Modifications or New Guns, what do you choose?

S

sigcurious

New member
I know, I know... the proper answer is both! :D However, being the holiday season, expansion and/or modification of my collection is mostly put off until my disposable income isn't buying other people stuff. Which got me thinking, if faced with the choice of getting something shiny and new, or modifying/adding onto something you already own, what do you all choose? Which do you find more satisfying?

Personally I just can't wait until the new year when my disposable income is free to spend as selfishly as I want again, then I have a whole list of things I want(If only things didn't keep jumping around on it). Since my collection is small, I'll probably choose more buying of new than modifying what I have, although every time I get my 22/45 out it just begs me for a reflex sight and other mods/additions :D
 
Since my tendency is to not buy guns I don't like, there's not much about most of my guns I'd care to modify. If they needed to be modified, I probably shouldn't have bought them.

So I'll vote "new."
 
Simple.... brew beer and wine like I do.... why.... you ask...

SIMPLE... I love beer... I am too smart for my own good when comes to things.. so I have fun brewing different recipes, and tweaking them.

What this does for me.. keeps me out of bars spending loads on beer (I drink $$ beer... and obviously bars up charge.)

What this also does for me... Holiday time... friends get a 6 pack of my latest brew... their wives or girl friends get a bottle of the wine I made.

My disposable income.. goes to me and my firearms collection.:D

And who ever said booze N' guns don't mix!:p

I also rake in some extra cash repairing computers for people... since I am young and grew up around technology and have taken 4 years of computer programming.. "just cause" this brings in extra "play" money.

I also have success on ebay selling stuff I pick up from people... find laying around I don't use anymore... and frequent yard sales.

My point I am making.. find something that you either enjoy doing... or that can earn you a buck or two here and there... and really you can do whatever you want with it.
 
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Really depends on what I think I need/want at the time. Right now, there's not a whole lot I can do as far as mods, but I really want a good revolver for target shooting. Just need to figure out model/caliber and then save up for it. Once I have that, if it is something that can be modded a little and I feel it is a good idea, I might do some of that before getting another gun.
 
soo you want a reflex sight and other mods for your 22/45? maybe something like this?
DSCN0727.jpg

does this help answer your question on what you should do:D
 
A new gun...

A new gun is like getting a new girlfriend.
You get the excitement and pleasure of learning about her, spending time together and admiring her. The main difference is that I know if a gun will work for me long before I know the girlfriend is compatible! :p
 
Lately its been mostly mods. Optics and trigger jobs and accessories. But there have been a couple of new guns as well.:eek:
 
I guess it depends on which guns and what mods. I won't modify my old military rifles, even though I can barely see those microscopic rear V notches on my Mausers any more. I refuse to drill and tap them for a scope mount. Others with rear peep sights are still easy enough to sight with.

Maybe some of the more pedestrian workers would get a tweak, like a front sight hood on the Model 94 or Marlin lever guns to help with target bracketing. That just slips on so I don't think it really counts as a "mod" in my mind.

I may get a scope for some of my other guns, but having sworn by iron sights for so long that's a hard one for me. Gotta swallow my pride and humble myself into admitting that my eyes just can't focus on both ends of the rifle sights at the same time any more....

Maybe I'll just spend the winter going through everything and doing a complete disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly. That way I can save up for something "shiny and new" that's really well worn and old, like a K98 Mauser to add to the collection....
 
Nothing better to me than acquiring a new gun! Over time I have found that if I have to modify a gun (other than optics) I never really liked it to begin with and end up selling/trading it anyway. Wasted money that could have bought a new toy.
 
New guns are better.

If you can justify the larger purchase at that time then always opt for the new gun. My reasoning is because later you can get the different things or modifications for it. The mods or additional parts are usually cheaper then the gun so it doesn't feel like you are spending as much.

That's the way I work it with my wife. When she hears new gun I have to work on that idea with her for a while. But, when she hears new scope for a gun I already have it seems to make more sense and sounds cheaper to her. One of the easiest is making bulk purchases of ammo because I can show her how much cheaper it is to buy in bulk, and I have to have the ammo or they are just sitting there for nothing.
 
I have a Series 70 Gold Cup that I purchased used in the early '80s. It was a "shooter" when I bought it (no box, grips changed out, some honest wear marks) and I'd installed an aftermarket front sight already so it probably has little value to a collector.

I've started shooting it again recently and had been going back and forth on whether to have some modifications done. If I went full bore with modifications I could almost buy a new gun with all the bells and whistles for the money.

I decided to go ahead and do some upgrades. I'm having mechanical stuff done first. I might have the frame refinished in hard chrome, electroless nickel or MP3 later on. I will enjoy shooting it so it's worth it to me.

Hey, that doesn't preclude me buying another 1911 sometime.
 
@Ausher, yep, I know if I'd go that far with the changes, but my 22/45 is definitely slated for optics, trigger job and removal of the LCI & Mag Safety. Yours sure looks nice in all black though.

Dang those Ruger Single Tens, I want one! But then again I've been desiring a 1911, oh it's going to be a fun new year, whatever happens :D
 
I haven't kept a gun completely stock in so many years I can't remember. I do however, make small changes and don't hang a bunch of heavy stuff on a gun that will easily break or ever need a battery.
 
Aguila Blanca, without any sarcasm intended, you don't know what you're missing.

It's kind of fun to tweak a weapon, even one you like. In much the same way that it's fun to modify a Harley.

I like my M&P45s, but prefer them with the Apex sears I installed; I also like Heinie Slant 8's, so I put those on, too. (Had some help with the installs, but was actively involved.)

Now I have guns that I like, that are also personalized - but in functional, vs decorative ways.

If that isn't your thing, no problem. But it's entirely possible to buy a perfectly good gun, and still want to modify it.
 
The magazine feed system is coming. Brass spring-loaded tubes cramming rounds into a mag-well hole just left of the hammer. It will start feeding the moment an empty chamber passes in front of the mag. So it'll feed first from the cylinder and start feeding from an inserted mag when you put one in.

7rds of 357 should fit in a 1ft tube, so that's 13 rounds off the first mag, 7 all subsequent. From what started out as a sixgun.

Now who's got some machine shop space anywhere near Tucson AZ?

:D
 
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