The AR-15 is one of the most popular, recognizable, and customizable firearms in the world. However, the magazine well of the AR-15 is often one of the most ignored elements of the rifle. If you didn’t already know, you can actually customize it.

With the proper accessories, you can rest your off-hand on this instead of the handguard or traditional foregrip to keep the weapon steady and secure. There are several advantages to having a mag well grip on your AR-15. Even if you don’t think you need it.

We have compiled the best of the best mag well grips you can find today. We also provided you with a complete buyer’s guide to help you in your next mag well purchase. Now, let’s get into it.

What are Magwell Grips?

Also referred to as magazine grips, magwell grips are attachments to your magazine. They work as substitute grips to more traditional half or vertical rifle foregrips. They are installed on the lower receiver on the magazine well. It positions your offhand closer to the firing pin for a more compact grip position.

Vertical Foregrips vs Magwell Grips

Vertical foregrips are attached to the base of the barrel via a Picatinny rail, barrel cover, or another form of accessory attachment. Additionally, vertical foregrips provide better control, smoother recoil, and less arm fatigue. However, some situations might need an alternate off-hand position. And a Magwell grip will give you that extra grip you might need for those situations. Plus, some people are just more comfortable with the compact grip style.

Magwell grips also tend to do better for extremely long shooting sessions. That’s because vertical foregrips super extend your offhand. It’s true that the closer your offhand is to the barrel the more control you get. But it’s not exactly comfortable for long shooting sessions.

However, you can only expect to hold your rifle for as long as you can bare the heat. The lower receiver will inevitable get hot after shooting a lot of rounds and may end up burning you. This is also the reason why most people opt for a vertical grip instead of just hold the handguard.

Do you need a Magwell Grip?

This is the first question you should be asking yourself right now. If you’re going out of your way to purchase your first foregrip, I wouldn’t recommend getting a magwell grip right away. This might be a great third option rather than a first or second. Consider getting a half grip or a vertical foregrip first.

Magwell grips will make you gun look a little cooler. They’re also great for long shooting session or burst fire shooting. So, if you’re looking for another upgrade or just enjoy a more compact grip option, then definitely consider one of the magwell grips on our list below.

Look Out

If you do get a magwell grip, consider practicing holding your rifle with it first before shooting. The major disadvantage to a magwell grip is how dangerously close your fingers are positioned to the ejection port.

This is dangerous in two ways. First, holding a rifle on the magazine can tilt your magazine downward causing feeding problems and in a self defense situation, and the last thing you need is a jammed rifle. Second, although very unlike on the AR-15 platform, tilting the magazine in such a way also increases the likelihood of rifle blowback which can severely damage your fingers.

Buyer’s Guide for the Best AR-15 Magwell Grips

When shopping for a new AR-15 Magwell grip, keep these points in mind:

Magazine Compatibility

It’s critical to verify that your magwell grip is entirely compatible with your preferred magazines. Some magwell grips are compatible with all AR-15 magazines, but not all off them share this feature. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to find out whether your magwell grip is compatible with the AR-15 magazines you use.

Ergonomics

Remember that the magwell grip’s primary function is to give a location for your support hand to rest and to assist you in adopting a CQB posture while holding your AR-15. Also, the greatest magwell grips will have ample room for all four fingers and will also be easy to grasp. Some even come with adjustable grip inserts so that you may tailor the ergonomics to your preference.

Grip Texture

The perfect magwell grip will have a non-slip grip to guarantee that you can maintain the most stable possible grasp on your rifle or carbine while shooting.

Proper Positioning

Make sure that your magwell grip is correctly positioned on your rifle. The perfect magwell grip will allow you to have at least one inch of gap between the magazine and the ejection port while you are holding it. If you do do this, you shouldn’t have any difficulties removing used magazines and loading new ones. Also, your hand and fingers will remain clean from the spent bullet casings leaving the ejection port.

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The 4 Best AR-15 Magwell Grips for 2022

Mission First Tactical React Magwell Vertical Grip: Best budget pick.

If you’re looking for an overall ergonomic magwell grip, consider getting the Mission First Tactical React (MFT) Magwell Vertical Grip. The MFT React Magwell Vertical Grip is a fully functional rubberized vertical magwell grip that mounts right in front of your magazine well. It’s a large form factor for a magazine well, designed to give enough room to add 4 finger grooves to rest your fingers in a CQB position.

Unlike the usual mag well grips, the MFT React Magwell Vertical Grip mounts to a Picatinny rail, giving you a solid one to two-inch distance from the actual magazine well. This will reduce the odds of your hands or fingers catching on the magazine or tilting the magazine in any way that can lead to a rifle jam. It also ensures that your fingers are kept from the ejection port reducing the chances of getting burnt by a hot casing or a gas blowback.

Another cool feature of the MFT React Magwell Vertical Grip is that it comes with a bottom compartment for extra storage. While this might seem odd to some and unneeded, this really nice to have an extra place to keep a first aid kit, money, a utility knife, something small and accessible that you never know you might need. However, because of it’s large form factor, it may add a little bit of weight to your AR-15 and throw off your balance at first.

FAB Defense AR-15 Magwell Grip: Best value pick.

If you’re looking for a more traditional yet functional magwell grip, FAB Defense offers an AR magwell grip that you can check out. It’s one of the most aggressively curved AR-15 magwell grips on the market, which has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your perspective. This two piece fiberglass reinforced polymer magwell grip is designed to clamp around the magazine well for a very secure fit and extreme durability.

The finger grooves on this magazine well grip are probably the most standout feature on this magazine well. Three-finger grooves are unusually deep, allowing you to rest all four fingers with your pinky light touching the magazine. That’s fantastic since it allows you to maintain a tight grip on the front of your weapon and make sure that your hand stays in place even while burst firing.

In addition, the FAB Defense does not add much heft or weight to your AR-15, which is great since many magwell grips may be somewhat large for what they are. However, the FAB Defense is not compatible with some lower receivers or magazines so remember to choose one that’ll work best with it.

FAB Defense MOJO Improved Mag-Well

The FAB Defense MOJO Improved Mag-Well occupies the same amount of space as the majority of existing AR-15 magwell grips. However, it provides a few more configuration choices than other grips on our list.

The FAB Defense MOJO Improved Mag-Well is a 2-piece magazine design that securely clamps onto your lower receiver. However, unlike the FAB Defense AR-15 Magwell Grip, the FAB Defense MOJO will require special tools to install properly. The good news is, it doesn’t take up much room on the magazine rack in front of it while providing just enough area on the front of the magazine well for all four of your fingers.

The real star of this receiver is the interchangeable grip inserts with mellow grooves. This allows you to exchange your grip textures and groove space with other FAB Defense grips on the market. You can choose to go with something more functional, comfortable, or just plain cool.

However, if you’re on a tighter budget, this receiver is a little bit pricey. This is due to the fact that it’s highly customizable. So if you don’t plan on switching out grip textures, consider the FAB Defense AR-15 Magwell Grip instead.

Armaspec Rhino R-23 Magwell Funnel and Grip

If you’re looking for a magwell grip that’ll help you get faster reloads, then check out the Armaspec Rhino R-23 Magwell Funnel Grip. Made from a light, durable reinforced polymer, installing the Armaspec Rhino R-23 Magwell Funnel and Grip is just a breeze. It also takes advantage of the limitations of a very basic installation to enhance the functionality of your firearm.

You get a lot of grip surface on this magwell, giving you enough to properly rest all for fingers with your off hand. Ultimately, this minor detail provides you as much stability as possible from a small firing platform, resulting in more accurate shooting.

This magwell grip installs without the need of being bolted directly onto the lower receiver. Also, you’ll notice that a large portion of this “bulky” grip sitting below the lip of your magazine well. This space creates a flared magazine well, similar to magazine wells uses in competition shooting, that makes reloading up to 48% faster according to armaspec.

Our Pick

The Mission Force Tactical React Magwell Vertical Grip is a solid pick for your AR-15. It may be a little bit large for a magwell grip, but it comes with a storage compartment to carry additional items. It is very ergonomic thanks to its non-slip grip texturing and four finger grooves, and ensures that your fingers are kept away from the magazine and from the ejection port so the operation of your rifle is not impeded, and keeping your safe.

Wrapping Up

A Magwell grip is good accessories to add to your rifle to make it look cool, help improve performance, and as a back up hand position for CQBs. If you’re looking to be prepared for more situations and would like to shoot your firearm for extreme periods of time, try a and see if a magwell grip works for you.

Any one of the magwell grips that we’ve covered here today will make a solid upgrade to your AR-15. If you do end up going a different route, you can always follow our buyer’s guide section that we went over earlier to help you find a good magwell grip as well.

A few reminders before you go. Make sure to practice your magwell hand grips before shooting your rifle to avoid catching your finger on the ejection port. Remember that putting too much pull on your offhand when using a magwell grip can tilt your magazine and jam your rifle, or worse, blow it up.

Also, before buying your magwell grip, make sure it’s compatible with both the lower receiver and the magazine you intend to use. Not all magwell grips are universal so it’s going to be on you to make sure that your magwell grip is compatible with your unit.

Related Reads:

• Best AR-15 Barrels: 2022 Complete Buyer’s Guide
• The Best Folding AR-15 [2022 Guide & Review]
• Best AR-15 Triggers: The Ultimate Buying Guide [2022]