As most people in the shooting world might know, the AR-15 was made in 1959 for the US military competition. As a classic assault rifle, it has now become an iconic American rifle and gained fame for war zones and battles.
Being an owner of an AR-15, you might want to add various new accessories for your AR-15. Every shooter has a preference for a rifle that is designed a little differently. According to research, if you modify your rifle according to your preference, your chances of a perfect range in the field while shooting become 45%.
So usually, the first few steps of upgrading your AR-15 rifle include attachments for lights, optics, and slings in the form of IRS or Integrated Rail System. Like many other forms of AR, the options might seem a little overwhelming for the new owners, and they may need some guidance.
Well, that’s what we are here for! In this article, we will offer you some information about what we consider the best options for modifying and upgrading your AR-15 rifle.
AR-15 Upgrades
Looking for new accessories can be a challenging job. But if you’re aware of the part of the rifle you need to upgrade, the challenge can get a lot easier, of course.
For your rescue, we have brought here a list of the 17 best must-have accessories for your AR-15. But, before reading through our inventory, you need to understand what exactly you need to upgrade. This way, you’ll have some understanding of which accessories to look for. So let’s dive into this:
1. Grips
The feel of the rifle in your hand is one of the most critical aspects of your shooting task. You may not realize, but your job at hand while shooting depends on how comfortable your hands are while holding the rifle.
These types of grips absorb recoil, resulting in less muzzle climb. They also protect your hand against barrel heat that results due to a long time of use.
Choosing the right kind of grip helps increase your comfort level and accurate shooting, along with releasing tension in your fingers as well as your mind! Based on your palm and hand size, you should make sure to select the perfect grip that fits in your palm swell and finger grooves without any worries. Also, like other parts of a rifle, you should consider the weight of the grip as well so that your AR rifle doesn’t get too heavy or too light.
Apart from the physical aspects of your rifle’s grip, you might also want to consider its physical look. After all, you don’t want your piece to look ugly, do you? So, to make sure that your AR-15 reflects your personality, you should take care of the color, size, and shape of your grip. The overall appearance of your rifle should look good!
To sum it up, according to your preference, a good grip on your gun can offer you a quality experience as well as enhanced and accurate shooting in the field.
2. Triggers
Searching for the perfect trigger can be as tricky as it gets. And at the end, it all comes down to each shooter’s preferences. The trigger is an essential aspect of a rifle, and it is the accessory that every gun owner seeks to modify and upgrade in their favorite AR-15.
So, what does it take to find the trigger that fits best to your rifle? First, you should ask yourself about your preferences.
What suits you best? Do you want it to work with just a quick snap, or do you want to apply some pressure? Once you answer these questions, you should ensure that your trigger is dependable, meaning that it doesn’t shy away and lets you shoot at every possible scenario or environment.
Well, before the latest advancements in drop-in trigger assemblies, a new trigger meant a trip to the gunsmith. Fortunately for us, this is not the case any more! Many high-quality drop-in triggers are available for ARs that you can install yourself. What’s better than that?
3. Enlarged Trigger Guards
A perfect gun needs even the smallest part of it to be well-customized. Trigger guards are a vital component related to your safety. They make sure to protect your triggers and other components to extend the gun’s life.
Enlarged trigger guards are the accessories that provide your fingers with more room and give them a comfortable yet precise hold. Perfect enlarged trigger guards are made from smooth materials that make sure your fingers stay in form even during hours of shooting.
Customizing every part of your AR-15 rifle will make it safer, accurate, and good-looking. And trigger guards are made for your safety while shooting, as trigger spaces can slow down your speed.These enlarged trigger guards have a stable fit to improve your shooting tactics.
So, make your AR-15 more reliable, long-lasting, and comfortable by adding enlarged trigger guards as your next upgrades.
4. Extended Magazine Release
Ever found it difficult to stumble on those micro magazine buttons? Well, adding an extended magazine release to your rifle is one of the best AR-15 upgrades you can make when it comes to reliability.
Every shooter wants that magic where they don’t have to spend much time and quickly discharge the spent magazine. So, here it is! An extended magazine release can let you discharge the used clip without even disturbing your grip on your rifle.
The freedom to design your AR-15 according to your preference is just incredible! You can build a gun that you feel the most comfortable using, along with making it look like you want it. So, when you upgrade your magazine release with an extended piece, you will notice the benefits immediately!
5. Backup Sights
A good backup sight can bring you durability and stability, all in one, without even making you question the performance of different gun parts.
You can opt to customize your AR-15 with a backup rear sight. It would help to fold down the hardware when not in use, and you can get back to shooting immediately without getting disturbed. You might not be convinced yet to get a backup sight, but it can come in handy when you are in sudden need of it for your rescue.
A good backup sight is usually made of polymer or steel that will provide you with a sense of calm that it can perform to high standards even in the toughest of times!
6. Ambidextrous Charging Handles
Making a wrong move with the charging handle can result in problems while shooting a gun. A charging handle has several uses, such as ejecting unfired rounds and spent shells, checking the weapon for obstructions, clearing blockages, and releasing bolts.
The main benefit of a customized ambidextrous charging handle on your AR-15 is that it will allow a left-handle shooter to use the gun with their right hand easily and comfortably. On top of that, these ambidextrous handles will be like a gift for right-handed shooters as they will quickly use their left-hand around barricades.
Casual and competitive shooters also find the ease and convenience of ambidextrous charging handles helpful. These charging handles are made to provide more surface area and a strong grip so that you can enjoy a firm hold!
7. Ambidextrous Safety Selectors
Gun safety? Indeed, you may have heard of it a hundred times. But do you take it seriously?
Functional safety selectors ensure that you handle your gun without accidental discharge. Ambidextrous safety selectors help left-handed shooters function the gun without any trouble and benefit the right-handed ones to use the gun easily without damaging any parts.
Many ambidextrous safety selectors allow you to change the position of the lever with ease without much effort. Once you install the selectors, it will depend on you where to locate the lever. Many of the components in it are designed by keeping your perfect fit in mind, ensuring your fingers don’t slip from the rifle.
8. Extended Bolt Releases
Using your rifle to its full potential will require you to clear the spent magazines and jams as quickly as possible. To clear both these obstacles, an extended bolt release is the best upgrade to your AR-15!
When you upgrade your AR-15 with an extended bolt release, it lets you release bolts with just the tip of your fingers. It makes it easier to focus on your target instead of using your hand to stump on the bolt to stop the release.
You can always choose the extended bolt release as per your preference. It can be lightweight or heavy, depending on your choice. Even if you opt for a light bolt release, the durable components will make it fight and handle even the most rigid application. So, along with these benefits, an extended bolt release will make you feel comfortable and spontaneous in the field.
9. Anti-Rotational Pins
Often, a shooter might face problems with the trigger and hammer pins that pop out of the gun during the rapid firing. It happens because of the regular wear-and-tear in the holes.
But, fortunately for every shooter, it is now way too easy to come up with a solution due to the availability of anti-rotational pins. By investing a few dollars in these anti-rotational pins, you can upgrade your AR-15 to make it remain stable and robust throughout its life.
These pins make sure that the trigger and hammer pins are situated for long and precise use in the bolts.
10. Stocks
Choosing the right stock gives the sense of both comfort and reliability. There are mainly two types of stocks; fixed and collapsible. Where a fixed stock offers more accuracy and durability, upgrades in the collapsible stock will enhance the functionality of the gun.
When choosing a stock, you need to consider the weight of the barrel, receiver, and any other attachments that you have upgraded on your gun. If your components are heavy, you may need to add up a stock that can balance the gun’s overall weight and still allow it to function without any trouble.
11. Barrels
While choosing a barrel, you should make sure that it comes with a consistently machined bore to launch the bullet the same way every time.
While upgrading the barrel in your AR-15, you want something heavy enough so that it absorbs heat from shot to shot. Barrels tend to lose accuracy as they get heated, so you should slow down the heat absorption process.
Deciding upon the type of barrel you need, the decision depends on how your rifle functions. Barrels for the AR-15 come with a set of linings that help in cleaning and maintenance.
So you might want to consider if you’re going to change the existing barrel on your AR-15!
12. Free-Floating Handguards / Rail Systems
A handguard might seem like a “not so useful” component of your rifle, but it indeed plays a much more critical role in your firing tasks. Free-floating handguards or rail systems provide you with a lighter design and keep extra weight off your gun.
Whether you should buy a rail system or a traditional handguard it would enhance the gun’s appearance and its functionality. Many gun owners like to make their guns look and feel aesthetic, and the touch of a handguard without any bells gives it a simple and classy look.
Hence, depending on your choices and preferences, the customized gun’s look and function both are as important as it gets.
13. Optics
Whether you intend to use your rifle for personal protection, hunting, or sport, there’s an optic for every use. One of the most preferred AR-15 upgrades has been adding an optic to their rifle.
Some shooters prefer the old-school iron optics, while others think that the younger shooters may not understand the fine art of shooting with iron sights. The other side of the coin is that due to new technologies, the new holographic and red dot optics provide the shooter with a bit of an advantage while shooting for targets faster from a considerable distance.
Regardless of your personal preference, there are various options for your preferred optics according to your taste.
14. Muzzle Devices
Another great way to add some extra flair to your AR-15 is by adding a muzzle device. You can use them for various functions like taming recoil, suppressing sound, and reducing flash. Flash minimizes the visibility of gases while the bullets exit the barrel. The muzzle device breaks the reduced recoil by expanding gases.
The muzzle bleeds them off through those drill holes, and the suppressor helps reduce the decibel level of firing as it captures the energy of gases and passes it through the chambers. So, whether you are using your AR-15 for personal use or practice, you should always make sure to consider all the components while upgrading.
15. Nickel Boron Coated Bolt Carrier Groups
When you touch the nickel boron-coated bolt carrier group, you will realize how slick it has been made. It helps you fire the gun without any worries and lubricant, and the gun doesn’t get jammed at every phase.
The AR-15 designed bolt carrier doesn’t hold much weight, which offers you a higher speed for your shots. Hence, the gun enthusiasts now would not have to worry about the inconsistency and slow shots while firing.
This easy AR-15 upgrade is designed to resist corrosion, ensuring you can enjoy your new component for many years.
16. Slings & Sling Mountings
A sling, in simple words, is designed to allow the person using it to carry their rifle slung over their shoulder. Apart from this, it offers a slight increase in stability when the shooter holds it properly.
Since there has been an explosion in all sorts of slings, the slings and sling mountains stay away from single point or triple point slings, as simple two-point straps work best for most owners. Their primary function is keeping the rifle securely away from you during movement and transport.
17. Foregrips
There are many enjoyable benefits of a foregrip for your AR-15. There are three types of foregrips that you can choose from. The first comes with a vertical foregrip that sits at a 90-degree angle under the handguard of the rifle.
The second option is an angled forward grip, almost like a vertical one but sitting at a less than 90-degree angle.
Handstop is the third type of foregrip, almost like a bump to keep your hands from sliding during firing.
So, as said before, always make sure which type suits you best and which looks better.
Conclusion
Here we are! After you have completed these AR-15 upgrades, you can now move on to other upgrades. So, with the help of these 17 best must-have accessories, make your AR-15 reliable, durable, accurate, and comfortable! Remember that AR-15 is easy to customize, and with the right set of upgrades, you can make a masterpiece.
Have some fun and start making your weapon on your own!
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