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The Ultimate Guide to the Best AR-15 Grips for Enhanced Performance
Feb
The Ultimate Guide to the Best AR-15 Grips for Enhanced Performance
When it comes to customizing your AR-15, the grip is arguably one of the most crucial components to consider first. The right AR-15 grip enhances not only the look and feel of your rifle but also its functionality and your overall shooting experience. In this detailed exploration, we dive deep into the world of the best AR-15 grips, outlining key factors to consider, popular options on the market, and tips for making your selection.
Understanding the Importance of Choosing the Best AR-15 Grips
The grip of your AR-15 plays a pivotal role in your shooting mechanics. It’s where your interaction with the rifle begins and ends, making it essential to choose a grip that offers comfort, stability, and control. The best AR-15 grips are designed to improve your handling and ensure that you can operate your firearm in the safest and most efficient manner possible.
Factors to Consider When Selecting AR-15 Grips
- Comfort and Ergonomics: The foremost consideration should always be how the grip feels in your hand. The best AR-15 grips are those that accommodate your hand size, whether you’re wearing gloves or not, and provide a texture that ensures a secure hold without causing discomfort over prolonged use.
- Material and Durability: From high-strength polymers to advanced composites like G10, the material of your AR-15 grip affects both its feel and longevity. The best AR-15 grips balance lightweight construction with the resilience needed to withstand the rigors of regular use.
- Customization and Adjustability: Some of the best AR-15 grips offer adjustable features, such as interchangeable backstraps to suit various shooting styles and preferences. This level of customization ensures that you can achieve the perfect fit and handling characteristics for your specific needs.
- Aesthetics and Compatibility: Your AR-15 is a reflection of your personal style and operational needs. The best AR-15 grips come in a variety of finishes and colors, allowing you to match or contrast them with your rifle’s overall look. Moreover, compatibility with your AR-15’s model and configuration is key to ensuring a seamless integration.
- Price and Value: While grips may not be the most expensive component of your AR-15 setup, they represent a critical investment in performance and comfort. The best AR-15 grips offer a balance of quality, features, and affordability, ensuring that you can find an option that fits your budget without compromising on quality.
Lets take a look at specific aspects of the various grips on the market, and go through what you should take into consideration when purchasing a new grip for your AR-15.
AR-15 Grip Comfort Considerations
This is decidedly the biggest factor to take into consideration when it comes to pistol grips, because your hand will be holding and manipulating the grip constantly while shooting. Here’s a handy list of grip features that can affect comfort:
Hand Size & Orientation
Grips are made for both left handed and right handed users, and some grips are made to accommodate larger hands or gloved hands. One grip that we love that fits our hands perfectly on our go-to home defense gun is the Reptilia CQG.
Texture
Some grips are smooth textured; others have “aggressive” texturing for better grip when your hands get sweaty. Aggressive texturing can be uncomfortable for some, but it’s great for when your firearm gets wet for any reason or when you have to shoot for an extended period of time.
Finger Grooves
These are small indentations to place your fingers in. Some grips have them, others don’t. Some shooters prefer them because they provide a more customized grasping surface and increased control, and some shooters dislike them because they “lock them into a specific grip” and don’t allow the user to grasp higher or lower on the grip itself. It’s definitely a personal preference decision.
Finish
Some grips have a rubberized, softer finish, others have a simple, harder finish to them. A rubberized finish like that found on the Magpul MOE-K2+ Grip is great for combating sweat after using your AR-15 for a long, drawn-out shooting session.
Palm Swells
Palm swells can absorb shock & vibration and can help to keep your hands in the same position. This can help alleviate hand and finger cramps and fatigue, which in turn will allow you to control your gun with greater ease. Not all grips are designed with palm swells, but they can be very beneficial.
Design
Finger-to-trigger positioning varies among grips. Most use the standard grip angle; others use a reduced grip angle. Just like handguns, those angles will vary from grip to grip. There are also grips that have an adjustable angle to them and even ones that have the ability to switch out parts of the grip to change the swell, finger grooves, and more.
Aesthetics
How do you want your AR rifle or AR pistol to look? Do you want your furniture to match? Grips come in many different colors other than the standard Black or FDE. Hogue offers their AR grips in multiple colors, at the standard 30 Degree angle or at a modified 15 Degree angle they say is better for CQB applications.
Top Picks for the Best AR-15 Grips
- Overall Pick: It’s hard to go wrong with a Magpul MOE. It’s simple, proven and affordable. The Magpul MOE grip is the most popular grip on the market. It represents Magpul’s commitment to quality, versatility and reliability. Additionally the sturdy removable cap allows shooters to store small back-up parts and equipment. If you have bigger hands, our advice would be to first check out the Magpul MOE K2 XL. Finally, if you want a bit of grippy texture, then consider the Magpul MOE-K2+ Grip.
- For Comfort and Ergonomics: While we like the Magpul MOE-K2+ Grip for most builds, the Ergo Tactical DLX Grip stands out for shooters seeking unparalleled comfort. Grips like Hogue Overmolds and the Juggernaut Tactical offer finger grips. The Luth-AR AR-15 / AR-10 Chubby Grip is also worth looking at.
- For Aesthetics: For those prioritizing the look of their rifle, the range of colors and designs offered by companies like Tyrant Designs and Hogue ensure that finding a grip that enhances the aesthetic appeal of your AR-15 is straightforward.
Conclusion: Making Your Choice Among the Best AR-15 Grips
Selecting the best AR-15 grips involves more than just picking a piece based on its looks or popularity. It requires careful consideration of how a grip will affect your shooting stance, comfort, and performance. By focusing on the key factors outlined above and exploring the diverse options available, you can make an informed decision that enhances your AR-15’s functionality and reflects your personal style and needs.
Remember, the best AR-15 grip is one that feels as if it was made specifically for you. Take the time to handle different models, consider how each aligns with your shooting habits, and don’t be afraid to invest in a grip that genuinely improves your control and comfort. With the right grip, your AR-15 will feel more like an extension of your body, capable of performing at its best in any situation.