Sometimes it’s hard to decide what accessories should be placed on a gun. When you’re in that customizing robot mode, it’s easy to keep adding one thing after another. When I sit back and think about what I really need for a gun, I tend to take some things back off. But sometimes all those upgrades and accessories make the gun better, depending on the purpose. I recently took one of my Glocks out of the safe and decided to add a few things to it.
I have guns I carry on duty, some I carry concealed off-duty, some for the car, etc. Most of my guns are set up for a specific purpose. Too many accessories or upgrades on a handgun will often make it too heavy and bulky to carry. It’s also hard to find holsters for guns once you go adding stuff to them. In this case, I decided to have some fun adding things to my Glock and set it up for a home defense gun.
I have several different guns for this purpose, but I set this one up to be my bedside gun. For this, I don’t need a holster because I don’t carry it around everywhere. I put it up during the day and get it back out at night before bed. For a home defense gun, I wanted a light, a set of night sights, plenty of ammo, and a compensator to help control muzzle rise and recoil.
Weapon Mounted Light
Lights are just good to have period. I carry a light on me anytime I leave the house regardless of the time of day. If I’m carrying a small gun that doesn’t have a light, I carry one in my pocket. For home defense, a weapon-mounted light is a no-brainer. You never know what time of day a home invasion could happen. But the middle of the night is not the time to search for a light to see who’s in your house.
If a home intruder were to break in, speed is what I’m after. I need to get my gun and face the threat. Over the years, I have accumulated a lot of different weapon-mounted lights. But for home defense, I want something that has proven to be reliable time and again. The most reliable weapon-mounted light I have seen is the Streamlight TLR-1. The toggle switch is easy to use, it has plenty of power, and it’s built like a tank.
A weapon-mounted light is extremely important to have on a home-defense gun. If you believe an intruder is in your home, you want to be 100% sure who and what you are shooting at before you pull the trigger. You also want your hands as free as possible, so having the light mounted on the gun is just smart.
Lots of Ammo
Most self-defense incidents do not involve a ton of ammo. They are mostly close range (within seven yards) and only a few shots are fired. But we don’t only prepare for the statistical probability of what will happen during a home invasion. If it doesn’t take very much ammo to defend a home most of the time, then great. But I sure don’t want to be that one guy that falls outside of the norm and runs out of ammo when everything goes bad.
Within reason, I want plenty of ammunition. For home defense, this is a little trickier. When we are out and about, we carry a weapon with a loaded mag and an extra mag or two. Or three for you tackleberries. But when we’re at home we don’t carry the same items on us as we do away from home. Especially at night when were in bed.
So, when we hear that distinctive sound of a door being kicked open or a window breaking, we grab a gun to defend ourselves. There is no time for gearing up and we don’t have a way to carry anything else on us anyway. I try to keep a mag in my gun that will carry a little extra ammo than a standard issue mag. I do this by adding a mag extender to my OEM magazine, or high-capacity mag. Magazine extensions like the Tyrant Designs extender add five more rounds to a magazine. For my Glock 19, this gives me 20 rounds of ammo without being bulky or getting in the way.
Compensator
Adding a compensator to a carry gun is where it gets hard to find holsters. Some companies make holsters for specific models with compensators. But they are not as easy to find as say a holster that accommodates a light. Compensators help with muzzle control during rapid fire. They do this by reducing muzzle rise and felt recoil. When you fire a gun, the gas from the exploding gunpowder forces the bullet down the barrel. The opposite reaction to this is pressure pushing towards the back of the gun.
This results in recoil and what is called muzzle rise. The compensator redistributes the energy from the barrel and uses it to help push the barrel back down. It also lets some of that energy out around the barrel, so the rearward pressure is not as great. Compensators are easy to install, but they will make your barrel longer. I personally like the Tyrant Designs T-Comp because of its simplicity and the variety of colors available. Note: A compensator will require a threaded barrel for your gun.
Night Sights
If you have a weapon-mounted light and you train to light up the target before pulling the trigger, you can see your sights. Some argue night sights are not needed when using a weapon-mounted light. But again, it’s better to prepare for things that don’t always go as planned. If your light doesn’t work, it can be hard to see your sights in the dark. This is important when the threat is close to a family member or a little further away.
Just like the compensator, night sights are not upgrades that break the bank. They are not hard to install and there are plenty of options to choose from. I would recommend using day/night sights, so you see the benefits of daytime shooting as well. For Glock pistols, you can buy a sight pusher or the rear sight, and it will include the front sight tool as well.
Ready to Defend?
For me, these upgrades are beneficial for home defense. With the right ammo, this makes a great addition to home defense weapons. I’m not saying a good shotgun or rifle isn’t good to have also. It’s fun to upgrade guns and most of the time, the upgrades make the gun look cooler. But it’s nice when your extra money isn’t just for looks. In this case, upgrading my Glock 19 makes it a better home-defense tool. There are plenty of upgrade options for other brands and models of guns too. So, if you’re in the mood for upgrading a gun, try adding some accessories that will turn your favorite handgun into a ninja warrior home-defense weapon.
