When it comes to changing my AR-10 charging handle, my top two choices are the Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle (best overall) and Daniel Defense AR .308 Grip-N-Rip Ambidextrous Charging Handle (best ergonomic). As a lefthanded shooter, I understand how important it is to have options that work for both a righthanded and lefthanded shooter.
Although there are many interchangeable parts between an AR-15 and an AR-10, the charging handle is not one of them. So far, the biggest challenge I have experienced with the charging handle on my AR-10 is that it sticks sometimes. This is where you will no doubt find the Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle, a remarkable device indeed. It doesn’t get stuck, and it pulls smoothly every time.
However, if you are looking for comfort from the stress of dealing with a stuck charging handle but aren’t exactly sure where to turn, and budget isn’t a big thing for you, then you can get the Daniel Defense AR .308 Grip-N-Rip Ambidextrous Charging Handle. This particular device is known for both superior composition and durability, and it will definitely give you your money’s worth.
There are some other options that I have used over the years when changing AR-10 charging handles, and I’m laying them out for you. If you have a specific model you prefer, chances are, it made the list. Read on to see what I have to say about some of the top choices on the market.
Best AR 10 Charging Handles Comparison Table
There are a lot of parts that are interchangeable between your AR-15 and your AR-10. Sadly, the charging handle isn’t one of them, because the AR-10 bolt carrier is longer than an AR-15 bolt carrier.
So you’ll need to get the best AR-10 charging handle for your AR-10 because your go-to charging handle for your AR-15 won’t cut it.
Fortunately, most manufacturers make their most popular charging handles for both the AR-15 and the AR-10. The field of the best AR-10 charging handles is broad. You’ve got options.
Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Gun Type:
Rifle
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Hard Coat Anodized
Pros:
Super burly construction.
Ambidextrous mechanism is super well designed and never gets jammed up.
Pull tabs are large enough to get a solid grip every time.
Snagging potential is surprisingly minimal.
Table of Contents
The Best AR 10 Charging Handles Reviews – Handles That Can Handle Everything
The overall best AR-10 charging handle will get pulled first. The best AR-10 charging handles from each category will be racked up in order of price.
To find the most handle for the money, read the first reviews.
Need the best handle, period? Read the reviews near the end.
Time to rack some rounds.
1. Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Gun Type:
Rifle
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Mil Spec Type III Hard Coat Anodized
Pros:
- Super burly construction.
- Ambidextrous mechanism is super well designed and never gets jammed up.
- Pull tabs are large enough to get a solid grip every time.
- Snagging potential is surprisingly minimal.
Cons:
- Expensive.
The Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle has been the one of the best—if not THE BEST—charging handle you can get since it came out. You can’t go wrong putting this charging handle on all your rifles.
Both the metal and the finish are better than many competing charging handles.
However, the big deal with this charging handle is the latch and the pull tabs.
First, the ambidextrous design is incredible. Many ambidextrous charging handles can be sticky because the ambidextrous mechanism gets jammed up a little bit.
I’ve never had that issue with this charging handle. And I have to use the ambidextrous side, because I’m left handed. It pulls super smoothly, every time.
Additionally, the pull tabs are large enough and shaped to be super easy to grip. You’ll get a secure grip on your charging handle, no matter what.
But, the pull tabs aren’t so crazy that they’re going to snag on your gear or anything. The tabs might look aggressive. But they’re not a snagging hazard.
The only downside to this charging handle is the price. This charging handle is definitely on the upper end of the price spectrum.
But this is an awesome charging handle. It’s easily worth the money.
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2. TRYBE Defense Ambidextrous Enhanced Mil-Spec Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Hand:
Ambidextrous
- Fabric/Material:
6061-T6 Aircraft Grade Aluminum
- Finish:
Hard Black Anodized
Pros:
- Super strong construction with a solid anodized finish.
- Ambidextrous mechanism works smoothly most of the time.
- Grip tabs are super easy to grip and pull.
- Presents very little, if any, snagging potential.
- Quite affordable.
Cons:
- Ambidextrous mechanism occasionally has a little click of resistance if you’re running left-handed.
The TRYBE Defense Ambidextrous Enhanced Mil-Spec Charging Handle is the most affordable way to get an ambidextrous charging handle for your AR-10. It’s super affordable and well made.
It’s machined from 7075-T6 aluminum. And the anodized finish is pretty strong. It wears off fairly quickly along the body, where your charging handle rubs against the inside of your upper receiver.
But that’s normal. And the finish holds up really well on the handle, where you actually see your charging handle.
Then, the ambidextrous mechanism is respectable. If you’re right-handed, it works super smoothly every time.
For left-handers, you’ll notice that occasionally you get a tiny click of resistance when you pull the ambidextrous side. It never completely jams. But it’s not as smooth as it could be.
But, the pull tabs are super easy to grip and pull quickly. Also, the pull tabs are minimal enough that they’re not really a snagging hazard. This charging handle works fine if you run your AR-10 with kit.
Lastly, this TRYBE Defense charging handle costs like half as much as many other charging handles. It’s definitely the most charging handle you can get for the price.
3. Strike Industries AR Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Gun Type:
Rifle
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Hard Anodized
Pros:
- Forged from 7075-T6 aluminum, with a reasonably durable anodized finish.
- Extended and enlarged latch makes it easy for right and left-handers to run their charging handle.
- Mil-spec type design presents very minimal snagging potential.
- Very reasonably priced.
Cons:
- Not a truly ambidextrous design, even though it’s relatively easy to run with either hand.
If you prefer something with a more mil-spec design, the Strike Industries AR Charging Handle is very similar to a standard mil-spec design. But it’s got a few enhancements that make it more efficient than a bone stock charging handle.
First, this charging handle is forged from 7075-T6 aluminum. And the anodized finish is reasonably durable.
Yes, the anodizing tends to wear off somewhat quickly along the body where there’s friction between your charging handle and your upper receiver. But it lasts at least as long as the finish on most other charging handles.
On the backend, the latch is the same design as a mil-spec charging handle. However, the latch is extended and enlarged to make it much easier to pull your charging handle with either hand.
Obviously, it’s easiest if you’re right-handed since it’s a standard right-handed design. But, it’s also quite easy for left-handers to cant their rifle and pull the charging handle with their right hand. So this charging handle is at least semi-ambidextrous.
Lastly, this Strike Industries model is quite affordable. It’s not the absolute least expensive option. But it’s still on the lower end of the price spectrum.
If you like a more traditional charging handle design, but want something a bit better than a bone stock charging handle, this is a very cost efficient way to go.
4. Griffin Armament AR SN-ACH Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Gun Make:
AR Platform
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Hard Anodized
Pros:
- Bomb-proof construction: 7075-T6 aluminum with reinforcement at key stress points.
- Anodized finish is smooth to reduce wear on friction surfaces.
- Ambidextrous latches run very smoothly for both right and left-handed.
- Raised block above latches keeps you from getting gas directly in your face.
Cons:
- Expensive.
Suppressor optimized charging handles can be a bit pricey. And the Griffin Armament AR SN-ACH Charging Handle is certainly not a cheap charging handle. But it’s one of the most affordable options for those who want to run a suppressor on their AR-10 without getting a ton of gas in their face.
The construction is as solid as you’d expect from a charging handle at this price point. It’s forged from 7075-T6 aluminum. And the hard coat anodizing is thick and well-applied. The anodizing has a very smooth finish that helps prevent wear along the body.
Additionally, the load bearing surface at the gas tube end is reinforced to prevent breakage and provide a longer lifespan.
Then, the ambidextrous design is very rigid and operates smoothly, regardless of whether you’re right or left-handed.
But the suppressor optimization is the big deal.
This charging handle has a gas channel that redirects gas away from you. And there’s a raised block on top of the latches that keeps gas from exiting the rear of your upper receiver toward your face.
This enables you to run a suppressor without getting so much gas in your face, even if you have a short barrel with a long gas system.
This Griffin Armament charging handle might be a bit pricey. But it’s the most affordable option if you want a charging handle that keeps gas out of your face.
5. Daniel Defense AR .308 Grip-N-Rip Ambidextrous Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Hand:
Ambidextrous
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Black
Pros:
- Construction is quite durable and long lasting.
- Anodized finish is quite thick and smooth to reduce friction.
- Pull tabs are super easy to grip. And the ambidextrous mechanism operates incredibly smoothly.
- Presents minimal snagging potential.
- Ridge on top of the charging handle redirects gas away from your face.
Cons:
- Latch handles are 6065-T6 aluminum.
- Expensive.
Daniel Defense makes excellent AR-15 rifles and parts. Not cheap parts. But very good ones. The Daniel Defense AR .308 Grip-N-Rip Ambidextrous Charging Handle is one of those high quality components.
First, the body is forged from 7075-T6 aluminum. The latch handles are machined from 6065-T6 aluminum. The construction is perfectly durable.
However, I’m a little disappointed that this charging handle uses 6065-T6 aluminum at all. There are less expensive charging handles that are made entirely of 7075-T6 aluminum.
But the anodizing is super well applied. It’s thick and the surface is smooth to reduce friction inside your upper receiver. So the overall durability is solid.
This charging handle is impressively well designed, though.
The pull tabs are super easy to get a hold of. And the ambidextrous mechanism operates very smoothly for both right and left-handed shooters.
Additionally, the pull tabs are still rounded in the right places to prevent snagging on your kit.
Lastly, this Daniel Defense charging handle has a little ridge on the top of the latch. This redirects gas away from your face as it exits the rear of the upper receiver. So this charging handle also makes your rifle more pleasant to shoot, even with a suppressor.
Sadly, you have to pay a bit of a premium for this charging handle. Though, you get a charging handle that’s superbly easy to operate and adds quite a bit of comfort to your rifle.
6. Radian Weapons AR-308 Raptor-SD Charging Handles
Key Specs:
- Gun Type:
Rifle
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Mil Spec Type III Hard Coat Anodized
Pros:
- Strong 7075-T6 aluminum construction with a remarkably strong anodized finish.
- Pull tabs are incredibly well designed to maximize grip and minimize snagging potential.
- Vented body allows gases to flow around your bolt carrier group, rather than out the back of your upper receiver.
- Enlarged latches redirect gas that does escape your upper receiver away from your face.
Cons:
- Venting on the body seems like it would have some impact on durability, even though I’ve never seen one of these charging handles fail.
- Expensive.
The Radian Weapons AR-308 Raptor-SD Charging Handles is essentially just a Radian Raptor charging handle with some suppressor-specific design changes.
That means that you get the same 7075-T6 aluminum with super strong hard coat anodizing. This is a remarkably durable charging handle.
The pull tabs are super easy to grip. And the ambidextrous mechanism functions flawlessly.
All good stuff.
However, this charging handle has some additional features that make it great for suppressed shooting.
First, there are vent holes in this charging handle that allow gases to vent downward, around your bolt carrier group, rather than out the back of your upper receiver.
Additionally, the latch mechanism is taller than a standard charging handle. That way, the gas that does exit the rear of your upper receiver gets redirected away from your face.
Overall, this charging handle makes as comfortable as possible to shoot a suppressed AR-10.
The price is my main complaint about this charging handle. It’s easily the most expensive charging handle on the market.
However, my main concern about this charging handle is the longevity. It just seems impossible for the vents not to reduce the strength of the body.
Now, that reduction in strength might be trivial. I’ve never seen one of these charging handles fail. It seems durable enough to last a long time. However, if you’re paranoid about durability, you may feel uncomfortable with this charging handle.
For those who are looking for the absolute most pleasant suppressed shooting experience, this Radian Weapons charging handle is the way to go. Just be ready to drop the cash for it.
The Final Shot
If you’re building an AR-10, you’ll need an AR-10 charging handle. Charging handles are not interchangeable between AR-15 and AR-10 rifles.
But most of your favorite AR-15 charging handles are available in an AR .308 model. So many of the best AR-10 charging handles are the same ones that you already know and love. Investing on custom triggers also helps for better control and functions by having a sturdier hammer springs.
Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle
Key Specs:
- Gun Type:
Rifle
- Fabric/Material:
7075-T6 Aluminum
- Finish:
Mil Spec Type III Hard Coat Anodized
Pros:
- Super burly construction.
- Ambidextrous mechanism is super well designed and never gets jammed up.
- Pull tabs are large enough to get a solid grip every time.
- Snagging potential is surprisingly minimal.
Cons:
- Expensive.
That’s why the Radian Weapons Raptor-LT Ambidextrous Charging Handle is the best AR-10 charging handle. It’s been one of the best (maybe THE BEST) charging handles on the market since it was released. You’ll be super happy with this charging handle.
It’s time to toss that old mil-spec AR-10 charging handle that leaves ergonomics out of the design. Get a better AR-10 charging handle and run your rifle faster and shoot more comfortably.
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