I guess I should remove the flashlight and sling from my 870, just in case I ever have to use it during a home invasion the prosecuting attorney can't claim it gave me an unfair advantage over the intruders.
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Trigger upgrades in a SD carry gun
- Thread starter MRH
- Start date
I don't see a flashlight as being the same as adding a "hair trigger", which is how the prosecutor would likely try to present things to the Jury.
Same as handloads, people making their own hollowpoints by cutting the front so that it fragments easier, etc... You could make the argument that causing more tissue damage with less shots being fired, and then the prosecutor will paint you as some gun nut who made his own version of "cop killer" bullets or something stupid.
People believe that crap. That's why you aren't allowed to have or use hollow points in the state of NJ. Because so many people, including law makers, think that HP's are some magical exploding round meant to be "excessively deadly"... even though WE know they are the safer round to use if you are forced to discharge your weapon where they may be bystanders about...
Again, in court, perception, or should I say, mis-perception, is often reality.
Not at all. A flashlight isn't going to make your 870 into a 'more efficient killing machine' as the prosecutor in Alvarez put it. In fact it would be easy to argue that it helped make it safer. And I don't think any jury would worry about a sling... it makes it look like a 'nice' hunting rifle if anything.
I would get rid of the bayonet though...
You don't see having a flashlight and sling the same as having a 'hair trigger' but a lawyer might.
Like I posted earlier I don't have a competition trigger and I use factory ammo. Other than the APEX kit I'm about as Vanilla as it gets.
I live in Clayton County and if I'm ever involved in a shooting here I'm already fighting a losing battle.
In 3 weeks I'll be unarmed in a country that the State Department has listed as a level 3 travel advisory. I have more to worry about than a common trigger upgrade in my pistol.
What you buy something like a SIG X-Carry. It’s been made a more effective killing machine at the factory.
Harold Fish was ultimately acquitted (charges dropped). He spent a minimum amount of time in jail. He wasn't even jailed during the 2 years waiting for trial. FWIW, I've read the entire transcript of the Fish trial.
You and Ayoob have come up with two cases - in both the "accuseds" were ultimately acquitted. Hardly a sound basis for arguing about liability.
The real issue was the massive costs of mounting the defense. Fish died broke. But that's an entirely different issue - any number of "good shoots" have incurred similar cost, Geo. Zimmerman being the one the most quickly comes to mind. Zimmerman shot Martin with a cheap, stock gun - what's the lesson from that -don't carry cheap stock guns?
I have a S&W 686 Performance Center model It has the "PC tuned action". It has a high visibility sight. I guess I should leave it in the sock drawer.
BTW, the jury in the Fish case said they were more disturbed about his use of hollowpoints, about which the prosecutor made a big deal. So if we are going to run scared, we all need to trade in the latest Gee Whiz HP for some FMJ, or maybe just old school lead SWC (which were standard police issue in many depts. when I started shooting).
So the issue really is should you be insured, how much, what risks. I encourage everyone to talk to a knowledgable insurance agent about an umbrella policy.
There's actually two good reasons to use factory ammo. The one you mention is absolutely true, but it also comes down to who will say that the ammo was 'safe' in court (sounds ridiculous I know).
If you carry factory ammo, say Speer Gold Dots, you can bet the factory will send experts if needed to show that the ammo you used wasn't some strange 'cop killer' load more appropriate for raging Grizzlies than humans.
The second reason is distance.
A prosecutor may claim that the attacker was too far away to make them an immediate threat. And they don't have to prove that, they just need the jury to believe that. Barring other evidence there's nothing to stop them from claiming the attacker was 30 feet away and that you shot them down in cold blood.
One way to determine distance is gunpowder residue on the attacker. If they shoot the same ammo into the same material at a range of different distances, one of them will match the residue pattern. However this depends not just on the brand and caliber of ammo, but even specific lot numbers.
Major ammo companies keep lot samples for everything they make. If you use their ammo, you can get the lot number right off the box, and an expert can get a sample for testing. This could be the difference between the prosecutors 30-foot claim and evidence showing the attacker was 6 feet away.
However, even if you document everything to a tee, no court will accept your hand loads as evidence for this kind of testing. That's the second reason to use factory ammo and to keep the box!
I think the point is that they will try to use anything against you that they can. Why add to the list, if you don't need to?
It already has 'Police Magnum' stamped into the receiver so...
