Modifying your primary weapon, good or bad?

[Delphi]

Well by primary weapon i mean the gun that you sleep with, the one that you take every where you go, the one that if the unfortunate event happens that it has to be used will be the one that see's the action.

Modifying... hrmm i can see allot of good things about it, improving the grips to fit your hands better, adding a laser for fast targeting. All very nice upgrades that can be done. But i do hear that there is a huge negative to modifiying your primary gun, and it outweighs the positives. I was told that you should keep your main gun Stock like you got it from the manufacturer, because their have been court cases where a crook/badguy was shot with a modified weapon (new grips, different trigger, laser... etc.) and was able to get the lawfull shooter in trouble by having them classified as a "gun nut" or even calling them "obsessed with guns" for having modified his gun.

Now my question is, how valid is this? Is modifying your main weapon a good or bad idea?

[The1andOnlyKC]

Dont believe everything you hear...........

[Gman]

If it improves my accuracy so that it reduces the chances of missing an offender and possibly hurting an innocent bystander, I think I can make the argument that I intentionally (and legally) increased my margin of safety.

The fact that the scumbag (a.k.a. "crook" or "badguy") broke the law still remains. Someone committing acts worthy of getting themself shot has a tougher time explaining their actions.

Massad Ayoob has some good scenarios where he has had to testify in court defending shooters, so try and study up on them.

Massad Ayoob-Home handgun defense: simplicity suffices (http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/ayoob54.html)

In closing, let me say that when you analyze the outcomes of a lot of violent encounters, you discover that “did you have a gun” and “did you know how to use your gun” are questions a helluva lot more important than “what kind of gun did you have.”

Ayoob is a prolific writer and has articles published seemingly everywhere. Many are located here ( http://www.backwoodshome.com/ayoob_index.html ), but you can Google many more.

[HunterCO]

Dont believe everything you hear...........

+1

Sounds like Tin Foil Hat theory. A shoot is either justifiable or not period nobody is going to care much less notice what grips or sites you have. The forensic files are not going to do an episode to analyze what kind of trigger job you had done.

+1 to what Gman said also.

[Mule]

Another resource for legal precident help would be www.rmgo.org.

I want all the help I can get when it comes time to pull that trigger.

I would rather hit my target than miss and hit a family member or house.
Family - very good/thief bad......
House - good/thief bad.......
Being able to hit the thief - Very good......

sounds like a tv commercial.

[Richard K]

The only time that would come into question would be a "bad shoot" situation. Example: your Glock came with a 5lb. trigger and you replace it with a 3.5lb. trigger. You are in a tense situation and have an accidental discharge and shoot an innocent bystander. Or you are holding a bad guy, who has surrendered, at gunpoint and has no weapon, you are nervous and shoot him with an accidental discharge. A case could be made that your modification contributed to the "bad shoot". Proof? That's why NYC Cops are required to have 8lb. triggers in order to prevent such occurrences.

[Mule]

I'll jump in first....
IMHO....
If you train with your finger in the proper position, that won't happen. Rule #3..... After target is aquired

Mine is on a pin about 1/2" above the trigger.

The time it takes you to move that little space and pull the trigger is negligible, especially in the one where they have surrendered.

There are several opportunities offered here on the board for practicing in controled environments for those who want the practice.

[Richard K]

Mule,

I agree, however, how many buy a handgun for home protection and never train with it beyond punching holes in paper and never receive any practical instruction?

[Mule]

Very true.
Would those people be the ones doing the mods? That would also be a tough one to answer. I am putting Tridium sights on my XD because I shoot it a lot and want to train in low to no light conditions. Would a paper puncher do the same........ I think that gets too far into the "I dunno" realm, LOL....
Greg

[Richard K]

Well, during my 36 years as an LEO, armorer and master firearms instructor, I've had many occasions where I've been asked to lighten the trigger pull on X brand pistol or X brand revolver. I ask them how much they've shot it they say something like "oh I shot it once to see how it feels, the trigger was really hard to pull. Now I keep it beside the bed for protection" When I refuse and tell them I only work on my own or Dept. guns, they usually ask where they can get it done. These are not individuals like members of this board who are, like me, gun nuts. I had one case where an individual took a model 97 Winchester 12 ga. and lightened the trigger pull to a dangerously light level. He was going to "scare" a buddy when it accidently discharged. He was convicted of criminally negligent homicide.

[HunterCO]

I would say anything under a 3.5 lbs trigger pull is stupid for any thing other than a match rifle. I shot competition when I was younger and I loved a trigger that you breathed on and the gun would go off. I however would never want any gun like that for hunting or personal protection.

[BadShot]

I can't say I'm a huge fan of lightening triggers on weapons where the potential for accidents are higher. Read - carry weapons, guns kept with one in the pipe etc..

I lightened the trigger on my .308 to 2.5# because she's a long range shooter, not something I tote around loaded anyway.

But all said and told and to stick with the theme here, if it's a justified shoot, then it's justified.. if not, well you're lawyer better be shit hot.