CCW with trigger swap

[SteveinHNL]

Originally Posted by thehunted777

Just make sure you are current with all the other important CCW laws as to where you can/can't carry your weapon. Also important factors like leaving your CCW weapon factory stock condition, as any modifications can be used against you in court if you ended up getting into a shooting.

Is this a requirement for a Ccw pistol? I’m intending to swap my factory trigger for an Apex trigger. In what way would that be used against me in court? And what court are you referring to? A civil lawsuit? A criminal prosecution? And for what offense? The shooting, or for some violation of my CCW?

[Librarian]

The 'trigger swap' issue is entirely the discretion of the agency that issues your CCW - call them and ask.

If your IA doesn't like it, your CCW might be invalid, and protections provided by CCW would not apply.

'Don't change anything on your carry gun' is hyper-cautious.

[L84CABO]

Prosecutor: I see, Mr Steve, that you performed some trigger work on your gun, lightening the pull from the factory specification down to 4.5 lbs. CLEARLY you did this because you are a blood thirsty KILLER who was just looking for a fight.

Now it's YOUR attorney's turn to counter that. Good luck...and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Librarian is correct that whether or not this is permissible, is up to your IA. There is nothing in the law that prohibits you from improving your trigger. Beyond this, there is no definitive answer to your question. Nobody can predict how an aggressive prosecutor/attorney will come after you or if it will be in criminal court or civil court. Way too may variables at play here. But if they do decide to go after you, expect them to use anything and everything at their disposal...including modifications and looking for social media posts...like this one...that they can spin in a way to try and make you look guilty.

This question...and all it's variants...comes up pretty regularly. The most conservative thing to do is to NOT modify your gun. Many people will advise you in this manner. However, most of the people that warn against modifying your gun, are generally also unable to provide any tangible proof of an actual real court case where someone doing a REASONABLE modification to their gun was the reason that an otherwise good shoot was turned into a bad one and they went to jail for it.

Note that I said "REASONABLE." If you lighten your trigger to 2 lbs and then "ND" into someone, that probably won't work out too well for you in court.

Also note that nobody can know every court case out there. I'm sure something close to this has happened before. We know there have been issues with people decorating their guns with Punisher Skulls and the like.

The other side of this issue is that if a modification helps improve your accuracy and/or your chance of survival...so that you are alive to face whatever comes next...then it MAY be worth consideration. I'm in the camp that I don't believe a modest trigger job is going to change an otherwise good shoot into a bad one. And I believe that a GOOD attorney will be able to counter any argument that comes up.

But I'm not an attorney. I'm just some guy on the interwebz so what the hell do I know. YMMV.

[Teachu2]

The real issue is whether or not it was an intentional shooting of a person who was a genuine threat at the time of the shooting. Every question about my firearm and ammunition will result in an answer that demonstrates my intent to stop an attack on myself or others that a reasonable person, knowing what I knew at the time, would believe justified the use of deadly force.

[gemini1]

Originally Posted by Librarian

The 'trigger swap' issue is entirely the discretion of the agency that issues your CCW - call them and ask.

If your IA doesn't like it, your CCW might be invalid, and protections provided by CCW would not apply.

'Don't change anything on your carry gun' is hyper-cautious.

The SMSO doesn't inspect/ask about modifications on applicants listed carry firearms. The hired qual trainors also mentioned that the country has no restrictions on legal mods to carry firearms.

So does that mean my Shield, with Apex trigger upgrade is a non issue?
On a side note, I'm wondering if swapping a factory trigger from a different gun model will be classified as modification?
I read that the Shield Plus triggers, are way better than the 1.0 and 2.0, and it fits the earlier Shield models.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

If you’re worried or concerned about possible future issues of swapping out the trigger, why not just learn to shoot it really well in its stock form.

I have a stock Shield and can shoot that little pistol very accurately. I’m aupriaed at how well I can shoot it and the only thing I’ve swapped out are the sights for the same sights I try to put on all my handguns.

If it was my firearm and was the one I was going to use as my CCW pistol I’d keep the stock trigger and take the time to master that trigger. If I can shoot it well pretty much anyone with half a brain and any previous training and experience can. Seems like so many who swap out triggers for firearms ( unless it’s a competition firearm) are just trying to make up for their lack of understanding the fundamentals and just have poor trigger control to begin with.

[robert101]

I don't lighten my Glock Triggers for three reasons:
1. I will be able to pull the trigger when the situation is right for self-defense. A lighter trigger will go unnoticed by me. I train with double taps and a very distinctive drive to the trigger on first and second shot. Yes, it might slow me down a small fraction of a second but for me it is definitive in my training.
2. Due to the high level of stress, a reasonably stock trigger pull of 3 to 5 lbs. is to my advantage to prevent a ND.
3. It is considered a wild card in my opinion and not warranting the modification due to 1 and 2 above.

I've never been in a shooting and hope never to find out. But, this is my philosophy until a better training solution is found. I am open to suggestions.

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by gemini1

The SMSO doesn't inspect/ask about modifications on applicants listed carry firearms. The hired qual trainors also mentioned that the country has no restrictions on legal mods to carry firearms.

So does that mean my Shield, with Apex trigger upgrade is a non issue?

On a side note, I'm wondering if swapping a factory trigger from a different gun model will be classified as modification?

I read that the Shield Plus triggers, are way better than the 1.0 and 2.0, and it fits the earlier Shield models.

If the trainers are correct that "the county has no restrictions on legal mods to carry firearms" then the Apex change should be fine.

Yes, I believe swapping triggers with one from a different model would be a 'modification'.

[Heckler&Coke]

I qualified with Apex triggers in sb co... yes, the apex is light years ahead of a gen1 factory shield trigger.

[seabee1]

the communists who mete out our "rights" will give you just enough rope to hang yourself

[Chakachaka]

Originally Posted by Heckler&Coke

I qualified with Apex triggers in sb co... yes, the apex is light years ahead of a gen1 factory shield trigger.

SB county as in San Bernardino ?