Gun mods that you wish you hadn't....

[holejack1]

The older I get he more I subscribe to "if it works don't fix it". I was reading the Glock epoxy thread, and it made me think of some mods to guns over the years that I later regretted. Nowadays when I think of changing something on a gun I ask myself if this is something I'm going to regret later. So here goes:
Bobbed hammer on a SP101, a gun I couldn't stand to fire SA, let alone DA.
Spring jobs on revolvers that wind up misfiring.
Had a smithy I knew mount a scope on Redhawk for me, and he drilled the hole off-center on the top strap.
Made and installed a dovetail front sight on a 1911, and was never happy with it.
Hogue grips on a big bore smith. These are now standard, and IMO suck.
Okay, your turn.

 

[shooter521]

When I had my SLR-105 chopped into an AK-105 SBR, I had the 'smith machine the back of the receiver to accept a real Russian Century Series folding stock. It was the historically correct stock for that gun, and had a certain exotic cachet (this was well before K-VAR started selling the US-made version). In retrospect, what the Century Series sidefolder gains in cool points, it loses in functionality. It is the best of the Eastern Bloc sidefolder designs, but that's not saying much. I should've left well enough alone and kept the standard rear trunnion and receiver intact; that way I could have gone with a regular ol' fixed stock, an ACE folder, or an AR collapsible - all of which would be IMO more practical than what's on there now.

But it sure is cool!

 

[OneBadV8]

ok, I'll bite.

I ordered a DSA FAL (SA58) last October and had the option of adding a "Match" trigger. I said sure why not, I have a 2-stage on my AR and assumed this would be the same. It's not, just a screw that is jerry-rigged to the trigger that I ended up taking out.

For those that want to add a Match trigger to their DSA be warned it is simply a screw that goes through the pistol grip and is adjusted so that when it is pressed all the way in, the trigger moves back to where it is staged and ready to go. Then all you do is apply a little pressure and off she goes. I'm not really sure where or how this is useful. Maybe competitions but it is uncomfortable and not worth the 2 bills.

 

[dbd870]

This is a really bad one. Had a 3.5" 27 - almost a 100% gun. I just had to have it round butted - dumb, dumb, dumb! Don't have it anymore.

 

[EdC]

I had a Lone Wolf extended mag release installed on a Glock 19 when I had the grip trimmed. Liked the grip trim , but there's no going back on the Lone Wolf extended mag release, because the grip had to be cut out as the release extends out and back a little. I never had a problem with "premature ejection" with the extended release, but I read about folks who had dumped their mag on the draw or when sitting down, and I worry, worry worry. Never had a problem myself but I filed the release down to reduce its height, and it's fine, but I wish that I had them leave that mag release alone. It looks funny.

Good question, op.

 

[in_betts]

Remember the Clint Eastwood movie where he says "a man's got to know his limitations"?

Well that is how my story started. About 15 years ago give or take there was a guy offering (maybe still) to put "acu-rails" in a 1911. Well I am a toolmaker and so figured what the hell........however I was working from a few non-descript pics in a gun mag and I overestimated my welding ability! I still have the welded frame and may do something with it some day, but suffice it to say it didn't go well.

 

[Revolverteer]

Around 30 years ago I had a 1851 .44 caliber black powder replica revolver that the bolt stop had worn the inclines going to the bolt stop slots on the cylinder. You know those gradual inclines on the cylinder leading to the bolt stop slot, where the bolt stop starts to come up and engages those inclines just before it gets to the slot cut in the cylinder?
Well I didn't know about machining like I do now and I decided that if I just could enlarge those inclines that the bolt stop would not wear on them anymore. At first I used a file and then constantly reblued the cylinder in those spots to see if it stopped the wear. It didn't. So next I used a small bench grinder to enlarge those inclines. Big mistake. I wound up making them HUGE and very ugly. Yes it stopped the wear but it wasn't worth it because the grinding I did to stop the cylinder bolt stop from wearing on the cylinder inclines, was worse looking than any natural wear ever would have been. The cylinder was still serviceable but very ugly. The only fix was to get a new cylinder and I learned that the cylinder stop bolt wear that eventually mars the inclines to the the cylinder stop slots on the cylinder (as well as causes "ringing" around the cylinder) is just an inevitable consequence of usage even with the most correctly timed lockwork in a Colt style black powder revolver. That was about 30 years ago and I still figuratively kick myself in the butt over that one. Lol. Certainly have learned a lot since then. When I think of how ignorant I was about machining back in those days it amazes me what I have been able to learn since then.




.

 

[venenoindy]

in my case I try to buy the gun the way I wanted to begin with that way I will void been in that sitacion.

 

[Disposable Heart]

This is a really bad one. Had a 3.5" 27 - almost a 100% gun. I just had to have it round butted - dumb, dumb, dumb! Don't have it anymore.

No NO NONONO!!!!

If it was an 80 percenter, now THAT'S a carry gun! Roundbutted, worn finish Smith 27 just screams easy to carry, but a good one though...

 

[buckfever34]

When I bought my first AR, it was an A2 Bushy that I had every piece of cheap Chicom **** hanging on it that would fit.

 

[shooter521]

When I bought my first AR, it was an A2 Bushy that I had every piece of cheap Chicom **** hanging on it that would fit.

[Monty Python]
I got better.
[/Monty Python]

 

[ARdysfunction]

I have an Enfeild number 1 mk 4 that's been sporterized...

Walnut Monte Carlo stock with plastic for-end cap and butt stock, the receiver has been drilled and fitted with a Williams peep sight.

I actually bought the rifle in this condition... but the longer I own it, the more I hate to see it. I wish it would have been left in it's original state as a classic battle rifle.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I've got an Italian cap and ball revolver with fixed sights. Before I recognised the barrel had just been tightened a little to far I tried to ben the front sight. That sucked almost as much as it did when I realise the real problem. Tried to straighten the sight up and broke it right off.

 

[Denny347]

 

[in_betts]

Now THAT'S FUNNY stuff right there!

 

[Walt_Jabsco]

I have an Enfeild number 1 mk 4 that's been sporterized...

Walnut Monte Carlo stock with plastic for-end cap and butt stock, the receiver has been drilled and fitted with a Williams peep sight.

I actually bought the rifle in this condition... but the longer I own it, the more I hate to see it. I wish it would have been left in it's original state as a classic battle rifle.

This really is the thing that bothers me most about gun alterations. It's all well and good if you go out and buy a new rifle or handgun and do all sorts of crazy, ill advised things to it, but heavily altering or destroying an increasingly rare battle rifle of a bygone time is just sad. I realize there are still tons of Enfields on the market, but that number is going to get lower and lower.

Every time I see a sporterized Springfield, I cry a little on the inside.

 

[shawkpilot]

I have my Great, great grandfathers 1906 Winchester. Thought it needed to be cleaned. Rubbed the 75 year old brown patina right off of it.

 

[techres]

Each time I read the thread title, I misread it:

"Gun mods that you wish you hadn't...." as if the next words are "messed with..."

And I always think of Shooter521! He's one scary dude.

As for actual mods, the only one I really regret is a bunch of work I did on an STG-2000 which did not really improve it but cost me an extra $250 lost when I sold it later. Basically lipstick on a pig...

 

[HandK]

Thats tactiCOOL put me on the list, +1

 

[gunner4564]

Learned the masking tape lesson the hard way adding a modded bolt catch to an ar...that sucked.