What are permitted modifications/customizations

[ironpete]

Like another forum member I saw Kimber's RCP II and wanted it. Unfortunately it is not on the DOJ list and may never be.

What I wanted to know was could I get a legal gun (generic 4" 1911) and have it heavily modified to match an RCP.

Carry Melt
Gutter sight
"bobbed" hammer
standard safety
reduced grip safety

I know doing this would probably be too extensive to justify, but what modifications are legal?

What kind of "drop-in" modifications are owners allowed to perform (change the safety, sights, etc)?

What if all their original safety features were functional?

Would modified guns pass CCW inspection?

When does an approved gun become an unapproved gun?

I'll stop at only 500 questions.

Thanks in advance,
-Peter

[CCWInstructor]

Once you buy a approved gun, you can do whatever you want to it, it no longer needs to be CA approved.

4.00 Lbs. is the lowest trigger you can have in single action.


Next set of questions?

[cksh8me]

4 lbs. is the lowest on a trigger for OC CCW inspected firearm correct? It is not the lowest you can have on a single action if you CCW in another county, or just want one with a 2 lb. trigger.

[CCWInstructor]

Originally Posted by cksh8me

4 lbs. is the lowest on a trigger for OC CCW inspected firearm correct? It is not the lowest you can have on a single action if you CCW in another county, or just want one with a 2 lb. trigger.

Correct in OC. that is the normal setting for most mfg. Wilson can get a 3.75. Below that the hammer starts to follow the slide. This is for Semi Auto's.

[ironpete]

Originally Posted by CCWInstructor

Once you buy a approved gun, you can do whatever you want to it, it no longer needs to be CA approved.

4.00 Lbs. is the lowest trigger you can have in single action.


Next set of questions?

Whoohoo, now I have new and different ways of spending money on gunstuff...

...now how to get the wife to buy off on this...

[WKC]

Originally Posted by cksh8me

4 lbs. is the lowest on a trigger for OC CCW inspected firearm correct? It is not the lowest you can have on a single action if you CCW in another county, or just want one with a 2 lb. trigger.

A 4 lb pull is a reaonable lower limit. I would personally go just a little higher (5 lb) for a carry gun. As CCWI stated, anytime you go lower than 4, you run the risk of having the gun screwed up on you. Big name pro shooters can have their guns set up with sub 2 lb pulls but they have big name master smiths do the work and they only use these for competitions. They are not so foolish as to carry a hair trigger gun for SD.

[cksh8me]

I only have triggers of above 4lbs. on two 1911's. One of them is a NIB Colt factory satin nickel finish made in 68. Oh yeah I have the box. The other is a Colt 70 series made in 05 that is still in jail.

I have one 1911 that is under 4 lbs. that I have shot the barrel out of and the trigger has never followed. I have a couple of Infinity's that are around 2 lbs. and they haven't followed. No MIM parts.

[WKC]

Originally Posted by cksh8me

I only have triggers of above 4lbs. on two 1911's. One of them is a NIB Colt factory satin nickel finish made in 68. Oh yeah I have the box. The other is a Colt 70 series made in 05 that is still in jail.

I have one 1911 that is under 4 lbs. that I have shot the barrel out of and the trigger has never followed. I have a couple of Infinity's that are around 2 lbs. and they haven't followed. No MIM parts.

You must have had a good smith work on those Infinity guns. I bet they must shoot pretty smooth. Do you use those for IPSC or IDPA competitions?

[cksh8me]

I'm more of a 3 gunner. I do shoot local pistol matches.

I'm just not very good.

[DRSFEFA]

Originally Posted by CCWInstructor

Once you buy a approved gun, you can do whatever you want to it, it no longer needs to be CA approved.

4.00 Lbs. is the lowest trigger you can have in single action.


Next set of questions?

Does that mean you can remove a magazine disconnect legally?

[sealbeach]

Just remember that ANY modifications you make to a carry gun could haunt you in the courtroom should you be forced to defend yourself with that gun.

IANAL, and I sure don't want to help a possible plaintiff's lawyer in a civil lawsuit, should that ever happen.

"So Mr. Jones, you REMOVED the ORIGINAL LEGALLY REQUIRED SAFETY DEVICES from your gun?"

Just seems like it sounds bad, even if it is legal to make the modifications.

[WKC]

Originally Posted by DRSFEFA

Does that mean you can remove a magazine disconnect legally?

I would be very surprised if any armorer would approve such a modification. The inspection is to determine proper function of the weapon. The armorer knows all the design features of each weapon and I expect the gun to be rejected due to a malfunctioning safety.

CCWI should have the authoritative input on this.

[CCWInstructor]

Yes they do a safety inspection on each gun.

[El Gato]

Kern County has no safety inspection... heck they have no idea what their holders do to their guns.... having said that:

No triggers under 4 pounds on Sir Brownings 1911
Don't mess with the glock trigger unless it is a 3.5 pound connector and NY1 spring...
removing the magazine disconnect, or any "safety" is a trial lawyers dream....

[NikNak]

FYI, I have a 642 S&W Bodyguard on my list that I bought used for a very good deal. It was "priced to sell" because the single action stage had been removed from the revolver ands it was made DAO. This is the Stainless J-frame unit with the shrouded hammer. After buying it, I took the sideplate off to see why it was double action only, and as I suspected, there was a "Cylinder & Slide" action job done in it. When I slid my piece in the pass through bin for the OC armorer, I could hear him trying to make it go SA, but then he just gave up and kept Double Actioning it through a few cylinder rotations. He then passed it back with my signed sheet and a smile but didn't say a word. I had heard him working the actions on my other pieces as well, but as a parent knows the sound of his children's cry, I could discern what he was doing behind the wall.
YMMV....