M4 vertical grip (front)?

[alpha 33]

Has anyone ever seen one for the M4? Or maybe a rail attachment for use with  the original foregrip? 

Edited November 30, 2023 by alpha 33

[M2_shootr]

Could easily be used with a handguard, such as the MI. An MLOK vertical grip could be easily added 

[John Doe]

I plan on putting one on mine to help my wife get a better purchase of the weapon. I have been doing some modifications on my M4 to help my wife and daughters better handle it, so I am going to put one on it and see if it helps. I dont see why more people dont use them. I have one on my AR and most people do, but I hardly ever see people put them on their shotguns. 

[StrangerDanger]

Back when I had a Surefire M80 picatinny covered Pringles can, I tried the two different Magpul Angled Fore Grips (AFG) on it. Foregrips are a personal preference thing, but I found it wasn't comfortable for me at all. Putting a longer foregrip made the forend feel wobbly to me. Like you're balancing the shotgun on the top of your fist. It also slowed down my support hand for loading procedures since my hand would have move farther. Then when putting my hand back out to grab the fore grip, I'd have to move my hand more to regrasp the fore grip.

The foregrip can complicate weapon light activation too.

By all means add one if it works for you. But try to be objective if it is helping or not. A lot of people fall into the trap of adding things just to add them.

[John Doe]

50 minutes ago, StrangerDanger said:

But try to be objective if it is helping or not. A lot of people fall into the trap of adding things just to add them

So, in your opinion, what is the difference between having one on your rifle compared to having one on your shotgun? 

[StrangerDanger]

On the rifles they seemed closer to the bore so they weren’t as rolly. I personally don’t use them on AR’s either. With the shotgun, your support arm has more to do than with a rifle. You’re doing a lot of fine motor skills loading shells between shots when time allows. So sliding your hand back to start loading needs to be as smooth of a process as possible with no wait-a-minutes. I like inserting a shell with my thumb and moving my hand in the same motion back to my supporting grip without having to avoid a vertical grip or AFG. I also dislike how those kind of grips can get in the way of you going prone, or forcing you to be higher up off of cover. I prefer 20 round mags over 30’s for similar reasons. 
 

Here is the bump in the night rifle that I hike with and haul all over the back country. It’s paired with a gen3 monocular night vision device on a helmet. My support thumb controls either my white light or it controls the MAWL IR system. You can’t do both at the same time intentionally. So you aren’t mashing buttons when startled. Trying to do this with a vertical grip would be difficult. If I for some reason needed some kind of vertical grip, I’d just pull my hand back to the mag well. 

 

My rifle is an older version of our current build outs. Here is one of my customers builds we did back when NP3 was still a thing.

[John Doe]

Are you left-handed? The way you describe how you manipulate your weapon sounds like you are a lefty. I don't ever remove my support hand from reloads on my shotgun as I have become proficient with violin loading. I have been able to get my times pretty fast, but when I do it my support hand never leaves the front of the shotgun as I flip it and remove rounds from the shell carrier. What has helped tremendously with that is getting rid of the PG stock on my M4 and putting on a field stock, which I absolutely love. But that is why to me when I have done my drills it feels like I can get a better purchase on a shotgun with say an angled grip, but just because it "feels" like it might be better doesn't mean it is going to. Yet, if it is something that I can work with and train with then fine, if that means my wife and daughters can get a better grip on it and be able to control it better then I am all for it. 

We shall see with the shotgun, but I have a foregrip on my rifle and that will never change. I use a c-grip and wrap around three around the front of the rifle and the bottom two fingers use it as leverage, I don't know how else to describe it. I'm not a big fan of the hot buttons. I think the concept is cool, but every time I have run one they always get in the way of having a good grip or I have an accidental light discharge and it drives me crazy, so I pulled them off. Probably could get more comfortable with them if I train more with them, but I honestly feel like it is just another button or contraption to worry about. I know guys that run them amazingly well with no issues after long hours of training, but again each their own. I like my rifle as plain Jane as you can get, not a lot of extra stuff on it.

[StrangerDanger]

I shoot right handed primarily, but I’m ambi. I write left handed. It’s just easier to default right for guns. Plus I’m right eye dominant. Those aren’t HotButtons on top of the rail. They’re integrated buttons on the MAWL. Bumping the IR is less of a concern since no one can see it unless they have night vision equipment. Plus they’re pretty well protected in that valley. 
 

Using the violin style loading or the Benelli might work out then for you. I never liked taking my firing grip off of the firearms personally. If it works for you, use it. 
 

Nice build on your rifle, btw. 

[John Doe]

Ok, got it. It looked like the setup for your white light too. Yeah having it just for the mawl is not a big issue as you said. I agree with you for the most part about taking your firing grip off, yet I have practiced enough with it and can get back in proper firing stance quick enough, but yeah it isn't for everyone. You have a pretty cool build too. I think the mawls and peqs are pretty cool for what they do, but I don't run nvg's so I never had a use for them, back to what you said earlier, don't just put stuff on your weapon just because everyone else is doing it. You have the proper equipment for it so it makes sense. 

[StrangerDanger]

Agreed, and thanks. No point to have a MAWL without night vision. I live pretty remote so my backyard is all BLM land on a forested mountain with old mines scattered around. For part of my PT, the dog and I do night hikes under night vision only. Preferably nights with zero moon or when it’s cloudy. 
 

It’s fun to creep and sneak up on mule deer and elk. We have a three mile circuit we do where we never touch the white light for the entire trip. Having the whole trip is an amazing view of the night sky as a bonus. When you do it a bunch you really dial in your sling setup and belt arrangement for creeping mode. 

[StrangerDanger]

1 hour ago, brightt said:

 

is this a v7 ar10? whats the weight? looks great

It's a V7 2055 lithium aluminum receiver set, but this is just the AR15 set. V7 sadly doesn't make a 2055 in AR10 yet. Total weight is 7 lbs 6 oz without a magazine. The MAWL is pretty heavy at around 10 oz. The newer version cuts about a half pound off of the overall.

[John Doe]

2 hours ago, StrangerDanger said:

It’s fun to creep and sneak up on mule deer and elk.

🤣🤣🤣

[KingChevy]

On 11/30/2023 at 9:00 AM, alpha 33 said:

Has anyone ever seen one for the M4? Or maybe a rail attachment for use with  the original foregrip? 

Funny you ask this, I've been toying with the idea of creating an attachment similar to the Benelli MR1 / Beretta CX4 Tri-Rail attachment. I have both, but I only tried CX4 attachment so far. It slides on easily and the concept is there, it's very obtainable to do with a 3d printer.

My vision is to add rails for grip and/or light, Tri-Rail attachment makes sense, while also keeping the aesthetics of OEM forend. 

So after sliding the Tri-Rail on to get an idea, a few things I would need to do. 3D print Tri-Rail attachment that fits perfectly to OEM forend, making rails straight. Drill 4 holes on the OEM forend and somehow incorporate threads in said holes to screw the attachment in like the MR1/CX4. 

Project for next year I suppose.

[danbrew]

I have the 11732 and mounted a Magpul RVG on the bottom rail section. I like it a lot. 
 

[John Doe]

Looks good. But also looks like a SBS and it probably feels a lot better with it on. I'm playing around with a Magpul-angled grip on mine and seeing how well it works out. So far it feels good, but that means nothing until it feels good while running drills and using it. To be continued....