XD Trigger work and CCW

[Markthemagic]

Hi All,

I have seen many posts about XD trigger upgrades to reduce take up, etc. Is part of the design safety on the XD a long trigger pull and if so, should this type of trigger work be done on a carry weapon?

Also, how does this impact any legal issues if, God forbid, you are ever involved in a shooting incident?

Thanks,

[mattjohnston87]

Can't comment on the legal issues because I am not a lawyer, and I just simply don't know.

The XD is designed NOT to fire untill the trigger AND the backstrap safety are depressed, at the same time. In other words, it should NOT matter that one has improved the trigger pull and weight on the pistol, because the gun will not fire untill it is depressed. Doesn't matter if it is 8 pounds or 4 pounds, the mechanics are the same.

Hope this helps.

Matt

[Verk]

Obviously not an authority on the legal issues but I believe it could be a problem. That being said, I have always been told that it is best to not do any trigger work on a carry gun.

The fact is, there are no shortage of attorneys that will seize on any modifications made to your pistol and try to use it in front of a jury that more than likely, are not gun savvy people.

[LKB3rd]

I'm not a lawyer either, and i'd recomend asking one who is willing to defend you if it ever becomes an issue.
That said:
I've heard both opinions on lightening the trigger. Some say a justified shooting is a justified shooting, and others say that an anti-gun prosecutor will paint you as someone who made his gun easier to kill with, and are therefore looking for an opportunity to use it. The flip side to this argument is that you are making it more accurate and safer, as you make your gun more accurate and less likely to hit something that you don't intend to hit. Practice is the simpler solution to that in my(non-lawyer) opinion.

[XDAndMe]

Pertaining to trigger jobs, I'm curious how they would actually know? Do they bring in a competent professional armorer to disassemble the gun and testify that it has been modified?

If so, how does that prove that the modification was done to the knowledge of the owner?

Let's say the owner paid for the modification with a money order and did not leave any e-mails or paper trails. Assuming the prosecution, for some odd reason, went through all the trouble to inspect this gun and have a professional certify that it is internally modified, then what is to prevent the owner from pleading ignorance?

"I'm sorry Mr. Prosecutor, but what is a trigger modification for, exactly? My trigger works fine, sir. That's the way it's been since I bought it."

Just a thought


*disclaimer: this is not to be taken as advice! I'm just curious about the process.

[Sangiovese]

Apply the usual "not a lawyer" disclaimers...

It seems to me that trigger modifications would only come into play if you were being charged with accidentally discharging the gun and injuring someone.

In that case, they could claim that you made the gun less safe and more prone to an accidental discharge via the trigger job.

In a self defense case, I can't see how it would matter. In that case, you MEANT to pull the trigger... and it doesn't matter if it took 2.5, 5, or even 10 pounds of force to pull it.

Sure, a prosecuting attorney might try to use "any" modification to paint you as some lunatic out looking for trouble - but I would think that there are plenty of justifiable reasons for a trigger job that could be explained quite easily even to a jury of people who are ignorant about the operating mechanism of a firearm.

[021411]

Put it this way.. One of my off duty carry guns is a 1911 with a 3.75# trigger pull.
In a hypothetical shooting...
Is my life/safety in danger? Yes
Did I intend to shoot my threat? You bet.
Was it a conscious decision on my part? Hell yes.
And the ONLY time I had my finger on the trigger was when all the elements were there.

1. Threat identified
2. Sight picture/alignment
3. Finger on trigger
4. Discharge

As you can see, that scenario wouldn't really care to think if you had a 1.5# trigger job or a 8# trigger. YOU wanted to shoot and stop the threat. It wasn't an accident on your part.

If you are that worried don't do it. Just practice practice practice. That's the only advice I can give you. I've yet to see case files on shootings where trigger poundage was a key element in prosecution. Blah blah blah Ayoob this, Ayoob that. Show me REAL cases and not what is posted on some forum. Seriously.

[Bilt4Comfort]

Originally Posted by 021411

Put it this way.. One of my off duty carry guns is a 1911 with a 3.75# trigger pull.
In a hypothetical shooting...
Is my life/safety in danger? Yes
Did I intend to shoot my threat? You bet.
Was it a conscious decision on my part? Hell yes.
And the ONLY time I had my finger on the trigger was when all the elements were there.

1. Threat identified
2. Sight picture/alignment
3. Finger on trigger
4. Discharge

As you can see, that scenario wouldn't really care to think if you had a 1.5# trigger job or a 8# trigger. YOU wanted to shoot and stop the threat. It wasn't an accident on your part.

If you are that worried don't do it. Just practice practice practice. That's the only advice I can give you. I've yet to see case files on shootings where trigger poundage was a key element in prosecution. Blah blah blah Ayoob this, Ayoob that. Show me REAL cases and not what is posted on some forum. Seriously.

That's the way I see it.

[slugger6]

Originally Posted by XDAndMe

Pertaining to trigger jobs, I'm curious how they would actually know? Do they bring in a competent professional armorer to disassemble the gun and testify that it has been modified?

If so, how does that prove that the modification was done to the knowledge of the owner?

Let's say the owner paid for the modification with a money order and did not leave any e-mails or paper trails. Assuming the prosecution, for some odd reason, went through all the trouble to inspect this gun and have a professional certify that it is internally modified, then what is to prevent the owner from pleading ignorance?

"I'm sorry Mr. Prosecutor, but what is a trigger modification for, exactly? My trigger works fine, sir. That's the way it's been since I bought it."

Just a thought


*disclaimer: this is not to be taken as advice! I'm just curious about the process.

I am not an attorney, but that sounds like perjury to me...typically a felony.

[XDAndMe]

Originally Posted by slugger6

I am not an attorney, but that sounds like perjury to me...typically a felony.

Yes, it is. It's a hypothetical question. How do they know in the first place, and how can they prove it was done by the owner?