What handgun add-on has really worked?

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Loosedhorse

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Let's face it: we've all spent a lot of money--unless we're destitute or incredibly wise--on doo-dads for our pistols, often tactical "gotta haves." For me, most have worked as advertised, but didn't give me the "Oh, wow, this is great!" I was hoping for.

Let me give you one that's really worked: I put some TruGlo (tritium/fiberoptic) sights on my Glock 6 months ago--you gotta replace those cr-ppy factory sights, right?--and realized the other day how impressively EASY the sight picture is every time I practice with the gun, in bright or failing light.

Other successes? I mean, exceeding your expectations or down-right "necessary?"

(Caution:"I can't believe how much money people will spend to fix a pistol that ain't broke, to make them a better shot. How 'bout taking that money and spending it on range time and ammo. How 'bout a little hard work and dedication--think that might work?"--Clint Smith)
 
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Most of my handguns are quite devoid of add-ons. Good sights are the main exception. My duty Glocks wore Heinie Straight-8 sights, but I dumped the Glocks when I had a chance to acquire a SIG P229R with the DAK trigger. SIGs come with pretty darn good sights, with my favorite combination being the good old stock Von Stavenhagen rear, without tritium, and a tritium front sight, as was stock on my P229 SAS.

My Ruger sixguns with adjustable sights will sooner or later all be equipped with the excellent rear sights offered by Bowen Classic Arms.

Other than good sights, the main add-on I like is a rail for a light, but that is not an urgent thing, and I can live fine without it. I work big-city night shift police patrol, and consider a light mounted on a handgun to be nice, but not vital. I still have a hand-held light when searching buildings and dark areas, and consider the hand-held light to be the most important, a spare handheld light to be be a really good idea, and the weapon-mounted light about third in illumination priority. (Perhaps I should add the disclaimer that using a light too much or at the wrong time can get you killed.)

By now I have four SIG pistols, and they all have either the factory short trigger, or a TJ Customs trigger, the latter of which is not "short," but instead narrower and more rounded than the factory trigger. Any good SIG 'smith, such as Grayguns, can alter the standard factory trigger to suit the shooter's index finger reach, with Grayguns being known for a mid-reach trigger mod. Gunsmiths have been narrowing and otherwise reducing trigger reach for decades. A good fit is important! Perhaps modified or custom triggers are off-topic, as a trigger is not an add-on, but a functionally integral part of the firing mechanism.
 
I’m often amazed when anyone says they want a gun to work perfectly right out of the box and would never do more than a basic trigger job to a gun. I don’t mind the first part, but not customizing/improving/messing with a gun is just crazy!!

I’m a compulsive gun tinkerer. Started off doing action jobs and adding sights, extended triggers and Commander hammers to 1911s in the ‘70s because I couldn’t afford a real ‘smith. Within a few years, I was making some decent money working on 1911s, S&W revolvers and eventually TC Contenders and AutoMags.

I currently own 19 handguns and only 3 haven’t been modified. I left the Freedom Arms .22 Mini-Revolver, the Wichita Silhouette pistol and one of my Argentine .45s alone.

There should be a law requiring all 1911s and Glocks to contain aftermarket parts.
All G.I.-type 1911s must be extensively modified ASAP and given a high-tech finish or hard chrome.
All Glocks must be equipped with Lone Wolf trigger stops and TruGlo sights.
No exceptions.
 
Grips, sights, de-horn, trigger/action job. I also prefer a slightly extended safety. That's about it for me.


Oh yeah, I forgot, since so many 1911's come with FLGR's, I modify them back to normal GI setups. Is that an add-on or a subtract-off?
 
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What handgun add-on has really worked?
Click to expand...

Grips.

About the only thing that's stayed on any of my (non-plastic) guns are aftermarket grips. Both wheelguns, both Maks, the Ruger, all have grips that didn't come from the factory.
 
Crimson Trace Laser grips on my Colt New Agent (just to augment the trench sights). Have it on my list to put night sights on my XD .40SC--love 'em on my Kimber Custom CDP II.

I'm new here - but was led here while surfing the net to find resources for building my own range. Looking forward to learning from and interacting with y'all.

Jeff
 
+1 for grips. All else is un-needed bells and whistles... except for extra capacity magazines... and those clips for the Kel-Tek to eliminate a holster... OH! 1911 parts! Ya gotta have the trigger, group-gripper, match barrel, sear kit......
 
If they work, I don't mess with them. Just the way I am.

I do like making the triggers better, that's about it.


I do need to get into the nitesite though.
 
I added Hogue grips to my Sig P229, the only other thing I consider adding is night sights, maybe smoothing out a trigger.

Some people love buying a $450 handgun and then spending $300 or $400 adding parts to it, adding, manual safeties to glocks, new barrel etc. Kinda like trying to turn a Neon into a Corvette.

To each their own but in the end they could have got a better gun with all the features they wanted for less money and not have as much of a worry about the reliablity of after market parts.
 
Tritium night sights. By far the best $$$ I spent on my firearm after practice ammo.
 
*extended thumb safety on BHP Mk. III
*Hogue grips on USPc, P-3AT, and PM9
*Dark Sun belt clip on NAA Mini-Revolver

Two of my guns came with tritium sights, but as good as they've been I'd like to eventually upgrade all my sights to tritium or gold.
 
I am very happy with my Insight Technologies M2 (UTL) for H&K USP pistols, but only because it is an excellent tactical flashlight in its own right. However, I am not a fan of the concept of flashlights mounted on firearms, since you have to flag the subject to identify them. Still, it is nice to have the option.
 
Pachmayr...
Taurus2.jpg



On my 1911 and S&W 15. Man what a difference.
 
I added an ambi safety to a 1911 back when nobody had heard of them. It was a Swenson safety.

Now they're as common as mud.
 
I don't even shoot a gun until it has the appropriate changes done to it.

Call them add-ons or doo-dads, I don't care. Why waste my time or ammo plunking rounds downrange that won't even match my own capabilities?

A big +1 on the TruGlo sights. Best all-around sights I've used. And, they went on my Kimber without running a single round up the pipe.
 
I put thin grips on all my 1911s and add grip tape to the front strap of handguns that are smooth. Both are passive modifications to the gun that do not affect the ability of the gun to function, but positively affects my ability to manipulate it.
 
My Glock 23 has a Crimson Trace grip and a Surefire light that gets hung on the rail. I'm very satisfied with both products. The Surefire gets carried on nifty little belt attachment (when carrying at night) and goes on the gun quickly when needed. The Crimson Trace laser is very bright and easily visible and the Surefire light is blinding out to 20 feet.
 
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