AR 15 Front Sight

[jeepman_psu]

I have a Bushmaster AR-15 Carbine and was wondering if anyone could tell me about mounting a dot sight on it. I am worried that the front sight will be on the way and I know how much of a hassle it is to remove the front sight. If it is in the way what do people commonly do to fix this problem?

 

[SEMNshooter]

When I put an EOTech on my AR I was in the same boat as you. I just slapped it on there (a RRA flat top) and tried it. After 3 or 4 range sessions, I didn't even notice it. It has a standard front sight/gas block. I have come to like the true co-witness that I run now. There are two ways to run the EOTech, a true co-witness, where the BUIS lines up perfectly with the EOTech or a 1/3 co-witness, where you use a spacer (1/4" usually) to put your BUIS in the lower 1/3 of your EOTech "screen". Try just the optic first, you may like it.

 

[PandaBearBG]

Keep your front site, if you run out of batteries or it dies, then your kinda left with nothing to site in with. But if you MUST then you could remove the front site post/gas block. I have never done it but, just make sure you have the right tools and know what you are doing, so you don't permanently damage something. Or take it to your local gunsmith.

 

[Ditch-Tiger]

if the front post bothers you/you can't get used to a co-witness and/or you don't want to go through the hassle of removing the sight then buy a flat-top riser and mount your dot sight on top, you will probably still be able to see the sight a little bit, but it will be at the extreme bottom of the sight and you won't notice it much.

Course if you really want it gone and don't care about iron sights...you could always grind it off above the gas tube!

 

[MrCleanOK]

Co-witnessing is fine. Try it and see if it really bothers you after a few range sessions. If you don't like it, put a riser under your optic.

 

[DMK]

It's a non-issue. Leave the front sight alone.

What most folks fail to realize is to properly use a red dot you use both eyes: you sight your target through your left eye and see the dot through your right eye (reverse that if you're left handed). You could put the lens cap over the front of your red dot sight and it would still work fine. Try it sometime.


I not only leave the front sight alone, I mostly leave the rear sight up as well, and view the dot through the large ghost ring.

 

[KW]

DMK is right - the front sight is a non-issue. Because your focus is on a distant target, the front sight blurs out and you don't even notice it. It works this way with magnified optics as well.

 

[krs]

But if you MUST then you could remove the front site post/gas block.

Before making plans to change out your front sight on an AR make sure that you can move those pins. Some, like original install Colt ones are all but permanent, resisting shop presses, heat, and any hammering you have the nerve to try. Best to cahnge the barrel or learn to live with the post.

 

[Acera]

Just find you a flip up front sight, like the one below, and install it. It is not that hard, and the thing will fold down out of your way.

 

[kwelz]

Many people prefer to have the FSB right there in case the Red dot goes down. You can either have a lower 1/3 co-witness (which most pros seem to prefer) or an absolute co-witness (which I prefer).

I suggest just leaving it there. But if you want a good flip up there are a lot of options. I suggest the VLTOR flip up personally.