A birthday is an interesting event in your life.  Is it something to celebrate or be sad about?  A mile marker or a countdown?  If you want to take away some of the sting from another year past, you should try to commemorate it with a new gun.

For the first time today I had a customer come to the shop to pick up his birthday present that his WIFE picked out for him all the while keeping it a complete secret.  Go ahead and applaud a female who will buy a pistol for her man.  By the way, you should know that she is not a shooter, and actually intimidated by guns.  Nevertheless she pursued her husband’s passion and made his day.  Here’s how it went down.

Several months ago, his wife asked for a recommendation on a pistol for her husband.  We went over all the particulars, and I was able to casually bring up pistols to him one day to make sure we got him something he would be really excited about.  We decided she would make monthly installments and bring him to the shop to fill out the 4473 on his actual birthday.  Today was a great day for him, and for her because she was certain that he was going to be stoked.

If you are a guy who always wants your wife to get you a gun, but she never will, make a little scrap book of magazine articles or pictures from the internet that will show here exactly what you like.  While trying not to bore spouse to death, talk to her about what you like.  Every husband and wife should know the basics about each others hobbies and interests.  Take a day twice a year to go to a gun show or gun shop together.  You will be surprised what might happen if you take a few minutes to educate those around you about your sport.  You might find they end up understanding you a little better because of it.

If you are the spouse of a gun nut you need one important skill that alludes most of us; listening.  Pay attention.  Your husband will give you subtle hints all year long about the things that he is interested in having in his safe.  Write them down and log it away for the special day.

By the way, this is something that you won’t find if you are hung up on having the best deal all the time.  Gunbroker and big box shop if you must, but they can’t help your spouse like a local shop that you are known in as a regular.