Custom Pistol Grips and Foregrips for Your AR-15

When you’re thinking about customizing your AR-15 with some upgraded parts or building a new one with parts you buy separately, you want the best parts you can get. We carry many of the best parts you can find, but how do you choose what’s right for you?

With many parts, you primarily want to consider how you’re going to use your AR. Your final decision on which parts you choose may come down to whether you’re going to use it for home defense or competitions. However, when you’re choosing your pistol grip and foregrip, it’s equally important to think about how comfortable the rifle is going to feel in your hands.

When firing your AR-15, your body interfaces with the rifle in four ways. Your shoulder absorbs the recoil and stabilizes the AR at the butt stock. Your cheek-to-stock weld helps you keep your sight picture consistent with each use. Your eye engages whichever optic device you may be using to acquire your target.

How you hold that rifle can influence how you fire in subtle ways, so again, how you intend to use your AR-15 will make a difference in how you customize it. A slight difference in the feel might not make a difference in a close quarters situation like home defense, but it could make a drastic difference in a competition.

What to Consider when Choosing an AR-15 Pistol Grip or Foregrip

Aside from considering how your Custom AR-15 pistol grips and foregrips will affect how you fire your rifle, there are a few areas where you want to consider your grips as individual products. Each of these areas will weigh into your decision to buy. Most of these will come down to personal preference rather than how they impact you as a shooter.

Then again, how you feel with the AR in your hands can make a difference when you’re acquiring a target.

• Comfort and Ergonomics. A base-model AR-15 may feel fine, or maybe you have experience from the military with a standard issue M16 or M4. You’re used to how that feels, but choosing a custom AR-15 grip may simply allow you to feel more comfortable with your rifle in your hands, reducing tension that can affect how you fire.

• Material. Most grips are made of durable polymers, and some are reinforced with fiberglass. They have a hard plastic feel, like on a base model AR. Depending on the weather conditions, this could be a problem, but there are grips that have a rubberized coating that will enhance your grip, even when wet.

• Orientation. You may be used to a standard pistol grip and to holding onto the handgrips or rail system with your forward hand. However, a custom AR-15 pistol grip may allow you to hold your hand at a more neutral angle, and foregrips may also help you reduce tension in your wrists to make you more comfortable.

• Palm Swells and Finger Grooves/Contours. Sometimes, slight differences in how the pistol grip fits into your palm or how your fingers fit around it make a difference in your comfort level. A lot of firers opt for grips with these options, but the size of your hand can also impact how these feel.

• Durability and Aesthetics. The AR-15 — based on its roots as an M16 — is designed to withstand the rigors of combat. Most custom grips have the durability you’ll need, even if you’re a military operator. You may also want to consider how each part fits the overall look of your AR. Form is definitely secondary to function, but it’s something to think about.

Additionally, some AR-15 grips can be used to store items such as batteries, tools and containers of lubricant. This convenience may also play a part in your decision to choose certain pistol grips or foregrips.

Pistol Grips

 A rifle’s pistol grip, at baseline, is probably the simplest part of the AR-15. Then again, since how your hand feels can make a noticeable difference in the overall feel of your firing stance, the pistol grip can make a significant difference in how well you fire.

Your firing hand should feel comfortable with the grip in it, so your trigger squeeze feels natural. You want to consider the angle of the grip coming off the lower receiver, how you want the grip to feel on your palm and fingers, and how you want the surface of the grip to feel on your skin.

At Wing Tactical, we have a broad variety of custom AR-15 pistol grips for you to choose from. Many of them come in multiple colors, in case you’re going to try and blend in with different backgrounds.

• The CAA 6-Piece Interchangeable AR-15 Pistol Grip comes with multiple front and back straps to help you find the grip that’s most comfortable for your palm and fingers. The mottled surface texture allows you to maintain your hold when it’s wet. It also has a capped storage compartment for small parts, tools, or batteries.

• The Magpul MOE K2+ AR-15 Grip has a steeper vertical angle for a more neutral hand position, and it’s made of a reinforced polymer, giving it excellent durability. It also has a wrap-around rubber molding that enhances your grip in any weather. We carry it in four colors to go with a variety of looks for your AR. This grip also features storage cores for carrying small items.

• The ERGO Tactical Deluxe Grip is designed with palm swells on both sides for comfort no matter which hand you fire with. The grip-enhancing pebbled texture gives you solid comfort and hold, along with the subtle finger grooves that provide a natural fit. All of this helps you maintain a consistent grip for great comfort.

Custom AR-15 Foregrip Types

Everyone uses the pistol grip the same way, but there’s a little more variety with how different people feel comfortable using their non-firing hand to stabilize the barrel. This means there’s a lot more variety when it comes to custom AR-15 foregrips.

How comfortable you felt holding your non-firing hand with a basic AR or with an M4/M16 in the military will dictate your decision on what kind of foregrip you want to get. You may want to think about whether you gripped the magazine well or the hand grips and how far forward your hand feels comfortable on those grips.

Your forward hand will help you maintain horizontal and vertical barrel stability. The right grip for you will be comfortable, and the stability provided will facilitate rapid target reacquisition and a tight shot group. Some foregrips will also help mitigate the muzzle lift that’s caused by your AR’s recoil.

Vertical Foregrips

Vertical foregrips extend straight down from your front rail system. The angle helps you maintain a neutral wrist position that will alleviate tension in your grip, and they can also send some of the recoil into your hand to enhance vertical stability. You can place the grip at a point on the rails where it’s most comfortable for you.

This type of foregrip also take up less space on your rail system, leaving room for other accessories. Many have capped compartments for small tools, replacement parts or extra batteries for your optic system.

• Magpul’s Rail Vertical Grip (RVG) can be used with a rail system, and it comes with the mounting hardware to custom fit it to polymer hand guards. It’s extremely lightweight, so it won’t weigh you down. It comes in five colors to go with your customization, and the textured surface will give you a sure grip every time.

• FAB Defense’s 7 Position Tactical Folding Foregrip gives you incredible versatility in your foregrip. The seven possible positions give you your choice for comfort, even if that changes in different firing positions, from the prone to standing, and folding it flat helps prevent it from catching on anything as you maneuver. It also has a waterproof compartment for extra batteries or small items.

Angled Foregrips

If you’re more comfortable holding the handgrips with a basic AR-15 than you are holding the magazine well, you may want to use some angled foregrips. Some will allow you to make slight adjustments in the angle of your hold by varying where on the grip you place your hand, letting you find the most comfortable position.

Angled foregrips do take up more space on the rail system, so you have to consider that as you accessorize your AR-15.

• Strike Industries’ LINK Curved Foregrip is designed to fit onto handgrips with either KeyMod or M-LOK designs. Its curved designed gives you multiple grip options to find your ideal hold, and the rear of the grip can also be used as a handstop. It’s available in multiple colors.

• Magpul’s AFG2 Angled Fore Grip has an interchangeable finger shelf, so you can have a flat surface or a finger nub, depending on what grip is comfortable for you. It attaches to a Picatinny or NATO STANAG 4694 rail system, and all hardware is included. The angle allows for a neutral, comfortable grip, and it comes in a variety of colors.

Handstops

Most handstops are similar to angled foregrips. They have a low profile, but with no angle, and they essentially serve as a reference point for your grip. You can place your hand to the front of it or place it so it will be between two of your fingers — whichever is more comfortable for you.

Using a handstop will help you come back to the same spot to get your ideal grip each time. If you prefer to hold the hand grips with your nonfiring hand, handstops may be your preferred foregrip. The “C” grip you’ll be using will help prevent muzzle climb. You can put your handstop on the rails beneath or on either side of the rail system, depending on how you feel comfortable holding it.

• Odin Works’ B1 KeyMod Handstop is an ideal quick reference point for your foregrip. It’s lightweight, so it won’t weigh you down. It attaches easily to a KeyMod rail system, and at only 2.5 inches, you’ll have plenty of space on your rails for other accessories.

• ERGO’s SURESTOP Tactical Rail Handstop gives you an alternative to common handstops. Similar to a vertical foregrip, it’s designed to fit comfortably in the web of your hand. Your hand will help absorb recoil, reducing muzzle lift, and you’ll consistently have the same comfortable grip with a small, simple attachment.

Magazine Well Grip

If you’ve used the magazine well as the grip for your non-firing hand while using a base model AR-15 or an M4/M16 while you were in the military, and you’re comfortable with that position, a magazine well grip may be right for your nonfiring hand. This position won’t give you the recoil reduction benefits that other foregrips will, but what matters most is your overall comfort.

This stance gives you a lot of stability, which is the helpful aspect of having your non-firing hand closer to your body, and the FAB Defense Magazine Well Grip will give this to you. It helps prevent your hand from partially gripping the magazine, which can lead to a malfunction.

The textured finger grooves of this grip give you a sure hold, which isn’t always possible when using the magazine well. It’s easy to install, and it has a window to show the serial number at all times. The bottom of this well grip is flared in order to help guide the magazine into the well.

Benefits of Upgrading Pistol Grip and Foregrip

The right Custom AR-15 grip can make slight differences in a variety of ways. They can help reduce stress on your wrists to help you relax, making your position steadier for that consistent sight picture. They also help absorb recoil, which can reduce muzzle climb. Some foregrips can enhance both of these benefits.

Foregrips also help you stabilize the barrel. A good grip with your non-firing hand can help you maintain horizontal stability, along with preventing muzzle climb, allowing you to quickly reengage your target after each shot and maintain your tight shot grouping. Depending on how you like to grip with your forehand, foregrips can also protect your hand as the barrel and rail systems heat up with extended use.

Wing Tactical, Your AR-15 Pistol Grip and Foregrip Supplier

Shopping for a custom AR-15 grip is a big step in building your new AR-15 or upgrading your old one. Having comfortable grips so you’re able to relax can make a significant difference in the quality of your shooting. Indeed, being relaxed enough in your positioning is fundamental to good shooting. Find the parts you need. Give yourself an edge!

As always, we can ship your parts the same day if you submit your order before 1 PM Eastern Time. If we don’t have it in stock, you can sign up for an email notification when we get it. And don’t forget about our 30-day hassle free return policy. We don’t think you’ll need it, but it’s available, just in case.