AR forward vert. grips

[Chaingunner]

Maybe I'm just crazy, but it seems to me that Mr. Stoner designed the AR15 with a built on fwd. grip: the magazine/mag well. When shooting the M16A3 onboard my ship, I always wrap my left hand around the mag well. This works great for me and I've seen tons of pictures of marines and soldiers doing the same.

That being said, does anybody use the comercially available rail-mounted vert grips? Does it offer a substantial advantage over using just the magazine well? Please advise...I intend to pick up either an RRA or Wilson Combat AR with rails - if the fwd vert grip isn't that much an advantage, I don't want to drop the money on one.

 

[DonR101395]

The only time I've noticed an advantage it when shooting in auto doing 3-5 round bursts. It gets the leverage out a bit further to control muzzle climb.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I find it can help with firing a lot of rounds quickly, but my transitions from target to target and overall handling suffer in terms of speed with the forward vert grip. Not worth it for me, but you should try it for yourself (isn't tinkering half the fun?). You can always sell the handguards and grip later.....

 

[BreacherUp!]

The key , I've found, to vert grips is the placement of the grip. Too far to the rear, more wobble = less control. Too far forward and you have trouble driving on target quickly (and more fatigue). Find the sweet spot for your arm length.
Regarding the mag well use. It works. However, if you think about physics, the pivot point is farther back, therefore just like having the grip too far back, this makes control a little harder. Find the point where your arm is more relaxed and can pull the rifle into your shoulder.
Also, the vert grip makes using rifle mounted lights easier to manipulate. I find that my elbow tweaks a little when using a slime line switch attached to the standard forends w/ no vert grip (the elbow is bent out a little). As opposed to the elbow naturally bent down on a vert grip. Either way, you need to try it out to see if it works for you.

 

[shooter_john]

I find them most useful when you have a tailcap switch light mounted on the gun. In that situation fore grips are a must, in my opinion. Otherwise they are best only for the tacticool factor.

 

[Rainbow Six]

I went with the Surefire M900A vert grip/light and I love it. You do have to play with positioning to get it in the sweet spot, but once I found the sweet spot with it I like it MUCH more than gripping the mag well, which is what I found myself doing before I got the grip/light.

I've found that I prefer the vert grip handle pretty much dead centered in the bottom rail of my quad rail set-up. Gripping the front of the mag well puts my support arm in a more cramped position than using the vert grip half way out on the rail. Makes for easier maneuvering during building clearing than gripping the mag well because the support arm isn't as "crowded" and can move more freely. That's just me though. Your mileage may vary...

 

[5whiskey]

shooter john hit it

I have one on my issued rifle (the grip was issued as well), and my personal. If you want (or have to have) cool-looking but weight-adding accesiories attached, you will appreciate the forward grip alot more. The tailcap switched tac-light was a good point. Position the light so that your thumb naturally rests by the switch when you hold the grip. The light is by far the best accesory you can add, by the way. I also have my peq-2 pressure switch mounted directly on my forward grip, so that I can hit the white light with my thumb if I need it, or just squeze the grip for my peq-2 (not that I would ever use a peq-2 for anything other that directing fire or marking a target for other Marines or an airstrike).

If it's just a plain rifle, I'd rather not have one. If you have a peq-2, tac-light, and reflex sight that you have to hang off of it somewhere, you want to go with the forward vertical grip.

 

[Horatius]

First, putting your hand on the mag well makes for terrible shooting. Your hand belongs on the fore end as though it was a regular weapon.
Second, Verticle fore ends were designed for use with a 3 point sling that is used CORRECTLY. This means the sling is tight so that the heel of the rifle sits in the pocket of your shoulder. One pushes OUT on the vert fore end (thus away from the 3-point sling) and thus stabilizes the rifle. The problem with that is you can't go to under arm assault and getting in the prone is very hard. So, If you are anything but a DA guy - which 99% of people are not - throw away that vert fore end and put your hand on the middle of the fore end like it was intended.
Third, if you are using accessories, you really need to get rid of the vert fore end because you are physiologically stronger with your wrist rotated and holding the weapon in the classic fashion than holding it up by the vert foreend which we know is not the way it was intended.

 

[5whiskey]

Have you ever done hammer curls?

Trust me, coming from someone who presents their weapon hours upon hours of somedays. Once again, a slick rifle with nothing, you can shoot better without vert. grip. Especially if you're shooting at a longer range. If you're the assault element (main effort), or on an entry team, a vert grip is probably faster and you probably have attachments. The reason for the grip because of the attachments? It's not so much the weight as it is a user-friendly platform. I have a pushbutton tailcap tac-light, a pressure switch for a peq-2, and an ISR wireless radio button. I have my own little left-thumb activated control panel that requires I have the vertical forgrip. It works quite well. Again, I don't even want the peq-2, but it's issued and I do use it to mark targets for my section or CAS. That's why I have a vert. grip.

Not to mention the golden rule is that every man is different and what works for one may not for the other.