I'd like to get a side charging upper but a couple of threads say to stay away because of reliability issues.

How long has your side charger been running?

What problems have you experienced?

Would you buy it again knowing what you know now?

Thanks for any help.

I had a Gibbz a couple years ago that lasted for about 1k rounds before the divot where the side charger locked into wore away.. not sure if they have resolved the issue or not but they did send me a new upper which I promptly sold and purchased a fortis.

Here is my AR-9 side charger.  It is a left side active side charger handle.  It is totally reliable.

I have done three of these now.  I mill a 0.25" slot in the upper and make a new "gas block" for the bolt.  The operating handle is a 1/4" shoulder bolt.  The shoulder bolt needs to be installed with blue Loctite.  The guy at Accurate & Reliable Rfle makes the plug for the opening where the standard operating handle was.

So your vote would be no?

How many rounds do you have through it? What ammo are you using?

I'm not a fan of reciprocating charging handles, especially on the left.  I have one semi auto shotgun and one .22 rifle that have reciprocating charging handles, but they are on the right side.

A slot on the left side of the upper is just another opening to allow dirt to get into and I would assume it would also allow for gas to escape into a right handed shooters face (assuming blowback 9mm and probably more so suppressed) - if there is any OOB discharge, I suppose it could allow debris/shrapnel to fly right into a right handed shooters face also.

I think they are a niche/novelty item and I personally would not buy an AR of this type.  I might consider one with an HK style charging handle (similar to RRA PDS), but if I really wanted an AR style firearm with a side charging handle, I would buy one that was designed that way to begin with (HK or similar).

The primary reason I got into AR9s was to mimic my other ARs so the manual of arms was the same, so I could should them at a much lower ammo cost (I reload 9mm for $0.03/rd not accounting for my time), and so I could shoot them at any range that allowed pistol calibers and not rifle calibers.

Just my 2 cents.

American Spirit Arms side charging upper user here. Mine has probably seen about 5,000 rounds and no problems. I really like them a lot.

I have a New Frontier side charger w/ LRBHO on a Glock build. I will be building another when it's back in stock.
I have the regular NFA side charger on a Colt build, and just ordered a 2nd like it for another Colt build.

Thousands of rounds in steel matches, run/gun matches, and USPSA matches. No issues with hot 115/124 grn.....no issues with 147/165 subs.
They work with both the spinta bolt, and the NFA bolts.

I will move all my AR's to this style of side charger.




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I haven't shot my Matrix yet, but I don't really shoot enough to break stuff anyway.

I did want to try one of the NoDak uppers at one point, but they were out and I bought something else. I still think it'd be neat. :)

I have put around 1000 rpunds through it with the left side charger modification.  I run mostly reloads that go 1050 fps on the low side to 1250 fps high side.  Both 115 and 124 grain bullets.  It runs factory ammo just fine.  Right now I am running the Blitzkrieg Hydraulic buffer with a JP AR-10 spring.  Pretty smooth with the 1050 fps loads.

I haven't had any trouble from my crosshill tech with about 500 rounds on it. Not much but I haven't got to shoot much lately. AR Stoner has a version of it and Bear Creek Arsenal as well which I'm assuming are rebranded versions. Mine is a right side charge (reciprocating). I love it. I've never cared for the standard AR charging handle though.

Is that a lefty version? I'm looking at non- reciprocating uppers, they seem to be the better way to go.

Nothing wrong with a reciprocating charging handle.  Most of the unlimited USPSA pistols have one.  All automatic shotguns have one.  The reciprocating charging handle is more reliable and it gives you full control of the bolt.

The slot in the left side of the upper and the plugged rear operating handle opening both help keep blowback gas out of your face.

Good to know, thanks for the info.

Is anyone a left hand shooter? Wonder what ejection is like for lefties?

I shoot lefty with all calibers and have no issues.

I do also, but the 9mm uppers I've seen don't have a deflector and all of my other rifles do.

You mean like the one on the bottom?



ETA:  Another pic

Exactly so, though with the MI rail and an SBR. :)
Do you get any debris from the charging slot?
Is it fun?

No debris, the charging rail fits snugly in the handle. but I don't have a suppressor.  Maybe some day.

Iron sights only at this stage, so it's a short range shooter.  I may mount a bottom third co-witness red dot on the rail.  Another maybe someday project.  With the light weight (Colt) barrel, it's easy to handle even at 16", and it no longer has the flash hider, just a plain thread protector.  Not worth the $200 stamp to me.

I already have this:


Though I changed to an old style carbine stock. The Nodak upper would be super neat, but not sure what I'd do with the current Fulton Armory A1 upper.

I've got a hair less than a 1000 through a NFA side charger being used on a dedicated 9mm. No issues whatsoever. 

I ended up getting the MAS Defense 9mm side charger. Time to go put a lot of rounds through it.

I have an asa upper.  Works flawlessly and looks great.