resulting in builders and shooters settling for “good enough” when what they’d prefer is some serious performance and reliability.

Other people prefer the simple, low profile, and affordable standard MIL SPEC charging handle – and there’s nothing wrong with that either. However, it wasn’t too long ago that a basic aluminum charging handle was the only option to choose from.

That is certainly no longer the case. More and more manufacturers are redesigning and optimizing the performance of their products to make them stronger, last longer, and perform better under the most strenuous of conditions.

With all the options, configurations, and brands to choose from, how do you know what is the best charging handle for you and your AR-15? Let’s talk about what makes one product different from another and how to choose one based on what you need.

AR 15 CHARGING HANDLE CONSTRUCTION

The vast majority of these products you will find on the market today are constructed (and will operate) in much the same way. Made from the same types of aluminum as AR 15 rifle receivers, these parts can be forged from heated aluminum or machined entirely from a solid billet aluminium.

A billet charging handle is almost certainly going to be more expensive, because of the extra manufacturing time it takes to make the part, and the relatively small size of the part compared to the aluminum billet it is machined from.