Whether you’re customizing or restoring a firearm, aftermarket gun parts can give you the performance you want without the OEM price tag. Custom gun parts are built to be compatible with some of the top commercial weapons, meeting or exceeding the exacting specifications set out by the big-name manufacturer. While they may offer the precise fitment you need, many also come with upgraded features that can extend your weapon’s capabilities or a smaller price tag from avoiding paying to have the right name stamped on the part. As a third-party gun parts manufacturer that’s built a reputation for quality and reliability, we’re glad to show you how we help you shoot better and save more money on your custom project for ammunition.
Why Gun Owners Choose Aftermarket Parts
There are as many reasons gun owners choose aftermarket gun parts as there are custom gun owners. There’s never been as wide of a selection or ease of access to parts for every make, model, and use case of firearms. Some of the top reasons include:
- Saving Money – Big names come with big price tags. That may be justified in some cases, as you’re often paying to support research, development, and process improvements, but there comes the point where it’s just getting as much from you as they can. Aftermarket gun parts often come with a much smaller cost that leaves more money in your pocket.
- Replacing Worn Parts – Father Time is undefeated, and the myriad of springs, pins, rods, and other components required to harness a small explosion to throw a small brass-jacketed lead rock 50 yards accurately will eventually start to wear. Custom gun parts let you piecemeal your repair effort to keep your favorite gun going rather than buying a new gun.
- Enhancing Performance – OEM gun parts do OEM things, and for some shooters, that just isn’t enough. Aftermarket gun parts may have modifications that improve their performance, reliability, durability, or functionality without the risk of taking your OEM part to a gunsmith for warranty-voiding customization. Just order and install the upgrades that meet your needs.
- Changing Aesthetics – Having a gun with the “right look” has become increasingly important for many gun owners. Customization can change the lines of your gun, make adding accessories easier, or give you components ready for Cerakoting while leaving your stock components alone in case you want to reuse them later.
Why Aftermarket Gun Parts Have a Bad Rap
It’s important to note that not all aftermarket gun parts are created equal, and this was especially true just a few short decades ago when custom gun parts meant finding a specialized gunsmith with the time, tools, and training to create one-offs that did what you wanted them to. Not surprisingly, modern manufacturing has gotten far better at achieving consistent, reliable results that have far better engineering, production standards, and quality control than was possible previously.
Evaluating Custom Gun Parts
When choosing aftermarket gun parts, a little research and common sense can go a long way in weeding out the cheap or junky parts from knock-off suppliers and quality components from a custom gun parts manufacturer. Here’s what to look out for:
- No or Confusing Manufacturing Marks – We’re proud of our parts, and “Patmos” emblazons plenty of mount and back plates. If it isn’t big enough for our name, we still make sure you know who made it. Questionable parts may not be branded, or they may feature a similar-sounding but nonsensical brand name. Don’t get caught at the range with a custom Glack.
- No Warranty – If they don’t stand behind their parts, they won’t stand behind you. Our parts feature warranties that set the standard in customer care for the firearms industry because we know we put out parts that work.
- No Presence in the Community – It’s easy for anyone to set up a social media profile, but pay attention to who interacts with an aftermarket gun parts manufacturer you’re considering. We’re proud of the relationships we’re building in the firearms community, both within traditional circles and the emerging GunTok, YouTube, and Gunfluencer spaces.
- Limited Product Description – We love to talk about our features, installation, the materials we use, and what our aftermarket gun parts can do for your gun. Pay attention to both the information in the product description and the information they conspicuously don’t share. We’ll favor our CNC-machined slides made from 416 stainless steel bar stock up against “authentic metal” slides any day of the week.
Most Popular Custom Gun Parts
While almost every component of the most popular guns can be replaced or upgraded with aftermarket gun parts, some customizations are more common than others. Here are the top places to start if you’re looking for inspiration:
- Barrels – Aftermarket barrels are a flexible drop-in upgrade for many pistols. Upgraded barrels help improve accuracy, can be ported to better manage recoil, and may have muzzle threading to make installing muzzle brakes and other accessories easier.
- Slides – Changing your slide can change your gun’s whole look while adding additional mounting points for optics and tactical accessories. Deeper serrations or cutouts can even help you lighten your carry gun and get a better grip for racking the slide.
- Optics – High-performance optics, like red dot sights, improve the speed of target acquisition, accuracy, and precision. Replacing stock iron sights can be the key to better range performance.
- Trigger Groups – Custom triggers can smooth out your gun’s action, giving you a clean breakover or even double your rate of fire while keeping your gun semi-automatic. If you’re looking for custom gun parts that let you dig into the smaller components of your gun, this can be a good place to start.
- Recoil Springs – If your gun is giving your hand whiplash with every shot, you may need to replace your springs. Stronger springs return the slide faster, but weaker springs can cut down on muzzle dip caused by the slide snapping back forward.
- Magazines and Extensions – These are such a common upgrade that they aren’t usually considered custom parts. Magazine extensions and replacement magazines can help you carry more bullets, improve your leverage, or just keep your gun’s cycle clean and efficient.
Order Your Aftermarket Gun Parts
When you want to shoot better, we have you covered with aftermarket gun parts you can count on. They’re engineered for performance, built for reliability, and priced for the everyday gun owner. Sign up for our newsletter to get bulletins sent to your inbox. Order your custom gun parts from Patmos Arms today.