Small folder to go in AR-15 pistol grip?

MatthewVanitas

MatthewVanitas

Go Army, Beat Navy!
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Oct 6, 2004
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467
I'm about to purchase a grip for my AR-15 rifle (civilian M16), which has a trapdoor at the bottom to allow storage inside the grip.

Since I have plenty of room in the buttstock to keep my cleaning gear, I was thinking of putting the following in the pistol grip:

1) Small durable folding knife
2) Sunto mini-compass (beloved of Marines)
3) Hank of fishline and a couple hooks
4) Spare firing pin

Oddly enough, it looks like all of this will fit if done carefully.

I've tried it out w/ my Kershaw Chive. However, I'd like something a little lighter than the Chive, since I don't want to add any more weight to the rifle than necessary.

Suggestions? Doesn't need to be some uber-cool combat knife, just something small and sharp that can perform basic tasks.

-Matthew
 
Spyderco Black Micarta Kopa maybe??

STR
 
An Opinel is incredibly light and comes in a variety of sizes.

An Alox Bantam from Victorinox would be very light and take up little space. The alox models have fairly stout backsprins on them. Same with the Vic Nylon Solo, it has the strongest backspring I've felt on a slip.

Take a look at the smaller FRN Spydercos and Byrds. Finch, Dragonfly etc. Maybe even a Meadowlark in FRN.
 
i would recommend not putting anything too valuable or important in the pistol grip. in training i have seen these grips fail many times and its contents spilled on the floor. when a situation goes sideways and you are under fire, etc, you wont even notice that the trap door has opened and your stuff is gone.

the ones i saw may have been of lower quality than yours, but after is saw that, i avoid them altogether.

no insult to your purchase intended:)
 
i would recommend not putting anything too valuable or important in the pistol grip. in training i have seen these grips fail many times and its contents spilled on the floor. when a situation goes sideways and you are under fire, etc, you wont even notice that the trap door has opened and your stuff is gone.
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Hmm, that might bear some considering.

Do you recall if these were the actual trapdoor type, or the "cork" type? Any idea if the cork/plugger is actually better than the door?

Or should I just toss a small knife into the buttstock with the cleaning kit? I don't recall having seen a buttstock door spontaneously come open during training.

I'm figuring out the same thing with my Marlin 30/30, though the buttstock on that one isn't currently hollow. I'm going to ask around and find out if drilling a 1" diameter hole a few inches into the stock (under the buttplate) would do any harm. I believe not, since Enfield stocks are drilled like that to bolt the stock on, so they kick far more than a 30-30.

Not sure if this is all just too gimmicky, someone on another board suggested just carrying a decent knife and not losing it while hunting would be much easier.

-MV
 
it was a trap door. everytime we fired full auto/burst, the door opened up and the guys surefire batteries fell to the deck. the heavier the items, and the more you put in there could magnify the problem as the items bang against the trap door.
i had previously thought of buying one, not after seeing this. it looked like a good quality grip, as it had come with his custom gun (about 2000.00). in a fixed stock with the cleaning kit is probably better, as it wont open with the weapon shouldered.

however, you may experience something different, i would be curious to see if the same thing happens.

i have never seen anyone with a cork type grip.
 
if you are carrying a knife hidden away and need it in a pinch, you're fine motor skills already out the window, retrieving it from a small compartment might be troublesome.

on the belt in a sheath or clipped to a pocket are the best options for carrying a knife imo.
 
if you are carrying a knife hidden away and need it in a pinch, you're fine motor skills already out the window, retrieving it from a small compartment might be troublesome.
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Oh, no doubt. As mentioned above, this isn't some sort of "tactical" fighting knife, just something to gut emergency game/fish, whittle twigs to make passage signs, etc.

In the extremely unlikely event that I get lost anywhere more remote than Zilker Park, I'd probably have my Benchmade Mini-Grip with me, as I always do, but a little redundancy (especially $10, 1oz. redundancy) wouldn't hurt.

-MV
 
MatthewVanitas said:
Oh, no doubt. As mentioned above, this isn't some sort of "tactical" fighting knife, just something to gut emergency game/fish, whittle twigs to make passage signs, etc.

In the extremely unlikely event that I get lost anywhere more remote than Zilker Park, I'd probably have my Benchmade Mini-Grip with me, as I always do, but a little redundancy (especially $10, 1oz. redundancy) wouldn't hurt.

-MV
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yeah i carry two of almost everything. guns, knives, flashlights, (im a cop).

give the grip a try, let me know how it works. if it works out for you i may reconsider and attach one to my m-4.
 
How about a Subcom F?

Don't know if it would fit, but it's a lot of knife in a small package. While it isn't in the $10 price range, at $30 it isn't exactly a lot.
 
A. G. Russell™ 2.5 Titanium Lockback Folder or Ultimate Pen Knife. Good steel, small, light, handy and won't cost a fortune to replace.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
it was a trap door. everytime we fired full auto/burst, the door opened up and the guys surefire batteries fell to the deck. the heavier the items, and the more you put in there could magnify the problem as the items bang against the trap door.
i had previously thought of buying one, not after seeing this. it looked like a good quality grip, as it had come with his custom gun (about 2000.00). in a fixed stock with the cleaning kit is probably better, as it wont open with the weapon shouldered.

however, you may experience something different, i would be curious to see if the same thing happens.

i have never seen anyone with a cork type grip.
Click to expand...

i have seen that on a buds semi AR15, i dont like those myself,

if i was gonna get one i suppose a SAK would be what i'd carry, if not batts of course.
 
MatthewVanitas said:
I'm about to purchase a grip for my AR-15 rifle (civilian M16), which has a trapdoor at the bottom to allow storage inside the grip.
Click to expand...

there is a great grip that has a "trap door" that slides from the side instead of rotating down or popping in like a cork. i have it on mine and it is seems less likely to come out. i will try to figure out what brand it is.

here it is :http://www.centuriontactical.com/utg-grip.htm
the palm swell feels nice in hand too
 
If you want a reliable, sturdy grip with storage that you can also customize to fit your hand then you want a Magpul MIAD.

http://www.magpul.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=78

mfullset.jpg
 
MatthewVanitas said:
Suggestions? Doesn't need to be some uber-cool combat knife, just something small and sharp that can perform basic tasks.
Click to expand...

If it doesn't need to be stainless, but cheap and take little space, but still give you a good blade:
The french Douk-Douk or the german Mercator Messer. They come in different sizes so you can choose which one suits you the best.
The traditional ones are carbon steel slip-joint folders where the grip is a folded piece of steel = very flat knives that fit into small places AND cheap so doesn't hurt if you loose them.
The blade steel is good (as said, not stainless) and the back spring is strong as a beaver trap on both types of knives.
The large Mercator is even boasting with a blade lock. The Douk-Douk you can even get in stainless and different blade styles.

Examples:
Douk-Douk
http://www.roedter-messer.de/douk_ douk.htm
Mercator Messer
http://www.otter-messer.de/mercator_knife.htm

/ Karl
 
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