Educational articles explaining component tradeoffs and design considerations. Neutral analysis, not product recommendations.
A neutral guide to how barrel length affects velocity and handling, how profile changes weight and heat management, and how twist rate stabilizes different bullet weights.
An overview of AR-15 handguard and rail systems, comparing M-LOK and Picatinny attachment standards and the tradeoffs between free-float and drop-in designs.
An examination of muzzle device options for suppressed AR-15s, covering thread pitch standards, mount systems, alignment considerations, and the tradeoffs between direct-thread, QD, and taper-mount interfaces.
A neutral overview of how flash hiders, compensators, and brakes work, what each is designed to do, and the tradeoffs in recoil, flash, and concussion.
An analysis of AR-15 optic mounting heights, how height-over-bore affects zero offset and holdovers, and the tradeoffs between absolute co-witness, lower-third, and taller mounts.
A high-level overview of the main optic categories, explaining tradeoffs between speed, versatility, and precision for AR-15 builds.
A neutral overview of AR-15 buffer systems, covering carbine vs. rifle receiver extensions, buffer weights, springs, and how these parts affect cycling and recoil.
A neutral explanation of how single-stage and two-stage AR-15 triggers differ in feel, control, and use cases, plus how pull weight and shoe shape affect ergonomics.
A neutral explanation of gas system length tradeoffs, port pressures, and how these design decisions affect reliability, recoil, and parts wear.