Practical Rifle Accessories

What rifle accessories do you need when setting up an AR-15-type rifle for general everyday use and defensive use? PDN Contributor Don Edwards of Greenline Tactical gives his recommendations.

HOW TO ATTACH RIFLE ACCESSORIES

Most modern AR-15s have a rail cover/system for attaching rifle accessories: a Picatinny rail, Magpul M-LOK, or Bravo Company Mfg KeyMod. The AR in this video has an M-LOK. Research which system will work best for you and your rifle.

SLING

Don considers a sling very important for a rifle, especially a rifle that is intended for defensive or tactical use as well as rifle training. A sling is like a holster for your rifle. You wouldn’t walk around without a holster for your pistol, and Don wouldn’t walk around without a sling on his rifle.

Rifle slings come in single- or two-point types. Don’s rifle has a two-point sling. He can wear it loose or cinch it down tight to wear the rifle close against his body. This leaves his hands free to do other tasks if necessary.

RED-DOT OPTIC

Red-dot optics give you the ability to stay focused on the threat while giving you sights to shoot more precisely. Many high-quality red-dot optics exist today. One of the related rifle accessories is a solid mount to attach the optic to — mounts come in different heights to cater to different applications.

LIGHT

A good, bright weapon light is one of the most valuable rifle accessories and self-defense tools. Often a defensive incident takes place after dark, or in the dark interior of a home or building. You do not want to shoot at anything you cannot positively identify.

BACK-UP IRON SIGHTS

In a life-or-death emergency, having a backup system is critical. On Don’s rifle, the red-dot optic is mounted in a quick-release mount, so that if the red dot fails for any reason, it can quickly be detached and the iron sights brought up for use.