Side Charging ARs
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to go over side charging ARs today. These alternative style ARs are gaining in popularity among shooters today and have many features which make them worth considering. Our goal with this blog post is to provide a brief overview of these types of ARs while delving into traits, features, pros and cons, and more. Without further ado, let’s talk side charging ARs.
How Are Standard ARs Charged?
Typically, AR rifles are charged from the rear via a “t-handle” charging handle. The charging handle interfaces with a channel above the bolt carrier group and protrudes from the rear of the receiver. To charge a standard AR, one must ensure that they depress the locking tab on the charging handle before pulling rearward. Doing so ensures that the locking tab on the charging handle has cleared the index point on the upper receiver. When pulling the charging handle to the rear, the narrow and long body of the component becomes visible. Depending on how far one runs their stock out, they may find that the charging handle extends over a good deal of the stock. Due to this fact, the shooter will generally need to break their cheekweld to charge their rifle. Factory charging handles tend to bias right-handed shooters, a feature remedied by aftermarket ambidextrous and left-hand friendly charging handles.
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What is a Side Charging AR?
Like the name suggests, a side charging AR features a charging handle which is on the side of a rifle as opposed to the standard position at the rear of the receiver. These charging handles can be present on either the left or right side of the receiver, and can even be reversed by an end user to suit their preference in some cases. Some side charging handles will reciprocate during the firing cycle, running rearward and forward when shooting. Others will remain in place while firing and are of the nonreciprocating variety. The actual charging handles themselves will typically feature hook or trigger-like geometry. These handles are ergonomically shaped to facilitate easy and intuitive operation. Additionally, these handles are often equipped with tabs which must be depressed to allow charging to take place. These essentially allow the handle to lock into place when not in use, ensuring it doesn’t rattle loosely.
Side Charging AR Upper Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Some side charging AR upper receivers feature handles on the left-hand side of the receiver. This makes these models friendly towards left-handed shooters.
- Available in many popular calibers such as 56x45mm NATO, .300 Blackout, 9mm Luger, and 7.62x39. Additional calibers such as 6.5 Grendel, .450 Bushmaster, and .458 SOCOM are also supported by side charging ARs.
- Due to the absence of a conspicuous hole at the rear of the receiver, side charging uppers pair well with suppressors. Standard charging handle channels send gasses rearward towards the shooter, often into the operator’s face. This is easily remedied with some form of gas busting charging handle and buffer tuning, but side charging ARs avoid this issue altogether.
- By moving the charging handle to the side of the receiver, a common issue with charging an AR with a rearward mounted scope is remedied. Traditionally, if a scope is mounted towards the rear of the receiver, there is a potential for an end user to have issues with reaching and engaging with a standard charging handle. With the charging handle on the side, one will not need to worry about any clearance issues of this type.
- An additional benefit yielded by a side charging handle is the fact that one does not need to break their cheekweld when charging the rifle. This is because the charging handle is no longer extending from the rear of the receiver and towards the face of the shooter when charging.
Cons:
- Proprietary parts and components are utilized in these types of uppers. Due to the fact that side charging uppers deviate from established norms, they often utilize unique components for their charging handles and bolts.
- Due to variances in manufacturing and a tendency to feature billet construction, some side charging upper receivers may not be compatible with some handguards. This is mainly due to issues with geometry and tolerances between milspec and billet components.
- Due to the unique and proprietary nature of these uppers, they will lack dust covers which are commonplace on many ARs. While this may not be a dealbreaker for some, many shooters prefer that a dust cover is present on their rifle to seal the bolt and chamber when not in use.
- Like dust covers, most side charging ARs will lack traditional forward assists found on most ARs. Some shooters will not see this as a negative as many shooters nowadays do not personally see a need for a forward assist. Often times, most shooters can only recall actually having to use their forward assist a few times if at all. Regardless, there are still many shooters who feel that rifles need forward assists and will see this as a negative. Most side charging rifles in general can perform the duties of a forward assist if forward pressure is applied to the charging handle.
- Due to the unique nature of these types of ARs, they tend to demand premium prices when compared to many traditional ARs. Additionally, they are also less common than their traditional counterparts, meaning that shooters have fewer options to consider when shopping for a rifle.
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Who Makes Side Charging Uppers?
At this point in time, there are a number of side charging AR uppers on the market. Companies such as Gibbz Arms, Bear Creek Arsenal, Foxtrot Mike Products, and New Frontier Armory are among those who produce side charging ARs. These offerings can be had in the form of upper receivers and in the form of complete firearms. Additionally, like many uppers and firearms, side charging ARs can be had in a variety of calibers and barrel lengths. While these types of uppers are ultimately not as common or prevalent as traditional ARs, they are certainly available and can be had easily if you wish to acquire one.
Conclusion
The fact that side charging ARs exist is truly a testament to the versatility and modularity of the AR platform. Companies have taken the established design and come up with ways to make it appeal to a wider variety of preferences and offer unique features over what is traditionally available. At this point in time, both traditional and side charging ARs are viable options which will serve shooters well. Regardless of whether you run a traditional AR or a side charging AR, we here at True Shot Ammo offer a wide range of
ammo for sale to help you get stocked up. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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