vertical forward grip

[max popenker]

It's hard not to notice growing popularity of the forward vertical grips, especially among military users. I've heard that Brits alone bought some 200,000 grip-pod units for their L85A2 rifles.

But what are reasons for such increasing popularity?

i remember reading somewhere that using vertical foregrip increases accuracy when firing from the shoulder / on the move, but cannot find the source.

Anyone can provide any support to this?

Thanks

 

[nalioth]

The style of combat has changed, and the weapons change with it.

A vertical foregrip allows easier maneuverability in close quarters, and it's physiologically easier on the operator.

 

[Lucky]

OT but why do those pods have 2 legs instead of just 1? It could be stronger, longer and allow adjustment of height as well as pivoting.

 

[CoRoMo]

What nalioth said.

I can definitely tell the difference in regards to control. I've got much greater control of the front of the weapon. It is much more secure with a VFG.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Vertical foregrips as far as I am concerned aren't about accuracy. They are about controllability and comfort. For many people, including myself, they place the support hand at a more natural and effective position to control the rifle when doing Close Action Drills such as hammer pairs and failure drills. They help the operator pull the rifle tighter to the shoulder with less fatigue on the supporting arm.

The Grip Pods are neat little things. They are strong enough that we used them on our SAWs. With a push of a button, they deploy a small bipod. This bipod can't compare to purpose built single units such as the Harris or Versa Pod, and they don't have the adjustability of the other units either. But they to provide a wider base with greater support when shooting prone or offhand supported than with no unit at all or with just a monopod.

The width of the base is a large controlling factor in the amount of support offered. It is why the Harris and Versa Pod units as well as other strictly bipod units do provide more stability than the Grip Pod unit. However, they are typically heavier and don't provide the VFG when not in use like the Grip Pod does. What the Grip Pod offers is the advantages of a VFG at close range with an improvement in support and stability at medium to long range of a bipod (albeit a small one).

 

[HorseSoldier]

But what are reasons for such increasing popularity?

Evolving styles of combat marksmanship sort of shooting. They're actually not as universally advocated today as they were, say, four or maybe five years ago, but definitely aren't disappearing from the scene any time soon.

i remember reading somewhere that using vertical foregrip increases accuracy when firing from the shoulder / on the move, but cannot find the source.

They help with speed by sort of naturally guiding the body into the upper half of a good, proper assaulter stance, and (if used properly -- far forward and not hugging the front of the magwell) give good control of the muzzle.

 

[Jeff White]

There are two schools of thought regarding the placement of the vertical fore grip. One school advocates placing it as far forward as is comfortable so that you can drive the gun and the other school advocates placing it back towards the balance point of the weapon.

You used to be able to tell who trained someone by where they placed the VFG with people trained by US Army SOF placing it forward and people trained by US Navy SOF placing it back near the balance point. Now there seems to be enough cross pollination that shooters use them where they are comfortable or don't use them at all.

 

[Jenrick]

Second what Jeff White said. It's was/is still fun to look at the VFG's and take a guess at where/by who someone was trained. I personally like my hand as far forward as I can get, as I get much better recoil management. I haven't made a full switch over to a VFG just due the shooting positions I normally find myself in, they tend to lend themselves to a clean handguard on my rifle.

For folks who actually expect to get shot at, one of the biggest advantages of a VFG is that's it's MUCH easier to face directly forward and shoot. Facing directly forward puts your biggest and strongest armor panel towards the threat. A VFG allows your support hand to sit in a much more natural position when shooting with the body almost square to the target.

-Jenrick