AR-15s are like the Legos of the adult world — totally customizable with a ton of parts to swap out, upgrade, and change up.

But if you’re like us, sometimes it can be overwhelming to decide exactly what to upgrade…

So, if you’re unsure what furniture or accessories to make your AR-15 run better, you’ve come to the right place.

With our guide, you’ll be able to make a better-informed decision on how to make your AR-15 the best fitting and looking one out there.

We’ll go over our favorite buttstocks, all kinds of grips, rail protectors, slings, and more.

Note: we consider the pistol grip, buttstock, and handguard the primary furniture of the AR-15 since almost all ARs need to have the three essential ingredients to function comfortably.

If you want a basic look at AR furniture, check out the Brownells Daily Defense below. Jeff Gonzales of Trident Concepts goes over the AR-15 and what you might want to consider upgrading.

Best AR-15 Pistol Grips

Called a “pistol grip” since they resemble the grip angle of pistols as opposed to traditional rifle grips, for most, the pistol grip is more ergonomic, not to mention more “normal” looking on an AR.

If you bought a stock AR-15, it most likely came with a standard A2 grip. That often feels a little too skinny and cheap. 

It’ll do fine, but there are too many affordable options out there that will fit your hand much better.

1. Magpul AR-15 MOE Grip

The go-to grip for our ARs…the Magpul AR-15 MOE Grip offers a lighter, more comfortable, but still affordable option. 

Bonus, it also features a hollowed space with a cap on the bottom to store essential items like an extra bolt. And it comes in several colors, all for around $18.  

Also, the MOE+ Model has a rubber anti-slip coating ($23) which we highly recommend.

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2. Hogue Overmold AR-15 Pistol Grip

Another of our favorites that is ergonomic and very grippy due to the larger size, rubber material, and finger grooves is the Hogue Overmolded AR-15 Grip. Hogue also offers a model that sports a beavertail — which we prefer. It comes in around $24.

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3. Magpul MIAD AR-15 Pistol Grip

And for those of you who want the best fit and customization, we recommend the Magpul MIAD.

Why? Well, it gives you several swappable choices for palm-size and front finger grooves. Coming in at around $27, it’s a solid option.

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4. Tyrant Designs Mod Grip

When aesthetics AND comfort matter…

We dig the Mod Grip, which gives you a rubberized front/back while keeping it sexy.

This one lets you get really high up on the rear of the grip, too, if that’s your preference.

My only nitpicky thing is that I’d like to see an extra finger groove in the front for my hand geometry.

Otherwise solid if you want an AR grip that turns heads.

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Best AR-15 Buttstocks

It’s that thing you rest your cheeks on. 

While we go in-depth with a dozen of the most popular choices in our Best AR-15 Stocks article, we’ll keep it brief here with a couple of our favorites.

1. Magpul MOE-SL

The Magpul MOE-SL Stock sports a slimline build that offers a better cheek weld and some weight savings.

It’s been so far in my testing. And at around $56, you can’t really beat that price.

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2. Magpul PRS Buttstock

For precision rifles, the Magpul PRS Buttstock offers fine adjustments for both cheek weld and length of pull.

Weighing almost 2-pounds, this stock comes built to last. But a word of caution, it does require a rifle-length buffer tube assembly.

This Magpul stock is priced at $190.

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3. VLTOR IMOD Stock

The most comfortable adjustable stock we’ve tried, the VLTOR IMOD Stock, is what we use to run in our race carbines. 

It features a sloped cheek weld that just feels right — light enough but a little expensive at $90.

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4. B5 Bravo Stock

The B5 Bravo Stock is my current favorite — light and reasonably priced.

Great cheek weld that’s almost as good as the Imod Stock but sheds a ton of weight and saves you a couple of bucks.

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What do you think of the Bravo B5 Stock? Why not give it a rating below?

How about something that allows you to fold the buffer tube back until it’s needed?

Enter the Law Tactical Gen 3 Side Folder Adapter.

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Just make sure to never fire when it’s folded, or else bad things might happen…

Best AR-15 Handguards

We’ve covered these in detail in a previous article on Best AR-15 Upgrades. So check that out if you want a ton of options to choose from.

If you just want a couple of our faves, stick around, and we’ll dish out two models worth looking at.

1. Magpul Rail Covers

If you want bare-bones basics, go with Magpul Rail Covers.

They’re super affordable at under $12 and give you the basic elements you need.

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2. Magpul XTM Rail Covers

For a thicker feel that covers the rails entirely, we suggest Magpul XTM.

You get four pieces for $11, which isn’t a bad price at all.

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Cosmetic Upgrades

Let’s take a little break from furniture and focus on how to make your gun look better…because sometimes that matters (ok, most of the time).

1. Gunskins

You’ve seen vinyl-wrapped cars…but now Gunskins brings it to your guns and magazines.

Easy to put on after a couple of tries and perfectly suited for your handguard…check out our full review here.

Gunskins is also hooking up readers with 10% off with code PEWPEW10.

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AR-15 Sling Plates and Slings

Again, we have a whole article dedicated to the Best Rifles Slings that goes super in-depth with some of our faves.

That said, we’ve got a few choices here for sling plates and slings. Spoiler alert, we like the Magpul (seeing a pattern here?) series that lets you choose between one-point and two-point sling attachments.

1. Magpul RSA Sling Attachment

The Magpul RSA Sling Attachment mounts securely to your Picatinny rails to give a front sling attachment point. 

It retails for $30.

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2. Magpul ASAP Sling Plate

The Magpul ASAP Sling Plate takes the place of your standard AR end plate and gives you a sturdy sling attachment point. 

It’s better than fixed attachments since it allows you to quickly swing over from strong side to weak side shooting. 

A minor annoyance is that it rattles if no sling is attached. It comes priced at around $30.

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3. Magpul QD End Plate

This end plate offers an attachment point for quick-detach swivels on your slings.  

No more rattling problem like the above — just make sure you choose the right end plate for your kind of sling. Again, it’s priced at around $25.

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4. Magpul MS3 Sling

The Magpul MS3 Sling offers a lightweight and durable sling that lets you easily transition between one-point and two-point sling modes.

It’s priced at around $50.

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5. Vickers Combat Applications Sling

Our new go-to if you don’t need quick detachment options is the Vickers Combat Applications Sling.

It’s used by tons of U.S. troops because it’s simple, rugged, and easy to adjust.

It comes priced at $54.

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6. Pew Pew Tactical Sling

After years of shooting all the slings above…we’ve got our own Pew Pew Tactical Sling, made in Georgia by Flatline Fiber.

Just the right amount of padding to be comfy but not get in the way. And, of course, a super easy pull-tab to adjust the length.

And the best…it comes in Multicam Black and regular Multicam.

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Again, check out our full review of the best slings for your specific purpose.

Best AR-15 Vertical Grips

Vertical grips give you potential increased weapon handling and control. So, here are a couple of our recommendations.

1. Troy Vertical Grip

The Troy Vertical Grip is a sturdy grip with a bar that locks down entirely onto the rail instead of just being held by one screw.  

It’s also modular, so you can choose the perfect size. The standard version is $74.

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2. Magpul RVG Vertical Grip (Picatinny)

Another great Magpul product that fits onto Picatinny rails is the RVG Vertical Grip.

It comes in a wide assortment of colors and is priced at $23.

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3. Magpul MOE Vertical Grip

The Magpul MOE Vertical Grip offers a version that fits onto Magpul MOE handguards that are not Picatinny rails or on newer M-LOK versions.

This grip comes priced between $18 and $21.

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Best AR-15 Alternative Grips

There are other grips that aid in the control of your AR-15 but aren’t exactly vertical grips…

1. Magpul AFG

The Magpul Angled Foregrip offers a grip that is closer to the bore compared to traditional vertical grips. 

We’ve seen these a lot on builds where vertical foregrips are not allowed by law. It’s priced at $33.

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2. Magpul Hand Stop

The Magpul Hand Stop brings a low-profile way to improve weapon handling and prevent your hand from reaching the muzzle for shorter AR-15s. It comes in at $18.

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Best AR-15 Bipods

1. Fab Defense T-POD G2

How about BOTH a vertical grip and bipod? That’s what you get with the Fab Defense T-POD G2.

The T-POD G2 is a good-sized grip, releases to become a bipod quickly, and allows your rifle to cant left and right when deployed.  

We kind of think the feet could be better traction on hard surfaces, though.

It comes in at about $150.

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2. Harris Bipods

The old school tried & true bipod — Harris Bipods. These are spring-loaded with short telescoping legs.

Just make sure to choose the correct attachment method for your rail and leg length. They are priced between $70 and $100.

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3. Atlas Bipods

Atlas Bipods are what we run in our precision rifles. 

We love the ability to “push” into the bipod for a repeatable and very sturdy shooting platform.

Expensive (between $220 and $280), but you really get what you pay for.  

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Magazine Related Accessories

1. Magpul Magazine Pulls

The company actually got its start with these magazine pulls (get it…Mag…Pul…you got it.)

These attach to the bottom of magazines to assist in removal from a rig and to cushion drops. Nab three for $12.

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2. Magpul Mag Coupler

The Mag Coupler allows you to join together two magazines, so you have an extra 30 rounds on your rifle. 

Just be aware of the extra weight. This fits PMAG 30 magazines and is priced at $17.

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Best AR-15 Suppressors

We didn’t really know if suppressors were furniture…but hey, here they are. We have a complete guide to the Best AR-15 Suppressors since it’s so much info.

But if we had to choose one…it’d be the Silencer Central Banish 30, which also got selected as Guns & Ammo’s Silencer of the Year for 2021.

Titanium, multi-caliber, and user-serviceable — It’s everything you’re likely looking for.

And how does it shoot? With much less blowback than competitors. And it’s super soft too, which is the whole point!

Again…don’t forget to check out our Complete Guide to AR-15 Suppressors.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many options for modding or upgrading your AR-15 build.

While we gave you just a handful of options to choose from, there are tons of upgrades you can toss onto your rifle.

What is your favorite accessory? Let us know in the comments! We’ve covered tons of AR-15 stuff here, but we’re not done yet! Check out the rest of the AR-15 guides.

The post Best AR-15 Furniture & Accessories appeared first on Pew Pew Tactical.

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