The AR-15 is America’s Rifle in part because of how modular it is. Unlike so many other platforms, you can swap out parts fairly easily and there are tons of AR-15 parts available that offer wide cross-compatibility.
The other thing to keep in mind is that these swaps can be made not just for aesthetic or personalization purposes, but to improve performance. Here are 6 AR parts that you can swap out to boost handling or performance.
The Muzzle Device
There’s a very good chance that your AR-15’s barrel is threaded. There’s an even better chance that it came with a flash hider.
A flash hider is a muzzle device that manages the muzzle flash so that it does not temporarily blind the operator, which keeps the sight picture clear, enabling faster, more accurate follow up shots.
The utility here is limited. While there is a use case, there are much more practical muzzle devices. Notably, muzzle brakes come to mind.
Swapping out the flash hider for a muzzle brake will result in lower felt recoil, which isn’t necessarily too much of a deal with .223 or 5.56, but can make a difference with heavier calibers.
Also, since a muzzle brake will cut felt recoil and muzzle rise, it will help you make faster, more accurate follow-up shots.
The Bolt Carrier Group
One AR-15 part that may make a lot of sense to switch out is the bolt carrier group or BCG. This is the central AR part of the rifle action, and contains the gas rings, firing pin and spring, extractor and ejector. It is therefore responsible for firing, extracting, and ejecting, and partially responsible for cycling.
The issue is that many AR-15 parts kits come with mil-spec bolt carrier groups that have a phosphate coating. There are two benefits to this type of finish: phosphate is affordable, and it is non-reflective.
Beyond that, the benefits are limited. It takes more liquid lubricant to keep the BCG cycling fluidly, and that in turn attracts dust and other debris that will accelerate abrasion and other wear-related damage.
There are, by contrast, much better BCG coatings out there, including but not limited to black nitride, titanium nitride, diamond-like carbon, nickel boron, and hard chrome. All of these high-quality coatings and finishes offer better permanent dry lubricity and therefore require less liquid lubrication, as well as better corrosion resistance, than mil-spec BCGs.
The Pistol Grip
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with an A2 pistol grip, but at the same time if you’re looking for a larger, more ergonomic grip, or you want something overmolded, the A2 leaves a lot on the table.
It’s also the case that this is one AR part that is very easy to replace and about which you don’t need to worry too much about compatibility. In most cases it’s just a screw and a washer to replace it and assuming it fits on your gun, you’re good to go.
Plus, replacing the pistol grip can reduce fatigue and improve handling, both of which can result in greater accuracy at both close and longer distances.
The Handguard
Most AR-15 rifles, but not all, come with Picatinny quad rails. These are solid AR handguards, and offer a lot of attachment points. Moreover, because of their popularity, many, if not most, AR attachments are Picatinny compatible.
At the same time, and despite the far-reaching advantages of Picatinny quad rail systems, they are heavy, bulky, and uncomfortable to operate without gloves.
There are other potentially better AR-15 handguard systems, including but not limited to both Keymod and M-LOK rail systems. Both of these latter systems are lighter in weight and more comfortable to handle than Picatinny rail systems, and there are a fairly wide range of attachments compatible with both.
Ultimately, they offer effectively all of the same benefits as Pic rail systems with a few additional ones of their own - namely lightweight design and ergonomics.
Add a Vert Grip Under the Handguard
One more addition you can make to your AR-15 is to add a vertical grip, also known as a vert grip, at the bottom of the handguard which can vastly improve your control of the rifle.
Not only will it make it easier for you to aim and fire, while improving handling and control, but a vert grip can enhance your leverage, help you better absorb recoil, and greatly improve the comfort of shooting the rifle.
The Buffer Weights
Here’s a tip for those of you that don’t have adjustable gas blocks and who are experiencing a lot of recoil - you may be able to mitigate this somewhat by replacing your buffer tube system, more specifically adding heavier buffer weights.
Heavier buffer weights will slow down the action cycling and also add mass, which helps absorb recoil, resulting in a smoother-shooting rifle.
Replacing these AR15 parts can have a considerable and positive impact on the handling and cycling of the rifle.
Building with an AR-15 Parts Kit
In addition to replacing AR15 parts that are on your stock rifle, you also have the option to build a rifle with an assembled upper, a lower, and an AR-15 lower parts kit. This will give you the flexibility to add in parts or replace them as you work through the build, enabling you to create a completely custom rifle as you see fit. It’ll also free you from some of the issues associated with shortages and high prices that are plaguing the market. Shop our collection of AR parts and other essential components and build a rifle that offers custom, consistent performance.