A foregrip is the grip on the front of a firearm that helps to control the gun, and prevent burns from the barrel during firing. A vertical foregrip can also allow for easier horizontal movement of the firearm, as it creates a firmer grasping point than conventional hand guards. Some firearms feature a vertical foregrip, such as the Heckler & Koch MP5K. This is used to steady firing and counter the effects of recoil

Recoil

Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...

, theoretically resulting in far more accurate fire when shooting in full auto mode. It can be incorporated in some rifles as part of the Rail Integration System

Rail Integration System

Rail Interface System are the primary method of attaching accessories to small firearms such as assault rifles and light machine guns...

, as in the image at right.