and to your family. May peace, love and joy envelop you and yours now and through the next year.

  17. Iv’e been reading your word since we hosted Lethal Force Institute south of Albuquerque in the New Mexico desert. Giving ammo to grand kids who are in their 30’s and 40’s. Have a Merry Christmas.

  18. Merry Christmas Mas, and to the rest of you also. I find myself a little wiser each time I read the blog and the responses that follow.

  20. Merry Christmas, Mas, to you and the Evil Princess both.

    As a Christmas present to myself, I took advantage of the 12% discount Underwood Ammo is currently offering to buy myself 100 rounds of their 9mm Luger +P 90gr. Xtreme Defender that I intend to evaluate for carry in my Beretta 92G.

  22. Blessings and best wishes to all for a happy, safe holiday season. (Unusually good weather is calling for some QT at the range.)

  23. Thanks for your thoughts and writings, not to mention your training course. The best of the best to you and yours during the holiday season and new year. Looking forward…Chris

  24. As it was one of your books that turned me into an unrepentant Berettaholic, I will note that my Christmas present to myself was to add one more to my coalition of Cheetahs, with the acquisition of a Model 87 Target. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do, and the very best of the holidays to you and yours!

  26. I’m at the stage of deciding where my guns will go, rather than where they are coming from, but after providing hints I’m pretty sure I have a couple of books under the tree, and one more short class to give before 2021 is history.

    The best news is that the gift my wife wished for beat predictions, and came in before the jewelry store closed for Christmas. (But don’t tell her until tomorrow morning.) She had a family ring, with my birthstone, our two daughters’, and our fine son-in-law’s. She wanted stones added for our twin grandkids.

  27. I’ll never forget your story of getting a 1911 .45 for Christmas as a boy (AKA young man!). In contrast, my mother would always say, “No guns for Christmas!” She was only speaking of toy guns. Well, when I turned 18 I went right out and bought my first gun! Rebellious? Maybe. Patriotic? Definitely! So, all these years later, at age 64, I just bought myself a nice 1911 .45 for Christmas! Partly in rebellion, but mostly in honor of my long-time distant mentor, Mas! Merry Christmas and pass the ammunition!

  28. Merry Christmas Gail and Mas! I count myself among the lucky ones to finally get to meet you both this summer past. Even more lucky to have my first professional training class under your tutelage. Thank you both for all you do for your students and the greater 2A community at large.

  29. Mas, the very best wishes to you, Gail, and your family, for a Merry Christmas, and a Happy Healthy, and Prosperous 2022. Thank you for all of your important work to educate and train the safe, appropriate use of firearms over the many years. Here’s to many more years of you sharing your expertise!

  30. Trying to reign it in this year with a kiddo headed off to college shortly. So far, just picked up a pair of G10 grips for my Springfield Loaded 5”. Love the wood, but not much purchase with sweat or light rain.

  31. Mas,
    Merry Christmas to you and Gail.
    My gift came in early this year. My daughter who grew up with hunting and guns turned into an anti gun liberal living in California.
    She came home for 6 months this year and asked me to take her shooting! After a couple range visits with safety first attitude ingrained she flipped and came back to pro gun. Now she wants my 1911! And I am happy to give to her.

    • The silver lining of the Biden administration is that they’re convincing a whole lot of people their policies suck.

      Several years back a Marine veteran friend of mine called with a similar story. He was wondering whether to get his dainty, goth-style daughter a .380. I convinced him to give her a gun class instead.
      After trying several guns, she fell in love with my 1911, got one for herself, and outscored her father on the Texas license practical. Only time I had to pick a Marine up off the floor, not involving alcohol. 😉

  35. For some reason my family thinks I have enough guns (they are wrong) but I did get some new hunting clothes, another steel target and a bottle of Irish whiskey. Merry Christmas to all.

  39. SIG MPX .177 air gun was given to my 11 year old grandson yesterday. The look on his face when he saw it was priceless. It will be remembered for years to come. I’m sure Phillip will enjoy “teaching” him the ins and outs of red dot air gun shooting. Merry Christmas Gail and Mas

  41. Story of the used 16 ga farm shotgun

    My step-brother and I, a year-and-a-half apart in age, were always kidding each other, one-upping each other, being kind of ornery to each other — as brothers will do.

    I came back from college one Christmas intent on making everyone laugh when he opened a present from me. And they did, as I had hoped. Box of saw dust with a picture of a 2×4 on the front, which I had labeled “Million-Piece Puzzle.”

    Then, unfazed, focused entirely on me opening mine from him, he waited as I ripped the paper and cardboard off the weird-shaped thing. He waited for me to say something as I held up a well-worn 16 ga farmhouse break action shotgun. Some would have called it a piece of junk, maybe, but not me. Scarred butt. Faded bluing, leaving it muddy gray mostly, silver here and there. I was speechless. I slowly moved my eyes from the gun to his, and he asked if I liked it. He didn’t have much money for presents, but when he saw it, he remembered how much I wanted the odd ga. I’d talked about it with him only once a season past.

    I felt like such a giant turd. I hunted everything with that 16 ga, well into middle age: jack rabbits, squirrels, pheasants…. I absolutely refused to hunt with anything else. Regretfully, I had not kept that gun in my gun safe. About 10 years ago my house was burglarized, and it was one of the things that was never recovered.

    They can’t steal memories, though.

  42. I bought myself a Springfield Hellcat and scored a 10 yard one shot kill on a 250# feral hog with the first shot I fired with it as we headed to my range to shoot!

  44. Mas,
    A Very Merry Christmas to you and Gail. I didn’t get any guns for Christmas but am very thankful for the ones i do have which are considered antiques now. However all but one are in good firing condition. I carry my Glock, gen 4, model 23, 40 caliber sub-compact daily and am quite content with it. Feel lucky to still find ammo for them. Have a fabulous new year!

  45. It seems that ammo is the one gift that doesn’t seem forced but is still special. I did gift some ammo but Mas was kind enough to sign 2 books that went to 2 deserving people for Christmas. They both really appreciated it, so passing along their gratitude to the author here. I got coal though:(

  46. Mine is more about giving to kids now that they are adults. In one situation they all came back to me and awaited a change in state residence!

    Laws, covid and other circumstances gave a pause this year. Thankfully both sons bought a home and my next gifts will be safes (partially stocked). I won’t be waiting for Christmas!

    I saw this and thought it worth sharing as it seems it was not shared enough. Belated Christmas wishes. Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

    https://m.facebook.com/officialcophumor/videos/christmas-eve-via-california-highway-patrol-there-are-some-stories-that-truly-sp/899847744228303/?ref=sharing&_rdr

  48. Paul S.
    Thank You for posting that video. I watched it twice and used several sheets of Kleenex! Brought back a few times that I and another Deputy stood at someone’s door. Not a pleasant thing to have to do. Retired LEO Jon Hirz

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