Side charging AR's

[knockonit]

So, i'm noticing a lot of vendors are offering a side charging ar platform, either left or right, who shoots one and why, i get the left or right, but the side charging , pros, cons, run away as fast as you can...................
thanks
Rj

 

[kenpoprofessor]

So, i'm noticing a lot of vendors are offering a side charging ar platform, either left or right, who shoots one and why, i get the left or right, but the side charging , pros, cons, run away as fast as you can...................
thanks
Rj

Some folks want the same feel as the AK or HK. I do admit, a left side charging upper is easier to cycle with the left hand and never drop the line of sight. I can do it by simply pushing the gun forward as my left hand pulls on the charging handle. I don't have one yet, but my supervisor does, and I played with it for a few. They quit selling the dual charge ones, I'm still looking for those.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[Cbvanb]

All my Grendel’s are side chargers. I did it partly to distinguish between them and the 556 rifles. I use the Grendel’s for hogs, and manipulating the charger in the dark is much easier than a regular charging handle, and for some reason the return to battery feels much stronger as long as you don’t ride the bolt forward. If I had the time and money I would consider changing out all my ARs to side chargers, as for me it’s an improvement over the original design. Especially if you have a low mounted scope on a flat top receiver. There is one weakness you need to address. The charging bolt is secured to the carrier with a screw. I didn’t loctite one of mine and on an all night hog hunt the screw came out at some point. At the end of the night I had a chambered round with no way to pull back on the bolt carrier, so I had to fire the rifle to get it emptied. Fortunately we were in a place where I could safely do that, but I now loctite all the side chargers and I keep a couple spare charging knobs in my kit.

 

[kenpoprofessor]

All my Grendel’s are side chargers. I did it partly to distinguish between them and the 556 rifles. I use the Grendel’s for hogs, and manipulating the charger in the dark is much easier than a regular charging handle, and for some reason the return to battery feels much stronger as long as you don’t ride the bolt forward. If I had the time and money I would consider changing out all my ARs to side chargers, as for me it’s an improvement over the original design. Especially if you have a low mounted scope on a flat top receiver. There is one weakness you need to address. The charging bolt is secured to the carrier with a screw. I didn’t loctite one of mine and on an all night hog hunt the screw came out at some point. At the end of the night I had a chambered round with no way to pull back on the bolt carrier, so I had to fire the rifle to get it emptied. Fortunately we were in a place where I could safely do that, but I now loctite all the side chargers and I keep a couple spare charging knobs in my kit.

I'm honestly surprised someone hasn't come up with a way to pin the charging bolt now they've been around so long. Roll pin, grub screw, something.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[kenpoprofessor]

+,,

 

[QuangTri]

I gather some side chargers are reciprocating handles and some not? How well does the recip work in action?

 

[mtptwo]

I use Spartan uppers. Left side charging with no screws. Charging handle sets in a little rail and is held in place by a detent. Nonreciprocating. They use a slightly modified cam pin.

On the expensive side, but they work extremely well.

 

[Cbvanb]

I use Spartan uppers. Left side charging with no screws. Charging handle sets in a little rail and is held in place by a detent. Nonreciprocating. They use a slightly modified cam pin.

On the expensive side, but they work extremely well.

Nice. I’ll look into that brand. Mine reciprocate, but I’ve never found that to be a problem.

 

[Winmagbill]

ADCOR Defense was making a pinned side charger upper that could be swapped over easily. Also kept the standard charging handle. Kinda nice. They made a gas piston or a DI version. Not sure what's up with them over the last 4 years.

 

[Blue109]

Use an ASA left side non reciprocating upper on my 18" grendel. Pretty cool. This is a long-ish range gun so I like the idea of being able to charge it without moving off target, but in practice, it a semiauto and usually doesn't need to be charged during shooting so other than looking cool, it's mostly pointless. No real down side, but not enough upside to spend the energy to convert my other guns over.

 

[pneuby]

Have the Bear Creek pistol. Work the action without removing strong-hand from the pistol grip. Unless, of course, you want to lock it open w/o a mag. You don't even have to break your cheek-weld on the stock.

Bolt handle can work as forward assist, if you think you want it to, LOl. I'm told than when you screw a can on one, you don't get gassed back through the rear of the upper where a standard charging handle would normally be.

 

[brian10x]

Apostrophe abuse!

 

[G34]

I bought a side charger years ago when specialized dynamics was using them for the grendel. I lost the knob after I cleaned it and didn’t reapply Loctite. In the prone it was great. Besides that I saw no benefits. The small plug where the CH would be was tacky.

 

[pneuby]

Apostrophe abuse!

Ummmm...nope. :think:
How to Use Apostrophes to Make Contractions
https://www.thoughtco.com/guidelines-for-using-apostrophes-correctly-1691755

In case you were actually referencing the comma/s....
https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/commas/

 

[DuneShoot]

I just got a JP rifles side charger. Mainly to shoot suppressed and minimize gas to the face.
It's odd right now but I'll get used to it.

 

[iammaxwell]

Years ago, I was so close to getting an ASA non-recip upper for my 9mm when they first came out. Saw them at a gun show and coveted it for quite a while. But ultimately, I decided it was better to just run what I had and keep the same battery of arms on all my ARs.
Side chargers are cool, but IMHO they're basically a clever solution to a non-issue. YMMV

 

[tabascoman79]

I’ve used spartan side chargers. But personally I think the gibbz is a better upper. The bca are fairly low end and I’ve know 2 friends that the charge handle broke during use being it is reciprocating. I’ve got 3 gibbz uppers. 2 Grendel’s, one of which I’m selling if you’re looking, and a 16” 223. They’re great rifles and if you run suppressors you don’t have to worry about getting gas in your face.

 

[campinginaz]

This might be an option as well. I bought one a while back but never installed it. Will not work with piston uppers (I believe)

https://devildogconcepts.com/side-charging-handle-system/

 

[Old Jeff H]

I have a cheap Bear Creek Arsenal 300 Blackout upper, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[tabascoman79]

I prefer gibbz or spartan. Both are great uppers.