These modifications can help you with everything from the trigger and the controls to the sights and the tactical light. Each modification has advantages and disadvantages so the decision to customize is based on your individual needs. 

1. Trigger

The first and most important thing to consider modifying on your gun is the trigger. There’s a reason why competitive pistols have light trigger pulls. That’s because a lighter trigger is less likely to cause you to jerk or pull your gun off target.

Not all guns give you the capability of changing out the trigger or of lightening the trigger pull. Glock has a replacement bar, which drops the trigger pull down to 3.5 pounds. Some other pistols, like the Springfield XD and XDS series. have replacement springs to lighten the trigger pull.

2. Controls

Extended slide and magazine release controls can speed up your mag changes, shaving as much as a second off your time.

Speaking of easing magazine changes, adding a flared magazine well also can speed your mag changes. There are several manufacturers who supply these, in both polymer and aluminum. The only other real control that most pistols have is the safety. A larger safety control lever will make it easier to find the safety and operate it when you’re drawing your gun out to use it. If you happen to be left-handed or have someone in your family who is, you also might want to consider an ambidextrous safety lever.

3. Sights

One of the most customizable areas of any firearm is the sights. The plain iron sights that come on most handguns are fine for short-range shooting in the daylight. The ones with white dots on them are a bit better. But neither will do you much good in a low-light situation.

Tritium Night Sights

Tritium is a radioactive gas which glows in the dark. So, instead of just having three white dots painted on the sights, you end up with three white dots that will glow in the dark.

It’s ideal at twilight, when you might be able to see your target, but really can’t see your sights.

Reflex Sight

The reflex sight or red dot sight was originally developed for military use. Rather than having to align two sights with the target, it allows you to align one thing — a dot projected on a small, transparent screen — with the target. This saves considerable time in getting on target.

However, they are not good in low light. So, if you install this type of sight, you might want to have another gun available to you with tritium sights on it.

Laser Sight

Most firearms instructors will advise you not to use a laser sight. If you become dependent on one and then the battery dies, you’re stuck without any sights.

The other problem with a laser sight is that it can give your position away to the bad guys.

Nevertheless, I use laser sights for one important reason. My eyes aren’t all that good. A laser sight allows me to keep my focus downrange, which I can see just fine, with my normal glasses.

If you’re going to buy a laser sight, only buy one that is triggered by gripping the gun. This is accomplished by a push-button switch, which is located where you will be gripping the gun.

4. Tactical light

There’s just one problem with a gun-mounted tactical light. That is, your light will be on all the time, which means that it will be advertising your location to the bad guys.

I have a couple of pistols with mounted tactical lights, but I prefer the idea of using a hand-held tactical light, so that I can flash it on and off, as needed. This gives me the light I need, without making me a target.

As a concealed carrier, are there any other customizations you make to your pistol?

Article Source: Off The Grid News