Magazines. I always buy mags first, before anything else. Then ammo. If I decide I’m going to hold onto it, only then do I start changing anything with the pistol itself. Lights are easily transferable between weapons so I don’t really include them in that.
If for some reason I don’t like the pistol, magazines are the only thing you can include in the sale price that make sense to charge more for. Aftermarket sights, holsters, grips, etc. do NOT add to the value of a gun, unless the prospective buyer wants exactly that thing. Same goes for cars - $1000 worth of modifications does not justify $1000 more in sale price - OEM is far more valuable.
I don’t have to put any rounds through a new Glock to know I will change the sights. This was very obvious when I shot my new 43 with the factory sights (because my Ameriglo Spartans had not arrived yet). I can’t stand the factory sights. The wide notch in the Ameriglos and orange circle around the front tritium tube work best for me and will go on all my Glocks.
That’s a good point. I only own an xd9 and I consider it the first handgun because it’s the only one I’ve ever purchased new but I’ve owned and traded for several and thus far I’ve owned 4 in the xd line up. Funny to say I’ve had an m&p 9 pro series, gen 3 glock 22, Taurus 24/7 g2, FEG p9r, beretta 92fs, xd45 service, and 2 xd9s prior to my xd 9 I have now and in the guns before hand I had less than 500 rounds thru them combined. Here I sit at 750 in this one xd9 and still am pleased.
Maybe I found my go to?
I create these threads out of my own curiosity, plus they are different and very rarely do I see the same people reply in every thread and I think that’s neat. I’m enjoying m4carbine.net and getting to know the “armed demographic” in many different ways. I always hope these threads can help some dope figure out what’s what when it comes time to arm up
First thing I get is ammo. Primarily to check for reliability, but also for training purposes. My CCW is a bone-stock Glock 17. I know there are better sights, triggers, etc. but the bullets go where I need them to (if I do my part) so I figure why screw with success. The only attachment I use is a TLR-1.
I typically have a set of HD night sights in hand when the gun shows up. The next thing I go after is extra mags and I like 6 mags as a minimum. After that is plenty of ammo and rang time.
What’s the consensus on the polymer guide rod? Buddy of mine had a stainless one waiting for him when he got his glock. Sights and guide rod are two major reasons I didn’t go with the glock. Money aside, I ended up with more mags and more ammo and didn’t feel the need to HAVE to change anything. But I have not been bitten by the bug!
I get that but so isn’t sights? It’s all personal preference and I respect that. My question to him was why replace it if it hasn’t failed? It’s precautionary. I responded with why not buy a gun that’s already equipped with what you want? Seriously, stippled and undercut the trigger guard? Modify all you ant but I can’t see being that unhappy with a gun I wanted to keep.
A stainless guide rod in a Glock pistol doesn’t measurably improve its performance. Aftermarket sights on the other hand directly influence getting accurate hits on target for a particular shooter. Sight picture is subjective, but something that doesn’t markedly improve the mechanical function of the pistol is not.
If I own a glock 17 and have trij HD and I like them I see the logic on the rest of my pistols being standard equipped with those. I get that. It’s a user configuration. I don’t see why people feel that the factory config isn’t reliable enough. Why buy it?
Sight picture aside, the biggest reason people ditch factory glock sights is because they are made of plastic and are quite fragile. If you do any sort of one handed manipulations, the rear sight can very easily be ripped from the dovetail. The plastic threads of the front sight are easily torn out as well, which will cause the front sight to leave unexpectedly.
That’s why I strayed from a g19. That and the guide rod. Doesn’t mean I won’t own one but I do the one handed stuff just for good measure and I made sure I got something that served my purpose without having to add or change anything because my budget is tight. But now on the other side, I did just buy sights so my argument is shot :lol:
A g19 is on my list when my wife graduates nursing school. Two months left!
I’ve been away for a while and things around here seems to be quite different. Yes, Rob could be a complete DB at times, but he was more often than not right.
First thing I do with a new pistol is run at least 5-6 boxes through it. Learn how it shoots and where the sights hit. Learn the best grip for it and learn it’s recoil impulse - they are all a bit different if you ask me.
Next range session (before mods) is to run several boxes of whatever defensive ammo I carry, through the gun to check reliability and again…see where it hits.
THEN I might look into changing the sights, adding mags and a holster (if I am to carry it).
Most of the time…with Glocks…sights and a trigger is all they really need.
The best handgun I ever bought was a full house S&W Shield from G&R. Apex internals, Polish, Apex trigger. and Trijicon sights. Expensive but she has been flawless. All work done by Grant.