"Should You Modify Your Carry Gun"

[Owasso]

Below are links to two different articles about whether or not you should modify your weapon. In my opinion both articles are well written and make some very good points. The first articles listed below makes strong arguments for modifying your trigger. The second article makes strong arguments against modifying your trigger. I am not trying to start a debate. I just thought both articles were informative and wanted to share them with the rest of the forum members. Many of you may have already read the second article as it is well known. However, I added the link for those that are new to concealed carry or that may have missed the article.


http://www.handgunsmag.com/concealed-carry/modify-carry-gun/

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/01/brad-kozak/the-massad-ayoob-chronicles-part-v/

By the way I would recommend reading all five parts of the "Ayoob" series.

Again I think there are good arguments on both sides and would not ridicule anyone who takes either position. However, thus far I have not modified my carry weapon.

 

[twoguns?]

1. Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns.
2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap – life is expensive.
3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.
4. If your shooting stance is good, you’re probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.
5. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movement are preferred.)
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.
7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and running.
9. Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on “pucker factor” than the inherent accuracy of the gun. Use a gun that works EVERY TIME. “All skill is in vain when an Angel blows the powder from the flintlock of your musket.”
10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
11. Always cheat, always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12. Have a plan.
13. Have a back-up plan, because the first one won’t work.
14. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
15. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours.
16. Don’t drop your guard.
17. Always tactical load and threat scan 360 degrees.
18. Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them.)
19. Decide to be aggressive ENOUGH, quickly ENOUGH.
20. The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.
21. Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
22. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
23. Your number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
24. Do not attend a gun fight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with anything smaller than “4″.
25. You can’t miss fast enough to win.

 

[Owasso]

In my mind part of winning is not going prison afterwards. If you win the fight but lose the war you have lost everything. Like I said I do not disagree with modifying a weapon. I just want to be prepared for the fight after the fight. For example, when the DA doesn't see it your way, when the family of the perp sues, or the media sides against you. Everything that happened is going to scrutinized from every angle. Some times people go to prison even when some would say they did everything right.

 

[ldp4570]

Never ever mess with your trigger(I'm referring to lighting the pull weight). If the other side finds that you did, they can play it to their side saying you made the gun more lethal, especially if your being tried in civil court, even if you were cleared in criminal court. Good sights, and if possible use the same ammo(or close to it) the local department uses, it will all make you look more like a good guy instead of some street punk that was looking to kill someone.

 

[ASP785]

Never ever mess with your trigger(I'm referring to lighting the pull weight). If the other side finds that you did, they can play it to their side saying you made the gun more lethal, especially if your being tried in civil court, even if you were cleared in criminal court. Good sights, and if possible use the same ammo(or close to it) the local department uses, it will all make you look more like a good guy instead of some street punk that was looking to kill someone.

The SDA specifically exempts civil prosecution if you are not found criminally liable, isn't that correct?

 

[twoguns?]

The local PD and Fire Marshals use 3.5 connectors and some really nasty hollow point ammo....thats whats in my g30...and it uses the same mag, g21..( 10 rd g30...13 rd g21 )

 

[piston10]

Never ever mess with your trigger(I'm referring to lighting the pull weight). If the other side finds that you did, they can play it to their side saying you made the gun more lethal, especially if your being tried in civil court, even if you were cleared in criminal court. Good sights, and if possible use the same ammo(or close to it) the local department uses, it will all make you look more like a good guy instead of some street punk that was looking to kill someone.

As far as I know it's never been an issue in any court anywhere. You can't make a gun more lethal. A fully modded Glock 19 still shoots the same bullet as the bone stock 19. I have no issue with people that worry about this, but I don't. My carry Glock 23 has a 3.5 connector and lighter springs.

 

[mightymouse]

I carry the HK P7. The only modification it needs is a finish more durable than the factory blueing. Otherwise, it is superb.

 

[Boehlertaught]

I lean toward not modifying your gun. I do understand the reasons to change things so the weapon is more suited to the shooters needs...so they can shoot better. But give this a thought. Mr. Ayoob has written about the pearls of the legal hassles associated with weapon modification, by the owner. Well, get a custom weapon built to your needs, or at least have a gunsmith do the mods no matter how simple they happen to be. This way you get the weapon you need and the mods were done by others...you're an arms length away from the mods responsibility. Will it help out legally? I don't know. But I don't see how it would hurt.

 

[FullAuto]

A clean shoot is a clean shoot. The sights, grip or trigger you install won't change a good shoot to a bad shoot.