The other day I read a thread about a guy who just purchased a new low end S&W semi auto.

The gun is a fine gun for the money. Personally it would be hands down what I would recommend to a cash strapped beginner. Heck I would even buy one just bang around in daily carry. They are a super bargain!

But what caught my attention was before he had even shot the gun he was carving up the grips adding a tree bark texture to the plastic grips. He was painting on it with his wife's nail polish and hadn't even shot it yet.

This got me thinking... If it were me I would have taken it out and ran a few hundred rounds through it to see how it cycled. I would have wanted to see how it shot and grouped and handled before I started modifications.

What if I decided I didn't like this gun and wanted to trade it or sell it? If the grip felt slippery I would have gotten some traction tape and temporarily stuck that on it until I knew what it was like before permanently modifying it. No big deal I suppose as it was a plastic framed gun and to replace the frame would not be a big deal if we didn't have BAFTE to contend with being the serial number is in the frame. But I am sure S&W would sell you a new numbered frame if you sent the old one for destruction.

This guy couldn't wait to start making this gun special and he hadn't even shot it yet to know if it was special or not. Some guns are for show and some are for shooting but a $370 plus change plastic gun wouldn't take any prizes in a show so I would put it in the shooting category.

I sure hope it works for him but then again shooting it didn't seem to be his priority.

Just a piece of advice guys and gals, if you buy a gun take it out and shoot it first! See how it feels, handles, and groups. Get to know it before carving it up. Then if you like it and figure on keeping it a while then modify the heck out of it if you need to.

Because not everyone is like you and that is a good thing except when trading an investment up on something else because what you think is a cool modification more than likely will not improve its value and carving up a frame is likely to be a bargaining point and not in your favor!

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Jason Adams

The best part about life is individuality and the freedom to do what one wants. I am not sure why this bothers you. Sometimes lessons in life are expensive and everyone learns at their own pace.

Whatever he did to the frame of that gun isn't for me, and it would drive my offering price way down if he wanted to sell it, but like we say around here, there's a lid for every pot. It's his, he can do what he wants as long as it isn't illegal. And even then I really don't care. I might point it out, though . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Maybe it's a good thing he's not shooting it???

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Minimize the variables

Many years ago, a fellow police officer told me that he couldn't get the slide back on his M39. I told him I would look at it. I couldn't get the slide to retract either. In desperation, I fired the semi. It cycled fine, but I still couldn't get the slide to move by hand.

I wound up taking it home, putting it in my vice and beating it open with a rubber mallet. It cleaned up fine.

I asked Leonard later why he chose this nickel M39, telling him that a semiauto needed to be kept clean and oiled.

His response? "It looks sporty." :0

BTW, he had been carrying it as his duty weapon for quite a while.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Reminds me of the guy who gave his twelve-year old son a brand new, beautiful .22 rifle for Christmas. Prior to giving it to him, however, the dad took his rusty ol' Barlow knife and dug out the kid's name, "STEVE," in big, 2-inch letters in the stock. It looked atrocious, but, the bottom line is, he bought it, so I guess he can do whatever the heck he wants with it.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I did not sense anyones individuality being questioned. The OP made some excellent points. Im sure the subject of his post will have a lttle more to think about before customizing an untested firearm.
Jim

His gun, his rules.

Your are absolutely correct but I was afraid that some others might not be aware that the value of a firearm can be greatly diminished by customization and you should at least shoot it first. Make sure you want to keep it before you reduce it's value on the market.

Have any of you ever bought a gun and brought it home or to the range to find it is not your cup of tea? How would you feel if you had carved up the frame before you found that out?

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Jason Adams

Here is a good question that i have had for years...Maybe someone can give me a definitive answer...I have seen many glocks that have had the trigger guard finger rest filed to a round trigger guard. does that weaken the integrity of the pistol as I can not see how the hardness of what ever they (Glocks) are made of.....at one time that type o trigger guard was popular as was that type of grip was popular, not so much any more.,,,Old guy would like to know just because, I don't own a glock.....just curious.

I get your point loud and clear. Sure there's the obvious playin barbie with it before he's even shot it but what you also were getting at was your concern he bought the gun for the same reasons some people keep a dog on a chain in the yard.

Aptly put ... That too.

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Jason Adams

For some people the greatest thrill is 'customizing' whatever they get. I think of cars when we were teenagers. Stickers, rally stripes, fancy shifters, surfin' feet gas pedals, chain steering wheels, chrome gas caps and a lot of stuff that didn't make the car perform one iota better. It was a puerile state of mind that doesn't go away on some people. But it is THEIR car.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"