AR-15

Brian Stocks, based in Oregon, produces modernized, 3D-printed short A2-style fixed stocks for AR-15 rifles—specifically in 7.25", 7.5", and 7.75" lengths. Each stock is built to order using high-end printers and heat-resistant, impact-tolerant high-end filament materials. The proprietary fixed version includes a unique mini A2 buffer tube with rear threads, while the adjustable versions ship with a custom-position carbine buffer tube (positions like 1, 3, and 5 are common), castle nut, end plate, and sling mount (A2 loop or QD flush cup). Fitment is carefully controlled—Brian personally matches each stock with one of three mil-spec tubes to ensure proper tension and lock-up with every custom order.

In the world of AR-15s, there are almost limitless options for accessories and upgrades. With the market offering more options than ever before, now is a perfect time to explore what the best upgrades are when looking to elevate your current rifle to the next level. Let's look at some of the best AR-15 upgrades.

In my opinion, the single most important upgrade you can do to your otherwise working AR-15 is to improve the charging handle. There’s now a new option to consider, as Reptilia has released its latest accessory for the AR-15 platform: the Puller Charging Handle. It’s available exclusively through the company’s website, with a price of $99.95.

The pint-sized GOAT-15 Gen3 pistol from Mountain Billy Gun Lab, also known as the GOAT-15 ATOM, is an ultra-light, compact .22 LR pistol designed for precision, portability, and versatility. Built on a scaled-down AR-15 platform (20% smaller than standard), it offers familiar ergonomics, making it ideal for training new shooters, recreational plinking, or small-game hunting.

BallisticAviation  (Luke C.) is with Hoplopfheil at NRAAM 2025 in Atlanta, GA, speaking with Dave from Hi-Point firearms about a first for the company: AR-15s. Hi-Point's new HP-15 AR-15s will come in both 10.5" pistol and 16" rifle configurations and will be chambered in .300 BLK as well as 5.56. Best of all, Hi-Point's new line of AR-15s already has new configurations in the works and will be sold in either configuration for less than $500.

Do you have an AR lower lying around that’s just begging to be built? Do you want a better-than-mil-spec trigger, at a low price? If so, Axcess Triggers (a Timney company) may have you covered with their new line of three-piece AR Triggers.

Retro AR-15s are back—from clone builds to factory throwbacks like the Bushmaster M4A2 Patrolman's Carbine. I put over 1,000 rounds through this classic-style rifle at a Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle Course to find out if old-school cool is actually worth it in 2025. Spoiler: I didn’t love it. But not for the reasons you think.

When it comes to the AR-15 and AR pistol market, there are almost limitless options and variations to choose from. For beginner shooters getting into the sport, it can be almost impossible to figure out what you want or need when it comes to an AR pistol. Everything from barrel length, furniture, and rail choice starts to come into play when looking for the best option. Everyone will land on a specific model for one reason or another, but let’s look at some of the best AR pistols on the market based on what the TFB staff uses on a daily basis.

Luth-AR has added two new options to its lineup of complete AR-15 uppers: the A1 Slick Side Modern Retro Upper and the A1 C7 Modern Retro Upper. Both are designed to replicate the classic look of Vietnam-era rifles while incorporating modern materials and performance updates.

Anyone who has built their own AR-15 will have inevitably come across the all-important task of choosing what barrel twist rate they’ll be using. When I built my first AR-15, I relied entirely on a diagram I found on 4chan’s weapons board, /k/, which mapped twist rates to bullet weights. The extremely rudimentary chart clearly identified what common barrel twist rates worked best with what bullet weights, but beyond that, it offered no scientific explanation or reasoning behind it.

Strike Industries has just dropped a practical new accessory for anyone still running a standard A2 birdcage flash hider—the A2 Blast Shield. Designed as a drop-in solution to reduce side concussion and redirect muzzle blast forward, this blast shield is geared toward both professional and civilian shooters looking to enhance comfort without replacing legacy muzzle devices. This product is clearly in high demand: Strike Industries has sold out of the first batch, and a second is on its way now.

While it sees less frequent use than the trigger, magazine release, or bolt catch/release (hopefully), the AR-15 charging handle ranks among the most deliberately chosen and commonly upgraded components selected by owners for their rifles. While the standard mil-spec configuration satisfies all basic and necessary functional requirements, it frequently lacks the refinements necessary or preferred by those in more specific situations, such as:

I was recently involved in a test of more than ten AR15s for hunting, including a number of brands from both Europe and the USA. To fire guns with free ammo and let others know what you think about them is always great fun, and this occasion was no exception. The testing involved both shooting in an indoor cinema and outdoors. The good thing with the cinema was that due to the low light, it was difficult to see what kind of brand and rifle I was using, to avoid any bias to a particular brand.

It’s the details that often make or break the project, and that includes your AR-15 build. We all know the trigger, grip, and stock can make or break your build, but a good sling is usually an afterthought until you get to the range and realize you hate the one you bought. Maybe that’s you now, but hopefully, you’re researching ahead of time. For this article, I’ve talked with several AR-15 enthusiasts and former military and law enforcement members and tested some of the best AR-15 slings.

Over the years, I’ve amassed quite a collection of tools, but when it comes to gunsmithing, I never started with a dedicated set. Instead, I picked up tools piecemeal—a wrench here, a punch there—usually driven by the immediate needs of a project. Too often, I resorted to makeshift methods or ill-suited tools that got the job done but left me frustrated, realizing later that the right tool could have saved me a lot of hassle from the start. Reflecting on these past missed purchases, today we’ll explore some of the best AR-15 tools you can buy in 2025 for your at-home gun bench, whether that’s the dining room table, the kitchen counter, or a proper workshop setup.

I’ve had buyer's remorse when purchasing a new gun, so in this article, I strive to help you avoid that awful feeling by providing you with the best beginner AR-15s on the market. I love building AR-15s, but my first wasn’t a build-your-own project, and I’m glad I purchased a complete gun because I didn’t know what I wanted until I’d taken it to the range several times. This is why all the ARs below are functioning firearms out of the box; you won’t have to order a lower from one company and an upper from another or install any parts (but you’ll get there one day!). I gathered input from other AR-15 experts, checked reviews, and tested several beginner ARs to compile this list. Let’s start with my top pick.

Hera Arms showed off the newest version of the 15TH Subcompact at IWA 2025, bringing a hyper-compact AR-style rifle designed for CQB and personal defense. Featuring a super short barrel and M-LOK handguard, enhanced ergonomics, and a lightweight design, this rifle is built for ultra-maneuverability without sacrificing firepower. With its compact size and tactical features, could this be a great subcompact AR for 2025.

Looking at the comments on TFBTV and other places, there is certainly a wish from our readers to write more about, and review, European-made AR-platform rifles. I have shot a few, like HERA Arms, Schmeisser, Haenel, Oberland Arms and DAR. Heckler & Koch also of course, since I own one. But to get one to review properly is a lot easier said than done, even for one living in Europe. It has proven difficult to even get some images from some manufacturers, so they’re not making it simple for enthusiasts looking for more information.

B&T always packs a lot of goodies into its booth at SHOT Show, and 2025 was no exception. They had guns, silencers, and accessories on display. The sheer volume of items can be overwhelming, but we got some good pictures of several interesting ones.

Griffin Armament had several new products on display at SHOT Show 2025. The Optimus 6 silencer is designed for the 6mm ARC and is the first 3D-printed silencer from Griffin. They also showed off their new Mk2 PCC.

B&T's first AR-15 is here and as you'd imagine, it's top shelf. Featuring a titanium enhanced handguard (which is available for purchase separately), Geissele trigger, barrel, and charging handle, plus a bunch of additional, awesome features, this gun won't be cheap, but it's a top-end AR-15 with no expense spared in its construction.

At SHOT Show 2025, RISE Armament introduced a new two-stage AR trigger called RA-100. It is advertised as being designed for durability, built for reliability and priced for everyone. I had a chance to pull this trigger a couple of times and examine it at the show floor and it seems to be a solid one, which is something expected from RISE Armament. With an MSRP of $109.99, it is indeed a budget-friendly option. Let’s take a quick look at the specs and features of the RISE RA-100 trigger.

PSA subcompany Harrington & Richardson (aka H&R) had some disparate but very interesting new guns on display at SHOT Show 2025. They range from 9mm subguns to classic cowboy lever actions. Let’s break down this batch of releases.

Daniel Defense has introduced "For The People," a limited-edition rifle in their DDM4 V7 Pro series. This model features a Tiger Stripe Cerakote finish applied by C&B Quality Coatings. It includes an 18-inch cold hammer-forged barrel with a 1:7 twist rate, a SilencerCo ASR Muzzle Brake, and a Timney Impact AR Trigger with a curved bow.

Griffin Armament has introduced a new AR-15 bolt carrier group called Enhanced Gas Pocket BCG. This BCG is designed to reduce the right ear sound signature when used with suppressors. It achieves this goal by having the gas vent holes on the left side and venting the excess gasses into a milled pocket and the receiver itself as opposed to venting out through the ejection port.

Join James Reeves as he sits down with @daniellevalkyrie to discuss her German-made Oberland Arms custom AR-15 build in Mountbatten pink. In this exclusive interview, Danielle shares the details behind her Oberland Arms AR-15, including her choice of handguards, muzzle devices, optics, and furniture. Whether you're a fan of unique rifle builds or want expert insights into custom AR-15 configurations, this is a must-watch.

Welcome to the Guns of the Decades. In this article series, we’ll pick a firearm from a decade, and briefly talk about where it was at the time. It’s not meant to be an all-encompassing detailed record of the firearm or a claim that it was the best firearm of the decade. It's a fun read about a gun that you may have forgotten about or one that may have been lost in time.

Faxon Firearms have introduced a new adjustable gas block for AR-15 pattern firearms that has a pretty interesting design. The adjustment screw is located on the side of the gas block and when rotated, it moves the gas tube back and forth thus changing the amount of the gas tube hole and gas port overlap. The benefit of this design is that the adjustment screw does not come in contact with the gasses remaining clean and operational without risk of seizing.

If you really, really hate reloading magazines, then FightLite has just what you need. These madlads have just come out with their new Raptor belt-fed 5.56 AR upper, a drop-in assembly that’s supposed to work with any mil-spec AR15/M16/M4-pattern rifle.

Shotguns vs. AR-15s? The debate rages on, and James Reeves will dive right into it with a balanced look at both firearms. While the AR-15 has edged out the shotgun in most cases, there are still a few things a shotgun can do that an AR just can’t. From recoil, capacity, and range to modularity, tactical reloads, and *anime-themed* add-ons, I break down why many have shifted to ARs—and where shotguns still hold their ground. No sticker-on-the-truck loyalty here, just a practical view for anyone who’s ever wondered if one platform could truly replace the other. Let’s dig into the pros and cons with a healthy dose of humor and some real talk about shooting hardware.