Gun Modifications, Yes or No!

Skill Set: Ayoob MAG 20

A couple weeks ago Shootrite hosted Mas Ayoob for his MAG 20 class, and as always it was great. We often get so caught up in our skills and gear that we tend to forget the legal aspects concerning the use of lethal force. Training and practicing, developing your skills and learning how to operate your gear is important. Equally important – if not more so - is understanding the legal aspects of using force, for example when you can use lethal force, and what happens after the confrontation.

This was my third time attending the MAG 20 – Armed Citizen's Rules Of Engagement class. It's twenty hours in the classroom, listening and taking notes. There were several people taking the class for the second time. All of the repeat students, including me, commented on how it's important to take this class more than once in order to get a real understanding of the material being presented.

Each time you take a class it's being filtered in your mind. As you learn and experience new or different things the filters in the brain change and shift. You're maturing; as time passes your knowledge increases. This new knowledge changes the way you process future information, even if it's the same material being presented. This is why it's important to re-read books, or attend the same class multiple times. With each repetition you'll get a better, deeper understanding of the material.

One of the topics I really appreciate in MAG 20 is Ayoob's advice on modifying your firearms. His thoughts and examples on modifying triggers are incredibly important. For example, the majority of our students have firearms with "modified" triggers, meaning the trigger has be lightened up so it takes less pressure to fire the shot. For target shooting or competition this may be fine. Using this type trigger in a defensive shooting can get you into trouble, quickly.

The key is the manufacturer's specifications and what's know as "common custom and practice." This means the people who design and build the firearm say the trigger should be "A," and no lighter. The NRA is an example of "custom and practice." For a specific competition their rules say the trigger can be no lighter than "B" pounds. Once you cross the line – manufacturer specifications or custom and practice – you're saying you know better than the company that designed and built the firearm and the "standards" set through years of use. Legally you're in trouble. In one case Ayoob discussed it cost the good guy $250,000 to justify his weapon modifications, and this was before the case ever went to court.

Having a trigger that's too light can also lead to negligent discharges. Under stress you lose dexterity in your fingers; they start to feel like clown hands. A three-pound trigger is going to feel like three ounces. If you have to shot a threat in order to stop an attack you're likely looking at a lot of legal proceedings to prove what you did was justified. A negligent shot that injures or kills is going to lead to big legal troubles, and it's going to be hard to prove that it wasn't your fault.

When you modify your weapon it's up to you to prove that these changes made it easier to shoot more accurately under stress, reducing your chances of making a "wild" or dangerous shot. This won't play with a trigger that's too light. The same thing applies to removing any safety devices – in the "old" days it was common to pin the grip safety on the 1911 so you didn't have to worry about it if you didn't have a perfect grip.

After class was over several of the repeat students, who have all attended classes at Shootrite, came over to discuss the "trigger" issue. We discuss trigger modifications in every class. They had heard this same information before from Ayoob. Now, after hearing it several times from multiple sources, the importance was starting to sink it. "I guess it's time to change triggers," they said. "Yes it is," I replied.

Sometimes we have to hear or experienced something more than once for it to sink it. If it starts getting old you're probably not approaching it with the proper attitude. With the right mindset every time we hear or do again there will be different things that "stick." Re-read those books; attend the same class again. You'll be amazed at how much you'll learn the second or third time.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of "The Book of Two Guns"