By Jeff Johnston
If you’ve ever seen Jerry Miculek use a Mossberg to beat the hell out of guys using custom Benellis then you know the axiom “It ain’t the arrow, but the Indian” has some truth to it. But it doesn’t mean an arrow can’t be improved. Here are three basic upgrades anyone can make to most mass-manufactured guns that’ll almost certainly enhance its performance.
- Feed it Primo Ammo
Back in highschool I bought a Ruger Mini-14 and 500 rounds of military surplus ball ammo. Even after I installed a scope–which was an ordeal in itself–that thing would almost hold a half a foot at 100 yards. That’s right, 6 MOA. You can imagine my hard-earned disappointment as I deemed the Ruger a certified piece of shit and asked aloud, “Who needs a 30-round semi-auto anyway?” Just kidding, I never asked that.
Anyway, a good while later I found a box of Federal Power-Shok .223 soft points on sale. Without doing anything except switching ammo, the Ruger’s groups shrunk from 6 inches to 3. Still not a world-beater, but at least the rifle was now usable. Later I tried Federal Premium with Sierra GameKings and recorded 2 1/4-inch groups. The lesson was learned: Not all ammo is created equal.
While there are plenty of great ammo makers out there like Black Hills and others, after 20+ years of professionally testing guns for the NRA and very unprofessionally for Field Ethos, I’ve found Federal Premium almost always winds up in the top 3 for accuracy, no matter the gun tested or bullet chosen.
For sheer practice, there’s no need to cast pearls to the pigs. But for hunting and self-defense, go primo.
- Trigger Job
I find it humorous when dudes tell me they are impervious to recoil but then consistently shoot their .223s better than their .300 Win Mags. Similarly, there are tactical guys who swear they’ve gotten so used to the shitty 7-pound, two-stage Glock trigger that triggers no longer make any difference to them.
To which I declare: Bullshit. It’s provable.
Any shooter who can hold decent groups with a Glock (or any number of copy-cat striker-fired guns) will suddenly become masterful with a custom 1911. It’s mostly due to the trigger.
The good news here is twofold: In the old days messing with a rifle’s trigger was viewed as Yoda work, sure to get you killed or at least saddled with a wrongful death lawsuit. But now plenty of rifle makers offer factory triggers that can be adjusted from 5 lbs. down to 3 with nothing but an allen wrench. Don’t be scared, child, take advantage.
For polymer handguns, look to aftermarket companies such as Timney. Or you can always just buy something like a Nighthawk Custom 1911 that comes with an outstanding trigger. Just be aware that if you’re used to a shitty trigger, it’s easy to double tap that second shot into the range’s ceiling. Trust me on this.
- Replace the Sights
Plenty of lower-end companies are making passable handguns these days, and for the most part the guns are fine. Except for the triggers … and the sights. Most people tend to stick with the standard plastic front-blade-and-rear-U-style sights on handguns because that’s what’s there. And for plinking behind your father-in-law’s pond, they’ll do.
But if accuracy is your No. 1 priority, you can’t beat a mini red dot sight, because a small red dot that’s hovering on the same focal plane as the target is simply easier to shoot more precisely, especially as the eyes age. The only problem historically was that you couldn’t fully depend on electro-sights due to batteries that always seem to roll craps at the wrong time. But Aimpoint has remedied that with battery life that outlasts the others. Its ACRO is tops.
But if you’re the old codger who will never trust a red dot for defense, there is one iron sight system that is simply better–faster, brighter in low-light and just as accurate–than the rest. The Ft. Worth-based XS Sight company makes its Big Dot that uses a premise discovered by dangerous game hunters nearly 100 years ago. This “express-style” sight features a robust, oversized round front sight (with a tritium insert in the middle) combined with a shallow rear V. The eye quickly tries to center the dot in the v without conscious thought. Yet if accuracy is critical, the shooter can concentrate on creating a visual lollipop using the V’s glowing vertical line and the small inner circle of the dot. You’ll be amazed at how accurate it is–but only after you give it a try–because it’s somewhat counterintuitive. For defensive handguns and shotguns I believe it’s the best system going.
Editor’s note – Because you want to know: the sexy thang in the photo above is a Nighthawk Custom Trooper in 10mm with a Trijicon RMR Type 2.
