Why should I care about buying a better charging handle?

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Change wheels due to bigger tires/ lift....more offset to not rub suspension.

Basic alum or steel. Nothing pimp.
Wheeling you risk damage so easy and cheap to replace is name of the game.
 
Skylerbone said:
Search @GunnyUSMC ’s posts. He’s got more ARs than South Korea.
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I finally found that pic, Pallet of pain is fricken right. Gunny has as many AR's as I have guns. At times I think "did I go too far, do I really need more than 2-3 guns" then I see someone's collection like gunny's and it's kind of a relief, like good someone has it worse than me.
 
g3ops said:
So I get that some are made with 6061 instead of 7075, but what are the use cases that make you really "NEED" the fancy Radian Raptor or some other expensive alternative to the cheap mil spec ones?

What are your general rules on when you might need to get a gas buster if you don't plan to shoot suppressed?

I've never missed not having an ambi charging handle before or an extra long handle, does that just mean I don't account for any of the weird positions I might need to fire from with my lazy training methods? Maybe I don't shoot often enough to notice?

I still need a new charging handle for a 10.5 pistol build I'm working on and I have little idea which one to choose.
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Some "fancy" charging handles aren't much better than the standard CH. Some have their warts and some really are a big improvement. I could recommend my favorite (Geiselle Airborne Charging Handle) but that's like recommending my favorite pair of shoes. You just gotta get out & see what fits you and your budget best.
 
MistWolf said:
I could recommend my favorite (Geiselle Airborne Charging Handle) but that's like recommending my favorite pair of shoes. You just gotta get out & see what fits you and your budget best.
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True. I was really looking forward to getting my hands on the geissele just to try it out, I like geissele stuff and was anticipating a best of the best item but when the order was placed it gave about 8 mos for time to ship.....
 
Coal Dragger said:
I guess I’m in the indifferent camp when it comes to charging handles on AR’s. I just want it dimensionally correct for function, made of the correct alloy per M4 TDP, or a stronger material, and as easy to use as the originally designed part.

Beyond those very basic attributes I could care less. I currently have two with standard GI type charging handles, one Daniel Defense with a BCM Gunfighter, and my Knights Armament with a KAC charging handle. Guess what? They all work just fine, I have maybe a very slight preference for the KAC but not enough to buy three more of them.

It’s a charging handle, you use if for initial loading and maybe some hopefully very rare malfunction clearing. All other loading between magazines should be done with the bolt release, if you don’t use that you are not doing it right and you’re probably stupid. Stoner wanted you to use that, so much so he located the button where it was naturally where your thumb would be when you put a fresh magazine in. Amazing.

For clearing malfunctions if your weapon, magazines, and ammo are so jacked up that you need some special charging handle to regularly deal with malfunction clearance.... I have bad news for you: the rest of your system is hot garbage and needs to be fixed so it works right. In that instance a fancy charging handle to deal with your broke dick gun is good money after bad. The kind of decision made by someone who is.... stupid. Don’t be a stupid.

If you want a fancy charging handle because your heart wants what it wants just own up to it. That money is evil and needs to be spent, I get it. Just don’t waste oxygen, effort, and keystrokes trying to justify why no other part will do.
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What a way to take the low road on a topic. Does degrading others make you feel like a better man?
Just because someone finds something useful that you don’t, it does not make them stupid.
 
Well, I enjoyed reading all the opinions on this and it's helped me quite a bit. I took the mil-spec charging handle out of my other AR and put it into the new one to see how I liked it and decided I do want something with an extended handle.

Based on some of the recommendations, I'm leaning towards a Strike Industries SI ARCH-EL AR Charging Handle. I like both the function and the look of this handle, and at $35 it's a bit better priced than some of the others. I liked the looks of several of the others too, like the phase 5 and novenske, but the SI covered both looks and function for a better price.

Other than this handle, the only thing left to have a fully functional pistol is a BCG. Here's a pic with the mil-spec handle from my other AR.
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I also find it interesting that some posters here have in other posts recommended $200 Geissele triggers over milspec triggers that function fine while scoffing at paying an extra $25 or so for a better charging handle. Likewise with insisting on Aimpoint dots instead of $40 Truglo versions.


$52 for a Raptor. The real McCoy, not the composite handle version. After coupon I paid $80 for the SD vented version.
632AC44A-4FBD-4E61-84CE-E60241DB3DA4.jpeg
 
greyling22 said:
does that thing actually work? I have a raptor that I quite like. I also have a suppressor......

But put fancy handles on my AR's because they all wear scopes and I'm left handed. They standard handle and I don't get along. They get left handed safety's too.
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Worked fine unsuppressed while I had it but sold the pistol off. When I make the leap I’ll order another and enjoy the peace of mind.
 
To each his own, but I consider an extended ambi charging handle like the Radian to be a necessary ergonomic upgrade on all of my ARs. Any size, any caliber, any purpose, it just needs a Radian Raptor if I am going to call it mine. The extended charging handles are easier to find under stress and awkward positions, esp fumbling around and under BUIS and the ocular lens for a LPVO or magnifier. I am cross eye dominant and shoot left handed. The ambi charging handle makes it much easier to manipulate, allowing me to simply catch it with the meaty part of my palm and sweep it back to me in much the same way I did with my issued M249. The Radian Raptor changes the entire ergos of the AR platform. The default charging handle is merely equally inconvenient for everyone. The Raptor essentially in practice gives you an ambi side charging upper for $60. I consider it even more beneficial than an ambi-safety for left handed use. My ARs don't leave home without it.

u74sqoY.jpg
Colt 6960 CCU running a SIG Romeo 7 with a Juliet 4 magnifier on a FTS mount and a set up el cheapo Magpul flip up sights sitting in reserve. Your receiver can get cluttered in a hurry. Good luck finding that standard charging handle!
 
Wasn't the original CH designed to be worked with the firing hand, using two fingers? A lot of folks these days are not doing that but using the thumb and forefinger of the weak hand. The original handle is kinda slippery for that. The tactics have evolved. The rifle has evolved. Why shouldn't something so easily replaced as the charging handle? Methinks these things were designed by gunfighters for actual use, not fashionistas for selling parts. I personally don't see that particular part as something to upgrade for looks but purely for function. Either way, I use them for function.

What we have to realize is that different people shoot these things for different reasons. Some folks are content with slow fire on distant targets. They don't get in a hurry running them. Others just like to make noise doing mag dumps. Maybe it's the folks who try their best to develop skill with them as fighting weapons who benefit most from such upgrades? The others should maintain a little perspective.
 
The reg charging handle works for me, because I don't have much atop my AR.
DD 1.5 rear and any optics are fwd of that.

Had an extended on a scoped AR and HATED it sticking out, catching on stuff.

I have a Strike on one, because that's what a shop had to finish my build LOL
Standard model. No complaints.
 
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I notice, especially at the range that everybody handles their weapon differently whether it's how they shoulder, charge, load, etc... some people baby their guns, some run them hard. There is litterally something for everybody out there. In the case of AR's there are litterally 10's of thousands of ways to set a rifle up.

I respect those who keep them in stock condition and work with what's already there, I've gone pretty minimal on one of my builds and kept it as simple as possible. I also enjoy, and dont scoff at those who enjoy the added benefit of improved ergonomics and maybe slightly improved function of the most frequently upgraded parts. Everybody has their own thing that they like to do. God bless. I think most of us get that a bone stock, no frills rifle will function reliably.

On the other hand, I've seen some rifles that just look ridiculous, but I'm no judge. Whatever people want to do...
 
CraigC said:
Wasn't the original CH designed to be worked with the firing hand, using two fingers? A lot of folks these days are not doing that but using the thumb and forefinger of the weak hand. The original handle is kinda slippery for that. The tactics have evolved. The rifle has evolved. Why shouldn't something so easily replaced as the charging handle? Methinks these things were designed by gunfighters for actual use, not fashionistas for selling parts. I personally don't see that particular part as something to upgrade for looks but purely for function. Either way, I use them for function.

What we have to realize is that different people shoot these things for different reasons. Some folks are content with slow fire on distant targets. They don't get in a hurry running them. Others just like to make noise doing mag dumps. Maybe it's the folks who try their best to develop skill with them as fighting weapons who benefit most from such upgrades? The others should maintain a little perspective.
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I wrote my thing before I saw your post, but you basically nailed it.
 
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