Ar 15 trends

Mine's a 13.7" lightweight from SLR Rifle Works with full length top rail. Plenty of room for my FWD grip. I like the top rail for position my light at 12 O'Clock and my Folding BUIS. IF I had to do it over again, I'd probably go with a 15" and take it to the end of the barrel:

Hokie_PhD said:

More common now are M-Lok and to a lesser degree keymod grips that have a rail on the top but slots on the side.

They do away with what you refer to as cheese grater.

As for the longer grips. I just put an AR together with a 15” grip. I like it as it allows me to extend my weak hand out and get a more stable grip.

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I agree, generally. I just bought a forearm for my project AR... it's a keymod (I think,) but no cheese-grater... which is important. I don't really plan on hanging any furniture off mine, so the only real benefit I expect is to have a free-floated barrel.

I also thought the whole long arm out grip thing was mall operator BS... until I tried it. If you are engaging multiple targets, it works really well. If you are poking holes in paper... not so much. The key is... you need a long forearm so you won't burn your hand on the gas block.

The thumb over technique comes from action gun gamers. It’s legitimate technique, VERY fast while still remaining under control, and dynamic. There are a lot of guys who drastically overdo it, such they’re over extending their elbow, excessive forward flexion of the shoulder, and unsupported excessive Adduction at the wrist... and it’s extremely obvious in watching them...

Damon555 said:

What really has me scratching my head is the gaudy, almost barrel length hand guards that seem to be catching on. These cheese grater hand guards with 4 rails on them just seem way overboard. I mean really, how much stuff can you hang off a rifle and it still be functional? And what's the point of one that spans the entire length of the barrel?

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Don't worry about what furniture others are using. Use what works for you. I don't think I've seen an AR set up the way any of mine are, probably because I'm the only one idiotic enough to think think it'll work. Setup your AR the way you think it should be, then go shoot it go see how it works, and change what doesn't.

I'll tell you from experience, an A2 buttstock isn't any easier to shoot from a bench than most of the adjustable stocks.

I acquired my first AR about 1 1/2 years ago. I had no interest in them but had brought some stripped lowers in case of HRH being elected. A coworker convinced me that a stripped lower wasn't serving any real purpose so I did my own build using a quad rail handguard. I do not like the cheese grater feel either so I brought some rail covers and all is well for my soft hands.

I have no use for the rail, or rather, had no use for the quad rail. There is a critter killing my chickens at night and it's name ain't Col. Sanders. (Neighbor thinks it's name is Wile E. Coyote). So when the weather warms up enough at night I need to do some camping out.

The adjustable buttstock allows me to fit the gun according to how heavy of jacket I do or don't wear.

Crimson Trace has a sale going on when you buy one laser sight you get a Railmaster laser sight free. The Railmaster looks like it will work fine hanging off the front bottom of the rail. The red dot overcomes not being able to see the iron sights.

However in order to use the laser I first must see the critter so I need to come up with some kind of light. The most convenient and quickest will be a white light hanging on the left side of the rail. I figure once I spotlight Wile E. Coyote he will take off in hurry making for the need for a quick shot.

So the AR with the quad light is waiting for the Railmaster to arrive and it's call to duty while my other AR with Magpul handguard is getting most of the range time.

Varminterror said:

There are a lot of guys who drastically overdo it, such they’re over extending their elbow, excessive forward flexion of the shoulder, and unsupported excessive Adduction at the wrist... and it’s extremely obvious in watching them...

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Not to mention how ridiculous they look doing their best Chris Costa impression.

I'm a bit more old school, use a bladed stance, leaning into the weapon a bit, and my support hand thumb points toward the target, does not go past 11 O'clock on the fore end/hand guard.

I have never found Isosceles comfortable, natural for rifle or pistol. Some would argue that a bladed stance limits your ability to pivot, but I have no trouble going well past 90° left or right. Isosceles actually doesn't help me pivot much further left, and makes it awkward to go past 70° or 75° to my right as a right handed shooter.

Damon555 said:

The hand guards with small rail sections towards the front make more sense to me.....It really is personal preference and I definitely don't worry about how others see fit to personalize their rifles......I've been a bolt action rifle guy most of my life. I'm just now getting into customizing AR's to suit my intended uses. It amazed me when looking for hand guards how many different styles there were.....very few of them actually seemed practical. But someone saw a need for a certain design and enough people bought them to make them profitable to produce.

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That is why I like the Midwest Industries LINK (lightweight 15"), all the M-Lok locations are in my mind at reducing weight, and it just so happens to give one flexibility of where to place a flashlight, laser, etc, but the weight savings is huge. I like you don't want a lot hanging off my rifle. Currently, I only have back up sights, an optic and a sling. The only other item I envision having on one is on my home defense carbine having a flashlight on it. The rail was never about having lots of gadgets on it, it was about what it offered for the basics.

This rail was a great balance in my mind as it eliminated the full rail on the top, and only had two sections front and rear, the muzzle rail section provides the furthest point forward for a back up iron sight and gives the greatest sight plane for accuracy. The addition of the quick detach points front and rear are nice as well, as this eliminates extra cost associated with having to buy a sling attachment. It really is a well thought out rail, very slim and light, I have 3 of them.

There are other rails that are similar to the rail listed above, my friend just purchased an Aero Precision rail for about $20 cheaper and it has a lot of the similar features, but it is abut 20% heavier I believe (i think it comes in at 11.5 ounces.

someguy2800 said:

I agree I do not like rails on the sides or bottom of forends. I recently put a new forend on mine. I went from a 12" vented tube to a 15" keymod one. I actually bought this to go on my 20" 223 upper to save some weight but thought I would try it on my 16" 7.62x39 upper instead. It is keymod but the only thing I will be putting on it is a bipod mount.


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I'm kind of indifferent as to the looks of them but I do like the narrower grip and being able to put my hand further out toward the muzzle seams to help my offhand shooting.

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What rail is that? It makes the barrel look longer than 16”. What is the flash hider? That’s a good looking gun.

Cokeman said:

What rail is that? It makes the barrel look longer than 16”. What is the flash hider? That’s a good looking gun.

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It was $25. I bought it to just try it out and see what I think of a slim rail and then I was going to get a good one. The quality is just fine though so I kept it and ordered a second one for my other upper.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15-Inch-Ul...252899?hash=item25f04b3e23:g:358AAOSwzoRZiath

The muzzle device is a krink muzzle brake, there is a suppressor like baffle inside there. It is heavy but extraordinarily effective at reducing the muzzle blast. It quiets it down to like a 9mm pistol. Absolutely no comparison shooting with and without.

If it matters to you the rail with nut and harware is 12 oz. The brake is 4 oz.

Thanks!