Best AR-15 Furniture & Accessories [2021]

AR-15s are like the Legos of the adult world — totally customizable with a ton of parts to swap out, upgrade, and changeup.

But if you’re like us sometimes it can get overwhelming deciding 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 AR’s need to have the three essential ingredients to function comfortably.

If you want a basic look at AR furniture, check out the Brownells Daily Defense below. Jeff Gonzales of Trident Concepts goes over the AR-15 and what you might want to consider upgrading.

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 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 all for around $18.  

Also, the MOE+ Model has a rubber anti-slip coating ($23) which we highly recommend.

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. It comes in around $20 and sports a beavertail — which we prefer.

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 a couple of swappable choices for palm-size and front finger grooves.  Coming it at around $34 it’s a solid option.

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 would be 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.

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 cheekweld and some weight savings.

It’s been so far in my testing. And at around $56, you can’t really beat that price.

2. Magpul PRS Buttstock

For the precision rifle, the Magpul PRS Buttstock offers fine adjustments for both cheekweld and length of pull.

Weighing almost 2-pounds, this stock comes built to last. But word of caution, it does require a rifle-length buffer tube assembly.

This Magpul stock is priced at $240.

3. VLTOR IMOD Stock

The most comfortable adjustable stock we’ve tried, the VLTOR IMOD Stock is what we use to run in our race carbines. 

It features a sloped cheek weld that just feels right — light enough but a little expensive at $90.

4. ELF Ultralight Stock

When you absolutely need the lightest stock while still being adjustable, look at the ELF Ultralight Stock. 

Admittedly, it’s not the comfiest but comes in at just around 5-ounces…and looks super cool. 

It’s priced at $134.

5. 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 ton of weight and saves you a couple bucks.

What do you think of the Bravo B5 Stock? Why not give it a rating below?

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.

But again, if you want a couple of our faves, stick around and we’ll dish out two models worth looking at.

1. Magpul Rail Covers

If you want bare bones, basics…go with Magpul Rail Covers.

They’re super affordable at under $15 and give you the basic elements you need.

2. Magpul XTM Rail Covers

For a thicker feel that covers the rails entirely, we suggest Magpul XTM.

You get four pieces for $8 which isn’t a bad price at all.

AR-15 Sling Plates and Slings

Again, we have a whole article dedicated to the Best Rifles Slings that goes 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 attachment.

1. Magpul RSA Sling Attachment

The Magpul RSA Sling Attachment mounts securely to your Picatinny rails to give a front sling attachment point. 

It retails for $30.

2. 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, though, is that it rattles if no sling is attached. It comes priced around $30.

3. Magpul QD End Plate

This end plate offers an attachment point for quick-detach swivels on your slings.  

No more rattling problem like the above — just make sure you choose the right end plate for your kind of sling. Again, it’s priced at around $30.

4. Magpul MS3 Sling

The Magpul MS3 Sling offers a ightweight and durable sling that lets you easily transition between one point and two point sling modes.

It’s priced at $50.

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, tough, and easy to adjust.

It comes priced at $45.

Again, check out our full review of the best slings for your specific purpose.

Best AR-15 Vertical Grips

Vertical grips give you potential increased weapon handling and control. So, 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. Standard version is $70 while the CQB-sized version is $45.

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 and is priced at $23.

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.

This grip comes priced between $18 and $21.

Best AR-15 Alternative Grips

Other grips that aid in 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.

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.

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 kinda think the feet could be better traction on hard surfaces, though.

It comes in between $120 and $135.

2. Harris Bipods

The old school tried & true bipod — Harris Bipods. These are spring-loaded with quick telescoping legs.

Just make sure to choose the correct method of attachment to your rail and leg length. Priced between $70 and $100.

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.  

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. Nab three for $12.

2. Magpul Mag Coupler

The Mag Coupler allows you to join together two magazines so you got an extra 30 rounds on your rifle. 

Just be aware of the extra weight. This fits PMAG30 and PMAG 30 M3 magazines and is priced at $17.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are tons of options when it comes to 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.