Foregrips are an interesting piece of hardware for our modern AR-15 rifles. The reason why they are interesting is most people do not understand their origin. They are simply misunderstood. Foregrips – whether you are staring at a Tommy gun or an AR-15 – were originally designed to help mitigate and control the recoil of full-auto rate of fire. Often when you shoot a full-auto, the muzzle climbs quickly and it is difficult to stay on target. To aid in keeping rounds down range and on target, vertical foregrips were devised to give us a stronger grip and control of those full-auto firearms. Now, flash forward past the time of 1920s gangsters with Tommy guns or full-auto AR-15s from foreign conflicts to the present. Most of us do not own full-auto firearms. So, why are people still using foregrips? The foregrip has evolved over the years and the designs crafted by us here at Tyrant CNC are emblematic of that evolution.
Now, a lot of people are deploying one of two different types of foregrips (if they are not using an outright vertical grip on a real full-auto firearm). Those two categories of foregrips are a handstop or what we would define as a minimalist foregrip (like the Tyrant Mod Foregrip and Mod V2 Foregrip). A handstop performs the task that its name blatantly implies: it stops your hand from reaching too far out on your forearm. Being able to stretch out your arms – reach out far on your rifle’s forearm for a grip – gives you more leverage, stability, and command of your weapon. It allows you to control the recoil and drive it where you need it to go. The handstop ensures you reach out as far as possible, but not too far. If you reach beyond your forearm you might touch a sizzling hot barrel, silencer, or even your muzzle device. If that happens you could get a nasty burn, or the worst could be a severe injury if the pressure from a muzzle brake hurts your hand. So, a handstop quite simply “stops your hand” from reaching too far when you are trying to put leverage in your favor.
A minimalist foregrip like the Tyrant Mod Foregrip and Mod V2 Foregrip can do many of those same things but with a much smaller footprint on your rifle. If you happen to have a flashlight, pressure switch, lasers, bipod, and a million other accessories on your rifle, you likely don’t want a large foregrip; thus, a minimalist foregrip is perfect. You can receive all the same benefits of a handstop with more contact and surface area between your hand and the grip itself. It all boils down to your personal preferences.
In the end, make sure to get out there training, honing your craft, and getting reps with your firearms, and likely Tyrant can help you along the way with some rad accessories. Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!
