What are some favorite modifications you’ve made to a firearm? What do you refuse to modify on your gun?
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Definitely the Sig Romeo5XDR on my AR15 and the BCM hand grip/stop at the front of my hand guard.
I have a BCM mod0 compensator. If I had to do it all over again. I would have put on a Surefire WarComp flash hider…which I might be getting anyway 
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I have updated sights to TruGlo Tritium night sights and/or added Crimson Trace lasers and lights.
I might upgrade a barrel.
I won’t change out a trigger.
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I pretty much like to keep my carry guns stock. But that’s just me. I have M&Ps, 1 Ruger and 1 Glock 43. I consider all these firearms triggers to work for me. I have several with weapon mounted lights, some have Hogue and Talon grips, and some have upgraded sights such as Tru-glows, Fiber Optics, Night Fissions. I am just a simple kind of guy.
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I have an old mk77 stainless synthetic that I took the plastic inserts out of and hand carved some inlays in golden oak. It’s probably my most finicky rifle as far as what it likes to be fed (.270) but it sure is purdy…
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Any gun that I consider a HD gun has a light, a red dot, and a handstop. But that is all. I have 2 competition guns I would literally have to go pull the receipt. But they are always locked in a different safe.
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On my 1911’s mainsprings, recoil springs, triggers, grips, and sights. I leave the trigger work to an actual 'smith.
Shotguns for HD, stocks, recoil pad, mag follower, maybe mag tube extension.
Not very worried about modifying my guns. Anything I am not comfortable doing I pay a 'smith to do it.
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EDC handgun - tritium front sight, lighter recoil spring and lighter hammer spring. Some sanding and polishing of action parts to make everything work smoother.
Range, HD handguns - the same as above plus frame, buttons and levers adjustment to make them left hand friendly.
Every 1911 (below $1,200) needs also trigger job.
I refuse any logos but manufacturer’s on my firearms.
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Modifications I’ve done—
Handgun stocks if there is an aftermarket I can get better grip on.
Solid Colt barrel bushings to replace the Series 80 four collet and Series 70 three collet.
Add recoil pads on shotguns & rifles, especially if I want to lengthen the pull.
Replace recoil pads on shotguns and rifles, especially if I want to shorten the pull.
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Great topic! Any upgrades I do, outside of grips, and recoil springs goes straight to the gunsmith.
I have seen some “Crazy” mods (unsafe) things done to firearms by weekend Smith’s. I have had to flag people with modifications, and not let them shoot that particular firearm until they get it fixed. Seriously unsafe stuff.
Also, just from a legal aspect it’s better to have a licensed professional do the work. ( I guess that is for the officers of the courts our there)
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On the handguns, usually nothing. On the long(er) ones, a sight and maybe a place for my weak hand. I don’t have any more fun with modified things than non-modified things (cars, bikes, firearms, etc.) so I use the money on other stuff, like training and ammo…and motorcycle tires! I use a ton of tires in a season.
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Glock 19 added XS F8 night sights, and a fatter trigger shoe for more consistent trigger pulls. If adding a flashlight counts as a modification than I added one of those too.
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EVERY 1911 I own gets slim grips and upgraded sights. The slim grips make a great gun fit my hand even better and helps with CC. I also like reshaping and refinishing the walnut stocks in many of my classic hunting rifles. I love having custom variations of old S&W revolvers built, usually N Frames. Right now there are 3 old S&W vintage barrels (.357 4” and 6” from Model 27s and a 1917 hand ejector .455 Webley 5 1/5”) and a .357 Mag cylinder on my desk looking for inspiration. Most of my revolvers get aftermarket or custom grips. All my bolt rifles get bedded actions and barrels free floated and either aftermarket triggers or trigger jobs.
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Only grips on my 1911s and they’re only the cheap kind, not ivory or pearl. Most of my guns are stock.
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Sights and grips. No skulls or crossbones. Never mess with the trigger. Manufacturers settings hold up best in court.
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What court cases are you basing this on? I change my triggers because they work better for me. I do agree on the appearance of the gun, one reason my HD shotgun has wood furniture.
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Sorry, trigger pull weight I wouldn’t modify a 4-5 pound trigger to a two pound trigger
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I tend to not modify cars/bikes too much. Lights for the bike, maybe an intake on a car, and then decorative bullshit (I used to not do that to have a more nondescript car, but I found that I “behave better” on the road when my car is one-of-a-kind…)
I don’t do much with modding firearms, some decorative piece replacement (I have some custom glock mag base plates with my custom logo), optics when applicable, light/laser when applicable. AR’s get more custom pieces than others, but esp with factory pieces, they stay factory-with-addons-not-replacements …
I do have a CZ 455 Varmint heavy barrel that I would like to get threaded… my guy said $80-ish.
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I don’t mess with any of the Internal parts on any weapons. I am not a competition shooter and all my guns are either for carrying or HD. I may put different grips and mag extenders and lasers but none of that affects the normal operation of the gun. I like them stock.
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I have not modified any of my pistols. They all work fine. I like the idea of a stock carry gun. Talon grips and a changing sites is as far as I’d go, but I still don’t do that.
My AR is another story, but that was purchased to also be a hobby and a really big problem gun. I carry a handgun everyday and I like the idea if I ever had to go to court. My gun will remain stock.
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