The A2 grip. Some bemoan it, some love it. It is one of the most divisive pieces of furniture to have been attached to the AR platform. I can firmly say it has never been a favorite of mine. However, the A1 grip is deemed to be excellent by most that have used it. Although the design was solid for the time, it hasn’t aged that well. The modern shooter desires a more vertical grip angle, which neither the A1 or A2 provide. However, Griffin Armament has come to the table with the A3, a combination of the designs of old and the modern desire.
Griffin Armament is no new name in the firearms industry. Although they are mostly known for their suppressors, Griffin has made AR components and complete guns for a long while. Their components are generally considered to be of high quality, and their furniture tends to be eye catching, and classic looking. The A3 grip caught my eye a number of years ago, but it wasn’t until Summer 2020 that I was able to try them out.
The A3 grip combines the ergonomics of both the A1 and A2 grips, with the modern angle of newer grips. Griffin’s A3 has the form factor of the A1, combined with the thicker girth of the A2. This is a simple recipe, but that’s all it needs to be. It is minimal, and that is good.
The Griffin A3 is also fairly inexpensive, running $15.95 at the time of this review. That’s a little under par for the market, as many grips tend to be in the $18 and up club. Being a little under priced is a good thing, but only if the grip meets the task. Is it any good?
Well, yeah. It’s actually really, really good.
The design is extremely simple, and does everything that it sets out to do well. The grip angle is just right, the side texturing is enough, but not too much, and the thickness is on point. The pinky lip at the bottom of the grip is also perfectly positioned, and never once smushed my big fingers.
One of the things that I really like about the A3 is what it lacks. Rather than try to cram more “features” onto the grip, it is left simple. No beavertail on the backside of the grip is a nice thing, and the lack of storage space in the grip is good too. Now those might be controversial takes, but I am personally a believer that “less is more”. Keep the bottle of lube or spare bolt in your kit, and reduce the weight of the gun so that it is more effective.
I hate to quickly come to comparisons, but here I am. The A3 has dethroned the Magpul K as my favorite grip, but only just. I like simple components on ARs, and both grips are very simple. Both have good texturing, and great grip angle. However, the little bit of extra girth on the A3 makes all of the difference. Well, that sentence sounded better in my head.
For the price, I think that the Griffin A3 is a bit of a hidden gem. I’ve purchased two of them, and think that I’ll probably buy more as time goes on.
If you are looking for the “right” grip for your AR, maybe we’ve reviewed it!
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