Home AR-15 Caleb’s Picks: Top 5 Upgrades for Your AR-15

Caleb’s Picks: Top 5 Upgrades for Your AR-15

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Brownells Gun Tech™ Caleb Savant tells us his picks for the Top 5 upgrades to get better performance from your AR-15. These tips are geared toward the new AR-15 owner, but there may be some nuggets for the old hands as well. There are plenty more upgrades you can make, but these are the top five that’ll give you the most noticeable performance improvements. Good news: these upgrades require little-to-no gunsmithing.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:30 Sights/Optic
2:23 Trigger
3:39 Pistol Grip
4:39 Stock
6:24 Handguard
9:19 Wildcard

(1) SIGHTS / OPTIC: If you’re on a tight budget, start with just a set of flip-up sights. When you get an optic, those flip-ups will be great backup sights. You can go with a red dot optic or a 1x to 6x or 8x scope, called an LPVO (low-power variable optic). Which you choose will depend on your needs. Most optics come with a mount that clamps directly to your rifle’s receiver rail. An old-style carry-handle rifle will require a special adapter to mount your optic (Brownells sells them). Does your rifle have an A2 front sight tower? You CAN still put an optic on it, with a few limitations.

(2) TRIGGER: The stock “mil-spec” AR-15 trigger is pretty gritty. It gets the job done, but it’s not meant for precision shooting. For a modest investment, you can get a replacement trigger with a WAY better pull. There are even one-piece, drop-in trigger modules from companies like Timney, Wilson Combat, Rise Armament, and Triggertech that give your AR an instant trigger job.

(3) PISTOL GRIP: The basic A2-type grip is OK, but you can easily replace it with a grip that better fits your hand and shooting style. Magpul and other companies offer ergonomically enhanced pistol grips that give you a more comfortable, more secure hold on the gun, which will help you shoot it better.

(4) STOCK: Most factory AR-15s come with a basic M4 carbine type adjustable buttstock. It works, but it’s pretty bare bones. An inexpensive replacement like the Magpul MOE® stock will get you a much more comfortable cheekweld and better control. The even more comfortable B5 Systems SOPMOD stock has internal storage and more sling-attachment options.

(5) HANDGUARD: You really can’t easily mount a light, laser sight, vertical foregrip, or other accessories to the simple plastic M4 carbine handguard that comes with many basic AR-15s. Magpul offers snap-on handguards with M-LOK® slots for mounting accessories, or you can go with an all-aluminum snap-on handguard with four M1913 Picatinny rails (Brownells carries one by Daniel Defense). Then there’s a huge variety of free-floating handguards with a full-length Picatinny rail on top and M-LOK® slots on the sides and bottom. You will have to get out a wrench or two to install one of these ‘guards.

Finally, Caleb has a SIXTH upgrade he strongly recommends for getting more from your AR-15: PRACTICE. Put in time at the range, take some classes, improve your own physical skills, and see how much better that rifle shoots!

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45 COMMENTS

  11. Great video, very informative. I’m a new AR owner this was great for me!.
    I would also like to see your thoughts on the full length drop in handguards that go over the gas block/front sight, like the one from VISM NcStar?

  18. That being said, why put an iron front sight on the end of a 15" handguard and expect it to hold zero for more than 2-3 rounds?
    I personally put my FT iron as close to the receiver as possible without interfering with my other attachments or my natural grip position

  20. Much love for the MOE hand guard and grip! Love the improved feel. But unless you spend $100 or more on the butt stock, the mil spec is as good as it gets. With so little recoil, I see no advantage in a thin rubber butt pad on these.

  26. No offense to anyone, but I could not justify buying an AR that needed to be upgraded, and just decided to build it with Only the upgraded parts to start with. Very few kit parts left over.
    And I’m likely going to do again, with the same exact parts, so I have an exact full spare., and then maybe a few spare parts on top of that.

  27. Since you said this video is for beginners, It should be pointed out that Daniel Defense quad rail you show is actually a free floating rail and one of few that are drop in with no gunsmithing.

  29. To me after having great barrel it's: Optic > Trigger > JP Enterprises Silent Capture Spring > Adjustable gas block > Nickel Boron BCG > Handguard > Pistol Grip > Buttstock > Muzzle device
    Just remember, if your barrel sucks, good optic won't help, and if you have a great trigger and crap optic, who cares about your trigger when you can't properly aim.
    Also, this is 2023, running irons should be backup. Learning to shoot with irons has a huge learning curve. Red dot? Almost none, point and shoot.

  36. Personally I wouldn't consider Magpul MOE stock an upgrade. While I really like the MOE grip, the MOE stock lacks in QD sling socket and it is very rattly… I don't like that. I am considering to change it into MFT Battlelink Minimalist which is supposed to be very tight. And it is also light!

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