The end of the year is fast approaching, and with it comes some of the largest sales the firearm and optic industry will see all year. Just about every firearm, optic, and piece of gear that you can think of is going to be immensely discounted.
So, with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas sales all on the horizon, there’s no better time than now to get ahead and start filling out your wish lists with all the gear you’ve been wanting all year, as this season is perfect for every enthusiast, regardless of your level of experience.
But with that in mind, if you’re new to owning firearms or just don’t know what to look for, it’s incredibly easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of rifles, optics, gear, and other accessories to consider when they’re all on sale. As such, getting an idea of what is going to be included in this year’s upcoming sales events is key.
Year-End Buyers Guide: Wrapping up 2025.
As we mentioned above, in the next couple of months, just about every rifle, pistol, optic, as well as a plethora of other gear is going to be marked down to the lowest price they’ve been at all year. And as exciting as this, the holidays often come with a sense of impending urgency, since everything on sale won’t last forever. So, what exactly can you expect from this year’s upcoming holiday sales?
Door Buster & Holiday Sales: What to Expect
Obviously, the biggest thing you can expect to see is heavily discounted store items. Select firearms, optics, and other gear can get discounted by as much 40%, with closeout products often being discounted even more so.
There isn’t a better time than now to start filling out your wish list to get an idea of what you want this year. And although it’s still early enough to not have a full picture of every item that’s going to be on sale, we can at least paint you a picture of what this year’s sale is likely going to include.
Firearm Deals
During our holiday sales, firearm prices are exceptionally low, and these deals extend to almost every firearm variant too. Semi-auto rifles like the AR-15, AR-10, and more, as well as bolt-action rifles and shotguns are all included in these sales. Plus, a plethora of handguns will be on sale too, and the same is true for individual components too.
AR-15: Rifles, Pistols, and Parts
Being one of the most popular rifles in America, the AR-15 always has its share of incredible Holiday deals. AR-15 rifles from various manufacturers are marked down substantially on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and around Christmas too. As such, you can expect to find a variety of rifles on sale, ranging from entry-level general-purpose rifles to more specialized ones like SPRs and other precision rifles too. In the same vein, AR-15 pistols will be marked down too, giving you the chance to take home a more compact AR that’s better suited for use in close quarters like home defense.
And lastly, if you prefer to build your rifle instead of buying it, you’re lucky, because the holidays are the best time to stock up on AR-15 parts. Receiver sets, parts kits, and other individual parts will all be discounted, giving you the chance to build your dream rifle without having to break the bank to do so.
Regardless of whether you want to build or buy though, AR-15s can be expensive, with complete rifles and custom builds costing anywhere from around $500 to upwards of $3,500+ at times. So, if you’re interested in picking one up for a good price, our upcoming sales will be the best time to do so.
AR-10: Rifles and Parts
Just like the AR-15, the AR-10 is another popular rifle that’s favored for its familiar controls and ability to chamber full-power rifle cartridges like .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor. Sharing a similar level of adaptability as the AR-15, they can be easily optimized to fit multiple roles, with them being commonly used as the basis for hunting and precision rifles, as well as battle rifle-style builds too. Being so capable across so many applications, both rifles and individual AR-10 parts are commonly marked down during our end-of-year sales.
Typically, AR-10s are fair bit more expensive when compared to AR-15s, with them usually ranging from around $800 to upwards of $4,500+ depending on the model. Still, when they’re a part of our sales, they’re often discounted significantly, giving you the chance to build or buy an AR-10, kitted out to your specifications.
If you’re intent on building an AR-10, it’s important to note that unlike the AR-15, the AR-10 doesn’t have a standardized design. In fact, the term ‘AR-10’ is trademarked and only applies to rifles built by Armalite. Because of this, there are multiple AR-308 rifles that use different receiver patterns. So, before you set off to buy one, we recommend checking out our guide on the Difference between AR-10 and LR-308 Rifles to get a better idea of their parts compatibility with different components.
Bolt-Action and Lever Action Rifles
For the long-range precision and hunting enthusiast, bolt-action rifles are one of the go-to platforms for the job. Capable of chambering a wide array of calibers, big and small, they’ve long been favored for their simple operation and exceptional accuracy. And, just like AR platform rifles, they can vary drastically in price, ranging anywhere from as low as around $250 to as much as $5,000+, depending on the model of course.
The same can be said for lever-action rifles too. While they aren’t used in precision shooting disciplines all that often, they still have a simple and reliable operation and have the distinct advantage of chambering more unique calibers like .30-30 Winchester, .45-70, and .360 Buckhammer, to name a few. While not used for precision shooting per se, lever actions are, by far, some of the most popular hunting rifles around. And with our sales happening right in the middle of hunting season, you can save a lot on a new hunting setup.
Shotguns
Renowned for their all-around versatility and ability to fire multiple projectiles at once, shotguns have long been a staple addition in every enthusiast’s personal collection. They excel in defensive, competitive, hunting, and duty applications, with a near-endless number of options to choose from. Depending on the type of shotgun you look at, they can vary heavily in price, with your more basic pump-action models costing around $200 to $1,000+ on the lower end of the spectrum, and more premium options costing upwards of $1,000 to $3,500+.
Around the holidays though, they drop in price considerably, making both entry-level and premium shotguns much more affordable. Similarly, accessories like shotgun optic mounts, chokes, and aftermarket furniture typically go on sale with them too.
Handguns
Rounding out our firearms section are handguns. Much like all the other firearm variants we’ve mentioned thus far, handguns are available in all shapes and sizes, with each one being designed to fit separate roles and applications.
Take everyday carry for instance, smaller handguns like the GLOCK 43x, SIG P365, FN Reflex, and more are small enough to conceal without printing, and they also have one of the largest parts aftermarkets of any firearm variants. Furthermore, these pistols, and others like them, are often part of our holiday sales.
However, sub- and micro-compact pistols aren’t the only ones that go on sale. Pistols of all calibers and design often see substantial price drops during the holidays. So, whether you’re in the market for a handgun with a high capacity for home defense or duty use, or something smaller for concealed carry, our sales will have something for everyone.
Optics
Optics are one of the go-to upgrades made to rifles and pistols, and they’re some of the most expensive ones too. That said, with the sheer variety of optics to choose from, it can be overwhelming, as the blanket term “optics” covers rifle scopes and reflex sights. So, it’s important to understand what they are before shopping for one.
Riflescopes
For better versatility across a long range, riflescopes are one of, if not, the best sight option you can equip to your rifle. But not all rifle scopes are created equally—they fall into one of three categories: LPVOs, MPVOs, and HPVOs (low-, medium-, and high-power variable optics).
LPVOs, by design, are one of the most adaptable rifle scope variants, capable of effectively engaging targets at both close and medium- to long-range. Coming with either a 1-6x, 1-8x, or a 1-10x magnification in most instances, they’re most equipped on semi-auto platforms like the AR-15 and AR-10 as they can go the distance when needed, while still performing like a reflex sight at 1x magnification.
MPVOs are designed to offer better ranged capabilities, as they’re designed primarily for engaging targets at medium- to long-range. As such, they’re capable of housing greater magnification ranges, such as 2-10x and 3-18x, meaning they pair rather well with DMR and SPR builds, as well as bolt-actions.
HPVOs are the most powerful rifle scopes available, making them some of the most expensive options as well. These optics are designed for dedicated long-range use, with much larger magnification ranges such as 4-32x to upwards of 6-36x. As such, they’re most often used on high-power bolt-action rifles, especially ones chambered in larger magnum calibers.
Regardless of which type of riflescope you opt for, it’s important to recognize that they can be incredibly expensive at times, with them ranging anywhere from around $300 to upwards of $5,500+. And since they’re some of the more costly upgrades you can make to your rifle, you’ll want to keep an eye out for our upcoming holiday sales events.
Red Dot Sights
Designed for fast target acquisition at close range, reflex sights are one of the most common optics added to both rifles and handguns. Having no magnification, they most often have an extremely forgiving eye relief and a wide field of view, making them ideal for everything from carbines to handguns.
For rifles and PCCs, red dot sights are some of the most common optics used by enthusiasts. Depending on the model you look at, their prices can range from as low as $150 to as much as $1,000+. But, when the holiday season is in full swing, you can expect to see some huge savings from all the top brands in the industry. As such, you can easily kit out your rifle with your optic set without having to break the bank.
Pistol optics see a competitive price decrease too, but these reflex sights often look a bit different compared to their rifle-sized counterparts. For starters, pistol dots are primarily available as either an open-emitter mini-reflex sight, or as an enclosed emitter pistol red dot sight. Open-emitter optics are typically more budget-friendly than enclosed ones, and they offer a wider field of view.
Despite having a marginally narrower FOV, enclosed emitter pistol red dots are renowned for their durability. Essentially, they have a nearly identical construction like full-size red dots; they’re just smaller to fit on pistol slides. Because of their more robust construction, they’re favored by many for use in adverse conditions, making them some of the more sought-after optics for duty and intense competition.
Regardless, both optics are a solid pick, regardless of your intended use. And as you’d expect, just like all the other gear mentioned above, they’re often discounted heavily around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Pistol dots that typically cost around $250 to $400+ can get marked down to as low as $150 to $350+, getting you some serious savings on some nice optics.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to get into the firearm space or kit out your current setups, our Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and upcoming Holiday sales are the best time to shop for deals on gear from your favorite brands.
In the next couple of months, just about every product in the industry is going to be priced at the lowest they’ll be all year. So, to get the jump on the deals before they come and go, we highly recommend signing up for our email newsletter to be the first to hear when the latest sales drop.
Lastly, if you’re still wanting to get a better idea of what usually goes on during the holiday season, our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide offers some further insight into what you can expect in the coming months.
