Shooting Gear You'll Want to Have

There was a time when a shooter would pick up a gun and a handful of cartridges and head for the woods, the range or off to war. No optics, no gadgets, no clutter. Some things are just good to have, and the shooting world is no different than any other walk of life. Anything that helps keep your firearms clean, reliable and functioning at peak performance is worth having, as is anything that protects you as the trigger puller. Some of the following products make your gun more fun, others are practical, but all are worth knowing about.

Champion Eyes & Ears

Hey, it's important to look cool while shooting. It's nice to protect your vision and your irreparable hearing as well. Champion's combination muffs and ballistic glasses help you achieve both. Snazzy wrap-around glasses offer protection that meets military standards and are scratch resistant. Plus, they look sharp and professional. Muffs offer 26NRR (noise reduction rating) and a comfy fit in your choice of black or pink. The glasses and muffs are paired together for an easy solution for friends and family that forget their protection. MSRP: $30.95

Weaver 1"-30mm SPR Optics Mount

Savvy AR-15 shooters mount their chosen optic in a one-piece ring/base cantilever mount. Why? The cantilever puts the optic forward for correct eye relief, and such units are engineered to set the riflescope at the correct height above the receiver. Just as importantly, they are extremely robust and will hold your optic securely and maintain sight-in through more abuse than a pair of standard rings. Weaver's new SPR mount is machined of 6063-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, features a black hardcoat anodized finish, and offers unprecedented versatility through inserts that make it compatible with either 1-inch or 30mm scope tubes. MSRP: $90.45

Butler Creek Scope Covers

Optics don't like to hunt naked any more than you do. Dust and water gets into cracks and crevasses and builds up on lenses, drastically reducing visibility. Two very different solutions are available from Butler Creek: the simplest is a Bikini Scope Cover, which is a sleek little string contraption with flexible rubber cups that fit over each end of your scope. They last forever and are problem free, just don't lose yours in the backcountry when you rip it off and fling it aside in your hurry to get a shot at a hastily departing buck or bull. The other solution is Butler Creek's Flip-Open covers, which are waterproof, rated to perform in extremes of temperature from -40 degrees to 120 degrees and offer silent opening. "Blizzard" versions feature see-through caps for fast and fleeting surprise opportunities. MSRP: Price varies

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit

Whether you are a hunter, competitive shooter, plinker or prepper, this superb kit is an all-inclusive setup that features premium versions of every tool you'll need to create top-shelf ammunition. The proven high-torque Rock Chucker press offers outstanding power and precision, the M500 mechanical scale weighs to 1/10 of a grain without needing electricity, a hand-priming tool enables the feel and control demanded by accuracy-obsessed perfectionists and the Uniflow mechanical powder measure offers fast, consistent charges. A Nosler manual, case block and all the smaller tools you'll need are also included; all you have to add are caliber-specific dies, a shell holder and the consumable components of primer, powder and bullets. MSRP: $433.45

RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaner

No, this isn't a toaster oven. This is infinitely better: It can clean empty cartridge cases to sparkly perfection or perform a vanishing act on the stubborn carbon buildup plaguing your AR-15 bolt. Filthy suppressor? No sweat. Give it a bath in this green machine and baptize it to immaculate perfection by fluid and sound. Powered by a 60W transducer and a 100W ceramic heater, the 3.2-quart unit employs 36kHz ultrasonic frequencies to remove tarnish, carbon, oxides and plain old dirt and grit from metal surfaces. Five preset temperatures and a timer allow you to customize the settings to your specific job. MSRP: $179.95

Bushnell Elite Tactical Spotting Scope

With a zoom range from 8X to 40X and compact, 12.7-inch length, this is one of the most practical spotting scopes you'll ever lay your lookers on. Savvy optic users familiar with real-world application know how rarely magnification above 40X is useful. Mirage frequently renders higher magnifications worthless. On the low end, the 8X enables a super wide, 250-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, making the Elite Tactical superb for finding and tracking moving objects. In terms of optical performance, ED Prime glass provides clarity, color purity and light transmission coupled with minimal distortion that rivals the best of European glass. Fully multicoated lenses almost eliminate refraction and reflection. Of course, every Bushnell Elite product is waterproof and almost impervious to shock, making for a robust, reliable optic ideal for long-range precision shooting, mountain-type hunting, and just about any other rigorous task that calls for pure, crisp, distortion-free magnification. MSRP: $2,235.95

Knoxx SpecOps Stock Gen III

A 12-gauge scattergun can be awfully frightening on both ends. Bad guys want no part of them, nor do sophisticated shooters with a disdain for recoil. This innovative stock dampens the uncivilized element of your Remington 870's recoil using a cushy recoil pad coupled with a tensioned sliding track that mellows recoil into a long, friendly shove. Six stock positions make it both discrete and adjustable for any size shooter. Several ambidextrous quick-detach (QD) sling swivel points make it easy to mount a strap just the way you want it. The forend portion features an integrated handstop and multiple-position rail sections for accessories. MSRP: $159.95

Bollé Camo Waddell Signature Series Sunglasses

Whether you're a disciple of Michael Waddell or just like a classy pair of camo sunglasses, the Bone Collector's new signature series is calling your name. One of several variations is sure to make your rugged noggin look better than ever, and just about every conceivable shade of polarized lens color is available. Camo patterns include REALTREE Xtra and REALTREE Max-5. MSRP: $99.99-$109.99

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BLACKHAWK! Brick Go Bag

When you gotta go, you gotta go, and this sleek, stylin' Go Bag will help take your critical gear with you. One sling-type shoulder strap makes it easy to carry over your shoulder yet access it in an instant by simply rotating the bag forward under your arm. The large main compartment has adjustable dividers, and two smaller external pockets offer internal elastic loops to secure small items. Four colors are available: black, Foliage Green, Coyote Tan and Olive Drab, which gives the case a touch of old-world class to mix with its modern efficiency. MSRP: $112.45

Primos Trigger Stick

This quick-deploying set of shooting sticks is almost as good as having a professional hunter along to set up the shooting aid for you. While there are a myriad of versions available, including tall and short two- and three-legged sets, all utilize the same innovative trigger-activated head. Made to manipulate with one hand, the sticks extend with a simple squeeze of the trigger. Height can be finessed to perfection by squeezing again while lifting or settling. The V-yoke is detachable and can be adapted for use with a camera or spotting scope. MSRP: $92.95-$195.95

Champion Targets

Want to target a drone, a T-Rex or a can that self heals and lasts through barrages of gunfire? How about zombies or a mystical stick of chalk that explodes into colored dust? Or perhaps you're one of those OCD precision perfectionists that gets high on measuring tiny groups punched through crisp, clean paper. However you get your jollies, Champion Targets has your appetite covered with a boggling array of targets both entertaining and useful. Want to get your kids addicted to shooting? Roll out a variety of steel pop-up silhouettes of bowling pins, hogs, coyotes and dinosaurs engineered specifically for rimfires and let the future hunters of America go to work. MSRP: Price varies