Modifications

With warmer weather soon to come - can't be too soon for me now - I will be relying on my Ruger LC9 as my main carry gun. I may or may not also pack a backup gun. The jury is still out on that one for me. I do have an LCP that I can carry in an Uncle George back pocket holster, or a Nemesis front pocket holster, and various other IWB (In Waist Band) and OWB (Outside Waist Band) rigs for it.

I will have soon a Crossbreed MiniTuck holster for the LC9 to supplement the Remora I currently use for IWB. So, in some terms, I am modifying my carry system. I have also put some easy mods on my guns. First, I replaced the standard recoil springs on the LCP with #12 Wolff springs. This was to keep the ejected brass closer to me and to lessen the recoil impact on the frame. During one session of shooting with the LCP I noticed the takedown pin was beginning to move out from the frame. I popped it back in and kept shooting with no further problems. Afterwards, I called Ruger customer support and discussed this with them. Instead of returning the pistol for their analysis, I ordered a new takedown pin and installed it. That's when I also got the Wolff springs.

The theory being that with more energy taken up by the heavier springs on recoil, less will be transmitted to the frame causing less jarring of the takedown pin. This has worked so far. Time and more rounds fired with tell though.

I also installed the new Hogue "fat" grip on the LCP. It provides a better grip on the small gun which I like, but renders the Uncle George holster more difficult to draw from. I don't think this will be an issue and I am still experimenting with that.

Finally, the LCP was equipped with a set of Nitesiters, glow in the dark sight dots. The LCP does not really have useful sights, which is not all that important for a close-in, point and shoot self defense gun anyway, but I thought they might be useful in the dark.

I am not a fan of lasers. I'll get into that in another post.

My other modification was to install a new stainless steel guide rod, made by Steve Bedair from Bedair Machine Works in Gladewater, Texas. The stock plastic rod has performed fine, but it is a large and crucial part in a semiautomatic handgun, so I decided that I would feel better with one made from steel.

That's it for those guns. Some people will get into other modifications - shorter trigger pulls, lighter triggers, removal of the magazine disconnect and loaded indicators, etc. I figure I can train to use those features, including the safety if present, and will stick with the designers' intentions.