Reality Of Accessories

One of my favorite parts of building or setting up a new rifle, upper, or gear setup is picking out all the accessories, assembling everything, and then stepping back to admire it. I’ll often daydream about the next range day while I’m not thinking about…well, you know.. your mom.

But the reality is, once I’m on the range, at a course, or even just dry firing, I’ll usually find something I don’t like about the setup. I end up making changes because the gear I imagined in my mind doesn’t always translate into performance. I recently experienced this in a class with Matt Pranka, which forced me to rethink my approach and make adjustments to my rifle right there on the range. I was eager to compare my performance before and after the changes.

The unfortunate truth is that many people in the gun community don’t shoot enough to truly test their gear and discover its flaws.

After a recent three-day class, I ended up removing several items from my rifle setup. These included the TrueNorth Concepts HandStop, UNITY Fast Riser, Die Free Co Pistol Grip, and Magpul Cheek Riser. Here’s why:

TrueNorth Concepts HandStop
I’m a huge fan of the design and ergonomics of the TrueNorth Concepts HandStop, but the biggest issue I encountered is that it’s made of aluminum. When heat transfers from the barrel into the handguard, everything gets hot and uncomfortable. The little chunk of aluminum was so uncomfortable that it had me wishing for an oven mitt. I believe grips, hand stops, and similar products should be made of materials like polymer, G10, or whatever they use in 3D-printed accessories. These materials don’t absorb heat like aluminum does.

UNITY Fast Riser
If you’ve read my previous blog on optic heights here, you’ll know I’ve moved away from tall mounts and now prefer a lower 1/3 mount. The UNITY Fast Riser just didn’t work for me, and I found that going lower made for a more natural and comfortable shooting experience.

Magpul Cheek Riser
After removing the cheek riser, I found that I no longer needed it. Simple as that.

Die Free Co Pistol Grip
Let me start by saying the Die Free Co Pistol Grip is well-made and I’m sure it has its place for some shooters. However, after putting close to 1,000 rounds through my rifle in one day, I ended up with a hot spot on the inside of my middle finger, and I felt like I had arthritis. The grip’s scallop, angle, and overall length just weren’t comfortable for me. I really missed my B5 P23 grip, which is hands down my favorite. Keep in mind that grip comfort is subjective and depends on hand size and shooting style, so take this with a grain of salt.

Final Thoughts:
The internet and social media can drive us to chase trends constantly. As someone who’s gear-obsessed, I know the temptation to try the latest and greatest accessories. But sometimes, this leads to chasing solutions for problems that don’t exist. We end up adapting our shooting style to the gear rather than sticking with the fundamentals, and the result is often a setup that doesn’t perform the way we expect.

If you want to try new technology or gear, make sure to take it to the range or a class and test it out under real conditions. Only then will you know if it truly works for you.

As much as I’m sure you’d love to tell you more about penetrating abandoning gear, I’m afraid I’m running late to pick up someone’s mom.