Out of the Box or Bring to Your Gunsmith?

4

45Gunner

New member
Used to be in days gone by that every gun I bought stayed the way it was with the possible exception of changing the grips. Now, when I buy a new gun, I put several hundred rounds thru and then hand it over to my gunsmith.

I belong to three gun clubs and after seeing the way my guns come back, most of my fellow shooters hand their guns over to my gunsmith for upgrades. For example, I recently bought a S&W 686 and my gunsmith smoothed out the trigger and brought the trigger pull down to 3.0 lbs. I gave him a new Sig Exteme 1911 to replace the ugly trigger, put in a curved trigger with some design and to lighten the pull to 3.0 lbs. He is also replacing the guide rod and grip safety so it is smooth and has a more upswept beaver tail. These modification are not expensive and make the gun more comfortable for me to shoot.

I was wondering how many of you that buy an "off the rack" gun do modifications or just shoot 'em the way they come?
 
I like mine stock. Years ago I was in an IPSC group, some people there laughed at my showing up with an AMT Hardballer-until I regularly outshot them. I had high fixed sights installed on the slide of my Colt Mark IV, later I acquired another stock slide, I still haven't decided which I prefer. Perhaps because I started out as a Bullseye shooter plain black sights work for me, on the indoor ranges I usually shoot on changing the colored front sights on my Dan Wesson M-15 didn't make any difference, likewise I have seen no difference in my shooting between a white outline rear sight and a plain black one. Only handgun I have where a major change made a difference was my satin finish Colt Combat Commander, a pair of dark MMC sights made a BIG difference. Also my Colt Combat Commander, Mark IV and Hardballer all have flat mainspring housings, more comfortable-to me. I rarely buy NIB, the used handguns I have bought have all been reliable. Only revolver I have done trigger work on has been my stainless Ruger Security Six, the factory trigger pull way too heavy for my taste, an aftermarket trigger and return spring set-Bullseye or Trapper, forget-solved that PDQ.
Comfortable grips are a must.
 
So what do you do with your NIB revolvers?
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We just had this very issue discussed earlier in the month:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526496


Do you some models benefit more than others? Do you think some models absolutely need it? How about S&W's Pro Series and Performance Center stuff?
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I think it's more to do with the shooter's use, preferences and needs. The same gun in the hands of a guy plinking at his local range likely has different preferences, ability and needs than someone competing at the IRC or in a bullseye match.

As far as the Pro/PC series, they're supposed to be tuned to a higher standard, and may have been at one time, but IME, current examples can benefit from action work as much as any standard gun. Seems you're paying for some extras (e.g. interchangeable front sight, etc) not available on standard guns, but the innards aren't any more refined.
 
Out of the Box or Bring to Your Gunsmith?
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Neither.

I AM my own gunsmith.

For Glocks I install a NY-1 trigger, 3.5lb connector, and I can put in my own set of steel night sights.

S&W and Ruger revolvers? I can take them apart to the bare frame. Stones to hone them, Wolf springs to lighten the return spring in S&W and the hammer spring in Rugers, and special lubes for lubrication.

1911 and P-35s? I can take them apart to the bare frame and do alot of work!

I have knowledge of other handguns and rifles. Also have a whole library on gun disassembley and repair!

Deaf
 
I was wondering how many of you that buy an "off the rack" gun do modifications or just shoot 'em the way they come?
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With the exception of grips, I (tend do) eschew further modification. Over time, almost every aftermarket add-on I have eventually turned into a "take-off" -- ie. returned to factory state. They just haven't worked as well as I've been led to believe.
 
Not much I don't do at home my self. I do wait for atleast a 1000 rounds to be fired before mess'n with the trigger groups as most will smooth on there own. Then sometimes a spring kit alone will get a light trigger , I will radius edges and polish parts , to slick them up. Sights are not hard to do. I think I did my first trigger job back in '78. Only thing I have ever gone to a smithy for is to build a custom rifle.

Whats the worse thing that can happen. You mess up and have to send it back ??
 
A lot of you have me believing not a gun manufacturer in the world knows what it is doing. I imagine the same is true with every auto manufacturer and you tear down all their machines to perfect them. I guess it all started many years ago with your mothers' toasters.:p
 
UncleEd guess you never messed with anything ?? Must be a boring life to never had something you made different. And paying to have it done can be a waist of good money when its simply to do.

For me it all started learning how to weld at 10. Built my first vw tube frame buggy at 12. Built my first home at 24. A mans got to have a few hobbies.
 
45Gunner said:
I was wondering how many of you that buy an "off the rack" gun do modifications or just shoot 'em the way they come?
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I mostly shoot 1911s. If they come with a trigger that breaks cleanly between 4 and 5 pounds, I leave them alone. If the trigger is too heavy (or, as in one instance, too light) or creepy, I do my own trigger work.

Long guns I leave alone.
 
Some people just use things the way they come out of the box, others want certain things "just so".

I only send guns to gunsmiths when I need/want something done that requires machine work or special tools. But that's just me...
 
I only send guns to gunsmiths when I need/want something done that requires machine work or special tools. But that's just me...
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I think it is "just you" 44amp...;)

As a species "Humanicus Male" I think we tend to think "Aw that guy with the $100,000 worth of tools and the years of training and experience is just ripping me off. I'll just get a file from Home Depot and do the same thing".

I see the same thing all the time with musical instruments. I'm sure that bowlers and underwater basketweavers see the same thing all the time with whatever it is that they tweak with their gear.


Sgt Lumpy
 
Depends on the guns, I guess - though lately I mostly buy tuned guns from specific sources.

I've owned a lot of different types of guns over the years, and have found the ones I really like, and the features (sights, trigger pulls, grips, spring weights) that I prefer for those guns.

The number of types I own is narrowing down, and the configurations are getting more uniform over time - but none of those are factory stock.
 
Hmmm - I've been wondering about the S & W 6906 I recently acquired. I haven't taken it out as of yet.
It's New Old Stock so to speak. Never fired. So it's been sitting since the late 90's waiting to be used. Should I be concerned about anything?
 
If it is a reputable brand and factory new, then the tests at the manufacturer is optimum. If something doesn't feel right, or malfunction, THEN take it to a gunsmith for inspection or for trigger work.
 
If it is a reputable brand and factory new, then the tests at the manufacturer is optimum
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Not "optimum" but a compromise. What is optimum for a bullseye shooter might be very different for an IPSC or a self defense or a LEO carry or for just plain personal preference.

It's not "broke" out of the box, of course. It's just not as finely tuned as it could be for those who care to have it tweaked to optimum. I can't say that I've ever met another shooter who HAS had his gun tuned by a professional smith who has not said that it's an improvement.

But I realize there are those who don't feel it would be necessary. No problem with that in my book, for those that don't want it.


Sgt Lumpy
 
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