This is where things get fun. There is no shortage of accessories you can buy for pistols, shotguns, and rifles; I’ll just scratch the surface here to give you an idea of what’s out there.
Weapons Lights and Lasers
There is plenty of discussion around whether to have a light or laser mounted to your firearm. It depends on your circumstances and particular needs, so you’ll want to consult a knowledgeable party. If you plan to use your firearm for home defense, self-defense, concealed carry, competition, or other situations that might be in low light, this section will help provide you with some options.
SureFire is one company that makes high-quality light and laser systems that are used by law enforcement, militaries, and civilians all around the world. They have standalone flashlights as well as many lights and laser models that can be mounted on pistols, shotguns, and handguns. I have found their products to be rugged and to operate in a reliable manner.
Numerous combinations of lights and laser combos that can be directly mounted onto a pistol, shotgun, and rifle are also available.
A Salient Arms Glock 34 pistol with a SureFire X300 light.
An AR-15 with a Crimson Trace MVF-515R laser and light grip combo.
Another company that focuses on weapon-mounted light and laser systems is Crimson Trace. I have used a number of Crimson Trace’s laser and lighting systems on my pistol and AR-15, and I can say that having a light or laser system helps improve my shooting in low-light situations. I competed in a nighttime 3-gun shoot sponsored by Crimson Trace, and I was amazed at how easy and natural shooting with a laser felt to me.
.22 Conversion Kits
A number of pistols and rifles can accept .22 conversion kits. These kits have some swappable pieces—such as the slide, springs, and bolt—that enable you to shoot cheaper .22 ammunition. You have to check whether a specific gun make and model can accept a conversion kit or not; this information can often be found on the manufacturer’s website, or through a Google search for third parties that make a kit.
Not only is shooting .22 more affordable, but it can also help you engrain good habits—such as trigger control, sight alignment, and sight picture—using a gun you want to use often. As I mentioned earlier, I recommend training on a dedicated .22 pistol, but that can be expensive for some people. A .22 conversion kit is a wonderful alternative.
Holsters
For civilians, there are three primary reasons why you’d need a holster: for competition, concealed carry, and hunting. Many ranges do not allow civilians to come and shoot from a holster unless you have taken a course or can show proof of experience, such as practical shooting, law enforcement, or military. Some ranges simply do not allow it, period, so you’ll want to check on this beforehand.
Drawing a pistol from a holster can be a dangerous movement if you are not familiar with safe gun handling and the particular pistol you’re using. This is a skill that should be developed only after getting some experience with the pistol by itself. Take one thing at a time, learn to safely handle and operate the pistol, and then you can start researching holsters.
Holsters are often made of leather, polymer, or neoprene, and several types are available, depending on where you want to carry your pistol. The following are some types of holsters that are available: