90 Degree Mounting for Red Dot Sight on AR-15/AR-10 Rifles

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Anthony

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Hello Everyone,

Can anyone direct me to some high quality mounts and/or components for mounting a red dot sight (e.g., Aimpoint) at a 90 degree angle in lieu of a higher powered scope mounted conventionally onto the receiver of an AR-15/AR-10 style rifle?

Thanks for the input.
 
If you want a mount for an Aimpoint or similar 30mm red dot, the popular mounts are the ARMS #22M68 and the Larue CCO mount. Less often encountered are the Knights and GG&G cantilever mounts.

Edited to add: I guess I misunderstood...you want to mount an Aimpoint or similar red dot on the side of the gun? If that is the case I would look at a railed forend and just mount it on the 3 or 9 o'clock rail with a normal mount. I doubt you'll be able to mount on the receiver because you will block either the ejection port or the bolt release, so you will need the rail anyway. You could also use an offset mount to put it in the 1:30 or 10:30 position.
 
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I believe LaRue makes a mount built into a scope ring for the Doktor Optics sight. Mounts it offset to the scope in the mount.

Is that the sort of thing you are looking for?
 
THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM!!!

Why would you want your optics mounted on the side? It seems like you'd have to have to wrangle the windage more than most to get yourself on target.
 
Yes, the La Rue style mount is what I am looking for; however, I prefer the Aimpoint line of dot sights and would like it mounted on the side.

My primary reason for wanting to configure the rifle this way is to give it versatility in its optics without swapping scopes or putting up with the 1/2 MOA loss from using a quick detatchable rings on a high power scope. This AR-10 is going to be capable of some very accurate long range shooting. As a result, I would rather have something like the Warne side rail (suggested above) for mounting a dot sight onto via a quick detatchable base for close range engagements. The loss from the quick detatchable base would not matter as much at 25 yards compared to 500 yards.

Does anyone disagree?
 
Rockstar,

In 3 gun, or action rifle, you might need to shoot close range (0-25 or so yards) and also reach out to a long target (200 yards or more) in the same stage. Having a telescopic sight on top sighted in at 200 yards and a red dot on the side sighted in at 50 would let the rifle be competitive at all ranges possible in that srting of fire. Use the red dot up close, and you can have the scope set on 6x, 9x or whatever you want for long range.
 
Thank you, Mr. Chitlin!

That was my thinking exactly as this is a general purpose rifle for me and 3-gun competition is definitely something I want to use it in.

After learning about the practice though, it struck me as an excellent idea for the real world as well when the rifle is not mission specific (e.g., sniper rifle), but more general purpose in nature.
 
Does anyone have pictures of an AR setup with a dot sight mounted on the side? It sounds clumsy to me.
 
Boy ohh Boy

I got an AR-10 and its heavy enuff as it is. By the time you get 10 rounds of ammo and a good scope on there it weighs 15 pounds or so. Of course mine is the heavy bbl model. And i agree with some of the others, how are you gonna get it sited in when it is 90 degrees. What you gonna do put the windage adjust ment to the bottom and elevation adjustment where the elevation normally goes? Just seems like alota bulk to catch limbs and briars if you plan to use it hunting. I would suggest gettin some scope mounts with quick throw levers. Thats what i did and Point of aim does not change on mine. i got a Leupold tactical scope with quick throw mounts and a Aimpoint with quick throw mounts works just fine Point of aim always the same. Just my $0.02

FataL][V][ove
 
perhaps a good acog , with its low magnification might be a better compromise. Also , aimpoint makes a maginfier you can attach/detach. Find out what othres use for 3 gun or other running and gunning events.
 
Maybe the best solution is not to go 90 degrees or offset, but UP! This makes a great deal of sense tactically as one would most likely be in a braced and rather immobile position if shooting long range and suddently have to pivot to engage a close range target. It seems to me the sight mounted on top of the long range optic would be the easiest to utilize in a hurry. Canting a rifle to use an offset or especially a 90 degree mounted red dot optic seems much more problematic.

Here is A.R.M.S. take on the concept.

On the weight of the rifle, the barrel is begin custom machined from a Krieger blank and will have a profile more akin to the Armalite AR-10A2's "field barrel" that gives the rifle a balance more akin to the original full length M-16A2 rather than an HBAR.
 

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An Aimpoint is a bit big, maybe too big, for that kind of mount.

Not to mention the extra weight.

The Doktor Optics sight is small and light, and the military model is pretty rugged.

Are you looking for an emergency close in sight, or trying to find some way to do it all?

I have been trying to find some way to do it all for years, if I ever succeed I will let everyone know, but don't hold your breath...;)

Those 1x - 4x scopes look pretty good, but small objective lenses are a pain in low light. I found that out during my brief flirtation with the scout scope concept.

The TA-01NSN with a Doktor Optics sight in place of the backup irons on top looks like it might work ok, but I have never used one. One of those things I would have to try out before buying, not cheap at all. Think Wes Grant was selling package deals on those.
 
The thought had occurred to me that the Aimpoint may be a bit large and the Doktor a bit unproven (in my eyes as well) so a compromise might be one of the EO-Tech Holographic sights with the short base utilizing N-size batteries.

Is that too much weight for the mount?

I don't think so given their most common usage (that I have seen) is to mount a 12-volt Surefire tactical lights with a "bite switch" for precision riflemen, and it is much heavier than either the Aimpoint or EO-Tech sights. I own both a 12-volt Surefire tactical light and the Aimpoint as well as handled the EO-Tech on many occasions.

Lastly, I have become accustom to aiming my early 1990s Colt AR-15 with the glass mounted on the handle. A dot sight mounted to the A.R.M.S. base above the optic is about the same height as the AR-15 carry handle. Both my existing AR-15 and the AR-10 I am having built both share the same A-2 stock. It seems this would be the easiest solution with what I have become acustom to.
 
Why would you want your optics mounted on the side? It seems like you'd have to have to wrangle the windage more than most to get yourself on target.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. Laterally mounted sights including optics should not require any windage adjustments beyond the normal sighting you would do with a top mounted sight. I haven't seen too many at 90 degrees, but a bunch at about 45 degrees. At least with the 45 degree canted sights, the shooter cants the gun 45 degrees such that the sight is vertical and above the barrel while firing, as the regular sight would be. So there is no special windage considerations.

Windage would become an issue if you were to shoot the gun in the normal upright position, but was trying to use an optic along side.
 
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