Top 17 AR-15 Accessories and Upgrades We Recommend

Everyone knows the AR-15 is America’s rifle. But if you want to make one your own, it’s time to look at accessories and upgrades.

Here are the AR-15 accessories and upgrades we recommend to get the most out of your rifle:

Stocks

An upgraded stock will have a better butt pad, ergonomics, and storage compartments. These compartments are perfect for batteries and spare parts. Here are the two we recommend:

Magpul SL Stock

The Magpul MOE SL stock is a replacement buttstock for AR-15s using the mil-spec-sized receiver extension tubes. We recommend this upgrade to increase the comfortability of shouldering the firearm.

BCM Mod 0

Bravo Company’s Gunfighter Stock Mod 0 is the strongest lightweight polymer stock available for your mil-spec receiver extension. With no sharp edges, this snag-free design prevents the tangling of the rifle with the shooter’s sling, molle gear, or other kit.

Grips

The most popular AR-15 upgrade. A new grip will typically cover up that annoying gap right behind the underside of the trigger guard that will rub your middle finger raw during long practice sessions.

MOE Grip

The MOE K2 offers a more vertical grip angle in a full-size grip design. The grip angle is optimized for personal defense while improving comfort and control on short LOP rifles by bringing the primary hand closer to the shooter’s body. The MOE also features aggressive TSP texture for better weapon control.

BCM MOD 3

Like the MOE above, the BCM Gunfighter MOD 3 provides a slightly different aesthetic and grip shape that some prefer.

Midwest Industries Handguard

The Midwest Industries Gen 4 M-Series Handguard is a slim and ergonomic upgrade to most factory rails. It features a Mil-Spec M1913 Picatinny top rail, M-LOK accessory mounting slots on 7 flats along its length, and four anti-rotation QD sling swivel mounting points.

BCM Gunfighter MCMR Rail

Like the Handguard above, most people prefer the look and feel of the BCM option.

Noveske Recon Barrel

The barrel quality of the Noveske will provide better accuracy potential than most other standard AR-15 barrels, and let’s be honest- the Noveske barrels look better.

Optics

One of the dollar-for-dollar single best performance enhancers you can bolt onto your rifle. A great optic will massively improve the ease of finding your target. Here are the optics we recommend:

Holosun Red Dot

Besides the obvious “I have a sick red dot sight,” - The Holosun Red Dot is an excellent value for your money. Additionally, any optic will enhance the accuracy and usability over using your iron sights.

This sight also does its best to do away with battery changes by boasting a 20,000-hour plus battery life. In addition, it automatically adjusts dimness to match ambient light levels, saving battery juice, and even has a solar panel on top for supplementing battery power.

EOTech Holographic

The EOTech EXPS2-0 maximizes rail space and allows for co-witnessing of iron sights. It has side buttons to add magnification and green reticle technology, which is about 5x easier to see than red in daylight. Plus… It’s cool as hell.

Trijicon Scope

The Trijicon Credo 1-8 is one of the more sophisticated compact rifle scopes offering adjustable magnification from 1x to 8x. Featuring an illuminated reticle and anti-reflective glass, this one won’t disappoint.

Geissele Trigger

The Geissele Super Semi-Automatic Triggers offer a more crisp trigger pull, quicker reset, and more precise and accurate trigger control than the standard mil-spec trigger. This two-stage trigger has a 2.5-pound first stage and a 2-pound second stage and is recommended for home defense, law enforcement, and hunting.

Magpul PMAG

Magpul AR/M4 Gen M3 Window Magazines are far more reliable than your standard magazine, ensuring your rounds feed every time. Additionally, they offer the added benefit of a viewing window, enhanced curve geometry, and a new four-way, anti-tilt follower. They were also recently cleared by the U.S. Marine Corps for active-duty use.

Radian Raptor Charging Handle

The Raptor charging handle is truly revolutionary in design & function. Charging the weapon from either side is fast and fluid because of the ambidextrous charging handle. Additionally, this charging handle offers more length than the standard A2 charging handle.

Magpul M-LOK Rail Covers

M-LOK Type 2 Rail Covers are low-profile, two-piece covers installed directly onto most M-LOK aluminum handguards. These M-LOK Covers are non-orientation specific, which allows the user to mount them in any direction desired without affecting function.

They also feature beveled contours to minimize potential snagging, Magpul's TSP texture for additional grip, and protrude only slightly more than 1/8" from the mounting surface to maintain a low profile. In addition, the center locking tab is pre-scored to allow the user to snap off sections and mix and match colors for a customized look.

Accessories We Recommend

Outside of actual upgrades, there are a few accessories that will improve your rifle. Here are the accessories we think are worth the money:

Flashlight

A good flashlight will allow you to find your target in low-light situations. Especially useful since most attacks take place in low-light hours.

Sling

A rifle without a sling is like a handgun without a holster. Find a quality, quick adjustable two-point sling for your AR-15 to increase the ease of carrying.

Iron Sights

It never hurts to have a backup set of good iron sights if you have an optic break or run out of battery in the field.

AR-15 Accessories and Upgrades We Recommend Summary

We could make this list significantly longer; however, these are some excellent recommendations to start with. You can find more AR-15 accessories and upgrades on our website.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our email below to receive deals, updates, and more!