New guns are rarely completely out of the box. Sure, you have a functional body, but without the right gun accessories, your gun’s functionality will be somewhat limited.
You should know beforehand what accessories you are going to need with your new gun. When you buy these must have gun accessories at the same time as a new firearm, you can often get a discount, or even have some of them thrown in for free.
Having the top gun accessories could mean shooting more accurately, carrying your gun more comfortably, firing rounds more consistently, and so much more. If you value the shooting experience, or if you are hunting or shooting in competitions, upgrading with these cool gun accessories is a must.
Keep reading to discover the best gun accessories to pick up with your new firearm.
1. Hard Sided Case
The first thing you’ll want to get for any new gun is a case. This is a must, as transporting a firearm requires the use of a case in most states and cities. So if you ever want to take it to the range to test it out, or take it out hunting, a case is mandatory.
Soft-sided cases are cheap but offer very little protection. A hard-sided case, while a bit more expensive, is a safer option. It will do a better job of protecting the gun from falls, bumpy roads, moisture, and dust.
This is something best bought in the store with your gun. When buying large gun accessories online, you may incur higher shipping charges since they are so bulky. But the store you buy your firearm from generally carries perfectly sized cases for each firearm it sells, no shipping needed.
2. Sling
If you’ve ever gone out hunting, even with a lightweight rifle such as a .22, you know that carrying it in your hands the whole time is tiring. It can wear out your hands, wrists, and biceps very quickly.
This can in turn affect your shooting performance when you finally have a shot at your target. A better option is to buy a rifle or shotgun sling to take hunting. That way, you can easily sling the gun over your shoulder for a safer, easier way to carry a gun over long distances.
You can choose a high-quality sling, such as leather, to match the aesthetic of your gun. Or you can choose a basic sling, usually made of weather-resistant nylon, which will get the job done without looking very fancy.
3. The Right Scope
Most guns don’t come with a scope. With such a wide variety of scopes available, it would be a waste for manufacturers to include a scope.
As the buyer, you get to outfit your gun with the best possible optics for your goal. If you are target shooting in the backyard, or at the range, you may opt for one type of scope. If you are hunting big game, or hunting turkeys, you may need a different type of scope.
Either way, if you want to shoot accurately at distances of more than 10 yards, you need to invest in optics. These can be very expensive but are worth their weight in gold.
They are particularly important for hunters, who often take days, if not a week or two at a time to go hunting. When pursuing a big game animal such as deer or elk, you often only get one shot.
If you can’t land your shot, and you have your optics to blame, you’ll be kicking yourself for months. Do yourself a favor and buy the best scope or sight that you can afford.
4. Magazine Extension
The problem with many handguns and shotguns is that they don’t carry enough rounds. This means you are always taking time to stop shooting and reload your gun.
Many shotguns can only hold two to three rounds, and for turkey hunting or small game hunting, this simply isn’t enough.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to buy a magazine extension for many types of guns. With these custom accessories, you can increase your carrying capacity from three rounds to upwards of ten rounds.
These extra rounds can mean an entire day of hunting without having to stop what you are doing to reload your gun.
5. Handguard
Some guns benefit from the use of handguard rails. An AR-15 handguard, for example, will cover the barrel of the rifle with a free-floating cage. This gets your stabilizing hand off the barrel itself.
This creates a more comfortable shooting position while also protects your hand from the heat of the barrel when shooting lots of rounds. Avoid cheaper handguards as they often don’t hold up under pressure. They will bend or break when holding them for long periods of shooting.
Buy a high-quality, stable handguard that evenly distributes pressure and weight to avoid breakage.
6. Cable Lock
If you have kids or inexperienced shooters at home, you’ll want to lock up your guns to keep everyone safe. You never know when someone will want to play around with a gun or try to access them in a moment of desperation.
One of the cheapest ways to secure a gun is with a cable lock. These are flexible locks that run through the action of your gun. They prevent the action from closing so that it isn’t possible for rounds to be chambered or a magazine to be inserted.
They operate with a key, which you should hide or keep on your person at all times. Oftentimes, new guns come with these locks. If they don’t, make sure to pick one up, as they are one of the easiest ways to keep your guns and your family safe.
7. Gun Safe
The other way to keep guns and family members safe is to store them in a locked gun safe or security cabinet. These are especially helpful if you have multiple guns and need a place to store them anyways.
Most gun safes can be secured to a wall to prevent them from falling over. They can then be outfitted with a padlock of your choice, whether requiring a combination lock or a key.
These keep guns safe from kids, as well as theft, as it’s unlikely someone will try to take an entire gun safe, which is far too heavy. Plus, you can choose higher quality, fire-resistant safes to keep your guns safe should you ever have a house fire.
If you have guns that have been passed down to you, or if you’ve purchased very expensive guns, you want to do everything you can to keep them safe from harm.
8. Gun Cleaning Kit
If you ever plan to shoot your guns, you’re going to need to clean them, too. That’s because, with every shot, an explosion is taking place inside the chamber.
Smoke, soot, carbon residue, and other tiny debris particles build up inside the action and the barrel over time. If you shoot a lot, your gun will get dirty fast. Too much gunk building up in your guns can negatively affect the performance.
Luckily, you can buy a simple gun cleaning kit made for your type of gun, whether rifle, shotgun or handgun, so you can clean your gun at home on a regular basis. It will come with a cleaning rod, bronze bore brushes, soft cleaning patches, cleaning solvent, and lubricant for your firearm.
9. Ammo Boxes
If you are like most people, you tend to stock up on ammo when it’s available. If you have tons and tons of rounds at home, you want to store them in the best way possible.
You want to protect your ammunition from moisture in the air, as well as light and people. The best way to do this is with storage boxes specifically designed for the ammunition. They make it convenient to store tons of rounds, organized by caliber and type.
Having them stored like this makes it easy to move them to your car to take to the range or the field.
10. Training Gear
There are plenty of accessories needed to train with your guns. In order to use a gun range, for example, you’ll need to have earplugs as well as safety goggles or shooting glasses. You’ll also want to bring your own paper targets with you to practice the type of shooting you like to do.
When sighting in your guns, it’s helpful to have a laser sight. This is shaped like a bullet so you can insert it into your chamber.
But when you pull the trigger, it emits a laser so you can see exactly where your bullet would hit. This saves you ammunition as you sight in your gun.
If you travel to the shooting range on a regular basis, get a range bag that you can store all of your accessories. Then you could head to the range at a moment’s notice without having to find and pack all your gear each time.
Other Must Have Gun Accessories
This is not an exhaustive list. There are other must have gun accessories available depending on the type of firearm owner you are, be it a hunter, concealed carry holder, or backyard target shooter.
As you get more acquainted with your firearms, you’ll learn more about what you need for a safe, effective shooting session.
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