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.

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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/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.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Also, the MOE+ Model has a rubber anti-slip coating 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.
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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. Solid option for the price.
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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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5. BCM Mod-1 Gunfighter Grip
Another of our favorite rifle and gear manufacturers…BCM.
They have several “Mods” for their grips…but the one we like is the Mod-1. It sports a reduced angle that makes it more comfortable for CQB and shorter guns.

The Mod-1 differs from the Mod-0 in that the back portion is thinner, which we found works best with the reduced angle.
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That only touches a few of our favorite grips…for all the rest, check out Best AR-15 Grips.
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 perfect so far in my testing, and comes QD-mount is ready for slings.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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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. It’s built for a rifle-length buffer tube but also comes with spacers to make it work with regular-spec carbine-length tubes.
Though pricier, it’s great for its specific purpose of precision shooting with your AR.
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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 on 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?
5. Tyrant CNC Nexgen Buttstock
No doubt, Tyrant CNC likes to push the envelope in developing its accessories, using cool materials and precision machining. Their new buttstock is a great example of this.

Made of polymer, carbon fiber, and aluminum, this butt stock fits on all standard AR-15 buffer tubes and comes in five different colors.
This allows you to match them up nicely with other Tyrant products.
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The carbon fiber portion is laid on the cheek rest to protect you from extreme climes, and the stock adjustment lever is located on both sides, making it ambidextrous.
This is a high-quality unit that is easy to install.
6. Law Tactical Gen 3 Side Folder Adapter
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…

How about more buttstocks? Or how about AR-15 Pistols?
Check out our Best AR-15 Buttstocks as well as our Best AR-15 Pistol Braces articles.

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.

Best Rail Covers
If you’ve got a lot of Picatinny rail space that’s unused…you’ll want some rail covers to prevent damage and to give your hands a little more grip.

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 at around $10, which isn’t bad 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 go 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.
Great if you only have upper Picatinny rails.
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2. Midwest Industries M-LOK QD Mount
Looking for a nice M-LOK capable sling mount? The Midwest version is tiny and out of the way.
I like the angled ramp where you can choose to put your thumb.
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3. 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.
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4. Magpul QD End Plate
This end plate offers an attachment point for quick-detach swivels on your slings.
No more rattling problems 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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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.
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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 potentially increased weapon handling and control. But they are getting a little rarer due to better weapon control by C-Clamping on the rail instead.

Still, 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.
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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.
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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.
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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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Also…more grips where that came from in our Best AR-15 Foregrips article.
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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See more of our favorites in Best Rifle Bipods.
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.
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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.
Final Thoughts
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.
58 Leave a Reply
I've gotta voice my opinion here...
The Stark OneGrip and Strike Industries Grips are two of my favorite AR grips. The Stark feels molded specifically for my hand and the Strike Industries offers plenty of grip angles and a rubber texture. Strike has by far my favorite angled forgrip too.
The Magpul STR comes out on top of the Vltor IMOD because the STR doesn't pull beard hairs.
And lastly, BCM's rail covers blow the other options out of the water.
Of the "Best AR-15 Pistol Grips" on this list:
Magpul grips (all of them on this list)... one of the worst things you can use if you have carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis.
Tyrant Design ... one of the worst things you can use if you have carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis.
BCM Mod-1 ... not too bad for carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis.
Hogue Overmold ... better for carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis.
If your carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis isn't too bad. like minor, repeated frequent use of the Magpul grips or the Tyrant Design can make it worse over time. And if your carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis is a more than minor the Magpul grips or the Tyrant Design will aggravate it and continued use will make it worse over time. There is just a bad angle here for these grips that sits right at the improper angle that relieves pressure on the carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis plus with the Tyrant Design 'skeletonized' thing with the change in grip surface 'tension' contact stability across the hand it causes small movement of the hand surface against the grip on those that causes pressure on the carpal tunnel or De Quervain tenosynovitis by the same grip surface tension not being evenly distributed across the hand.
A small correction to my post...
"There is just a bad angle here for these grips that sits right at the improper angle that relieves..." well, that should have been "There is just a bad angle here for these grips that sits right at an improper angle that causes irritation ..."
Lots of good choices and suggestions. Personally I really like the Luth-AR Chubby. The palm swell seems to be perfect for me, enough that I've put one on three different guns.
My personal "Rule of Thumb" has been when in doubt, you can't go wrong with Magpul, so the main furniture on my ARs is Magpul. I do like the MOE grip with the storage module because its great for storing batteries or other small parts one might need.
All 4 Handguards I have are PSAs House brand. I don't know who makes them for PSA, but they say they're made in the US. All are M-Loks and all my guns are free float. All were under a $100 at the time I bought them. Being on a tight budget, that has a major influence on what I can afford.
I' ve only 1 gu n set up with a bipod, and only 1 Harris, though I do have a short M1913 rail on each AR, so it could be swapped out if necessary.
I use the QD sling mounts already on the Handguard and the buttstock. Except for q Blue Force Gear, my other slings are house brands. One's a Pew Pew. One 2 of the guns also have the rear plate that accepts a single point sling for keeping hands free but the gun ready to go
That's it. Other than a 2nd short Pic rail to mount a light, a Streamlight PolyTac and it QR mount I keep on 2 guns, I don't have a bunch of swag on any gun.
What's the rail cover you guys have pictured on the DDM4V7?
I think its pretty crazy that the ergo grips didnt make the grip list. I dont have a ton of experience with other grips, but me and a friend both put that ergo on our first builds and its been our favorite so far for sure.
Im surprised too. Love Ergo grips. Tbh, bought one because of Obi wan Nairobi and never looked back
Banish Suppressor pic is the Banish .22, not a banish 30 let alone the Banish Gold that features quick Connect/Disconnect.
Good article that at least gives those who are starting out a solid place to start. Might I also mention Luth-AR's line of furniture. Have one from their MBA line and a couple of their pistol grips (The Chubby) for my AR-10/15 and Ruger PRC.
Y'all leaving the BCM Gunfighter grip out is crazy. For the money, it's hard to beat.
Barry- Totally agree and thanks for bringing it up. For me the main feature is the little tail that covers the SUPER annoying gap in the trigger guard. That has caused significant distraction and a bit of pain (and brings home the point that gloves are just about mandatory, at least for me).
Just installed mine and it's the tits- perfect fit and excellent positioning for my hand. The texture is awesome. I might wish for a 'stickier' compound like the MagPul grips but so far it actually hasn't been needed.
What is your opinion on the ZION-15? I have heard great things. They come standard with B5 stock and grip.
Have the IWI - great AR.
Sorry. You did mention the Bravo B5 butt stocks. They pass for real use.
You said you were covering the best furniture for AR's but you never even mentioned any of the best. You went basic, cheap and expensive show-off (on the pistol grips). The best are the items that would be selected for real world, go-to-war, heavy combat use. I bet you won't even post this in the comments.
strike industries extended charging handle latch
the best 20 dollar ar upgrade
period
^^^THIS.
Yes. Perfect.
Magpul Magpul Magpul!!! Yeah, they make pretty good stuff. My money on best stock though is the Daniel Defense collapsible stock. Rubberized cheek weld is very comfortable and just looks sleek.
One stock I think everyone should consider is the A1 length fixed stock. I got a Brownells Retro one and it's really nice.
Congratulations. Now you have a $6,000 rifle. And you still can't shoot worth sh#t.
HEY! If man were meant to bulleyes at 25 yards God would have given him better aim. Now leave me, my $6000 rifle, and my abysmal aiming skills alone!
Curious that you left out some great equipment. This article did not seem to be that well thought out. I know, there's a lot out there but you could have used types of builds as major categories, then filled in the blanks with equipment specific to that role. You could have made it a multi part series. Just a thought.
Shut up, Tom. How about you write the article then.
Tom should have. The readers would have actually received useful information if he had. I'm sorry that you are only brave enough to tell him to shut up, from behind your keyboard, and not to his face.
I agree. B should shut up.
Dudes, you cats ate normally spot on, but no mention of the Luth-AR MBA? May need to look into a lil jb weld for your pipe...