Best AR-15 Handguard Choices: Guarding Your Hand

Tinker, tinker, tinker, if you own an AR, you’ve had to have had the urge to tinker with it. Why wouldn’t you? They are the most customizable platforms on the planet. You can swap nearly everything. Triggers, stocks, grips, and of course, handguards. Handguards come in numerous designs, lengths, configurations, and more. In this article, we’ll go over what we believe are the best AR-15 handguard options available (and why we think so).

Purpose of a Handguard

It’s to guard the hand, duh. Barrels get hot, and your hand will get toasty without a handguard. The earliest AR-15 and M16 rifles used simple polymer handguards. The use of polymer in the weapon’s furniture was quite revolutionary back in the day and provided a lightweight alternative to wood. 

That’s all fine and dandy, and while some budget rifles come with simple handguards, that’s hardly the only purpose of these things. Modern handguards are utilized to mount accessories. These accessories include lights, lasers, bipods, sling mounts, and much more. As the technology evolved, these handguards became more important, and modularity became key to utilizing the top tech. 

At the same time, these handguards still have to be handguards. They need to provide you with adequate and ergonomic space to grip the gun and easily use it. You’ll also need to consider various factors, including barrel length, attachment method, sight and gas block setup, and more. Luckily, you’ve clicked the right link, and we’ll take you through the best AR 15 handguards on the market and explain the different factors involved in choosing a proper handguard.

How I Chose the Best AR-15 Handguard

As a former Marine and lifelong shooter, I’ve spent years handling various AR-15 handguards, giving me insight into what makes a great one. In compiling this article, I drew on my personal experiences and consulted with expert shooters familiar with AR-15 handguards. Their input has shaped this list of top-rated AR-15 handguards.

Now, I know that choosing an AR-15 handguard is a personal decision, and what suits me might not be perfect for you. Everyone has their preferences, which is why I’ve ranked these handguards from 1 to 7 while ensuring each selection caters to different needs. Additionally, I’ve included a buyer’s guide to help you understand what to consider when selecting an AR-15 handguard.

Best AR-15 Handguards

1. Magpul MOE SL		Polymer Construction M-LOK Slots  Affordable	Check Price
2. STNGR RPTR		Metal Construction Hybrid M-LOK and Picatinny Rails Easy Install	Check Price
3. Aero Precision Atlas		Metal Construction M-LOK Slots Lightweight Design	Check Price
4. Geissele Super Duty Mk16		Metal Construction M-LOK Slots Perfect For Duty Carbines	Check Price
5. Knight’s Armament RAS		Metal Construction Picatinny Rail Military Proven	Check Price
6. Midwest Night Fighter		Metal Construction M-LOK Slots Designed for NVG Users	Check Price
7. Centurion C4		Metal Construction Various Attachment Designs Multiple Designs For Different Rifles	Check Price

Best AR-15 Handguards

1. Magpul MOE SL
2. STNGR RPTR
3. Aero Precision Atlas 
4. Geissele Super Duty Mk16
5. Knight’s Armament RAS
6. Midwest Night Fighter 
7. Centurion C4

Best AR-15 Handguards Specifications

Below is a list of our Best AR-15 Handguards. Here we can compare and line up the specs from each of the products and help you make the best decision possible.

Best AR-15 Handguards Reviews

Now that we’ve had an overview look at our list, we’ll individually review each item. In this section we’ll be revisiting our specs, speaking about the product, and looking at the pros and cons.

Best AR-15 Handguard Selection – Buyers Guide

When choosing your own handguard, there are a variety of factors to consider. We gave you what we think are the best AR 15 handguards, but we also want to give you the tools to pick and choose your own handguards and to decipher all the considerations that go into choosing a handguard. 

Materials: Handguards are typically made from either aluminum or polymer, but other exotic materials have been used. Aluminum and polymer are the standard and typically offer everything you’ll need. However, materials like carbon fiber, various alloys, and even wood exist. When choosing to use an exotic material, it’s wise to consider just what you are going for. 

Carbon fiber and the various alloys often allow you to get away with a very lightweight handguard but don’t expect duty-grade durability from these handguards. They can be neat but not always practical. 

Wood is all about looking cool and retro. It’s fairly expensive and doesn’t do anything special besides look cool and make your Fallout New Vegas cosplay appear more real. 

Polymer is often the cheaper route to go. Companies like Magpul make high-quality, budget-friendly handguards that are well renowned and durable. FAB Defense and Strike industries also make more modern M-LOK compatible modular handguards. Most of these handguards will have a thin aluminum heat shield to offer some additional protection. Polymer works well, but don’t expect the kind of rigid design you need for zeroing lasers. 

Aluminum is the king of AR 15 handguards and by far the most popular material for AR 15 handguards. Aluminum is lightweight, strong, rigid, resists corrosion well, and is the general standard for AR 15 handguards. They come in all manner of configurations, lengths, diameters, and numerous attachment configurations. 

Rifle Configuration: Take a peek at your rifle. Tell me, does it have an FSB? FSB stands for front sight base, and it’s long been the standard for sights in the military. It’s sometimes called an A-Frame, and it’s a fixed sight base that doubles as a gas block. If there isn’t this big sight base, you likely have a low-profile gas block. 

The different designs will guide you to what handguard can be used. With an FSB, your options are a little more limited to rails that fit behind the FSB, and most are not free-floating. Some free-floating rails exist to accommodate the FSB, like the MRE Free Floating from Knights, but they are fairly rare. 

A low-profile gas block allows for a rail that can go over the gas block and offer you a long rail that’s extended and easier to use. They are free-floating, which helps with the general accuracy of the weapon and can allow you to really tighten up those groups. 

Getting Size Wise: With an FSB, you might be fairly limited in rail length. It’s tough to get too crazy. With a free-floating design, the rail attaches to the upper receiver, and nothing but common sense stands in the way. With a free-floating setup, you can slap a 15-inch rail over a 7.5-inch barrel and call it a day! 

You can but likely shouldn’t. The muzzle blast will destroy the handguard and create a hazard for you as it breaks and shrapnel flies rearward. Unless you are running a specialized muzzle drive like a flash can or suppressor, you want the end of the barrel in front of the handguard. 

You can also do the reverse. A 16-inch barrel can wear an 8.5-inch handguard without issues. It’s dinky, your ergonomics might suffer, and your mounting space will be lowered, but there is no hazard associated with it. 

I typically prefer as long of a handguard as possible. The extra mounting room and area to grip can be valuable, especially in weird shooting positions. 

Attachment Types 

We talked a bit about accessories and mounting them. Attaching accessories requires you to have something to attach them to. With AR 15 handguards, you have a number of options. 

Picatinny Rail: Good old 1913 Picatinny rail is the stock standard means of attaching accessories. Almost all modern accessories have some form Picatinny rail attachment. Even modular systems like M-LOK and Keymod rely on small sections of rail attached to tack-on accessories. Picatinny rails are abundant and the most common means to attach goodies.

In handguards, these are typically quad rails with four rails running the length of the handguard positioned at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. Full quad rails are fairly heavy, and while not exactly rare, they’ve lost a lot of ground to the more modern modular rail systems. 

M-LOK: M-LOK is Magpul’sl modular rail system and the clear winner of the modular handguard wars. It’s now the most common in modern handguards. M-LOK offers slots that allow you to mount accessories directly to the handguard or allows you to mount various length sections of rail right where you need them. 

The Naval Surface Warface Center Crane tested the modular rail systems on the market and found M-LOK to be the strongest of the modular rail systems. It’s certainly the most prevalent these days and often the standard on mid-tier and up rifles. 

KeyMod: KeyMod was the other big competitor on the global market for modular handguards. They were M-LOK’s main competition years ago, but M-LOK won the war. KeyMod allowed the direct attachment of accessories to the handguard and the strategic placement of rails where necessary. 

KeyMod lost to the Crane testing and slowly faded away. Although companies like BCM still cling to KeyMod with some of their rifles. Is it a bad system? No, not really, and most users would never see a difference between KeyMod and M-LOK. 

Hybrids: Hybrid designs implement Picatinny rails with modular options like M-LOK and KeyMod. Both Keymod and M-LOK handguards often feature a rail of Picatinny across the top. These aren’t necessarily hybrids. Hybrids are typically handguards that feature multiple fixed segments of Picatinny rail, often at the end of the rail near the muzzle. 

These rails try to be the best of both worlds with hard, rigid points for attaching front sights and laser devices that need to be mounted to a rigid surface to ensure they remain zeroed. At the same time, they are lighter than dedicated quad rails. 

Guard Your Hands 

A good handguard goes a long way to making your rifle more modular, ergonomic, and comfortable. Choosing the right handguard for your rifle is a big deal – happily, if the one you have on your upper receiver doesn’t suit you, they’re easy to replace. Hopefully, you’re walking away from this armed with the knowledge of which handguards work and how to choose the right one for you! 

Additional resources:

• Thinking about putting some glass on your rifle? Learn how to mount a scope properly.
• Considering something more in the LPVO arena? Brush up on your reticle basics.
• Looking to personalize your blaster even further? How about a set of Cerakote handguards in Woodland BDU or Rhodesian Brushstroke camouflage?

Best AR-15 Handguard – FAQs

What are the considerations for choosing the right handguard length?

When picking a handguard length, think about your barrel size and how you like to handle your rifle. Longer handguards offer more space for accessories, but they can make your rifle heavier and affect its balance.

Are drop-in handguards less secure than free float handguards?

Drop-in handguards are generally secure enough for most uses. They might not boost accuracy and stability as much as free float ones, but they’re great if you want easy installation and basic accessory attachment.

How can I personalize my AR-15 with customizable handguards?

Customizable handguards like those with M-LOK or KeyMod systems allow you to customize your rifle to fit your specific needs. You can attach accessories at different points on the handguard, making it ideal for tactical uses, hunting, or competitive shooting.

Can iron sights be mounted on any AR-15 handguard?

You can mount iron sights on most AR-15 handguards that have a Picatinny rail along the top or a fixed front sight base (FSB). Free float handguards might need specific sights that align with your rifle’s barrel and gas block setup.