"BUT now they make a mount that replaces the rear sight.
Way easier now.
Here's where to buy the mount."
When you drill & tap holes in any firearm to add "extras" ,, it reduces the value. Plus,, it COSTS money to get it done right by a gunsmith.
It may not be a seriously collectable type of firearm,, and it is an owners right to do as they wish to guns,, I've seen way too many otherwise good guns "modified" to where their value is greatly diminished.
I had a friend,, who could not keep himself from doing all sorts of modifications to his guns. He ruined many a good firearm by cutting, drilling, epoxying, grinding etc on his guns.
Then when he got to where he knew he wasn't long for this world,, he asked my help in selling off his guns. From a simple H&R Topper,, (sold for $25.00) to a Colt Gold Cup Match 1911,,(sold for $300.00) all sold for about 1/2 or LESS because of his "modifications." Yet,, he was very upset because he'd see similar models go for much better money. I had to tell him several times,, "It's because it's no long original!" He gave me a Ruger NM Blackhawk,, in 45 Colt,, that he'd epoxied a very poor fitting of grips on the g/f. And the gun had been treated with something that caused the finish to be damaged. I had to have the gun Cerrakoted to try & get it looking a little better, and I replaced the grip frame.
When you desire to modify almost anything of potential value,, and you do things that are not reversible,, you spend money,, and then you diminish the value.
Yes,, YOU may enjoy what you've done,, but when it comes to firearms,, we are all just temporary custodians. And yes,,, it is your right to do as you wish with them. And many guns may SEEM to not be very collectable,, or whatever,, but to make modifications that are irreversible can & will make a future potential owner sad.
And when the desired result can easily be achieved by a simple part,, that can easily be removed & the original part(s) be re-installed, WHY NOT go that route?
My blasphemy comment was because to "drill a few extra holes" is not necessary when a good, easy to remove mount is already available.
I know MANY people who feel it's no big deal to do such stuff. And my friend was an intelligent businessman. He wanted to tinker & such,, and he THOUGHT his modifications enhanced the guns. And many people take a gun, and send it to be re-done by a custom gunsmith. They spend hundreds to thousands of dollars to do so. And they often wait 1-3 years for the gun to be completed. Yet,, when they decide to sell, or their estate tries to sell these guns,, very often,, it's hard to break even and most lose money. And it's worse when you tell them ahead of time; "That gun is collectable,, even if in used shape." Yet,, they go ahead & chop it up.
A good example is an older Ruger FT .357. Many folks may see "just another used OM .357." Yet,, I have seen a rare "Ross" variation, and a 10" variation, BOTH chopped up & customized. A good Ross variation can bring $1000-$1500, and a 10" FT can bring $1500-$2500.
Heck,, I own a Hawkeye handgun. The picture of me shooting it with the fire ring has been seen often here. It was shipped from the factory with a set of scope mounting holes in the barrel. Yet,, a previous owner decided to D&T the topstrap to mount a scope. There was no reason to do so.
No,, a SR9 is not an "Engraved No 1 rifle" and it'll most likely never reach the level of desire those do. But the SR9 is still considered to be an excellent handgun, and when it's not necessary to drill holes or whatever,, why do so?
