Why Changing Out Your AR15 Charging Handle Is A Good Idea

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Mil-spec charging handles get the job done, but depending on how your AR15 is set up or how you run your gun, you should consider upgrading yours. Swapping out a charging handle is as easy as field stripping your AR and there are many different options to choose from. While a charging handle doesn’t have the wow factor which changing out a stock or grip has, swapping it out can make a surprising difference when running your gun.

Which AR15 charging handle is best? And why is upgrading yours a good idea?

Mil-Spec vs Aftermarket

We don’t think twice about an AR15 charging handle until it breaks or wears out, which the mil-spec variety is prone to do. We just grip it and rip it and start sending lead down range. The latch and the pivot pin on mil-spec charging handles are the Achilles Heel. These pieces break or bend easily under hard use. They also wear on the upper receiver.

Most aftermarket AR15 charging handles beef up the latch and pivot pin. The latch lever and handles are both small on mil-specs so running them with or without gloves can be tricky especially if you are manipulating the rifle fast. Enlarged and extended handle designs on aftermarket charging handles solve this problem. 

Ergonomics

If you run your AR from different shoulders and want it to be ambidextrous that’s a good reason to swap out the mil-spec. Left-handed shooters can benefit from swapping out the mil-spec handle, too. 

If you run a red dot optic all the previous issues apply, but since red dots are mounted forward, you can still get that two-finger, viper-bite grip on the charging handle.

Scopes In the Mix

If you have a scope mounted on your AR15 even a compact LPVO-style scope, it can be difficult to grasp the charging handle with the optic eyepiece in the way. On my AR15 set up for varmint hunting, the large eyepiece can get in the way, that’s why I swapped the mil-spec handle for an aftermarket handle.

For those of you who shoot suppressed, you know that blowback out the back of the upper goes straight into your face; another good reason to swap out mil-spec for an aftermarket part. This list of aftermarket charging handles is not exhaustive but will get you down the right path for an aftermarket handle that is best suited for you. Expect to pay about $40 to $125 for a decent one. 

Spike Industries ARCH

The Strike Industries ARCH charging handle (MSRP: $39.95) does not wear on an upper receiver for two reasons. The first reason is that it is made out of 7075-T6 aluminum which is softer than the aluminum alloy in your upper receiver. The second is because it uses a latchless design. You don’t hear about it often, but for those who shoot often and are hard on their guns, it is not uncommon to see heavy wear where the handle latches onto the upper receiver. With enough wear, some uppers can completely lose that shelf to retain traditional charging handles that use a latch design. It’s cheaper to replace a charging handle than it is to buy a new upper receiver, right?

If you want to reduce a significant amount of wear on your upper receiver, the ARCH is a good option. It holds the BCG in the upper even when you separate the upper from the lower. The ARCH has fewer moving pieces and is lightweight. It has a similar aesthetic and style of a mil-spec charging handle so it’s easy and intuitive to use with no ramp-up time. 

Spike Industries ARCH-EL and BCM Gunfighter Mod 3B

Low profile and extended are kind of an oxymoron when it comes to charging handles, but as you know if you have gone the extended chasing handle route the latch can snag on your gear and stuff in your environment. Two of my favorites are the Bravo Company Manufacturing Gunfighter series 3X3 (MSRP: $74.95) and the Spike Industries ARCH-EL (MSRP: $43.95).

The Mod 3X3 latches extend past the main body of the charging handle by approximately 1.14 inches. Compare that to a mil-spec handle latch which extends past the main body of the charging handle by approximately .85 inches. I like that extra bit of handle so I can easily rack it with my support hand (I’m a right-handed shooter) while my firing hand is on the pistol grip. The hard coat anodized finish means it is slick to operate with no binding.

The Spike Industries ARCH-EL has a highly polished surface so it feels like it is sliding on roller bearings when you rack the charging handle. The extended latch is grooved so it is grippy without tearing flesh from your finger when you rack it fast. 

I especially like these two charging handles under the eyepiece of my scopes. They both offer easy access and plenty of leverage with or without wearing gloves.

Best Ambidextrous AR Charging Handle: Aero Precision AR15 Breach Ambi

The Aero Precision AR15 Breach Ambi (MSRP: $94) comes in both small and large sizes. I’m partial to the small, which measures 2.6 inches across the handle. The large measures 2.8 inches. It’s designed with a dual spring system that directs the force into the charging handle body, allowing you to use a one-sided charging technique—left or right-handed—without compromising the part. One side charging wears mil-specs. It also has a gas deflection shelf when shooting suppressed.

Best For Suppressor Use: Radian Raptor-SD

The price is steep on the Radian Raptor-SD (MSRP: $124.00) but do you want to be blasted in the face with dirty gasses when shooting suppressed? Thinking of the Raptor-SD as a “preventive medical device” that helps you breathe cleaner air might be a stretch, but the ported shaft is designed to redirect gasses down and forward, away from your face when shooting suppressed. It is also ambidextrous and the latch is large enough to palm the latch or grasp it finger-thumb style.

Best Do-All Charging Handle: Geissele Super

The Geissele Super Charging Handle (MSRP: $115) is another expensive handle in this list, but it checks a lot of boxes: low profile, ambidextrous latch wings, a rear lip to deflect gas for canned shooting, and textured handle to help when operating with gloves. The dual levers are contoured similar to that of the charging handle of an M14. Plus it is slick to operate. Sure the cost is steep, but once you use it you’ll be happy.

READ MORE: AR15 Trigger-nometry: Instant Accuracy Boost

Why Replace A Mil-Spec AR15 Charging Handle?

Think of a new charging handle as an investment to better run your AR. It is not as sexy as swapping out other AR15 parts, but it can help you to better operate your AR15.

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