AR-15

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.

Have you shot the 6mm ARC yet? I have and I think it’s a great caliber and (without looking at the price per cartridge) I’d love to have one. Voila and here we have the new Batwing from Noveske Rifleworks in our Photo Of The Day.

The AR-15 is America’s favorite firearm for a reason, but sometimes, the prices can get a little out of hand. So, I searched high and low to find the best cheap AR-15.

Photo Of The Day and here’s a glimpse of BCM’s exclusive collaboration with NY Times best-selling author Jack Carr. Jack Carr is an American author and former Navy SEAL who is known for writing thriller novels that blend his military experience with suspense and action-packed plots. His most famous work is The Terminal List series, which follows the story of protagonist James Reece, a Navy SEAL seeking revenge after his team is ambushed.

Franklin Armory has released a new AR binary trigger called AR-ELITE. The main difference of the new trigger from other Franklin Armory binary triggers for AR-style rifles is that it has interchangeable trigger bows and comes with a straight and curved bow. The new AR-ELITE trigger has the same MSRP as the fixed bow binary trigger models (AR-S1 and AR-C1) and will replace them in the company’s catalog.

In this video, James Reeves asks: "What is the ultimate urban rifle?" with a specific budget of $3,000. He reviews the Bravo Company (BCM) rifle that he brought to Thunder Ranch. This review is a continuation of TFB's Ultimate Urban Rifle series, which began five years ago at Thunder Ranch, where we explored what makes a rifle ideal for urban environments. We’ll cover everything from barrel length, bolt carrier groups, and optics, to suppressors and slings, discussing why a 16" AR is a great all-around choice for urban defense. I’ll also break down my build, which totaled around $4,776, and show you how to get similar performance for as low as $2,700 without (much) compromising on quality.

Finally, the AR market has caught up to where it was in the 1980s! In this episode of TFBTV, Hop takes the Harrington & Richardson A2 Government Carbine down to Thunder Ranch to see how well a lightweight retro AR can hold up to high round counts and getting tossed around. We put multiple shooters behind the gun, shot it a lot, and tried several different carry handle optics. We also put a B&T suppressor on it but that was in a different video and you probably don't want to watch it again.

Year by year, we’ve seen WOOX expanding their collection of firearm furniture that elegantly blends modern styles with traditional wood grains. Their latest product, the Vigilante, offers WOOX’ signature take on the challenging task of tastefully adding wood accents to Modern Sorting Rifles.

Remember the Good Old Days Of Army Surplus, when the post-Cold War stuff from Europe was widely available? Remember all that old Flecktarn pattern camo kit from Germany? It was dope stuff, and if you’ve got some of it still around, B5 now had a combo kit to dress up your AR-15 to match.

If you head southeast toward Arlington from the heart of Fort Worth, Texas, you will soon come to a small industrial park just off of Highway 287. Nestled in with several other businesses including a manufacturing company and machine shop, a laser etching/engraving operation, and a metal and Cerakote finishing service, you will find a premium firearms manufacturer: Lone Star Armory. Founded in 2006, LSA’s Texas-proud DNA is comprised of critical lessons learned from warfighting and law enforcement, a heritage of competition shooting and auto racing, and an obsessive passion for the pursuit of absolute excellence in every aspect of the mission, right down to the minutiae of every individual component or process.