Newbie22
Member
Hello THR,
I've recently been getting into some more serious shooting with my AR (3-gun competitions and the like, and I'm going to take a carbine class once I have enough money saved for it). One of the questions I've been pondering lately is what the "best" way to manipulate the charging handle is. In my research I've come across three main methods, with their pros and cons:
Pros:
Solid grip can apply lots of force
Ambidextrous without an ambi charging handle latch
Less chance of putting horizontal stress that could bend the charging handle over time
Cons:
Hard to do while keeping the ejection port oriented towards the ground (for right handed shooters trying to clear a malfunction)
For me at least, its slower than the other methods
Pros:
For me at least, this is the fastest method
Gross motor skill that won't degrade under stress
Cons:
Can be hard to do without an extended charging handle latch
Not ambidextrous
Seems like it could bend the charging handle over time
Pros:
Easy to do even if your rifle doesn't have an extended latch
Doesn't put horizontal stress on the charging handle
Cons:
Fine motor skill which makes it easy to fumble under stress
Not ambidextrous
What do you guys think is the best method? What do you personally use? Why? What would the pros and cons be if you were using each one in a competition, combat, or personal defense scenario? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
Thanks,
Newbie
I've recently been getting into some more serious shooting with my AR (3-gun competitions and the like, and I'm going to take a carbine class once I have enough money saved for it). One of the questions I've been pondering lately is what the "best" way to manipulate the charging handle is. In my research I've come across three main methods, with their pros and cons:
Pros:
Solid grip can apply lots of force
Ambidextrous without an ambi charging handle latch
Less chance of putting horizontal stress that could bend the charging handle over time
Cons:
Hard to do while keeping the ejection port oriented towards the ground (for right handed shooters trying to clear a malfunction)
For me at least, its slower than the other methods
Pros:
For me at least, this is the fastest method
Gross motor skill that won't degrade under stress
Cons:
Can be hard to do without an extended charging handle latch
Not ambidextrous
Seems like it could bend the charging handle over time
Pros:
Easy to do even if your rifle doesn't have an extended latch
Doesn't put horizontal stress on the charging handle
Cons:
Fine motor skill which makes it easy to fumble under stress
Not ambidextrous
What do you guys think is the best method? What do you personally use? Why? What would the pros and cons be if you were using each one in a competition, combat, or personal defense scenario? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
Thanks,
Newbie