Modification of Combat Arms

[Michael Brown]

With some exceptions, I am against the mechanical modification of combat arms. John Browning's masterpiece was quite reliable before we all started tinkering with it.

As a general list of combat-useful modifications if your gun is already reliable, I offer the following:

Rifles/Shotguns: Large visible sights, preferably with a tritium insert and de-horning when necessary.

Pistols: Tritium sights, preferably larger than target sights, grips to fit the individual, and de-horning.

Really I think that's about it. Everything else is gravy. A lot of money is made in the modification business but in general, I think most of it is kinda gimmicky.

Keep your firearms for combat as stock as possible. I think its just in our nature to tinker. I'm not against practical modifications, its just that I think most are not real practical.

Michael Brown

[F16mickey]

What about the smoothing and polishing of internal parts? Do you think the problem lies in the parts and add ons themselves or the disassembly/reassembly of the weapon?

[Michael Brown]

Cutting on internal parts is dangerous business for a combat weapon in my opinion. anytime you take a weapon outside of the manufacturing spec, you run a reliablity risk. You just can't put metal back if you need to.

There are some exceptions to this but generally I discourage the practice for combat weapons. On the other hand, competition arms are almost always effectively modified.

Michael Brown

[GMThunder]

Are you saying don't modify your weapons internal parts yourself? or period?

[Michael Brown]

Period.

But my disclaimer is that its just my opinion.

Michael Brown

[Helmut]

This is about the weapons I carry every day (pistol and rifle). But I do the same with my competition firearms also.

I would prefer to do ALL the mod's myself, to ensure that the weapon would run reliably and I would have mental knowledge of what was inside the weapon to ensure all the parts where correct. This would include trigger jobs/extractor tuning/polishing/etc.....

I have purchased to many weapons that had burrs on the hammer/sear engagement surfaces/extractors screwed up/headspaces incorrect, or other defects from the factory that I thought they where unacceptable for correct performance of the weapon. And these where from big name manufactures. Don't get me wrong, the manufactures that I speak of make very good quality products. I would buy their product again, but I guess I am just picky on performance.

Just my take on it.

[J.P.]

I somewhat disagree with you on this,Mike.

I feel that if you are competent enough to understand the workings/limitations of your firearms and the modifications,then it is OK.
Where the problem lies is with garage gunsmiths that tinker with but don't have a FULL understanding of all of the working parts.

While I think modifications are ok,I would agree that anything that compromises reliability is 100% bad.

There's not really much to modify on a Glock anyway. ;)
(unless you do a T-1 trigger)


P.S.
Mike,are you now shooting IDPA with the sights/trigger set up identical to your duty weapon?

[GMThunder]

Period.

But my disclaimer is that its just my opinion.

Michael Brown

I think I've seen you speak highly of Nowlin, he has done work for SWAT teams and LE, I believe here in OKC but don't quote me on that.

I know that I'd trust any 1911, that I didn't previously trust, after he cleaned it up. But I guess I could always circumvent this by carrying my glocks. (beat you to it JP)

[Michael Brown]

I think I've seen you speak highly of Nowlin, he has done work for SWAT teams and LE, I believe here in OKC but don't quote me on that.

I know that I'd trust any 1911, that I didn't previously trust, after he cleaned it up. But I guess I could always circumvent this by carrying my glocks. (beat you to it JP)

Nowlin is an outstanding gunsmith.

The reason I state my opinion the way I do is that I believe Browning's original design was quite reliable but no one makes a 1911 to his specs anymore, thus the huge directory of gunsmiths.

Having had the benefit of seeing a ton of rounds go down range per year, I just think that a bone-stock factory gun is bound to be more reliable.

Michael Brown

[AresV]

What about installing a 3.5 lb. Glock factory connector and spring in a gun that came with the heavier connector?

This is the only mod I've performed on my 32C that I carry other than Mepro's, an A-Grip, and a plug (to keep dirt out). Since installing the new connector I've been shooting tighter groups. My Glock has never malfunctioned and I've fed it plenty of reloads as well as factory stuff (shameless Glock plug).:D

[DrBaker]

What about installing a 3.5 lb. Glock factory connector and spring in a gun that came with the heavier connector?



My not so professional opinion:
If you are using factory glock parts, it should still work like a factory glock.

[Michael Brown]

What about installing a 3.5 lb. Glock factory connector and spring in a gun that came with the heavier connector?

This is the only mod I've performed on my 32C that I carry other than Mepro's, an A-Grip, and a plug (to keep dirt out). Since installing the new connector I've been shooting tighter groups. My Glock has never malfunctioned and I've fed it plenty of reloads as well as factory stuff (shameless Glock plug).:D

It will work fine.

The only thing to consider is that Glock doesn't endorse this trigger for use in your gun. I agree its ridiculous, but I try to stay within manufacturers' specs for all my defensive weapons unless there is some compelling reason not to.

Michael Brown

[Michael Brown]

I somewhat disagree with you on this,Mike.

I feel that if you are competent enough to understand the workings/limitations of your firearms and the modifications,then it is OK.
Where the problem lies is with garage gunsmiths that tinker with but don't have a FULL understanding of all of the working parts.

While I think modifications are ok,I would agree that anything that compromises reliability is 100% bad.

There's not really much to modify on a Glock anyway. ;)
(unless you do a T-1 trigger)


P.S.
Mike,are you now shooting IDPA with the sights/trigger set up identical to
your duty weapon?

I have always shot IDPA with sights that are identical to my duty weapn.

The trigger is substantially different.

Michael Brown

[liliysdad]

I agree and disagree simultaneously. :P



My Sig P220 is an awesom Combat gun Box Stock. However, it has had some mods. The internals have been polished, no cutting, just polished. The trigger has ben rounded and thinned, and the barrel has been polished. The gun now shoots better for me, and has a better trigger pull. I did all this myself.

I think what bit of reliabilty you might lose ina sensible modification, you very well may gain in shootability and confidence.