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A vertical forward grip or foregrip is a vertical
Forward grips aid in the maneuverability of the firearm, since the natural angle of a person's outstretched hand is more oriented to grasping objects at a vertical angle, rather than a horizontal one perpendicular to the body. Foregrips can decrease accuracy in precision rifle shooting if the shooter tends to "muscle the weapon".
Vertical foregrips can have features located inside the inner diameter, such as a deployable bipod inside the grip's housing. The M4 Carbine's with similar weapons' different Grip Pod Systems, AKA "Grip Pods" created in 2003 are still used by the
A shorter version is referred to as a "stubby grip" and is primarily intended to keep the shooter's hand from moving forward of the muzzle.
Angled forward grips can provide similar functionality to vertical forward grips. They differ in that a vertical foregrip is more useful for "driving" the weapon, while an angled foregrip is more effective at pulling the weapon into the shooters shoulder while keeping the offhand wrist in a comfortable and manageable position, which helps with accuracy. Some angled foregrips are designed to be used with the C Clamp grip which allows good pointability (as Vertical Foregrips allow) as well as better accuracy because of the shooters more firm purchase on the weapon. One such popular product is the MagPul Dynamics AFG, or Angled Fore Grip. This allows the operator to lay the palm of their hand onto the grip while pushing the thumb down on the top of the gun.
Online version.
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A vertical forward grip or foregrip is a vertical pistol grip
On a firearm or other tools, a pistol grip is a distinctly protruded handle underneath the main mechanism, to be held by the user's hand at a more vertical (and thus more ergonomic) angle, similar to the how one would hold a conventional pis ...
mounted on the fore-end of a long-barrel firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
, designed for grasping by the frontal support hand (or "off hand").
Use
Forward grips aid in the maneuverability of the firearm, since the natural angle of a person's outstretched hand is more oriented to grasping objects at a vertical angle, rather than a horizontal one perpendicular to the body. Foregrips can decrease accuracy in precision rifle shooting if the shooter tends to "muscle the weapon".
Vertical foregrips can have features located inside the inner diameter, such as a deployable bipod inside the grip's housing. The M4 Carbine's with similar weapons' different Grip Pod Systems, AKA "Grip Pods" created in 2003 are still used by the American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
(Include the US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
, USMC
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through co ...
, National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
, US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sig ...
, FBI, CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
, DEA, Customs Border Patrol, etc), British and Australian armed forces is such a device. The grip may also have a tactical light and the control switches molded into the grip's assembly. Other designs may contain storage space for spare parts, spare batteries for optics, weapon lights, or small first aid gear. Some designs may have a bottom that threads on with an O-ring to make this storage compartment watertight.
Stubby grip
A shorter version is referred to as a "stubby grip" and is primarily intended to keep the shooter's hand from moving forward of the muzzle.
Angled forward grip
Angled forward grips can provide similar functionality to vertical forward grips. They differ in that a vertical foregrip is more useful for "driving" the weapon, while an angled foregrip is more effective at pulling the weapon into the shooters shoulder while keeping the offhand wrist in a comfortable and manageable position, which helps with accuracy. Some angled foregrips are designed to be used with the C Clamp grip which allows good pointability (as Vertical Foregrips allow) as well as better accuracy because of the shooters more firm purchase on the weapon. One such popular product is the MagPul Dynamics AFG, or Angled Fore Grip. This allows the operator to lay the palm of their hand onto the grip while pushing the thumb down on the top of the gun.
Legality on pistols in the U.S.
The legality of vertical foregrips on pistols in the United States is unclear. In the United States, firearms are categorized by theNational Firearms Act
The National Firearms Act (NFA), 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, was enacted on June 26, 1934, and currently codified and amended as . The law is an Act of Congress in the United States that, in general, imposes an excise tax on the manufact ...
and firearms manufactured with specific features are subject to restrictions and controls. In the case of a vertical forward grip on a pistol, the law does not explicitly define such a feature as belonging to any category.
In May 1993, in response to legal action brought by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevent ...
(ATF), the South Carolina District Court's finding of fact concluded that a pistol modified with the addition of vertical fore grips was still a pistol and not any other weapon device. Following this, the ATF dropped their charges and the case was not tried; as such no precedent
A precedent is a principle or rule established in a previous legal case that is either binding on or persuasive for a court or other tribunal when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts. Common-law legal systems place great v ...
was set.
In an open letter sent to Federal Firearms License
A Federal Firearms License (FFL) is a license in the United States that enables an individual or a company to engage in a business pertaining to the manufacture or importation of firearms and ammunition, or the interstate and intrastate sale o ...
es in April 2006, the ATF stated their interpretation of the law: that installing a vertical forward grip on a handgun is the same as manufacturing an Any Other Weapon (AOW) category firearm and subject to registration and taxation, with significant penalties for manufacturing or possessing such an unregistered weapon.
The ATF has stated that angled grips do not make an AOW from a handgun.ATF Letter 903050:MCP. 3311/2010-1021. 30 August 2010Online version.
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See also
References
{{Firearms Firearm components