Modifying Your EDC

[DirectDrive]

This seems to be a hot button issue.
What do you think about this ?
Is there any truth to it that a prosecutor could come after you as a trigger-happy gun goon if your EDC was found to be modified ?

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[ckp160]

I was just pondering this. Any lawyers on this board who could share? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Camelfilter]

IMO, doesn't matter.

Personally, I think it's more urban legend, than not.

Now can they try? Sure they can try anything they want. Attorneys villifying the other side by any means, seems common.

Wether a defensive shoot is justified or not, is really the only thing that matters. Not the tool.

Edit, adding: we will not be spending even a microsecond thinking on what a jury might think of the tool we would use, should we have to use it. Hope we would never have to, is all...

 

[uberguy]

As commented above, the central facts related to whether self-defense is justifiable.
Regarding trigger mods, whatever - that might only be relevant in an accident. "I didn't mean to shoot, the trigger just sort of went off" ... hopefully none of us would try that line.

 

[cigars]

Ammunition is the hot button. Always use off the shelf factory ammo. If you use handloads for self defense, the prosecutor could try to say that you intentionally made the loads too hot, thus your intent was to exceed the factory intended purpose for the ammo, etc. It could go really sideways from a simple self defense situation to where they try and build a character case portraying you as an over zealous gun nut. Don't give them any wiggle room. Save hand loads for the range.

 

[Medic!]

I think a guy could find a way to get himself in trouble today.

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Remember we live in the time of ''Hate language''. A made up category used to prevent free speech.
And ''Hate crimes''. Just use the wrong adjective on a man before you punch him in the nose.


It don't take much to get in hot water these days.

 

[nammac]

Personally, the only modifications to my carry guns are sights, and that's limited to the use of night sights, if I didn't purchase with them already in place. Otherwise I leave 'em stock. And I use factory, off the shelf ammunition.

I figure it'll be tough enough to get through a justifiable shooting, don't need to give the other side anything to dig into. Just being a greyman, who had to defend himself...

But that's just me...

 

[ozmosis]

If you have to explain why you did the modification to a non gun owner it's not going to go well. At the very least it's going to cost lawyer time to explain to a jury or remove it. The Mesa AZ cop shooting the dust cover with the "your f*cked" engraving was never seen by the jury, had it been seen I think it would have gone with a conviction. Showed "premeditated" intention.
I did in the past have a very custom 1911 for carry, now its a as made from the factory with no mods.

 

[mkwerx]

I would not add punisher skulls, kill em all, or other aggressive iconography or words on the gun, nor paint it to look like a toy.

A prosecutor can bring anything into question, even if your attorney objects and gets sustained, that seed is planted in the jury's minds.

Modifications for triggers, grips, sights can all be argued for - mods that make you more accurate lower the risk to bystanders and innocents. This can be argued to counter the notion you did it because you want trouble.

As for ammo, it is again something that can be argued either way - prosecutor will say you are a blood thirsty killer. You argue its because you can afford to practice with the same ammo you carry so you can be confident you will hit the intended target npt the nun holding the newborn baby in front of the pet store across from the homeless shelter parking lot.

The bigger question is will you be stuck with a $#!t public defender pushing you to take a plea deal, or an attorney that gives a damn and wants to win for you IF you have to drop the hammer?

 

[Kruel J]

My EDC is bone stock. Always will be.

 

[edslhead]

I dont think any of the police here in Vantuky could tell if a gun had been modified. I'm not too worried.

 

[American123]

I put an extended slide release and a Ghost 3.5 connector in every Glock I own, including the daily carry. I also load my own ammunition because I can significantly reduce the cost compared to factory ammo and don't think twice about carrying it, it also isn't loaded hotter than you can buy easily off the shelf from BB or Underwood so power factor is a moot argument.

There is that one case where the policeman was in trouble for using a firearm that had inflammatory language on the port door of his AR, but nothing that I am aware of that has had to do with the physical function of the firearm.

Putting inflammatory language on a firearm in general is general 'douchebaggery' anyway. For our leftists audience, quotes from the bill of rights or dec' of independence is not inflammatory language. I am referring to profanity.

 

[No_Regerts]

I guess the best thing is to have a good shoot from the beginning so the incident isn't referred for prosecution.

 

[Aispuro]

My Glock 43 has upgraded sights,trigger,barrel I'll take my chances in court

 

[Sparky315]

Reasonable modifications that you can explain are unlikely to be a problem- i.e. better sights, trigger that makes it easier to get accurate hits, reliability work, etc. I agree that things like Punisher slide cover plates and such are a bad idea, and would likely be used against you in the civil suit. Then again, so could anything you post on Facebook, etc.

 

[Certaindeaf]

My EDC is bone stock. Always will be.

40 rounds of 5.56 is hard to argue with.

lol

 

[Eric in Oregon]

I also load my own ammunition ... and don't think twice about carrying it

Yeah, don't do this. Besides the prosecutor painting you as a mad scientist cooking up extra-lethal ammo in your basement, there HAS been at least one case where potentially exonerating gunshot residue testing couldn't be used because hand loads were used - it would have meant using evidence that the defendant had literally manufactured himself.

Add in the much higher potential for reliability problems and hand loads just aren't worth it.

 

[American123]

Yeah, don't do this. Besides the prosecutor painting you as a mad scientist cooking up extra-lethal ammo in your basement, there HAS been at least one case where potentially exonerating gunshot residue testing couldn't be used because hand loads were used - it would have meant using evidence that the defendant had literally manufactured himself.

Add in the much higher potential for reliability problems and hand loads just aren't worth it.

To each their own.

 

[Medic!]

My Glock 43 has upgraded sights,trigger,barrel I'll take my chances in court

I thought it over. And I'm totally comfortable with that.






HeII. I'll hold your beer and watch!

 

[Certaindeaf]

.
Add in the much higher potential for reliability problems and hand loads just aren't worth it.

You obviously are not a reloader and or are someone that doesn't know of the commonness of factory load failures that, respectively, can not happen to a careful reloader.. ie nonexistent flash holes, no powder, etc..

And I don't buy your other premise either.