Vertical Grips; Worth it or not?

[Ranger30-06]

I'm looking to upgrade my M16A2 lookalike Ar-15 into the 21'st century, so I was thinking about adding a quad rail and a foregrip. I like the way they look and they honestly appear to be one of the few useful things you can bolt onto your gun.

The thing is, there are dozens, if not hundreds of options out there. I personally like the fixed ones, like this one. The question is, are they worth it? Do they offer a benefit to the rifle's control? Is there a better grip out there that's not $50+? Is this one a better buy because of the built in bipod?

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

We had a good discussion about vertical grips and their use in this thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=515367&highlight=vertical+grips

You might give it a read and see if it helps you answer any questions or which new questions it creates.

 

[JustinJ]

Its ultimately a matter of preference. Many who don't hold the vert grip like to at least use it for indexing.

 

[WardenWolf]

I don't like them, personally. I think it creates wobble since you're gripping a less-flat surface. An angled foregrip is much more practical.

 

[JAV8000]

Vertical foregrips are good for CQC, but they are generally not very effective for longer or more precise shots. Us infantry boys will use them as a hand stop while holding farther forward on the forearm for engaging distant targets. I personally prefer the Magpul AFG (angled foregrip), its basically a compromise between the traditional forearm hold and a vertical foregrip hold.

 

[boricua9mm]

Many who don't hold the vert grip like to at least use it for indexing.

I've been on a journey with the forward grip options and the above pretty much sums up my conclusion. I finally concluded that I wasn't grabbing the VFG with a "beer can" grip, and that all it was really doing was adding extra expense, extra weight and severly limiting flexibility when shooting from supported positions (forend on a barricade, short wall, etc.).

The AFG never felt good to me at all. It just felt like my grip on the forend was not secure and that when i was pulling the rifle into my shoulder, it felt like my hand wanted to slide down and off of it. I see them on a lot of carbine length handguards and to me, it looks and feels like a completely unnatural "solution."

Since indexing and a little extra leverage when driving the rifle is my main goal, I've found that hand stops are the best solution for me. They cost less, weigh less, don't interfere with supported positions, and when placed in between my middle finger and ring finger it allows for me to push or pull the rifle as movement and shooting dictates. Out of everything I've tried I like the Gear Sector hand stops the best.

 

[CraigC]

I like them and prefer to operate my weaponlights from the foregrip with my thumb, rather than relying on tapeswitches. IMHO, much more stable than a rifle without but I'm not putting one on my leverguns or muzzleloaders.

 

[Ranger30-06]

I would like to use the rifle eventually for some sort of 3-gun type competition, but other than that the longest range I have access to is 100 yards. Would the grip/bipod combo be helpful if I wanted to go longer in range?


And CraigC, I'm just waiting to see one of Mossberg's new tactical lever actions with a foregrip, or better yet an AFG, on it.

 

[CraigC]

And CraigC, I'm just waiting to see one of Mossberg's new tactical lever actions with a foregrip, or better yet an AFG, on it.

Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!

 

[War Squirrel]

This is the only "tactical" lever action I've ever liked.
Doesn't look too bad with an AFG either.
The paracord wrap on the lever makes me laugh.



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[Stealth01]

+1 for the AFG...