Is Everybody A Tinkerer

[Bart Solo]

This should probably be posted someplace else, but I don't see the right place. Since it involves my acquisition of a CZ pistol, I guess I will post here.

I recently bought a CZ Tactical Sport. A purpose built gun the CZ was designed for IPSA Standard Division. Its designers did a great job. It shoots great right out of the box. Why not its designers were all experienced shooters and used that experience when designing the pistol. .

What happened when I got it home. Well as with every other pistol I have ever bought for competition I started tinkering with it. Already I have added extended base pads to the magazines, as well as new grips. I am trying to decide if I replace just the front sight with a fiber optic or if I replace both front and back sights. I want a new extended thumb safety.

Why couldn't I wait to "improve" it? I don't know, the gun was designed for USPSA and its designers did a great job.

It isn't just the CZ. I have two full sets of CAS guns, all 8 have visited a gun smith or have been modified by me. At the very least I have installed new lighter springs. My 1911s used in limited 10, CAS wild bunch, and Single Stack have been messed with. The WB 1911 the least, it has just had a trigger job and new sights. The other has been extensively upgraded. Hell, I even had my Weatherby deer rifle restocked. At least 1/2 of the guns I own (all of the guns I use in competition) have been messed with in some fashion or other. I find myself wanting to do more to several of them.

Glock "perfection" what a joke. Last year I bought a Glock 35 for competition. I had to buy new sights before I even got it home. A new trigger was in the works before I bought the CZ. I could go on and on but you can buy upgraded replacement parts for just about everything on a Glock. Several companies have been in business a long time helping owners upgrade their Glocks. In fact tinkering seems to be one of the attractions for Glock lovers. Like I said a lot of users thank God a Glock isn't perfect..

The other day I participated in a practice USPSA match and listened to others talking about their pistols. Everywhere I looked I saw guys who tinker with their compeititon pistols. One fellow I know who shoots an M&P lost his replacement front sight for the 4th time. Why did he replace it in the first place? He just had to improve it. Another shooter showed me his CZ TS that has been fully redone and I mean fully including cutting off a couple of inches on the front of the dust cover. Nobody has regular grips. Just about everybody at my club tinkers with his pistols.

Does anybody just shoot stock or does just about everybody tinker? Why?

Edited December 5, 2014 by Bart Solo

[Andreas]

I've found that heavy tinkering correlates with staying stuck in B/C class. It's rare to find M/GM shooters who constantly screw with their blasters. And most Production shooters in those classes hardly bother to clean theirs.

Some people get into the shooting aspect, others into tinkering.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Andreas

[BrazeauRacing]

Tinkering is half the fun for me when it comes to owning and shooting guns.

[bthoefer]

I've found that heavy tinkering correlates with staying stuck in B/C class. It's rare to find M/GM shooters who constantly screw with their blasters. And most Production shooters in those classes hardly bother to clean theirs.

You're supposed to clean them? Shoot that's why I'm stuck in A class.

I find it's more about setting the gun up for your personal preference mainly. The sights you like, the grips that fit your hand, etc are all personalization more than functional changes.

Of course I did just gut a SP-01 and replace all the internals from Cajun gun works. I do enjoy doing my own gunsmithing.

Edited December 5, 2014 by bthoefer

[johnsons1480]

I bought a stock CZ SP-01. I bought all of the parts to follow Professor Atlas' tuning thread. The pistol, pre trigger job was over 12 lbs DA (my pull gauge maxes out at 12) and somewhere between 5-6 lb SA. I don't have the numbers in front of me. I followed the thread and tinkered my way down to 6lb 6 oz DA, and 3 lb 1 oz DA. Those are 10 pull averages. I did that before firing a single shot out of the gun. I also replaced the sights because I don't like night sights and I like a FO front.

I haven't done a thing since then, and I only want to change one more thing. I would like blue factory rubber grips instead of black. That's it.

I tinker to get the gun the best I reasonably can, then I leave it alone.

On the note of cleaning; I had no idea I was supposed to clean it! It doesn't look dirty, but I've only put 900 rounds through it since I got it.

[daves_not_here]

Do you enjoy tinkering? Then don't feel guilty. Unless it breaks the bank and you get in trouble.

I think it is important to remember that it's the driver not the gun that improves performance. Reliability is another thing and can be helped with tinkering.

There are mental benefits for personalizing your gun, within limits. If you've got a nice gun you'll want to shoot it well. Or, if that gun feels really nice in your hands with those new grips you'll shoot it more. Same with trigger, sights etc.

In the end this hobby is about your personal enjoyment.

If you want to read more on tinkering do a forum search for 1911.

DNH

[Bart Solo]

Do you enjoy tinkering? Then don't feel guilty. Unless it breaks the bank and you get in trouble.

I think it is important to remember that it's the driver not the gun that improves performance. Reliability is another thing and can be helped with tinkering.

There are mental benefits for personalizing your gun, within limits. If you've got a nice gun you'll want to shoot it well. Or, if that gun feels really nice in your hands with those new grips you'll shoot it more. Same with trigger, sights etc.

In the end this hobby is about your personal enjoyment.

If you want to read more on tinkering do a forum search for 1911.

DNH

I am not criticizing tinkerers. I am one and I enjoy it.

As to the 1911 forum, man are you right. As a 1911 owner and tinkerer I can tell you that platform can and is tinkered with a lot. Many shooters can and do replace just about everything on a 1911. I thought tinkering might be the reason people are attracted to the 1911. Buying a Glock I discovered that platform isn't far behind. Lots and lots of improvements are possible at a reasonable price. It is easier to upgrade than the 1911 which being all metal often requires hand fitting.

I bought a purpose built out of the box specialty CZ with the idea that I wouldn't have to tinker. The truth is I really don't have to tinker with it. It is pretty good out of the box, but I am still drawn to tinkering.

This is a hobby and it isn't going to break me so I don't have anything to complain about. I just want to know if other shooters are the same.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Bart Solo

[LilBunniFuFu]

What happened when I got it home. Well as with every other pistol I have ever bought for competition I started tinkering with it. Already I have added extended base pads to the magazines, as well as new grips. I am trying to decide if I replace just the front sight with a fiber optic or if I replace both front and back sights. I want a new extended thumb safety.

Base pads, To maximize capacity.

New grips, preference/ergo.

Sights, preference.

Thumb safety, preference/ergo.

I don't really consider this to be too much, just bringing the gun to fit you and the game. Now if you bought the gun and then dropped in a complete new trigger and chopping it up then that would be tinkering I guess. A TS trigger is great the way it comes.

[kneelingatlas]

I'm an addict!

[CZinZA]

That's an understatement, atlas

[kneelingatlas]

That's an understatement, atlas

What? the picture? I know, there are two more racks on top shelf and guns slid in around them

[Andreas]

You're supposed to clean them? Shoot that's why I'm stuck in A class.

Mine get a good scrubbing every 5k rounds whether they need it or not

[amish_rabbi]

I tinker until the gun is the way I want it, then I shoot it and only take it apart to rarely clean it or if something breaks

[Joe L]

I put a bunch of CGW parts in my rimfire bullseye gun, about 1-1/2 years ago. I haven't tinkered with it much since then. I actually cleaned it right before Thanksgiving, after this picture was taken.

[Nimitz]

i only have 3 competition pistols, a CZ Shadow for USPSA Production, a Buckmark for rimfire Steel Challenge & an STI for open centerfire Steel Challenge. Once I got those guns and set them up the way I needed them to be other than taking them apart to clean and replace springs I never touch them. I spend my shooting time shooting not tinkering ...

I know everyone shoots for different reasons and not saying those who fiddle with their guns every week are wrong but for me, my guns are just tools I need to use to become the best competitive shooter I can. Once my tools are ready to go I don't focus on them anymore, I just focus on shooting ....

a friend of mine owns 14 long guns and 2 pistols. I've put more rounds through one of my pistols in one week then he has through every gun he owns in the last 10 years - literally. Everyone is different .....

[open17]

I put a bunch of CGW parts in my rimfire bullseye gun, about 1-1/2 years ago. I haven't tinkered with it much since then. I actually cleaned it right before Thanksgiving, after this picture was taken.

Well heck----everyone knows CZ's need a little "lapping in" to get the action really smoothed up, and naturally occurring lapping compound

like the stuff in your picture is the best.

[Bart Solo]

What happened when I got it home. Well as with every other pistol I have ever bought for competition I started tinkering with it. Already I have added extended base pads to the magazines, as well as new grips. I am trying to decide if I replace just the front sight with a fiber optic or if I replace both front and back sights. I want a new extended thumb safety.

Base pads, To maximize capacity.

New grips, preference/ergo.

Sights, preference.

Thumb safety, preference/ergo.

I don't really consider this to be too much, just bringing the gun to fit you and the game. Now if you bought the gun and then dropped in a complete new trigger and chopping it up then that would be tinkering I guess. A TS trigger is great the way it comes.

You are no doubt right. I generally add things that help the pistol satisfy the specific needs of the game I am playing. My problem is once I finish tuning the gun to my liking I will either shoot it for a long time (my Rugers used in CAS) or dump it like a hot rock (my Glock 35 set up for limited.) The TS feels like it might be a pistol I use for a good long time.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Bart Solo

[mikeinctown]

Why?

Because it is my money and I want to screw with something until it is how I like it.

[hercster]

I bought a Limited Custom Xtreme and was a touch PO'd when I found it was almost perfect OOTB. So in days I bought a Limited Pro. Upgrade parts were in the air before the gun arrived. It didn't get shot once in its OOTB form. Now all the Xtreme parts have been installed and I've done the clean up by following forum resources. There is nothing else to be replaced on the gun and it runs like a $2500 Xtreme.

So now that the gun is at least two months old, I'm thinking of having it refinished. Thank goodness I can relate to people here and they to me. No wonder non shooters think we are wacked!!

[motosapiens]

changing grips or sights, or adding extended baseplates is not really what I would call 'tinkering'. I would call that basic owner setup.

I personally would rather dryfire and shoot than tinker.

[cjfung10]

I'd say shooting competitively means tinkering and squeezing as much performance as you can from the gun. That way I can blame the Indian and not the arrow for my mikes

[flyingchipmunk]

Tinkering is part of the fun for me. I'm not, and likely never will be, a professional shooter so this is just a hobby. Since it is my hobby I get to enjoy it however I want. If I had spent every dollar on guns or parts on ammo I may be a slightly better shooter (although I still shoot a lot too) but I wouldn't have the satisfaction of working on my guns. To me, learning how the guns work and working on them is lots of fun, just like shooting is lots of fun. Since the end goal for me is to have fun, working on my guns is worth every penny even if I'm not getting any actual increase in match performance out of it.

[hercster]

I'm with you Mr. Munk,

I play "dress up" with mine too. Almost every gun I have has at least two sets of grips. My guns have been colour coordinated too in some cases. I've dreamt up a new colour combo for my 1911 and may do similarly for one of the Tanfos. Warm "earth" colours with NILL wood grips are my favourites.

[Neomet]

As a tinkerer who has thought this through I will say it is just the way some of us are put together. I've tinkered with everything since I was a kid. I just consider it part of the hobby for me.

[bthoefer]

As a tinkerer who has thought this through I will say it is just the way some of us are put together. I've tinkered with everything since I was a kid. I just consider it part of the hobby for me.

This is correct for me. I enjoy working on the gun and setting it up. It's part of the process for me and I like knowing exactly how the gun works, how to work on it, and how to fix it if something breaks.