Throughout all the articles I’ve written on TFB, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written about things you should carry on your person. What isn’t talked about are some of the things that shouldn’t be carried on you when carrying a concealed firearm. There are way more than just a few, but I tried to narrow it down to the top 4 things I see most when it comes to carrying concealed. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top things not to put on your carry gun.

Aftermarket Lightened Triggers

Replacement triggers are all the rage with dozens if not hundreds of options on the market today. I can’t tell you how many guns I have swapped out triggers or put competition triggers into over the years. To be quite honest, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that if it’s for range use or competition. When it comes to carrying on your body for self-defense though, that’s an entirely different story. Having a lightened aftermarket trigger in your main carry gun can get you into trouble real fast. Under stress, people start to do strange things, to say the least, and even in training pull shots because they didn’t know the gun would go off. Having a real lightweight trigger on a gun can cause a negligent discharge under stress.

The other big thing when it comes to aftermarket triggers is the possibility of dropping your firearm or having it pulled out of your hands and hitting the ground. Lightening the trigger up can increase the risk of having an accidental discharge since there’s less resistance to activating the trigger. It may seem like a silly thing but I can confidently say I’ve seen at least 3 older guys drop their guns on the ground since I’ve started carrying concealed. Weird things happen and having a very lightweight trigger while carrying isn’t always a smart move.

This CZ Orange is a fantastic range gun but the trigger is so light there’s no way it’s safe to carry.

Light and Laser Combos

This is more of a noobie mistake but it still happens all the time so let this be a lesson to everyone. Seeing a cheap light and laser combo option in your local big box store may seem like a great idea, but take some advice and just say no. These laser light combos are typically extremely cheap and seem really tempting for certain people but I’m telling you it’s not worth it. They constantly either have battery drain or break under any heavy use. I can recall at least two different light bodies falling apart at the range while friends look stunned their bargain brand light fell apart. The other big concern with this is holsters since you will sometimes have to go with a cheap cloth holster to fit the cheaper style lights.

If you’re going to carry an aftermarket light, it’s important to buy a quality one to rely on.

Now, plenty of people make the decision to carry a weapon-mounted light on their gun, and that’s alright. It adds bulk to their firearm but as a whole, it’s not a bad option for people who may be outside in the dark a fair amount. If you’re going to go this route, be sure to go with a reputable brand and do some research into holster manufacturers to see what’s supported before you buy something. The last thing you want is to have a light or laser on your gun with no options for a holster to carry the dang thing inside.

Aftermarket Barrels

When it comes to aftermarket barrels, there are usually two types of people out there. The first are individuals who pick up a threaded barrel to run their pistol with a suppressor which is completely understandable. If you go this route, I get it since you need the threaded portion to attach the suppressor. The other group of people is the ones who purchase TiN barrels or multi-colored barrels to add some flare to their firearms. This is where I start to have some concerns about a self-defense firearm.

Putting an aftermarket barrel into your gun can add risks since the tolerances will be different from the factory barrel which came in your gun. The manufacturers put a ton of work and research into their factory barrels to run reliability with various types of ammo. Then someone buys this carry gun and decides they want a multi-colored barrel to look cool and instantly make their gun unique. Not only do you have an upgrade that doesn’t serve much real purpose, but you quickly threw out the barrel with years of research for something that looks cool. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some really high-quality aftermarket barrel options out there but as a whole, I would stay away from this trend.

Funny Sayings Or Slogans

This is probably one of the worst trends to come into the gun world at least in my recent memory. Having something like “smile and wait for the flash” engraved on the end of your barrel is completely the wrong way to go on a carry gun. I can’t tell you how many guns I’ve seen people carry with clever slogans engraved onto them.

When it comes to carry guns, keep it simple and avoid putting anything appropriate on it.

Not only does it cheapen the overall gun, but could also land you in a world of issues if you ever have to go use it in a self-defense situation. Trying to explain why you have a wait for the flash slogan on the end of your gun in a courtroom could be an absolute nightmare and may be the difference between getting off and being convicted of a crime. Some may say it’s a fun way to customize your gun and make it yours, but I’m telling you it’s definitely not worth it.

Overall Thoughts

There are plenty of great upgrades to put onto your gun to make you more accurate or shoot better with the gun. That being said, the most common issue I run into when it comes to customizing your carry gun is putting things on it to look unique. Not every gun has to be an incredible showpiece that looks wildly different from anyone else’s. What a carry gun is designed to do is save your life and having a factory stock gun for that isn’t always a bad thing. In the grand scheme of things, if you’re going to customize or change your carry gun, it’s important to have a purpose and understand why you’re doing it.

Let me know what you think are some terrible upgrades in the comments below. Do you agree with my list above? Definitely leave your thoughts down below I would love to hear them. If you have a question about carrying concealed or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there.

TFB’s Concealed Carry Corner is brought to you by GLOCK