AR advice, pick two to pass on.

[Texas Bob]

I read more than I post, this way I learn. The old adage comes to mind :They only thought I was a fool, until I opened my mouth, then they knew.

The purpose of this thread is to "pick two" and "only two" aftermarket additions to the basic AR that have helped you, or that you wish you have never done. This way other people may be spared by our being the beta testers.

This is "only" about the basic carbine/rifle, not about sights,slings, bi-pods, or anthing else that maybe attached.

My contributionwill be the addition of a Geissele SSA trigger and a Magpul grip. There are many other good aftermarket triggers, and upon using any top tier trigger you can focus on marksmanship without fighting a stock trigger. The Magpul grip "fits" my hand, wet or dry, the factory grip did not. Find what fits your hand like a "broken-in" favorite glove.

Now it is up to "others" that have been around the AR platform to pass on what they have learned.

 

[Sky]

free float hand guard on some and forward hand grip on others. Just depends on the rifle and use. Some have Bi-pod....ooops that's 3

 

[22lr]

For me its a Magpul grip and a trigger. Ive played with a lot of different triggers and don't really have a favorite, but a good single stage trigger just rings all my bells.

 

[Matno]

Mag pul stock with adjustable comb height and length of pull, custom trigger (anything is better than stock). Very difficult to shoot straight without those. The Mag-pul assumes you're using a scope. These days, open sights don't make much sense unless you're shooting exclusively under 100 yards.

And if I could add a third, it would be a Hogue rubber grip with finger grooves. (They're cheap, so adding one shouldn't be to tough!)

All of that is assuming your gun shoots sub MOA. If not, top two mods would be trigger and custom free-floated barrel. Any gun that's not capable of tack driving is frustrating. If I miss, I want to know it's because I did something wrong that I can work on, not because I did everything right and the gun failed to perform...

 

[-v-]

A good shooting sling, and a good crisp trigger. I'm not too picky on trigger weights, and actually prefer a GI-weight (5-6lb) trigger to a lighter pull weight trigger.

As for open sights only good for under 100 yards? Well, we all have our opinions. Myself? For paper punching, at 500 yards I'd prefer a scope, but irons can also be quite sufficient any day . Hunting or others? Yes, scopes all the way.

 

[TimboKhan]

Magpul MOE handguards and the magpul extended trigger guard. Both are superior to stock.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Matno]

As for open sights only good for under 100 yards? Well, we all have our opinions. Myself? For paper punching, at 500 yards I'd prefer a scope, but irons can also be quite sufficient any day . Hunting or others? Yes, scopes all the way.

I didn't mean to imply that open sights are worthless, just that modern optics are superior in pretty much any long distance shooting. I've used an 8mm Mauser from WWII with 500 meter open sights that is quite fun and accurate to boot. But given the choice, I'd use a scope in the field for pretty much anything but heavy brush hunting. I also happen to think plinking is more fun with a low power scope than iron sights, but of course that's an opinion.

 

[briansmithwins]

My two tips:

1) Leave it as close to stock as possible. Your $250 is better spent on a class and/or ammo than a slick trigger and fancy stock with a built in coffee mill.

2) Quality optics don't make you shoot better. They do let you get hits faster. Decide what's important to you and buy accordingly.

BSW

 

[tryshoot]

I like my m-4 quad rail, but it does add weight.

 

[firesky101]

Free float handguard, and a nice trigger. Depends on the purpose though, my AR is not very tactical it is for varmints.

 

[HoosierQ]

Upgrade your charging handle. Most stock ones are cast. Get a milled one. VTOR I think is what I have...galled the "gunfighter" which is a silly name but it is a very nice item. Keep the stock one as a backup. Long, somewhat fragile piece on an AR.

 

[gp911]

Don't get a heavy barrel carbine. All that heavy barrel does is unbalance the gun and save the manufacturer a little money. It heats up a little slower in rapidfire but it really doesn't matter. At all. I'll second the grip comments too, magpul fits my hand way better than the A2 grip.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Limited to two modifications, I would go with the same as the OP: a Geissele SSA and a Magpul MOE grip. And in fact I have two ARs set up with those features.

If I could have three, a nicer telestock (SOPMOD or VLTOR) would be item #3.

 

[rjrivero]

Two things I would add to a rifle are a tactical carbine class, and a case of ammo. Only after spending a lot of quality time with your AR will you find out what "need" to do to that rifle.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Only things I've changed/added on my M15A2C were the Hogue grip, the handguard rail/VFG, and the Z-rail. If I had to leave one out, it'd be the Hogue grip.

 

[Welding Rod]

I like the Magpul CTR and the "Gunfighter" medium charging handle.

I start with a RRA lower so their NM trigger is a given.

 

[Rail Driver]

For me, two must-haves on my most basic rifle are

A: The Magpul B.A.D. lever - this little bitty piece makes any manipulation that requires locking back the bolt or releasing the bolt so much quicker. When I empty a mag and the bolt locks back, I never have to take my rifle off the target or leave the firing position - I just drop the mag with my trigger finger, seat a new one with my off hand, drop the bolt with my trigger finger, and I'm back to sending lead downrange. - All this for $25-$30

B: a quality sling that fits you, and is comfortable. Don't waste your money on a $5 "adjustable" single point sling - Get a quality sling of the style most comfortable to you (I recommend a 2 point sling for the support it provides in when shooting) $10-$50+

 

[CapnMac]

Of all the ones I have bought, only two make this list:
The AccuWedge
And my Waller case (which is very handy for all the other "stuff").

3rd place goes to my set-up-to-be-dedicated chamber brush assembly.

 

[SabbathWolf]

I guess I can't play.
I'm pretty much fine with a good stock gun as is.
I was gonna say an Aimpoint and a light, but that doesn't count.

 

[basicblur]

I vote for Ergo's The Gapper!

 

[rm23]

Magpul BAD and a Blue Force Gear padded Vickers sling.

 

[Dr.Rob]

A2 /A3 carry handle sights.

Honestly, back up irons = GOOD.

I know the trend now it to optics, esp. in 3 gun, but I like having iron sights in addition.

I'd rather choose a rifle that comes WITH irons rather than one that I have to add my own.

I also put Houge monogrips on both my AR's.

 

[Auto426]

The only thing I've added to my 6940 so far was a Magpul MOE grip to replace the stock pistol grip. I didn't care for that little bump in the middle of the stock grip because it had a tendency to dig into my middle finger.

Other than that I may change the adjustable stock out for an Magpul one. It would mostly be for looks, as the standard stock doesn't bother me. Other than that the monolithic upper takes care of my quad rail needs I've been fine so far with the Matech sight. I'm thinking a cheap red dot for plinking is in my future though.

 

[boomhower1820]

Given the constrictions of the OP I'd have to say my SSA trigger and NiB BCG.

 

[Ramone]

Keeping it to two, is tough.

A chromed BCG
A free Float Hand Guard

I do like the MAGPUL grip, but honestly, I only bought one because I won a Samson Tool that fits in it:
http://www.samson-mfg.com/ar-15_html/product/FS-001.html
(which I have yet to use, but it's nice to know it's there)

And my other AR has a trick grip, too:

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/59882-7.html

Which I was skeptical of at first, but it's fairly rugged, and allows my lower to fit in my saddlebags. I'd recommend it to anyone with a storage issue.

I really like the B.A.D. lever (or any of the solutions to allow right-handed manipulation of the bolt catch) as it addresses the only awkward part of the manual of arms with the AR.

At almost 50 YOA, I find optics are, for me, a necessity. I've been very happy with the Nikon M233 line.

I hope in the next 10 years to be a good enough marksman to find the stock trigger a hindrance, but for now, it isn't.

I have after 40 years of shooting found no better design of sling than the M1907. Live it, learn it, love it.

I do like the MAGPUL AFG, too, over a vertical grip.