Best AR-15 Magazine Grips – Buyer’s Guide [2022]

| Last Updated:
October 8, 2023

Magazine grips stand among the most debated topics when it comes to AR-15 aftermarket accessories and upgrades.

Here we’ll be talking about the pros and cons of using a magazine grip and how it affects shooting.

We’ll also outline and review some of the best magazine grips available on the market.

Comparison of the Best AR-15 Magazine Grips

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  • Drop-in design
  • Best AR-15 Pistol Grip
  • Made from high-quality polymer
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  • Available in different finishes
  • Made from high-quality polymer
  • Designed to fit most AR-15 rifles
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What is a Magazine Grip?

As the name suggests, a magazine grip is a kind of replacement or substitute for the foregrip of your rifle. Often called ‘magwell (magazine well) grip’, a magazine grip is installed on the lower receiver of your rifle to provides you with a grooved grip to place your offhand closer.

A vertical grip is attached to the base of the barrel using a Picatinny rail or a new barrel cover. The vertical grip provides more control over the rifle and helps the shooter in handling recoil and arm fatigue more efficiently. However, some people like to hold the rifle in a more compact fashion and thus grip the magazine.

Do I Need a Magwell Grip?

Maybe. Honestly, supporting an AR-15 with the magazine while shooting has some serious drawbacks. Gripping the magazine while shooting might look cool but it actually can have dire consequences. Holding the magazine with your support hand erodes the slope of the magazine as well as the rifle’s mag well. As you press forward on the magazine, the magazine actually tilts downward. Over time, this may cause problems with feeding due to the distorted arrangement of the magazine mechanism. That means case mouths or bullet tips could get hung up on the edge.

A more severe concern of holding the rifle through magazines is if the rifle explodes. It’s a very rarely reported accident, especially with AR-15 rifles. But holding your rifle through the magazine may in extreme cases be a cause of such an incident. The tilt  from with prolonged usage of mag support causes cartridges to choke or not feed properly.

Holding a rifle with a foregrip designed and mounted for the purpose improves accuracy and target acquisition in situations like 3-gun competitions or combat. However, during longer sessions, the forearm does get fatigued. Holding the rifle through the magwell is a good idea when you have to shoot in sprints because of the more compact stance. On the contrary, using a magwell grip is a good idea because it lets you feed magazines easily. Some people even claim it’s easy to do without looking at the receiver.

If you do insist on holding your AR-15 through the magwell (due to longer shooting sessions or your preference), you should consider buying a grip. It can help eliminate the load on your mags while giving you a soft, compact and good grip over your rifle.

How to Choose a Magwell Grip

Knowing which Magwell grip will fit you best is key. However, you’ll also need to know how to distinguish a great Magwell grip from one that is not considered the best in quality and performance. These are a few of the characteristics and features that you need to keep an eye on while looking for a Magwell Grip: 

The Fit 

Using a good Maxwell grip can have many benefits when in use and of the major things to look for in a grip is the fit. The word fit, in this case, refers to the way the gun fits into your hand when shooting. An AR-15 is a larger weapon and holding its magazine when shooting can get uncomfortable without a grip that makes the gun fit nicely into your hand.

Having a good fit allows you to shoot for a longer time and hold the gun's magazine more comfortably without putting added strain on your hand. 

The Shape 

The shape of the magazine is not the most fitted to hold, so getting a Maxwell grip can fix that issue for you. The shape of a grip can be flatter so that there is room to move your hands into whatever position feels more comfortable at that time. Or, the shape can be formed to the hand to allow each finger an indented spot for the perfect hold every time. 

Each model varies in shape, and finding the right shape that feels the best for you, and will make you shoot accurately will give you the best shooting experience whether you are out on the range or in nature. 

Review of the Best Magazine Grips for an AR-15

Let’s take a look at some of the top magwell grips on the market.

Best Overall:
Fab Defense Mojo Grip

Pros

  • Helps to increase your reloading speed when shooting
  • Easily and quickly attaches to standard AR-15 magazines 
  • Comes with 5 interchangeable masks for added style and flair 
  • Provides a completely customizable look and fit for the magazine 
  • Helps to reduce magazine change times without losing line of sight 

Cons

  • Not made in the US, made in Israel 
  • Does not have individual finger grooves
  • This grip will not work with Drum Magazines 

What Recent Buyers Report 

This magazine grip gets some rave reviews from previous customers online. The durability and the precise fit seem to be one of the main points that many customers comment on again and again. The style of the interchangeable masks also holds well with consumers with the sturdy build and multiple options that give the grip a unique style and look. 

Why it Stands Out to Us 

This Maxwell mag grip stands out to us because of the unique style features of the multiple mask options and the contoured grip shape that allows for the index finger, middle finger, and the ring and pinky fingers to have a place to hold on to when shooting. 

If you like customizing your rifle and are looking for something really cool, the Fab Defense Mojo Grip is surely what you need. Manufactured from ultralight mil-spec reinforced polymer, the Mojo grip offers six different customized masks replacing the finger grooves.

The grip comes as left and right shells which can be assembled using 3 screws and an Allen wrench (included in the package). This magwell grip has been manufactured in Israel, as it is known for its supreme weapon tech. The grip has a 60 degree magazine insertion angle, and allows you to change mags under low to no light conditions.

It’s compatible with all standard M4/AR-15 receivers. This is probably the best magwell grip you can buy.

Who Will Use This Most 

This Maxwell grip is sleek and usable and can be used for police officers and military personnel. However, with the masks adding some style to the magazine, professional shooters may find more use for this grip to enhance their presence on the field. 

Bottom Line 

This durable, well-fitted, and stylish grip allows you to reload faster, have more control of your weapon, and gives you a mean look. These features give this grip a great advantage against other products and that’s why this model is chosen as one of the best. 

Runner-up:
 Mako Magwell Grip

Pros

  • Provides a more accurate shot 
  • Made from durable polymer material
  • Keeps hands off of the magazine itself 
  • Enables a faster speed for reloading the magazine 
  • Allows a tight stance for better speed and maneuverability 

Cons

  • Three finger grooves not four finger grooves 
  • Doesn’t fit lowers with flared magazines well 
  • Fit can take some trimming to fit correctly on some AR-15s 

What Recent Buyers Report 

Many recent buyers have only praise to give to this grip model, however, the one thing that comes up consistently is the fact that the fit is not always spot on. Many customers had to trim down the original grip before getting it onto their magazines. 

Why it Stands Out to Us 

There are many features about this grip model that make it one of the best, but what stands out to us is the fact that it can prevent pressure on non-free-floating handguards that can affect the accuracy of your shot.  

Arredondo offers this two-piece magazine well manufactured from lightweight polycarbonate to assist you with feeding your mags. The magwell offers a wide mouth to perform lightning fast mag changes without looking at the receiver even under stressful situations.

This grip doesn’t have finger grooves but it still helps with holding the rifle with ease. This magwell is not compatible with Bushmaster/Tangodown mags.

Who Will Use This Most 

This magazine grip is useful for tactical weapons and has a tight fit so that it will not be removed accidentally. This makes this model great for use for police officers, military personnel, and professional shooters but would work the best for hunters who need to get a good shot off quickly while moving. 

Bottom Line 

Overall, this magazine grip does its job and it does it well. With this magazine grip model increasing the accuracy of a shot and your control of the weapon, plus the contoured handgrips that allow for a tighter hold, this model is one of the best for a reason.

Best for the Money:
Command Arms CCA AR-15 Magazine Well Grip

Pros

  • Gives an advantage in close quarters situations
  • Reduces hand and arm fatigue with consistent use
  • Added comfort and stability for your support hand 
  • Makes it easy to hold and aim your rifle when shooting 
  • Helps to prevent misfeeds because the hand is off magazine itself

Cons

  • Three finger grooves not four finger grooves 
  • Doesn’t fit lowers with flared magazines well 
  • Fit can take some trimming to fit correctly on some AR-15s 

What Recent Buyer’s Report 

Most recent buyer’s comments sing the praises of this grip model as well. The one thing that seems to come up in the comments about this model more than anything is the fact that there are three finger grooves instead of four, which is something that many buyers would like to have. 

Why it Stands Out to Us 

This lightweight mag grip option stands out to us because of its textured finger grooves that allow the shooter to have an even better grip. The grooves also help to reduce the user's hand and arm fatigue, especially when using the weapon for longer periods.

Manufactured using reinforced mil-spec polymer, the Mako magwell grip is a durable accessory for your AR-15. It helps prevent pressure on non-free floating handguards to offer you a more compact stance with improved accuracy.

This grip functions as an extended magazine well to offer quick reloads.  It opens up into two fragments and can be installed on the lower receiver using three screws and a hex wrench. The finger grooves are suitable for hands and fingers of every size. It may require some grinding for use with PMags.

The magwell grip has a window so the serial number of your AR-15 is clearly visible, just to help keep you out of legal trouble.

Who Will Use This Most 

This model has better recoil control during rapid-fire, which is a great feature for those who work as police officers or as part of military personnel. So, users in these fields will get the most use out of this magazine grip.

Bottom Line 

This magazine grip gives its users better recoil control, added comfort for their support hand, and it helps to reduce fatigue during use. With all these great features, this grip is one that will work for most AR-15s so that you can get the best shot possible.

4. Arredondo AR-15/M-16 Magazine Well Grip

Built using reinforced polymer, the ACC Magwell Grip installs on the lower receiver of your AR-15 in minutes using an Allen wrench. The grip features an ergonomic, curved design with three textured non-slip finger grooves. That helps reduce arm fatigue while you hold and shoot your AR-15 for longer intervals.

If you are using an oversized trigger guard, you will need to made some modification (sanding etc.) to the grip.

The black color looks aesthetically pleasing and the product offers good value for money.  

A Word of Warning

Before using a magwell grip, there’s one very serious possibility you must consider. In case of a blowout due to a faulty/mislead cartridge, the easiest vent for the exploding gases and fragments to come out is the magwell. Holding your AR-15 through the magazine might cost you some skin, fingers or your supporting hand in extreme situations.

Blowouts can be a result of faulty receivers, unremoved suppressors, dirty barrels or other flaws. If you’re still inclined to hold onto the magwell, be sure to buy one with a durable and sturdy design. Be careful not to wrap your fingers over the ejection port as it may cause blockage or you might get hurt.

Conclusion

Magwell grips are a good way to improve mag changing times even under low or no light conditions. They offer a more compact stance to relieve your supporting hand from fatigue compared to the foregrip.

These grips are great for stressful and competitive situations where you need to change mags quickly and have a compact stance for improved accuracy. However, using them has some related risks for your magazine feed and for yourself, so you might think deeply before buying one.

More Reading on AR-15 Grips

Michael Lutes

Michael Lutes is the managing editor and owner at Gun Mann. He is a veteran, gun enthusiast, 3 gun competitor, and 2a advocate. Mike has a passion for innovation and education across the industry to create great content, training, and insights from the best and brightest.

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