Albert A. was born in Italy and came to the U.S. in 1919. He grew up on the streets of Manhattan and worked at the docks.
While working at the docks, Albert killed at least one man.
At the time, the ports were controlled by the mob who used it as a front for criminal activity.
Albert rose through the ranks of the mob and became a member of the notorious Murder Inc crew. The group was responsible for hundreds of mob killings.
Many times, Albert was charged with murder, but when his court date came around, the witnesses in the case mysteriously disappeared.
One day, Albert was relaxing in a barber chair in Midtown Manhattan.
Two men with covered faces burst into the barber shop and fired ten rounds at Albert. He slumped over and fell to the ground.
There were over ten witnesses to the shooting, but no one was charged with the crime.
The men who carried out the murder dropped their guns at the crime scene. It was common for mobsters to drop guns at the crime scene after committing murders.
The reason they did this is because they didn’t want to get caught with the murder weapon while fleeing the scene…
Because if the hitman was already a convicted criminal, he faced additional charges if caught with the gun.
(Of course, this was before DNA and ballistics was widely used to solve crimes.)
Now, if you aren’t a mobster (I hope not), one of the most important aspects to handling and shooting a firearm is keeping a good grip on the gun.
The grip on your firearm is arguably one of the most important parts of the firearm. It is how you control, point, and reload (if it’s a pistol).
Some shooters want to change the texture of the grip or the size of the grip and change to aftermarket grips.
Because the grip is so vital to safe handling and shooting, here are a few factors to weigh if you’re looking to change the grips on your firearm.
Pros:
Better fit:
The biggest reason to change out the grips on your gun is to achieve a better fit.
Because people have different sized hands, gun manufacturers add interchangeable back straps to their firearms to allow for customization.
If you add aftermarket grips you can choose the ones that best fit your hands, which will allow you to keep the gun more secure.
Finger reach:
Trigger reach is one of the most critical factors when shooting a firearm. The way you pull the trigger greatly affects accuracy.
In a perfect scenario, you should be able to put the pad of your finger on the middle of the trigger with plenty of room.
And it shouldn’t be hard to get your finger in the perfect position to pull the trigger.
The best way to test this out is to practice dry firing a gun before purchasing it. This way you know if the grip is going to work with your hand and finger size.
Point of aim:
Some shooters with bigger hands prefer larger grips on their guns.
But some folks feel the bigger grips throw off the natural point of aim. So, it’s a trade-off that each shooter has to figure out for themselves.
Changing the grip on a firearm changes the way the firearm sits in your hands, thus your point of aim.
So, if you decide to change the grips make sure the new ones have a natural fit in your hand.
Keep in mind, as with any gun modification, there is always the risk that you could make the grip situation worse.
Cons of aftermarket grips:
Warranty:
Changing the grip on your firearm could void the manufacturer’s warranty.
So, if you choose to change the grips, you might want to consider talking to a gunsmith and asking them what would work best with your firearm.
You may even want the gunsmith to do the work to ensure there are no mistakes made.
Value:
If you decide to sell a gun that’s been modified, it can affect the value.
Some people want an original gun that has not been modified at all.
So, keep in mind that when you do modifications it can reduce the value of the gun if you go to sell it.
Professional:
When it comes to modifying your gun, consider taking it to a professional to make sure it is done correctly.
Even if you decide to change out the grips, you may want to take it to a gunsmith to have it done.
When it comes to a firearm that you’re going to trust your life with, there is no room for mistakes.
Save up a bit of extra money and take the gun to a professional for any modifications.
If you are looking for aftermarket grips, you may wish to check out grips by companies such as LOK Grips and Magpul.
Changing the grips on your gun can make a big difference in how it fits in your hand.
But, before you do, test out the grips you are looking at to make sure they’re a good fit and don’t make things worse.
Obviously, you don’t want anything to hinder your ability to use your firearm in self-defense – whether it’s a pistol or a rifle.
In truth, you shouldn’t have just one self-defense firearm.
You should be able to lay your hands on multiple guns, even when you’re out and about.
