Gripping the mag well on AR?

[Nathan Krynn]

A little food for thought...

I tend to do it on my m-14 but I look at it as a bad habit and am trying to correct it.

I've listened to some of the professional shooters out there like Tod Jarret and the consensus seems to be that moving your hand farther toward the muzzle on the fore grip will give you a steadier presentation, i.e. it will help your accuracy.

Exactly. Shooting a single non moving target doesn't matter. It is when you try to transition to multiple targets that you will see that a magwell hold you are no where as steady as further up on the handguard. You just have more control.

[Army]

When wearing full IBA, it's a lot easier to grab the magwell, than to use any other hold. It's also the reason we have front pistol grips too.

The extended grip over the top of the handguards works fantastic in competition or at the range with friends......really really sucks when you cannot reach that far due to your IBA restricting that much movement.

[SuperSet]

I agree with Nathan and Dwa. The support hand grip has evolved even though you still see some shooters still using the magwell grip, largely out of dogma and institutional inertia.

[itisagoodname]

... also to add, that Mako magwell grip is crap... It doesnt fit either of my rifles and feels like airsoft garbage. I'll give it to you if you want to try it on yours. I'm in Fremont.

[send it_hit]

thanks for all the good info... once i get my upper and put everything together, i'll be trying out all kinds of holds. makes sense about gripping further forward giving more control. im thinking this will come into play a little more with my rifle, since it is in 6.8 SPC.

... also to add, that Mako magwell grip is crap... It doesnt fit either of my rifles and feels like airsoft garbage. I'll give it to you if you want to try it on yours. I'm in Fremont.

I appreciate that, but i think i'll be going with one of the EMA grips. Thanks for the offer though.

[itisagoodname]

thanks for all the good info... once i get my upper and put everything together, i'll be trying out all kinds of holds. makes sense about gripping further forward giving more control. im thinking this will come into play a little more with my rifle, since it is in 6.8 SPC.



I appreciate that, but i think i'll be going with one of the EMA grips. Thanks for the offer though.

Good choice, those look pretty clean... Still not sure if i want the mag grip or an Magpul AFG.

[Droppin Deuces]

You might also try putting your VFG(if you have a rail) as close to the receiver as it will go. I find that to be better than gripping the mag well. In most cases, though, I will shoot with the VFG toward the middle of the rail on a carbine length handguard.
I think it really depends on the type of shooting you're doing as well. If you're trying to reach out a little farther than 150-200 yards, you won't be doing yourself any favors with that 3-gun hold. The closer your arms are to your body, the more options you have to brace yourself.

[dwa]

You might also try putting your VFG(if you have a rail) as close to the receiver as it will go. I find that to be better than gripping the mag well. In most cases, though, I will shoot with the VFG toward the middle of the rail on a carbine length handguard.
I think it really depends on the type of shooting you're doing as well. If you're trying to reach out a little farther than 150-200 yards, you won't be doing yourself any favors with that 3-gun hold. The closer your arms are to your body, the more options you have to brace yourself.

A very valid point to consider also.

[Molby242]

You might also try putting your VFG(if you have a rail) as close to the receiver as it will go. I find that to be better than gripping the mag well. In most cases, though, I will shoot with the VFG toward the middle of the rail on a carbine length handguard.
I think it really depends on the type of shooting you're doing as well. If you're trying to reach out a little farther than 150-200 yards, you won't be doing yourself any favors with that 3-gun hold. The closer your arms are to your body, the more options you have to brace yourself.

Would you still be standing unsupported for a 200yrd shot?

For me at that distance I'd probably be in the prone. At least in a kneel or one hand supported (ie. tree, pole). Which in that case it's back to the underhand on handguard with fingers curling over top of the rail grip. (And again that's just my personal preference so it keeps my elbow in)

[Droppin Deuces]

Would you still be standing unsupported for a 200yrd shot?

For me at that distance I'd probably be in the prone. At least in a kneel or one hand supported (ie. tree, pole). Which in that case it's back to the underhand on handguard with fingers curling over top of the rail grip. (And again that's just my personal preference so it keeps my elbow in)

Not me, no way. I can't hit **** while standing for the most part, but I seem to do quite well kneeling or sitting. Anything that allows me to rest my elbows. That's why I avoid the straight arm 3-gun hold in general. I imagine if I were doing a lot of shooting inside 25 yards I would think differently, but I tend to ignore even the 200 yard targets when I'm at the range.