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There’s no getting around it, the AR-15 is one of if not THE most popular rifle in America and why wouldn’t it be?? With literally thousands of options available for everything from stocks to grips to barrels, the AR platform offers versatility and ease of use.
With options must come discretion. The market is flooded with unnecessary things to hang from your rifles as well. We won’t go into that list now, but there are some questions you should ask yourself when preparing to change up your rifle:
Rifle manufacturers are out to make a good quality product that works. That doesn’t always mean it fits you correctly. The old A-2 pistol grip has been around for decades and will get the job done, but there are a lot more comfortable, ergonomic, and colorful pistol grips ready to get a hold of. One of my personal favorites is a newcomer to the market, Die Free Co.’s “Kung Fu Grip.” As a child of the 80’s I had to try these out. When they arrived, not only were they in super cool packaging, but they felt great! They have a 12-degree angle instead of the traditional 25 degrees of the A-2. This change relieves tension in your wrist and makes shooting your AR pistols and rifles much more comfortable. The texture of the grip keeps your hands from slipping without being too aggressive. If you are considering this change, give the Kung Fu Grip a try. It’s available in 4 colors, so you bougee rifle builders can match!
Buttstocks are another place manufacturers usually take the cheapest route. Granted there are more now than ever mixing things up to get their 5 minutes of fame, most production rifles still rock the old 6 position M4-style stock. Magpul has been around since the early 2000’s providing quality upgrades with their MOE line. The MOE SL is their latest offering to replace that M4 stock body with something more comfortable. The MOE SL provides a more stable cheek rest and a rubber buttpad making it an easy choice for your rifle.
The charging handle is another quick way to make your rifle or pistol easier to use. The factory or “Mil Spec” charging handles are very functional, but the latch leaves something to be desired if you are using optics or even some flip up sights. Palmetto State Armory has a great solution with their Custom Ambidextrous Charging Handle. Not only is the latch much larger, but the ability to charge your weapon from either side is very beneficial.
While the name is a mouthful, Palmetto State has found the formula to keep their products at reasonable price without sacrificing quality. Most folks are going with extended handguards on their 16” barrel builds and with good reason. The handguards are lower profile and more comfortable, the MLOK system allows for mounting all the accessories you can fit on it, and the mount system will keep it from sliding off. Keep in mind if you have a front sight base or railed gas block, you’re going to have to switch that to a low-profile block, but otherwise the change is pretty painless.
This upgrade may hurt some feelings. The simplest and best thing anyone can do for their rifles is just keep them clean. Maintenance isn’t as glorious as getting a new Cerakote desert multi-cam pattern on your firearm, but much more important. There are a lot of kits out there and most of them will get the job done, but the one I like best comes from Real Avid. The Master Cleaning Station has everything you need for basic maintenance of your AR chambered in 5.56 NATO or .223 Rem. If you’re using a different caliber, Real Avid has kits available for those too. There are picks, brushes, bore illuminator, nylon brush, brass rods, star chamber pads, and more to make sure your rifle is ready to go.
-Nick
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