Customize Any Gun to Make It Yours

Making sure the gun fits the purpose is a vital step in gun ownership. That is why most people would prefer customizing their guns once they take them out of the box. Besides increasing its functionality and customization introduces a sense of personal connection to the firearm.

Gun customizations are easily accessible these days. You can get those that need tutorials or those you can implement easily at your own pace. However, getting the perfect modification requires you to understand all aspects involved in gun customization, including popular options like custom AR-15 parts and tactical accessories for guns.

Read on to find out how to customize any gun and make it yours. The article also discusses why you need to modify your gun and the most customizable firearms.

Why Do You Need to Customize Your Gun?

First, gun customization is the practice of changing various aspects of the gun to improve its performance. These aspects can range from cosmetic to functional. Although, they generally aim to make the gun more personalized and fit the preferences of the owner.

Gun customization also ranges from simple steps to complex procedures that may need expert gunsmith services. However, both procedures lead to common benefits. These include:

1. Increased Accuracy

Customizing your gun can make you shoot more accurately and consistently. This is true if you use advanced aftermarket trigger components such as springs and adjustable triggers. You can also modify the gun to suit your body, which allows you to hold it comfortably when shooting.

2. Increased Reliability

Modifying your firearm makes it reliable in tricky situations. Introducing high-quality aftermarket components such as reinforced barrels, optics, sights, and high-capacity magazines ensures you can rely on your gun at any time. Customization also makes the gun long-lasting, ensuring it can serve you for years.

3. Increased Safety

Adding safety features like ambidextrous safety levers and high-quality triggers ensures the gun is as safe as possible. Some guns come without these advanced safety features. Therefore, customizing them by adding aftermarket safety components ensures you can trust your gun when hunting or in a shooting competition.

4. Added Value

Custom guns are increasing in demand. Most people now want firearms made with their preferred features. Therefore, customizing any gun before selling can increase its value. This is true for antique gun collectors who want to make more dollars from their gun collection.

5. Expressing Yourself

You can express your artistic skills by adding unique custom engravings to your guns. Adding intricate designs also makes your guns stand out from the rest. This allows you to quickly identify your weapon, whether you are in a hunting or combat environment.

6. Increasing Deployment Speed

Multiple features can affect the gun’s deployment speed. Hence, customizing the gun by removing some features or replacing them with lighter aftermarket components can enhance its deployment speed. This makes it easier to use the gun when the need arises, especially for self-defense.

How To Customize Any Gun

Customizing any gun can give you an ideal weapon that you will love using. There are numerous ways you can modify your new gun to fit different shooting purposes. Incorporating DIY gun customization can make the process more personal and satisfying. Here are a few ways to change the appearance and functionality of any gun:

1. Upgrading The Gun's Grip

Most default grips may not offer the control you need over your gun. That means you might need to buy only guns with compatible grips for comfortable shooting. this will lower your precision, especially if you become accustomed to a specific grip.

You can, therefore, enhance your comfort in holding your gun by customizing the following:

• Increasing or reducing grip circumference.
• Changing the grip material to rubber or G10. G10 is durable and water-resistant and prevents your sweaty hands from slipping. It is also easy to change its color.
• Introducing grooves to prevent your finger from slipping.
• Increasing the texture of the grip through grip tapes such as Cedar Mill Fine Firearms Tactical Tape X2.

2. Using Gun Wraps

Gun wraps provide an extra layer of protection, besides increasing gun personalization. They are available in different finishes such as glossy glitter, mate, and carbon fiber. They are also easy to add to any gun and enhance its appearance.

Vinyl wraps offer one of the excellent ways to improve the gun’s personality. They are water-resistant, affordable, and easy to apply. You simply need to peel them off when replacing them with a new wrap.

3. Using Hard Coatings

You don’t need to spend more money to change the appearance of your firearm. You can use hard coatings to add a new layer of protection to your gun while expressing your artistic skills. The most preferred aftermarket coating is the custom Cerakote.

The Cerakote coating consists of a polymer-ceramic compound that acts as a gun sealant and finish. It is available in three primary series, including:

• The Cerakote E-Series offers the highest protection against corrosion and other chemical damages.
• The Cerakote C-Series can withstand the highest temperatures of up to 1800℉. The C-series is also excellent against UV rays and harsh chemicals.
• The Cerakote V-Series can also withstand high temperatures and thermal shocks without losing color. It also offers optimal protection against corrosion.

4. Etching or laser engraving

Etching or laser engraving is the art of focusing a beam of light to etch into a gun surface. The technique allows you to create designs, images, texts, or serial numbers on your guns. It also works on different gun surfaces, including those coated with Cerakote.

When used on the Cerakote-coated surface, the laser engraver evaporates the Cerakote coating, leaving permanent marks on the firearms. However, you can opt for laser imaging if you don't want to remove the Cerakote coating. Laser imaging alters the coated surface, leaving a different shade of contrast. The only difference is that it does not remove the Cerakote material, leaving it intact.

5. Upgrading Gun Sights

Your gun can have the right sight or optic direct from the factory. But upgrading it using aftermarket sights can aid your accuracy in low-light or tricky situations. Various sights and optics you can use to customize your firearm include:

Iron Sights

Iron or open sights are standard factory-setting sights that come with almost every handgun on the market. They have a front singular and middle dot and two separate back dots. When shooting, the front and back nodes align to give a sense of accuracy. Some of the common types include:

• Open sights: The most basic type, with fixed or adjustable sights.
• Aperture sights: Use a large aperture instead of a notch, offering a wider field of view.
• Folding sights: These can be folded down when not in use, keeping your firearm's profile low.

Laser sights

Laser sights have green or red lasers and are mounted onto the weapon to act like laser pointers. The green or red laser becomes visible only when you draw your sidearm, which increases your accuracy. Laser sights have longer battery life. They are ideal for close-quarters and low-light scenarios.

Illuminated Sights

These are any sights that have a built-in light source to improve visibility in low-light conditions. They are popular for hunting, self-defense, and tactical applications where fast target acquisition in low light is crucial. Common types include:

• Tritium sights: These use tiny vials of radioactive tritium gas that glow continuously, providing a self-illuminating aiming point without batteries.
• Fiber optic sights: These gather ambient light and channel it to the reticle, making it brighter in low light.

Optic Sights

This comprises a broad category of aiming devices that use optical principles to improve target acquisition and accuracy compared to traditional iron sights. They come in various types, each with its advantages and applications. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Red dot sights: These feature a small red dot projected onto the target area through a lens system. They're simple, fast to use, and effective at close to medium ranges, making them popular for pistols, rifles, and shotguns.
• Reflex sights: Similar to red dots, reflex sights project a reticle (often a circle or crosshairs) onto the target using a partially reflecting surface. They're generally more durable than red dots and often have a wider field of view.
• Holographic sights: These sights project a holographic reticle onto the target using a laser and a series of mirrors. They offer a more crisp and brighter reticle than red dots and reflex sights, even in low-light conditions.
• Scopes: These magnify the target image, making them ideal for long-range shooting. They can, however, be bulky and heavy, and parallax can be an issue at close-range shooting.

6. Installing trigger upgrades

Installing aftermarket trigger components is one way to improve the performance and reliability of your gun. These upgrades can give a more precise pull, which increases your accuracy. However, most gunsmiths recommend buying aftermarket trigger components that suit your gun and shooting style.

7. Adding Tactical Lights

You don’t have to carry your handheld flashlights when planning to hunt or shoot in low-light environments. You can customize your hunting or self-defense rifles by adding aftermarket tactical lights. These lights are easy to mount onto your firearm. They also provide better control of your target by illuminating them.

Tactical lights are available in a wide range of options. Always consider those with long-lasting batteries for reliability.

8. Using Suppressors

Gun suppressors, silencers, or sound moderators are worth the investment as they help to limit the acoustic intensity. Suppressors work by reducing the impact of pressure and speed of propellant gas from the muzzles. They also silence decibel levels, making them safe for your ears.

The only downside is that suppressors require extensive research to get what might fit your gun. Also, they do not eliminate the crack of the bullet even after installing them.

9. Magazine Extensions

Although today's standard magazines can carry more rounds than past models, you can extend them to deliver far more rounds. Magazine extensions allow you to carry more rounds without increasing the gun's weight. However, not all magazine extensions are designed the same.

When buying aftermarket magazine extensions, remember to research all brands carefully to understand their extension technology. You can also upgrade magazine springs to experience an all-around boost.

What Is the Most Customizable Gun?

Some guns have endless upgrade possibilities while others are better left in their original states. Some customizable firearms also have vast aftermarket options while others only installation of one or two upgrades. Understanding these variations will help you know how to modify your gun without reducing its performance.

That said, here are the top 5 guns that we think are easy to customize based on your needs:

1.  AR-15 Rifle

The AR-15 is probably the most customizable gun on the market. Almost every part of the rifle allows for easy customization. This is great for those who want to transform their rifles into long, short, or middle-length multipurpose guns.

Most manufacturers also build their AR-15 rifles to the same standard, making their replacement parts universally available. You can also customize your AR-15 rifle within an hour.

2.  1911 Handgun

The 1911 might be an oldie but a good handgun to modify. The model has been around for many years, triggering a need for modification for a more personalized look. Some of the most customization 1911 parts include the trigger, hammer, grip, and barrel. You can also upgrade sights on some 1911 models depending on the manufacturer.

The only downside is that each company makes its own version of the 1911 handgun. That means not all replacement parts will work for all versions like the AR-15 rifles. Therefore, you should ensure the upgrade you intend to install is compatible with your specific brand or model.

3.  Ruger 10/22

The Ruger 10/22 is another reliable .22 rifle that allows easy modification. You can easily change the rifle’s folding stocks, barrel shrouds, sights, rails, grip, and many more to create a new design of the same model. These limitless custom possibilities mean you can buy only one gun and modify it to suit various shooting needs.

Unlike the AR-15 you need to customize each part separately, you can use only one stock to change the entire 10/22's appearance. Also, with around $2000, you can collect different parts to create an entirely new gun.

4.  Glock 19/17

Glocks are some of the reliable handguns that can withstand the toughest shooting conditions. However, most people do not love their looks; hence, a need for customizations. Also, many companies are now offering aftermarket parts to upgrade the Glock handguns.

Various standard parts available for the Glock 19/17 customization include slide release, magazine release, trigger components, fiber optic sights, and barrels. These custom parts can easily any Glock handgun into a pistol.

5.  Remington 870

Remington 870 is a favorite of many gun owners due to its vast modification possibilities. One such modification is the possibility of an accessorized Warhammer Rail on each side which runs from one end to another. The rail allows the installation of flashlights, lasers, sights, and ATI stocks. 

You can also install aftermarket trigger components and safety features. An example is the Timney sear unit for the trigger which allows small adjustments in the trigger pull weight. One good thing about the Remington 870 is that it is compatible with accessories from different companies, showing how reliable it is.

Final Thoughts

Nothing is wrong with using the gun in its original state straight out of the box. However, there is always something unique when using a customized gun, especially after adding your preferred features. Customizing a gun is fun and worth trying. However, it comes with some considerations.

Always start with picking the right upgrade that fits your gun based on its purpose. You should also learn how to replace or fix the parts perfectly to avoid rendering the gun useless. Once you have all the parts and tools you need, you can proceed to modify any gun and make it yours.

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