Customizing Your Off-Duty Weapon
Well, if you get out of hand, it can be costly. After you buy your off-duty gun for something between $400 to $600, you could easily spend equal that amount again in gunsmithing, an optic, grip/frame customization, after-market magazines, extensions and more. Recognizing that, if you want to customize your gun without effectively doubling the cost, there are other things you can do.
Replacing the magazine catch and the slide stop is usually easy. The parts aren’t typically expensive and the swapout is something most gun owners can do. (If you’re not SURE you can do it properly, then don’t. Get a certified armorer or gunsmith to do it.) Changing from regular sights to night sights is another fairly simple change and you can find night sights online for under $80 if you are patient and look. Adding a light/laser unit is usually pretty easy, but the unit itself can be costly depending on the manufacturer and features/performance offered. Don’t forget that there’s an ongoing cost to lights and lasers: the batteries you have to feed them.At the end of the day, we all need to be confident in, competent and comfortable with our off-duty weapon. If “dressing it up” some helps with that, then go for it. Just don’t let someone sell you on expensive custom work that you don’t need. Know what you need. Know what you want. Source and price it accordingly. Use reliable, vouched-for gunsmiths/custom shops. Share the results—good or bad. That’s how the rest of us know what shops and gunsmiths to use.
Lt. Frank Borelli (ret), Editorial Director | Editorial Director
Lt. Frank Borelli is the Editorial Director for the Officer Media Group. Frank brings 20+ years of writing and editing experience in addition to 40 years of law enforcement operations, administration and training experience to the team.
Frank has had numerous books published which are available on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and other major retail outlets.
If you have any comments or questions, you can contact him via email at [email protected].