How To Build A Race Pistol

So you are getting into the competition side of shooting and are considering a do-it-yourself race pistol build, but you just don’t know where to start. There are so many modifications and options that it can be a bit confusing.

Building a race pistol can be fun, customizing it to your liking. Start with knowing the rules of your competitions and then start making modifications like swapping triggers, adding magwells, adjusting grips, sight upgrades, adding a compensator, and having your slide machined and adjusted.

We will talk about all these modifications in building a race pistol below, showing what can be done from simple to complex.

What is a Race Pistol?

Yes, a race pistol may seem like just another gun with modifications, but it’s what those modifications are for and what you use it for that makes a gun a race pistol. Your race pistol should be the designated gun you use for race competitions.

Race pistols are built for added speed, accuracy, and reliability over the stock, out-of-the-box format that your pistol might come in when you buy it. The modifications and their use are what will make it a race pistol. Similar to cars, all race cars are cars but not all cars are race cars. Same with your race pistol.

You can jump all in on your build and do several modifications at once, or perhaps you are on a budget and will do it in stages. The choices are yours.

Before Modifying

Before we get into the modifications, let’s touch on a couple of important aspects. First, be sure to investigate the rules and modifications for the specific events you will be competing in, as they can range widely from one event to another.

Secondly, be sure you have the equipment and/or capability to carry out the modification you plan on making. Some modifications or builds take specific machines or tools. The modifications discussed here are do-it-yourself style or shipped-out modifications that companies provide.

Finally, have a plan. Modifications can be done in stages based on wants, needs, or budget. There are many classes and events to compete in for every individual and style of pistol.

Simple Modifications

The modifications here are definitely do-it-yourself and highly recommended to be your starting point when first getting into a race pistol build.

Starter Gun

With any modifications, knowing where you are starting is the most important thing. There are some very popular guns out there with many modification options. To be clear, a semi-automatic platform chambered in 9mm, .40, or .38 Super are the preferred starting models with the most viable modifications.

Perhaps you already have a gun that you are considering modifying into a race pistol. Great! You are a step in the right direction already. If considering buying a pistol to modify, some popular models are the 1911 platform, Sig Sauer P320, and many of the Glock models.

Grip - $

Changing the grip is a very common modification for race pistols. You want as much hand-to-surface coverage as possible to give a firm, steady grip to your pistol. This will help with a better draw and more stability to make accurate shots on target.

There are many options when it comes to grips, whether it be to add stippling to your current grip or swap your grip out for a complete aftermarket grip. Many also opt to add grip tape to certain parts of their pistol to allow for better grip and hand placement when shooting.

Magwell - $$

Getting a largemouth magwell for your racing pistol is another cost-effective modification that literally bolts right onto your firearm. This is a modification that attaches to the bottom of your grip where the magazine enters the bottom side of your pistol. A largemouth or flared magwell will allow for easier entry of a fresh magazine upon reload, which will lower your competition times tremendously.

Another added benefit is that these machined products, commonly made of aluminum, are somewhat hefty, or come with added weights that can be attached with them. This gives a better balance to the gun, helping with control on the draw, reduced recoil, and better shot accuracy. It also allows for a more consistent grip due to the flare at the bottom of the grip.

Trigger - $$$

Swapping out triggers on a race pistol will be one of the easiest, most cost-effective changes that bring the biggest performance boost to the shooter. Most production pistols come with a heavier trigger pull and tend to have some play in the trigger which can both affect accuracy and speed.

Swapping out to a lighter trigger that has a sub-3 pound trigger pull with little to no travel in the trigger will give the shooter a cleaner, more consistent break on the trigger pull. The trigger cycle will be smoother, shorter, and will allow shots to be faster and more accurate.

This is a smart choice for your first modification that will bring immediate results.

Sights

Depending on the type of competition, sights are a great upgrade. You could go as simple as a Hi-Viz Fiber Optic on the front sight, preferably red, and a simple blacked-out rear sight. These are cheap and usually are not considered major modifications in many competitions.

A bigger sight upgrade would be a frame-mounted red dot scope. These can be a bit more costly, but you definitely want to spend the extra money for quality and stability when it comes to this type of sight.

High-Level Mods

These more high-level mods are more expensive and require you to either send parts of your pistol to a company to make changes or require some higher-level knowledge of how guns work.

Having your slide milled by a professional can have several benefits. It can lower the weight of the gun, cocking serrations engraved to improve charging capabilities and give your gun a cooler, personalized look. This will cost you though.

Another option is a compensator. Now, this is simply a screwed-on modification, but your barrel needs to be threaded to accept this. A compensator redirects chamber gasses, which lowers the recoil of the weapon, but could mean you need to make other changes to your weapon to keep it from jamming.

Get To Building

All in all, you can easily modify and build your own race pistol without needing to be a full-fledged gunsmith. Use this list of modifications and start building your own race pistol. As you get further into the build, you might just find more modifications that might trip your trigger. Happy shooting!

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