Carrying: 100% pure factory stock? Stock-ish?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Occam

    Not Even ONE Indictment
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 24, 2018
    20,239
    Montgomery County
    I hope the moderators will summarily move this to another forum if I've picked the wrong spot. But as it relates to carrying and staying out of hot water in MD...

    One often reads admonishments against carrying, for SD, a piece that's been in any way pimped out. The idea being that on the remote chance you're ever before a jury because of the need to use it, a prosecutor or civil suit go-getter will use that to demonstrate your gun-nuttery and thus your obvious guilt in spoiling for a fight, etc.

    I get it. That makes sense. Why provide any leverage one doesn't have to. But ... would one consider a set of improved ("night") sights to be dipping one's toes in that dangerous water? I've become quite enamored with the XD-E I've been carrying and feel precisely zero urge to fiddle with its behavior. But I installed some TruGlo TFX Pro sights (their combo fiber/tritium arrangement). My practical motivation: they really are easier to see in both bright light and in the dark. But my armchair legal theory: they're entirely about improving the safety of using the gun in a marginally lit environment.

    Anybody with more than just my same level of internet-powered conjecture to offer up on this topic? Thanks in advance.
     

    KJackson

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 3, 2017
    8,613
    Carroll County
    Another angle on this that I have seen before is if the authorities decide to hold your weapon for a while as evidence or whatever, is it something that you are willing to be without?
     

    mopar92

    Official MDS Court Jester
    May 5, 2011
    9,513
    Taneytown
    There has been no succesful criminal prosecution of a DGU predicated solely on the modifications of a firearm.

    That said one should always test their modifications for reliability and base their modifications on reason and not "it looks cool and everyone on Instagram is doing it".
     

    Occam

    Not Even ONE Indictment
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 24, 2018
    20,239
    Montgomery County
    Another angle on this that I have seen before is if the authorities decide to hold your weapon for a while as evidence or whatever, is it something that you are willing to be without?

    Again, the odds of that ever happening are very slim indeed. But if I actually pull it out, it's because I truly apprehended real danger. If that means, as a consequence, giving up that particular gun for a spell, that's the breaks. I'd be perfectly happy with my G43 as a plan B, if it came to that. But here's to hoping the entire issue never, ever comes up.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    A 'good shoot' is a 'good shoot', be it done with a tricked out STI, or a Hi-Point.

    Simple sight upgrade? I don't think the vast majority of Prosecutors (even in the most hostile of areas) would either recognize the upgrade, or think to try to use it to turn a good shoot against someone.

    When in America, one of my carry pieces - aftermarket sights, tuned trigger. If the worst ever happens, the least of my worries is a over-eager Prosecutor trying to crucify me. Survival first. Prosecution doesn't mean jack to a dead person.
     

    Occam

    Not Even ONE Indictment
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 24, 2018
    20,239
    Montgomery County
    Hows your eye sight ? Do have a prescription for eye glasses. My 2 cents

    In my fifties, now. Eyes are still pretty good, but readers are handy sometimes up close. A little bit of an astigmatism that manifests itself more at night. No question these aftermarket sights are a nice improvement for me.
     

    DutchV

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 8, 2012
    4,703
    If you have to shoot someone, the gun will be in an evidence locker for a long time. A mostly plain pistol can be easily replaced. Losing a custom would be a drag. And it might be in awful shape when you get it back.

    I don't think I'd worry about a mod like night sights but you never know what outlandish argument a liberal prosecutor will come up with. I'd steer away from mods like an AR dust cover with an offensive slogan. Or grips with some comic-book hero (ie Punisher) on them. That's gonna look bad to everyone, including the first cops that see it. You want them to write a sympathetic report, not view you as a suspect. Anything you can do to give them the right impression is a good idea. A 'Kill Them All' T-shirt may be amusing, but do you want to be wearing it right after a defensive shooting? Maybe not.
     

    Name Taken

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 23, 2010
    11,891
    Central
    It's such internet fodder at best and a non starter in real life. While certainly not the norm, even the LEO hotel shooting with the "Your ****ed" dust cover didn't even get admitted into the trial.

    Folks like to carry on back and fourth over dumb topics...Hollow Points are "more deadly", 13 rounds magazine compared to 6, Semi Auto or Flint Lock.

    All silly speculation not backed by anything other than what might happen.

    If lethal force is justified it doesn't matter how it happens. You can toss a gallon of battery acid on someone, have a 50 ton weight Buggs Bunny style land on them, or shot them with night sights.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I carry a Glock 26 with a Zev-Tech fulcrum trigger. I’m less than concerned that a jury will say “well, that would have been a good shoot....but WTF was that guy thinking when he put that trigger on his gun?”
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    Just assume a carry pistol is going away the minute you use it for defense. Same goes for home defense weapons.

    Isn't the 500-1000 dollars you spent on it a worthy price for defending your life? Carrying a cheap gun to keep it out of the evidence locker doesn't make sense to me. Carry the gun you shoot the best, then buy another if you have to.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    I think I just found my next carry piece...

    3fVBNMY.jpg

    eb53AYm.jpg

    LVhGRsq.jpg

    I'll have to beg LE to take it for evidence.
     

    Sundazes

    My brain hurts
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 13, 2006
    21,296
    Arkham
    I carry a Glock 26 with a Zev-Tech fulcrum trigger. I’m less than concerned that a jury will say “well, that would have been a good shoot....but WTF was that guy thinking when he put that trigger on his gun?”

    Did it speed up the rate of fire? :outta her
     

    hogarth

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 13, 2009
    2,504
    It's such internet fodder at best and a non starter in real life. While certainly not the norm, even the LEO hotel shooting with the "Your ****ed" dust cover didn't even get admitted into the trial.

    True. But as Mas Ayoob discussed in MAG 20, the prosecutors WANTED it to be admissible. Which means the defense attorneys had to spend time on it. And time = money, especially for those of us without a police union pre-paid lawyer.

    Nothing goes on my guns unless it improves functionality.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    Did it speed up the rate of fire? :outta her

    I could fire a 30 caliber clip magazine in half a second.

    I use the 3-1/2 # disconnector with a NY1 spring. Still has a 5lbs trigger pull, but I like the way it breaks.
     

    Name Taken

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 23, 2010
    11,891
    Central
    True. But as Mas Ayoob discussed in MAG 20, the prosecutors WANTED it to be admissible. Which means the defense attorneys had to spend time on it. And time = money, especially for those of us without a police union pre-paid lawyer.

    Nothing goes on my guns unless it improves functionality.

    The Prosecutors WANT you GUILTY. They want EVERYTHING to come in.

    I honesty don't care what the guy who gets paid well to come up with new material for their classes and blogs says. It is well sorted in case law. The opposing attorney may try and get all kinds of things in. If the force is justified it doesn't matter how it's accomplished.

    It's going to cost you a small life's saving regardless. If you need to pay an "expert" 500 dollars to come and testify that night sights or a dust cover didn't materially alter the situation or ill-justify the previously justified force then so be it.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    The Prosecutors WANT you GUILTY. They want EVERYTHING to come in.

    I honesty don't care what the guy who gets paid well to come up with new material for their classes and blogs says. It is well sorted in case law. The opposing attorney may try and get all kinds of things in. If the force is justified it doesn't matter how it's accomplished.

    This. Scrutinize my gun. Go ahead. If I shoot someone I INTENDED to pull the trigger. My life was in danger. My modified trigger did not pull itself. I pulled it. I meant to pull it. I’m alive, because I’m on trial. Nothing about modifications to my gun changes what happened. BGOS.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,922
    Messages
    7,259,142
    Members
    33,349
    Latest member
    christian04

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom