Vertical Foregrip
Vertical foregrips are perhaps one of the most popular AR accessories and have been around for a while. Most military M4 carbines use vertical foregrips, allowing the shooter to get a solid grip on the front of their carbine and control it more effectively, especially when shooting fully automatic.
Why Did Vertical Foregrips Become So Popular?
The rise in the popularity of vertical foregrips started with the Special Operations Peculiar MODification (SOPMOD) program back in 1989. The SOPMOD program developed a set of accessories for the M4 and other similar rifles used by US special operational forces. This program included a wide range of accessories from optics and night vision scopes to IR illuminators, lasers, and flashlights. Since Military M4 Carbines have short handguards, these accessories did not leave enough real estate for soldiers to get a solid grip on the rifle's forend. This is why foregrips were also added to the SOPMOD program. So, as always, the civilian market is usually obsessed with making their rifles look like the ones used by their military. Therefore, vertical foregrips became quite popular, even on long handguards with enough space to get a grip. The control and handling that these foregrips allow are unmatched, which is why they are still quite popular and useful.
Why Use a Vertical Foregrip?
Well, vertical foregrips offer several benefits, and most of them are related to ergonomics. First, a vertical foregrip makes it much easier to carry your rifle for a long time. For instance, if you are on a hunting trip, carrying your rifle in the low ready position for a long time can get fatiguing, especially for your support hand if you don't use a foregrip.
Moreover, vertical foregrips are especially useful for competition shooters since they can use multiple grip methods and maneuver their rifle between targets faster for better course times.
If you are shooting off-hand, vertical foregrips can also act as a very effective palm rest and allow you to shoot the rifle more comfortably with the proper elevation. A vertical foregrip can also function as a monopod in some situations when you are shooting from a table or on the ground.