Some pistol modifications have downsides that far outweigh the ergonomic gain. Read on and find out which aftermarket modifications you need to avoid.
RELATED: Gun Mods: How To Customize Your Glock
Pistol Modifications | Mods You Can Do Without
Avoid Messing Up Your Gun
Most gun enthusiasts fancy pistol modifications. Tacti-cool is not tactical at all.
They can't get enough of installing aftermarket accessories in a gun customization shop to satisfy their desire to turn their guns into cooler versions which often exceed its original configuration.
Some modifications can make your pistols more useful and enjoyable to shoot, but carrying a modified handgun can be unsafe to use. Learn about the five pistol modifications to avoid to keep your gun in good shape.
1. Do Not Reduce Trigger Pull Weight
The pistol's trigger and ergonomics are keys to a shooter's accuracy. Some might say using light and crisp trigger can bring out the best in a user's ability to shoot, but the truth is, there are serious consequences that come with this modification.
Reducing the pull weight can make your handgun more unreliable or more dangerous especially if you'll use it for self-defense. If it is lighter than the factory standard, then there is a good chance of accidentally double tapping the trigger that may result in shooting an unintended target.
However, if you're bent on using a light trigger pull weight, may I recommend a couple of handguns you might fancy. Try the Glock 19 Gen 3 or Sig Sauer Legion, both come with a great trigger and will no longer need any pistol modification.
Glock is a particular favorite, and Glock 19 accessories are readily available.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Long, Du (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
2. Do Not Add Slip-on Grips
More often than not, a slip-on grip goes up and over the magazine catch. And when you want to release the magazine catch, it won't push and release the magazine since it can't seat properly.
There are also instances where it can slide down if it doesn't fit the gun well. This can be a really annoying nuisance you don't want to deal with when firing your handgun.
Try to stick with the stock grips your gun comes with. For example, Beretta grips feature non-slip material you won't need to get a slip-on.
3. Avoid Using Extended Magazines
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One of the most popular and easiest gun modification is the extended magazine. If you want to use your handgun for concealed carry, it would be a worthless addition.
An extended mag can make it more difficult for you to conceal your pistol plus, it restricts the clothes you can wear and can be very inconvenient. Not only that, extensions can cause reliability issues as well.
So if you worry about running out of ammunition when caught in a gunfight or a dangerous situation, carrying a spare magazine is the best option. Try a Glock 22 pistol, which holds 15 rounds per magazine.
Unless you're John Wick (or a really bad shot), 15 rounds will serve you well enough.
RELATED: Top Glock Mods To Consider For Glock Owners
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4. Do Not Use Recoil Buffers
A recoil buffer is a little piece of plastic or rubber that goes at the back of the recoil spring and keeps the gun from beating itself to death. However, most of these things break into pieces and can cause the gun to jam.
It can also give you more recoil and can shorten the slide stroke which can result in failure to feed and failure of the action to lock open when it is empty.
Imagine this: you're in a firefight, and it's getting pretty hairy. You reload and fire, but suddenly, your pistol recoil buffer falls apart. This is not a situation you want to be in.
- Long, Duncan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 76 Pages - 01/01/1991 (Publication Date) - Paladin Pr (Publisher)
5. Avoid Threaded Barrels
Threaded barrels are a necessity for attaching a pistol suppressor to a gun and it is one of the pistol modifications you may want to avoid on a concealed carry weapon. For one, no one conceals a gun with a suppressor and another reason is it will make the gun difficult to draw.
It can snag on the holster or on your clothing, especially if you draw it the wrong way. Besides, suppressors are still really loud.
Going hot is always a better option for home defense, as it can potentially scare away your attackers.
Suppressor Definition: A detachable device that reduces the sound or loud bang of a gun.
Watch this video from SensiblePrepper and learn some tips on how to choose the right handgun for you!
Using pistol modifications is a choice, but we have to be wise in determining what's beneficial and what's a potential risk. Most likely, a true gun enthusiast will change something in their pistol to meet their expectations of what their gun should be.
Nonetheless, one must always practice caution when altering a handgun for self-defense. It does not only affect your gun's performance, but there are also legal repercussions that come with radically modified self-defense pistols. Therefore, having knowledge about pistol modifications is important before changing anything.
Do you know other pistol modifications we need to avoid? Share them with us in the comments section below!
Up Next:
- Gun Modifications | AR-15 Dos And Don'ts
- Customizing the NSSF Top Ten Gun Safety Rules: Part 2
- Stupid People With Guns: How NOT To Handle A Firearm
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in January 2018 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
