8 Best Pistol Grip for AR-15 in 2024

The Top 8 Best Pistol Grips for AR-15 Reviewed

One of the most crucial components for operating your AR15 rifle is the pistol grip. A reliable grip is essential as it allows the user to comfortably and safely fire the weapon, reduces the chance of injury, and improves aim. With so many choices available, it can be tough to pick the Best Pistol Grip for AR-15.

When it comes to the importance of the best ar 15 grips, Top Brass explains that not only having a quality grip but learning how to use it properly is imperative for optimal function. It reduces the chances of malfunction. One of the first steps in preparing yourself to learn the best hand placement and how to fire your AR-15 effectively and safely is having a quality, fitting grip.

There are many considerations when choosing a grip. The more you know about grips, the better informed you will be to make that decision. We’ve sifted through all the AR-15 pistol grips on the market so you don’t have to. Here’s our list of the best AR 15 pistol grips.

What is An AR-15 Pistol Grip?

As the AR-15 rose in popularity, manufacturers began offering aftermarket components like innovative pistol grips. The new styles of grips contributed greatly to the popularity of the AR-15. With better ergonomics, the customized features like finger grooves, palm swells, and new angles, people found their AR-15s to be more accurate and easier to control when fired.

The AR-15 is now touted as the leading option for self-defense, hunting, and home protection. Many manufacturers now offer multiple options for inexpensive but good quality pistol grips to fit every size hand and personal preference, contributing to the popularity of this weapon. The hardest decision now is which one to choose.

Important Features for Choosing the Best AR 15 Pistol Grip

You might be wondering how to tackle the important decision of deciding on a grip for your AR-15. AT3 Tactical offers some help with this decision by listing the 5 most important considerations when it’s time to choose your AR-15 grip. They point out that the right grip gives you the most control over your gun. A comfortable grip is a key to ultimate performance when firing your gun.

Here are five considerations for purchasing a pistol grip for your AR-15.

1. Pick the correct orientation. There are right-handed, left-handed, and ambidextrous options. The grip should fit your dominant hand perfectly. Ambidextrous grips are the most common but one orientation will fit more closely than the other. If you plan to do tactical shootitng switching between hands, you might want to consider an ambidextrous orientated grip.
2. Choosing your grip material is another important consideration. You need to factor in comfort, weight, and durability. Everyone will have a different response to the feel and comfort of each material. You need to decide for yourself what feels the best. Rubber-coated grips are very popular and provide a little more substance than some other materials like bare polymer.
3. There are variations within each grip design like the finger grooves and contours. The best grips will contour to your fingers and increase the strength of your hold. Most of the grips are universal and will work with either hand. The bottom line on finger grooves and contours is that they provide you with a firmer hold.
4. For those that use their AR-15 for long-range shooting or work with a bipod, a palm shelf assists with relaxing the grip for better shots. The palm shelf also helps keep a steady trigger as it adds more weight and serves as a recoil damper. This makes setting up for your next shot quicker and more easily.
5. If you have a bit of equipment that you need to tuck away but keep near at hand, consider an AR15 pistol grip that has a built-in storage compartment. This type of grip can be useful for holding tools, optic batteries, or survival items.

Selecting the Best Pistol Grip for AR-15

When it comes to picking the grip for your pistol, Mountain Solutions Plus suggests that the final decision will come down to feel and personal taste. They emphasize that you should stick with a reliable brand. Be sure to read the reviews before making your purchase.

There are some factors to keep in mind when making your choice. With any pistol grip, the main importance is that the grip allows you to fire your weapon in a way that is stable and safe. Since there are so many grip options now available, it’s important to understand the many features and the differences in materials and angles. Each of these factors will make a difference in firearm handling as every person has different requirements for size and features.

Ar15 pistol grip factors to consider:

• Should be rugged and comfortable enough to use in any situation
• Find a grip that best matches your intended use
• Right angle and size
• Has perfect finger-to-trigger positioning
• Constructed of quality material
• Consider a rubberized finish vs hard finish
• Aggressive texture
• Palm swells
• Finger grooves

One feature you might want to focus on is a grip angle. Getting it right allows for better posture when firing. Your hand and wrist should be placed at a natural angle which some of the standard grip angles may not offer.

The advantage of the rubberized finish and aggressive texture is that these features assist in managing the firearm better over long periods. In wet and high moisture environments, these grip features will help prevent your hold on the gun from slipping.

When considering finger grooves and palm swells, remember that they come in different sizes and layouts. Try several different types to find the one that fits your hand the best.

What Are The Benefits of Upgrading Your AR-15 Grip?

Practical Defensive Training states that upgrading a pistol grip is one of the most outstanding improvements you can make on an AR-15. Many come with a standard Magpul grip which may be too shallow and may force the wrist to be positioned with a less than optimal grip or at an uncomfortable angle.

You can change your pistol grip easily and inexpensively. You will go from a less-than-optimal grip to one that will improve performance and decrease fatigue while shooting. With a new grip, the angle will allow your wrist to remain in a more neutral position. The benefit of this is that it will relieve the strain of bending your wrist in an uncomfortable position.

What to Look for in the Best AR-15 Pistol Grip

Finding accessories for an AR-15 in an everchanging market is bewildering as upgrades and new designs are constantly being introduced. Stay with a brand you know and trust. Here are a few features you might want to consider when looking to purchase your new grip.

• Durable polymers or reinforced fiberglass for durability in even the most rugged conditions
• Extra back and front width and different sizes to match your hand size
• A finger shelf
• A removable inner core with space for something like a bottle of lube is always handy
• Storage for extra batteries, etc.
• Mounting hardware should come included
• A core plug
• A grip that allows a reduced grip angle and has good ergonomics

Other things to consider regarding AR15 pistol grips

A vertical foregrip helps with the maneuverability of an AR15. The natural angle of a person’s hand when outstretched is designed better to grasp an object in the vertical position rather than one that is perpendicular.

Like AR15 pistol grips, vertical foregrips may offer small storage areas inside their inner diameter. They can also provide a mount for a tactical light and control switches that are molded into the grip assembly. Some designs feature a bottom thread and O-ring to make the storage compartment waterproof.

A word of caution, installing a forward pistol grip may change the status of your firearm. It may be considered an NFA-restricted “Any Other Weapon” which requires a tax stamp.

The rule on this is: if your weapon measures less than 26 inches from the back of the buffer tube to the muzzle (a muzzle device is not included unless it’s permanently attached) then attaching the vertical grip classifies it as a restricted firearm. If it’s more than 26 inches, it is not a configuration regulated by NFA and is still legally a title 1 firearm. Put simply, if you have an overall length of 26 inches, you may attack a vertical grip.

Keep in mind that some state laws forbid adding a vertical foregrip. Check your state laws before adding one.

AR15 Pistol Grip Sizes

There are two ways to look at a pistol grip, technical and subjective. Let’s take a look at the technical side first.

• Come in high on the backstrap and take a firm but unstrained grip
• Stack your three bottom fingers underneath the trigger guard
• Relax your thumb and keep your hand wrapped firmly on the grip
• Your three fingers should not be touching the palm of your hand
• You get good leverage when your finger is on the trigger
• You can move and control the trigger easily and effectively

If all the technical features pan out, more importantly, does the grip fit you from a comfort standpoint? Like shoes, you may have multiple pairs that fit but one pair feels the most comfortable, the same is true with grips. You may have several that fit, but try multiple styles if you have the option and see which one feels the best

AR15 Pistol Grip Storage Compartments

Shooting Illustrated tells the story of how one of the tricks that people learned when in the field was to fill every possible nook and cranny with things that you may need, especially in an emergency.

Paratroopers from back in the day would jam tobacco into the buttstocks of the M16s. At the time, no aftermarket products were available with trapdoor spaces to carry extra items or supplies. Spare batteries had to be taped into the space in a pistol grip.

Fortunately, there are now dozens of AR15 grip models with compartments designed for storage. They range widely in function and design. Some models are less efficient in holding items. They may pop open if heavier items are placed inside and there is any recoil.

Other models of grips have been designed that use a snap or wedge to hold the contents of the compartment safely and securely. You can now carry many types of useful items in the storage compartment of your pistol grip. Some of the commonly stored items include:

• Spare earplugs
• DEET soaked wet wipes
• Brushes and oil bottle for anti-corrosion wipe-down
• Spare batteries for optics
• Extra extractor
• Extractor pins
• Firing pins
• Spare ammo
• Snacks
• Any item you feel is essential to the maintenance of your pistol

Whatever you decide to put into your grip, either choose a grip that has padding included or pad the items to keep them from rattling around. Some grips come with O-rings and are waterproof, others are not. If the grip with a storage compartment you choose is not water-resistant, use a small zip-lock bag to keep your items dry.

Some of the best AR15 grips on the market come with a field tool. These can have up to around 14 useful applications and stow in the handle of the grip. One of these models is included in a review below.

Since there are several types of mechanisms used to latch the storage compartments closed, they offer different levels of security. You may have a grip that is better designed for comfort than compartment security. In this case, use some duct tape for a little insurance.

In case you are wondering, approximately 8 bite-sized Tootsie Rolls will fit in the grip of your AR-15 pistol grip.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a reliable, well-tested, and highly rated AR-15 pistol grip, The Ergo Grip is the clear winner. While it might be a bit more expensive than other grips, this pistol grip has all the best features. Ergo is a reputable company that has produced many quality grips. They have excellent customer service to process orders. Their products are backed by a Lifetime Guarantee. For those with medium to large hands, the Ergo is one of the Best AR Grips you can buy

No matter which grip you go with, make sure you get it installed right and get a good feel for it before taking it into a situation where you will be depending on it. Have fun, shoot safe and check back for more great info and reviews on firearm products.