Making A Change? Here Are Some of the Most Customizable Guns

Have you ever gotten bored with your guns and started thinking about dressing them up a little? Maybe you want to bling it out a little with some gold accents or buy a tactical upgrade kit to make it battle-ready. Or, you might be thinking about buying a new gun and you want to make sure it’s one that can be upgraded.

Some guns, like the AR-15, have endless upgrade possibilities. Other guns, not so much. Some guns are better left alone and in their original condition. But other guns have so many after-market parts available, that it’s almost expected that you will make upgrades. Upgrades can improve the gun’s performance, increase its value, and make it more personable to the owner. Here are some of the guns I think are great options for making upgrades.

AR-15 Rifle

The AR-15 is arguably the most customizable gun on planet Earth. Every individual part of an AR-15 can be upgraded or customized easily. For those wanting to build their own guns, the AR-15 is again the most popular. This is a great gun for those wanting to start with a simple base model and slowly make changes over time. Upgrade kits and parts range in quality, color, and design, leaving a lot for the imagination.

Most AR-15 rifles are built to the same standard, making parts universal among the hundreds of manufacturers around the country. Within an hour, you can transform an AR-15 into a long-range hunting rifle, a short tactical weapon, or a mid-length, multi-purpose gun. If you plan to make some upgrades to your AR-15 rifle but aren’t sure where to start, here are some ideas:

• Magpul PRS Gen3 Precision Adjustable Stock
• Timney AR-15 4LB Small Pin Curved Competition Trigger
• Odin Works 3-gun, 18-inch barrel
• Yankee Hill Machine Co QDS Flip-Up Sight Set
• Tyrant Designs AR-15 LWP Grip

Glock 19/17

Glocks are like the AK-47s of handguns. They can withstand some of the toughest abuse and keep firing. While they are reliable, they are not known for their good looks. But so many companies are making after-market parts now, and there are a ton of options for upgrading your Glock pistol. The Glock 19 and 17 are among the most popular models for upgrading, but just about any Glock pistol can be upgraded. If you own a Glock and want to spruce it up, try some of these upgrades.

• Tyrant Designs T-Comp
• Tyrant Designs Magwell
• Truglo Brite Site Tritium/Fiber Optic Sights
• Zev Fulcrum Adjustable Trigger
• Zev Technologies Optimized Threaded Barrel

Along with the standard parts like the slide release, mag release, trigger, etc. The slide can also be modified for a better appearance. Several companies also make custom slides and grips that turn a Glock into a pistol that barely resembles a Glock. While not as customizable as an AR-15, Glock handguns are a great choice to make some changes to.

1911 handgun

The 1911 is an oldie but a goodie. Since it has been around for a while, there are lots of parts to upgrade for a customized look. The most common parts to upgrade are the trigger, hammer, grips, and barrel. The sights can be upgraded on some models depending on the manufacturer and model. One thing that is different with 1911 handguns is the skill set needed to make those upgrades.

The trigger and hammer can be harder to change than the trigger on a Glock pistol or an AE-15 rifle. Because so many companies make their own versions of 1911 pistols, not all of the parts interchange like those on an AR-15. When selecting a part, make sure it is compatible with the brand and model of your 1911. Changing just a few parts can make the old classic look like a modern comeback handgun. For a great-looking gun, here are some parts I recommend.

• Truglo FTX Pro Sights
• ProMag Archangel Aluminum Grips
• Night Hawk Trigger Kit (stainless)
• Night Hawk Marvel Hammer (stainless)
• Wilson Combat Barrel Link Kit
• Wilson Combat Drop-In Bever Tail Grip Safety

Ruger 10/22

The Ruger 10/22 is one of the most customizable .22 rifles there is. One of the unique things about the 10/22 is the ease of finding drop-in ready stocks. Unlike an AR-15 that needs each part customized separately, you can find a new stock that changes the entire appearance of the gun. Don’t worry about a separate grip, handguard, or butt stock. Here are some great options for complete stocks if you want to transform the look of your Ruger 10/22.

• High Tower Armory 10/22 Bullpup Stock
• Magpul X-22 Backpacker Stock
• Magpul Hunter X-22 Stock
• ProMag Archangel Deluxe

AK-47

The AK-47 has not always been an easy gun to upgrade. It was designed to be a mass-produced, cheap battle rifle. The AK is simple and indestructible, and like any gun that has remained popular for years, companies have started making parts for upgrading just about any AK-47.

We live in a time where everyone wants to put some type of attachment on their rifle including flashlights, red dots, magnifiers, lasers, etc. This can be difficult on an AK-47 without making some upgrades to the rifle. A few companies are making synthetic stocks that give you an entirely new platform. An added Picatinny rail and adjustable stock are the most obvious changes on these drop-in stocks. If you want to keep the traditional look while adding a red dot or scope, brackets are available for attaching them.

Here are some of the ones I like.

• Samson AK-47 1913 Rear Trunnion Folding Stock Adaptor. This adaptor allows you to remove the wooden stock and attach a folding stock like the Magpul Zhukov folding stock.

• Midwest Industries AK Railed Side Scope Mount. This mount connects to the side of your AK and provides a rail on top for mounting a scope or red dot.

• NcStar AKM M-Lok Handguard. This handguard set replaces the wood set on standard AK-47 rifles and replaces it with a synthetic one. Picatinny rails and M-Lok slots are on the top and bottom.

• NcStar Folding Mil-Spec Buffer Tube Adapter. This adaptor allows you to use any of your AR-15 stocks on your AK-47.

Ready to make some upgrades?

There’s nothing wrong with keeping a gun in its original form. But there are a lot of benefits to making some upgrades, and it’s fun. Pick the gun you want to upgrade and decide what parts to start with. Some parts require disassembling your firearm and, in many cases, armorer’s tools are needed. It can be intimidating if you have never worked on that specific gun before.

But learning how to fix/replace parts on your weapon is a good thing to know anyway. You may need to buy a few tools, but again, these are good to have. Real Avid makes a tool for just about everything on a gun you need. If you haven’t made any upgrades on your favorite gun, today is a good day to start.