Handle It: 14 Elite AR-15 Charging Handles

VLTOR/BCM BCMGUNFIGHTER Charging Handle (5.56mm) w/ Mod 4 (Medium) Latch: Solving the problems that the standard charging handle has, the BCMGUNFIGHTER line of charging handles comes with various sized latches to suit most any user and rifle build. The latch is designed to move directly towards the rear with stress taken off the roll pin for greater reliability and easier charging motion.

BeatenZone Mfg. Generation 3 / No.7 Advanced Tactical Charging Handle: The Gen 3 ATCH is made of 7075 billet aluminum and features a unique self-retracting lever that contains a locking latch that is made of heat-treated steel. The roll pin has been replaced with a repositioned coil roll pin for extra durability. Those looking for extra grip or something different might want to consider this charging handle.

Black Rain Ordnance Milled Charging Handle – NorGuard: The Black Rain Ordnance Milled Charging Handle is CNC machined from 7075 billet aluminum and fitted with an oversized, aggressively ribbed latch. This standard style charging handle as featured is finished in NorGuard, which is an electroless nickel plating that produces good wear as well as corrosion and stain resistance.

Fortis Hammer – 5.56mm (Nickelene): The Hammer features a thick handle and is aggressively serrated for additional grip. It is machined from 7075-t6 Billet aluminum and is designed with a revised latch backstop that takes stress off the roll pin. Finished in Nickelene for low friction action and built-in lubricity.

Phase 5 Battle Latch/Charging Handle Assembly: Phase 5’s BL/CHA features a host of upgrades including a 0.1875mm stainless coiled spring pin in place of the weaker standard roll pin and increased handle sidewall thickness that can withstand repeated abuse. It is designed to have broad contact points throughout for increased gripping surface area.

Precision Reflex, Inc. M84 Gas Buster Charging Handle w/ Combat Latch: PRI Gas Buster Charging Handle with Combat Latch is made to divert harmful gases, oil and dirt particles away from the shooter. The oversized latch is serrated and is easily accessible. PRI notes that the M84 is not recommended for left-handed shooters because of the gas porting properties.

SOG Armory Charging Handle w/ Tac Latch: ‘X’ marks the spot on an enhanced 5/8-inch square pad that extends from the charging handle, giving the shooter a quick and easy area to actuate the charging handle from. This charging handle looks to be of the standard type with an enlarged latch.

Strike Industries ARCH-EL: The Strike Industries ARCH-EL is made of T-6 7075 hard anodized aluminum and claims to not wear your upper receiver out as quickly as other handles that are equipped with steel latches. The “EL” stands for Extended Latch, which features a larger aluminum latch surface for easier gripping.

AXTS Raptor Charging Handle – 5.56mm: The AXTS Raptor ambidextrous charging handle allows for rapid palm “blading” or finger thumb charges of the rifle, which results in a fluid motion from either the strong or support side regardless of your dominant hand. Made in the USA from aircraft grade 7075 anodized aluminum.

VLTOR/BCM BCMGUNFIGHTER Ambi. Charging Handle (5.56mm) w/ Mod A44 (Ambi): BCMGUNFIGHTER charging handles are probably the most popular aftermarket units due to their excellent design and build. They make charging and manipulating the rifle easy and are built to last under hard use. This version allows lefties to rack their rifle with their strong hand and righties a weak-side option.

Mega Arms Slide Lock SL-400: Gone are the days of getting your fingers pinched by hungry charging handle latches. Mega Arms’ innovative design differs from the rest in this guide because it does not require a latch to be pulled in order to release itself from the locked position. The handle is solid and only its latch moves, locking and unlocking itself to the upper receiver.

Phase 5 Ambidextrous Battle Latch/Charging Handle Assembly: Like the Phase 5 BL/CHA, the ABL/CHA features a stainless coiled spring pin and increased sidewall thickness for enhanced performance and reliability. The ABL/CHA also includes an ambidextrous latch that is ideal for left-handed users or right-handers looking for the ability for weak-side manipulations.

Troy Ambidextrous Charging Handle: Troy’s Ambidextrous Charging Handle allows users to charge their rifle and clear malfunctions with either hand. The lever’s tabs are located on either side of the handle and are flared for increased surface area, which helps make it easier to operate. It is crafted from hardened aircraft aluminum, has a matte black finish and is American made.

POF-USA Ambidextrous Charging Handle: POF-USA’s Archangel charging handle features an easy to reach, ambidextrous, oversized serrated handle that is CNC machined from 7075 billet aluminum. For extra style, it has a wing motif engraved on the upper surface of the levers and an illustration of a sword etched on the handle. For durability, it is finished in black Type III hardcoat anodize.

While many elements of the AR-15 platform are ingeniously engineered and have held up well over time, there are certain parts of it that can use updates over its nearly 60-year-old design. Because the way the rifle’s manual of arms has evolved over the decades, its controls must too. The standard charging handle that comes with most AR-15s is just one of those parts that is due for a modern intervention. Current-day weapon manipulation concepts place more force on the charging handle than that of the past. As a result, in its standard form, the charging handle can be difficult to use and clumsy to manipulate.

RELATED STORY: Charge It: 3 Ways To Use Your Charging Handle

The handle’s thin release latch gives the user little leverage when pulled on and at times can even make it feel as if the bolt carrier group is putting up a fight from being racked back. Obviously, this is not an advantageous feature when trying to clear malfunctions. Aside from operational flaws, there are mechanical drawbacks too. When charging the rifle, the handle is pulled back at an angle and the tiny 1/16-inch roll pin that keeps the charging handle’s latch in place bears most of the applied force, making it a potential failure point. In fact, we’ve seen roll pins fail a couple of times, putting an end to that rifle’s use for the day.

This may not be a big deal when you’re out at the range for some casual plinking, but it could be a bigger concern when taking a shooting class you spent some major cash to be in or while in a shooting competition when every point counts. What’s even worse is if it fails when you’re in a life-threatening defensive situation. Fortunately, there is a solution to these problems. Or more accurately, there are many very well thought out and innovative solutions to these problems in the form of aftermarket charging handles.

At first, aftermarket charging handles started out alleviating the problem of leverage by simply changing out the stock thin latches with larger latches. But these latches were directly swapped out and still used the failure-prone 1/16-inch roll pin and original charging handle’s architecture. As development carried on, designers and engineers came to market with their own solutions to the problem. Now we are fortunate to be able to choose from a large selection of well-designed charging handles that solve or ease the aforementioned problems as well as others, such as the lack of ambidextrous use of the original design.

RELATED STORY: 8 Law Enforcement-Ready AR-15 Rifles Under $1,000

In the following buyer’s guide, we feature charging handles that are made for the AR-15 platform rifle. If you are looking for a larger handle intended for .308 and 7.62 NATO ARs, you’ll see them listed under the “Variants” category if available for that model. Enough talk; let’s take a look at the newest technology in AR-platform charging handles.