Quick Guide to 4 Common Pistol Attachments and Their Uses

  • by Casy Smith
Quick Guide to 4 Common Pistol Attachments and Their Uses

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It is important to make sure you get the most out of your concealed carry weapon if you ever have to use it in a life-or-death situation. To do this, browsing online through possible pistol attachments is a good way to see if there are some that can help improve your aim, reduce recoil or provide more ammunition.

While there are essential accessories that every new gun owner should have, you may be wondering, “What attachments can you put on a pistol?” The four most common attachments you can put on a pistol are pistol grips, holographic sights (red dot sights), laser sights, and extended magazines. Continue reading to learn quick information about these four pistol attachments and how they could help or hinder you in a self-defense situation.

4 Common Pistol Attachments and Customizations

#1. Pistol Grips

Why do people put pistol grips on guns? Pistol grips are added onto guns for adding an extra layer of friction between your handgun's hilt and your hand. They are designed to make your firearm feel more stable in the hand when drawing and firing due to the increased tactile feeling. Some firearm grips can be removed and replaced with a different grip, while others can only be customized with adhesives or external sleeves.

Pistol grip on handgun

Advantages of Pistol Grips:

  • You can customize your grip to fit your hand. According to Rounded by Concealment Express, gun owners can change their grip surface area to accommodate the form of their hands when in a firing stance.
  • They can help you stabilize your firearm. When you have more grip on your firearm, you can firmly grasp the weapon when firing. A better grip can help reduce slippage when drawing your pistol and recoil when firing.

Challenges of Pistol Grips:

  • A new grip may not be compatible with your concealed carry holster. If you opt to add a grip to your firearm that changes its shape, it may not fit your holster or your stock firearm. Outside of your pistol, your holster is the second most important part of your concealed carry setup, so you want to make sure you can properly store and draw your firearm from it. 
  • A larger or more tactile grip may cause more printing. The less your firearm sticks out, the better. You want to keep your concealed gun out of sight. If you add a tacky grip that clings to your clothing, it may print through a shirt more easily and cause alarm. 

#2. Holographic Red Dot Sights 

Holographic red dot sights (RDS) are aiming aids for firearms that utilize a small window with a light that reflects a target into your line of sight. An RDS should sit atop your firearm on the slide between your pistol's traditional iron sights and require battery power.  

red dot sight for pistol

Advantages of Holographic Red Dot Sights: 

  • RDSs help improve accuracy. A red dot sight can help you aim more quickly as you only have to look through a single level rather than two with a traditional sight.
  • These sights are visible in low-light situations. A red dot sight can be advantageous if you have to aim your firearm at night or in a dark area. 

Challenges of Holographic Red Dot Sights: 

  • Red dot sights can add bulk to your handgun's profile. While there are red dot sights with a compact form, they still add size to your handgun and may make it more difficult to concealed carry and draw from the hip in a self-defense situation. Many red dot sights make the handgun impossible to use on a regular basis for concealed carry. 
  • Red dot sights run on battery power. Many red dot sights can last a long time on a single battery, but they still require electricity, adding a potential layer of failure in a self-defense situation. You want to make sure you can aim through your sight if the battery runs out. 

#3. Laser Sights

A laser sight is a small optical laser you can fix to your firearm that places a small dot on your target. Many laser sights fit below the pistol's barrel. 

laser sight for handgun

Advantages of Laser Sights: 

  • Laser sights are compact. Many laser sights sit below the pistol's barrel and are flush with the muzzle, which reduces their impact on the overall size of the firearm.
  • You can use laser sights to aim in unconventional stances. According to Richard Nance with gunsandammo.com, if  you aim your firearm from behind cover, it can be difficult to establish the traditional firing position that your concealed carry instructor taught you. A laser sight can help you establish a target without looking through your iron sights. It's also a great idea to establish a home security defense plan to know where you can take cover in case of a home invasion.

Challenges of Laser Sights: 

  • Laser sights will still add bulk and weight to the firearm. While more streamlined than other aiming aids, a laser sight is still an attachment that could reduce its portability and compatibility with your holster. If you decide to add a laser sight to your handgun, you need to make sure your holster can support its shape.
  • A laser sight can reveal your location. Lasers are extremely narrow beams of light, but they still illuminate and could reveal your location to an attacker in a dire situation.

#4. Extended Magazine

An extended magazine gives your firearm more rounds than a factory magazine, according to Travis Pike from CrossBreed Holsters .Extended magazines can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some fit seamlessly with the grip of the gun by modifying its base. Other extended magazines prioritize capacity over form and stretch beyond the butt of the gun's grip.

extended magazine for a pistol

Advantages of Extended Magazines: 

  • Extended magazines reduce the number of reloads you need to make in dire situations. It's always better to have too much ammunition in a confrontation rather than too little. An extended magazine can help you get a few more rounds out of your clip before your next reload. 
  • Extended magazines can work well as backup magazines. If you choose to use one firearm for home defense and for concealed carry, an extended magazine can help you get the most out of a compact firearm at home. 

Challenges of Extended Magazines: 

  • Extended magazines can't be loaded as your primary magazine when concealed carrying. If you want to have an extended magazine while you carry, you will need to store it separately from your firearm, as a bigger magazine may add too much bulk. 
  • Extended magazines may be more likely to fail than stock magazines. Many third-party gun magazines will work as well as the original ones, but you want to make sure you buy an extended magazine from your gun's original manufacturer or a reputable third-party dealer. In an article by Jack Hardy from GunsToday.com, he states that more ammunition won't mean anything in a self-defense situation if it gets jammed in a cheap extended magazine.

Final Thoughts on Attachments

When it comes to concealed carry situations, many times, less is more. A stock gun that you can carry is better than a bloated one you have to leave at home. If you decide to use attachments, remember to practice drawing and firing your handgun to adjust to them.

You shouldn't rely on an attachment to make you more effective at using your firearm. If you have questions about how an attachment could affect your ability to defend yourself in a concealed carry situation, it's a great idea to talk with your concealed carry instructor or another qualified shooting instructor to get their insight.

If you are looking for a better way to store your firearm at home, look no further than Liberty Home Concealment's concealment flags, wall art, decor and more. Our pieces are handcrafted in the U.S. and look good while keeping your firearm out of sight and out of mind (except for you). Want to learn more about our products? Visit our contact us page to get in touch with our team today!

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Hanging instructions for the Patriot Wall Shelf

Factors to consider befor you start

Installing a Patriot wall shelf can be a very simple project but there are several factors that you need to understand. our shelves have been designed to work with standard pine 2X4 construction that was 16" on center. Because they were designed around the 16" on center pine 2X4 framed walls that is the process for our instructions. Installing the shelves on amy other type of wall is done at your risk. Liberty Home Concealment does not advise you to attempt installing your shelf onto amy other type of wall.

Understanding what is beneath your walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of hanging a shelf on your wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install the shelf on the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning yur shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority.

Safety First

As a consurmer of Liberty Home Concealment, it is a safe assumption that you are a gun owner. Liberty Home Concealment sincerely hopes that you have a great grasp of the concept of SAFETY FIRST. The installation of our shelves requires several steps and we highly recommend that you have a friend help you with the installation. This is very important as the size and moving parts of the shelves can make the installation very cumbersome and potentially dangerous for a single person to accomplish by themselves. So please, we urge you to get some help. Secondly, proper tools that are in good serviceable condition are a must. Please use your tools in a manner consistent with the manufacturers intended use. Using proper tools can make the installation quick, simple and enjoyable. But most importantly, SAFE. So, save yourself the trouble and use the proper tools.

CAUTION!!

Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY and even DEATH!

Tools that should be considered for a safe proper installation

Stud finder, Tape measure, Pencil, Level, Electric screw driver, and Safety glasses.

Step 1

Confirm your desired wall has adequate support by finding the studs with the stud finder. Also, remove the foam insert until later instruction. Mark your stud locations and transfer those measurement onto your shelf. Drill pilot holes through shelf in marked locations. We recommend using a 1/8" or 3/16" bit for the pilot hole. A hole too big will allow the screw to pull right through the back of the shelf. That would be bad. And unnecessary. Please use the proper drill bit. Depending on your wall you should be able to locate at least two studs to anchor your shelf into for maximum strength. Some walls may even allow for three studs to be anchored into. The shelf MUST use at LEAST (2) pine 2X4 studs and the shelf bracket's to fully support the finished loaded weight.

Step 2

With the help of a friend, and using a level and your original measurements hold the shelf in its desired location and transfer the pilot hole locations to the wall. You should be using a minimum of two studs for this step. Each stud receiving (3) screw locations. Two internally, and the other two in the brackets on top. For now, only focus on marking the internal locations. Mark the four internal screw holes. Make sure to hold your shelf nice and level for this step or yur final installation will be crooked.

Step 3

With the help of a friend, hold the shelf into its' mounting location. Line up the holes in the shelf with the marks in your wall and your wall anchors, and install the six long wood screws into the wall. Four into two different studs, and two into the wall anchors.

Step 4

Installing the shelf brackets to the TOP of your shelf. At this point your shelf is attatched to the wall but it is not ready for any weight. Please DO NOT ADD ANY WEIGHT until you have firmly mounted and anchored your brackets into the top. Have your friend help you support the weight of the shelf until you can get the brackets tightly mounted to the desired location on your wall studs. Again, use two studs. Do not add weight to your shelf either inside, or on top, until both brackets are fully installed. Using the supplied 3/4" screws attach brackets to the top of the shelf and 2 of the longer screws for the stud attachment.

Step 5

Unlocking your shelf. Use your magnetic key to locate and unlock the bottom of the shelf. Do this while the shelf is open so you can see what is going on. You may even want ot make two small marks on the bottom of the shelf if it helps you to locate the pickup. It will take a little practice to find the location of the magnetic pick up but you will find it. Make sure you aren't inadvertently trying to unlock the gas damper. Once the location of the lock pickup is located, the magnet will hold itself in place. However, the shelf will not fully disengage the locks until you release the pressure on the locks by lifting the shelf slightly upward with a simple squeeze of your hands. Once you hear the audible clicks of the locks disengaging you can slowly open the shelf allowing the gas damper to lower the shelf to its resting stop.

Concealment Picture Frame Installation Instructions

Consider What is Beneath Your Walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of cutting a hole in a wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install this item in the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning your shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority. CAUTION!! Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY or even DEATH!!

Recommended Tools

These tools are not required to install your Liberty Home Concealment picture freame however they will help with the installation process. Stud Finder, tape measure, level, pencil, jigsaw, circular saw, keyhole saw, Sawzall, drill/driver, inspection mirror, flashlight and a second set of hands to help with marking your wall before cutting. These products were designed to work with "standard" 2X4 construction that was framed on 16" centers.

Step 1

Acquire all the tools to complete the job. Do not forget about proper personal protective gear.

Step 2

Confirm that your wall space is empty!! Failure to do so could result in serious injury or even death!

Step 3

Clean your work area around your desired install location. Cover any furniture with a tarp, drop cloth, or painter's plastic to aid in quick easy cleanup.

Step 4

Use a stud finder to locate the space between two studs. Confirm that you have 14.5" between the two stud edges before marking and cutting your walls.

Step 5

The back box of your picture frame is the size you need to make your hole. Hold picture frame tight against the wall and use your level to ensure frame is sitting level against the wall. On smaller sized picture frames such as 5"X7" and 8"X10" you will fasten to both studs. While holding the picture frame tight against the wall while checking for level and trace around the outside perimeter of the picture frames back box.

Step 6

Before cutting the entire wall opening Liberty Home Concealment recommends that you cut a small hole within the area that wil become the full-size hole. This is done to check and confirm your wall is truly clear of obstructions inside the wall such as electrical wiring plumbing. It's much easier to patch a small hole vs repairing a large hole because you got ahead of yourself. Do not skip this step!!

Step 7

Once you are sure that there are no obstacles inside your cut area, cut the full rectangle that you have marked previously. Remove drywall cutout away from the wall.

Step 8

Slide your new insert/picture frame into the hole you just cut.

Step 9

Use the supplied screws to fasten to the stud or studs that run up the sides of the rear of the box. On smaller frames box will only fasten to the stud you biased your hole towards.

Picture Installation

1. Lay frame face down on soft surface such as a towel or blanket. 2. Hold firmly and slide picture frame in to the open position. 3. Remove four metal picture retainer clips, if clips are tight use a flat bladed screw driver to wiggle free. 4. Remove wood backer noard and lay picture onto glass. Making sure of proper orientation. 5. Reinstall backer board and 4 retaining clips. 6. Slide picture frame closed and enjoy!

Wall maunting instructions for Freedom Series Coat Rack

Recommendation

Liberty Home Concealmemt does not recommend the use of hollow wall anchors to mount larger items on your walls. While anchors may provide sufficient holding capability, Liberty Home Concealment recommends attaching directly to the studs located inside your wall to ensure the most secure level of attachment.

Step 1

Choose the desired location of the item you are wanting to mount your coat rack.

Step 2

Once you have your ideal location use a stud finder to locate 2 studs in your wall that will support your coat rack. Mark the location of each stud's center with a pencil. Use a nail to confirm stud has been located.

Step 3

Hold product against wall and use level to make sure it is even. Use a friend to help hold level while transferring stud location marks to inside of product to be mounted. Tip: Remember the adage "Measure twice cut once." That same rule applies when making holes in your walls.

Step 4

Check that product is plumb and level before securing. Once proper placement is achieve fasten first screw through product and into stud. Re check for level and attach second screw into next stud.

Step 5

Step back and admire your handy work. Now get started filling your piece of concealment furniture with all the items you are wanting to keep stored securely out of sight. ENJOY!!

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