Even more fun than buying an AR -- accessorizing!

By John J. Woods

I suspect that when Eugene Stoner and his associates at Fairchild Armalite Corporation conjured up the original design in the late 1950s for what has become today’s prolific AR-15 rifle and its clones, they never guessed how its popularity would soar among civilians. This is truly a phenomenal story and one that continues to expand with the development of new rifles and tons of new accessories. Amazing arrays of accessory items are available for modern versions of the AR-15 rifle. These items, either factory standards or aftermarket add-ons from myriad sources can customize your AR to the exact configuration you need. Here is a round up of AR accessories that will let you fine-tune your AR.

First Things First------Scope Mounts

You pull that new AR from the factory box and the first thing you see is that empty Picatinny rail. It’s time to mount a scope, but what mounts are best? There are many options. GG&G Accucam Mount: GG&G is a supplier of multiple AR accessories, including their Quick Detach Integral Ring Base. The mount comes with 30mm rings, but sets of 1-inch Delrin ring inserts are available.

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The GG&G mount: Lever-cam activated. Once properly adjusted on the Picatinny rail, it is rock solid, but a snap to pull off to store the scope or swap for another sighting set up. The cam mechanism is made of 4140 steel and the QD dovetail scope mounts are made of 6061 T6 aluminum alloy, all with mil-spec finish. The rings are 4.4-inches center to center. MSRP is $199. www.gggaz.com

Once properly adjusted on the Picatinny rail, it is rock solid, but a snap to pull off to store the scope or swap for another sighting set up.

DNZ Freedom Reaper:DNZ Products produces a line of precision-machined one-piece scope mount/rings. Their AR scope mount locks right onto the rail with super-secure mount bolts. With the integral rings a scope is quickly mounted with no special tools. From the bottom of the mount to the scope tube center is 1.375 inches, it comes is matte black and has a suggested retail of $109. www.dnzproducts.com

DNZ Products produces a line of precision-machined one-piece scope mount/rings. Their AR scope mount locks right onto the rail with super-secure mount bolts.

AR Sling Carry Options

Any number of conventional rifle slings can be used on an AR, but hunters should check out other options that hold the rifle to the side of the body to accommodate the extended magazines or bigger scopes often used on AR hunting rifles.

CQB Single-Point Sling: This is a very unconventional sling by CowTown Shooters.com. The CQB single point sling can be attached to an AR with either the metal snap hook or the supplied 1-inch web strap. The stretch material allows the rifle to snug close but be shoulder mounted to either side. The 11/4- inch webbing distributes weight comfortably. The quick-detach buckle allows fast release to assume hunting positions or get settled in over shooting sticks. It comes in black or green and retails for $29.

This is a very unconventional sling by CowTown Shooters.com. The CQB single point sling can be attached to an AR with either the metal snap hook or the supplied 1-inch web strap.

The Claw Sling Stix: This sling does double duty. Besides being a non-slip “rubberized” rifle shoulder sling, the Claw also holds a built-in set of shooting sticks. These deploy in an instant when the stow pouch is pulled down, letting the shock cord sticks fold out automatically. The shooting sticks can be used sitting, standing, or prone. For fast action or stalk hunting, the Claw offers great versatility. The Sling Stix comes in black for $62 and camo for $67. www.quakeinc.com

This sling does double duty. Besides being a non-slip “rubberized” rifle shoulder sling, the Claw also holds a built-in set of shooting sticks.

Rail And Buttstock Goodies

These items can enhance the ARs accuracy, comfort, provide optional sling attachments and offer many other accessory add-on electives.

GG&G Sling Adaptors: This supplier sells a wide selection of AR accessories. The Sling Thing Dovetail is a simple item that locks onto a Picatinny rail slot to provide a conventional sling loop. MSRP is $35. The Ambidextrous Sling Adaptor slides onto the buffer tube housing for a single point sling on either side and sells for $33. The Agency Rear Sling Adaptor fits the same but offers a slot loop to connect a sling for $28.

CAA Buttstock Saddle: This is a functional accessory that AR carbine owners should consider. The CAA Saddle attaches over the top of the buttstock to provide a greatly improved cheek weld. Two types of materials are available. The standard is tough plastic with a slick surface that sells for $26. The other model has a rubberized feel and retails for $30. These “saddles” have sling attachments on both sides and built in tubes to hold six CR-123 batteries or small parts. They come in black, green, or tan. www.caatactical.com

AR Cases For Carry And Protection

Every AR deserves a decent bag to carry the rig and gear to the range or woods. Taking care of shooting equipment starts with a quality bag for easy carry and protection from knocks and bounces.

Cheaper Than Dirt Molle AR Cases: CheaperThanDirt.com sells the Molle series of heavy-duty soft gun cases and range bag combos at the best prices. The main full zippered section includes rifle-securing straps along with buttstock and muzzle slip-in flaps. A second smaller zippered section is suitable for ammo boxes, binoculars or other gear with two internal Velcro pouches. On the outside of the front are three gear bags with large over flaps secured by adjustable straps and buckle locks. On the back is a full-length shoulder carry strap with D-ring clips. These cases come in 4x12x36 or 42-inch-length sizes and color choices of black, coyote, tan, O.D. green, and Army digital for under $50.

Gun Kozy: This slip case is a protective wrap design made of heavy-duty neoprene. The rifle slips into the case and is secured by a long flap with hook-and-loop closure. Slot gaps are left fore and aft for the rifle’s sling to be left outside the case so the rifle and case are carried as one unit. When not in use, the case rolls up into a Velcro-holding strap. The Kozy is great for protection from rain, snow, mud, and field use. It retails for only $34 and can be personalized for $5 more. Check these out at www.kozygear.com.

The Comfort Zone

Most ARs are comfortable to shoot as is, but there are items on the market to make them even more so by increasing comfort, surface gripping, and even recoil absorption for the heavier calibers.

Hogue Over Molded Free Float Tube: Most hunting-configured ARs sport hard surface front “stock” tubes (handguards) over the barrel. Hogue makes a soft tube that is rubber-covered fiberglass in green or black. These can increase comfort and deliver positive gripping in all conditions. A tube for standard AR configuration is $95 and the carbine version is $99. www.hogueinc.com

Limbsaver AR Combo Pack: The Limbsaver Combo Pack includes an AR/M4 snap-on recoil pad of Limbsaver material to dampen felt recoil and provide the butt with a soft and silent contact surface. Also included is an AR grip sleeve that slides over the grip for increased grip comfort. The combo pack also includes the Sharpshooter X-Ring made by the Sims Vibration Laboratory. The X-Ring slides over the barrel to improve accuracy, tighten target groups, and dampen barrel whip in the process. These items are also sold separately.

The combo kit is a new 2010 item and not yet priced. The grip sleeve retails for $10 as does the X-ring. Limbsaver also makes a line of quick slip on recoil pads that reduce recoil up to 70 percent. These are great for conventional fixed AR buttstocks on both the AR-15 and AR-10 platforms and sell for $31. As we move into bigger calibers, a working recoil pad is becoming a must have. www.limbsaver.com

Support Accessories And Plain Ol’ Neat Stuff

These are like stocking stuffers. They may not be things you really need to be an effective hunter with your AR setup, but they sure add to the whole experience.

Gun Boonie Scope Cover: Ever get caught out hunting when it starts to rain, snow, or blow dust? This is a camouflage fabric slip-over-scope cover. It’s not rocket science, but it sure serves a good purpose keeping your scope clean and dry and can be pulled off in a nano-second. It has an adjustable cord lock that allows a precise fit and can be easily stored in a pocket. The Boonie comes in three sizes, covering scopes from 7 to 16 inches in length, and objectives from 40mm up to 56 mm. They sell for $25 and come in several camouflage patterns. www.gunboonie.com

Blackhawk Scope Protector: If a more substantial scope cover is required for use in really tough terrain, highly adverse weather, or extended travel then this unit from Blackhawk is the ticket. Constructed of heavy-duty nylon, the protector goes over the scope and secures around the rifle via straps with quick release lock buckles. The cover end flaps lock over each end of the scope with Velcro. The cover comes in black or O.D. green and sells for $35 on their Web site.

Also included is a strap buckled to the front of the scope cover, which extends forward to a cover that slips over the end of the muzzle. Neat. This unit is designed for full-sized hunting scopes, but there is a smaller version without the muzzle cover that can be used for smaller scopes or electronic-sighting equipment. This unit sells for $20. www.blackhawk.com

Shooting Sticks
Where would we be without shooting sticks? Two of the best are the Primos Trigger Stick and the Bog-Pod. The Primos rig has a conventional “V” cradle on top and the height of the stick is quickly adjusted via a trigger-type grip from 23-62 inch heights for $42. I have used both a 30-inch monopod, and the 36-61-inch tall bipod at $109. Both serve their purposes well. www.primos.com.

The Bog-Pod: A two-stick bipod affair with a soft rubber cradle and fully adjustable tension-lock stick lengths. The Bog-Pod is lightweight, but holds any firearm firmly for accurate shooting from a variety of positions. They sell for $89. www.boggear.com

Cheaper Than Dirt Ammo Pouches: You can just stuff extra loaded magazines in your coat pockets and live with the bulge or you can buy some official AR magazine pouches. Some units hold a single mag and some hold two. Others are available that hold four or six, but these get a bit cumbersome for hunting. The CTD pouches are heavy nylon with slip over holding cords. Though designed for 30 round clips, I slip a piece of foam pipe insulation into the bottom so I can stow five or ten round clips and still get to them for quick extraction. They come in black, coyote tan, O.D. green, multi-camo and Army digital at $10 for a single and $12 for a double. www.cheaperthandirt.com

Magpuls: By now most AR users have these, but many hunters have yet to discover their utility. Magpuls are synthetic rubberized magazine pulls that slip tightly over the butt end of a magazine. The integral loop can be grabbed securely to facilitate a quick magazine extraction. They are available in black or dark earth for $4 or $5, less in five-packs. www.magpul.com

Camo Wraps: Got a black AR-hunting rifle that you’d like to camo for hunting, but not permanently? Then McNett Camo Form protective camouflage wrap is the deal. This camo wrap sticks to itself, not to gear. One 4-yard roll when stretched will cover the average rifle. The material is reusable and comes in a variety of popular camouflage patterns. www.mcnett.com

This camo wrap sticks to itself, not to gear. One 4-yard roll when stretched will cover the average rifle.

These are but some of the AR accessories useful to hunters. We’ll bring you more as they are introduced.

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