AR-15 sight tower obscuring red dot

[natedog]

http://www.linuxshell.org/pics/ar15/m4/the_red_dot.jpg

Is that how the typical AR-15 w/ red dot sight picture looks? I've heard of co-witnessing, but is the red dot supposed to be obscured by the front tower? Does it slow down target aquistion?

 

[Jack19]

The optic is sitting too low. Who's the manufacturer?

 

[444]

Correctly using a red dot optic requires you to have both eyes open. If you use that technique, you will not see the front sight tower.
That picture is to demonstrate co-witnessing. The guy focused the camera lens on the front sight. Your eye won't do the same thing.
That optic is not mounted too low, you need to place the optic where it lines up with your eye when you are holding the gun in a good shooting stance; the front sight tower has nothing to do with it.

 

[MrPink]

Actually, the optic COULD be to low. Without a rear sight, you don't know if you are co-witnessing the dot and irons.

Please keep in mind with most red dots, its not the sight but the mount that determines co-witnessing. An exception is the EOtech which has the mount built in and is made to co-witness the AR-15.

 

[Engineer]

Looks like a BSA red dot. Like MrPink said, you need a set of rear irons to tell what the cowitnessing height is. Looking at the picture though, there is an awful lot of front sight in there. Cowitnessing an Aimpoint puts the irons in the lower third of the sight. Here's a picture I found showing that:

 

[MrMurphy]

Yes.....a properly cowitnessed Aimpoint, the dot doesn't sit IN the front sight, but on top of the front sight blade (point of impact with the irons), a "dot the i" look.

 

[tiberius]

Correctly using a red dot optic requires you to have both eyes

I totally agree with the “both eyes open†technique, but what happens when you lose the use of an eye? Even just getting it scratched or having something get in it in the heat of “battle†can prevent two-eye use. It seems to me that having the red dot point AT the sight tower instead of dotting the front post would put the user in a bad situation.

 

[Gordon]

My and my friends' sight picture looks like Engineers.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

heres an aimpoint on an A2 gooseneck
as seen thru the rear ring

 

[hksw]

If you are going to keep that red dot or like how low it is, you can always swap out the front gas block to a rail one and attach a folding front sight on top to give you a clear view when using the dot.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

with both eyes open you concentrate on the target area and the red dot that appears to be floating on the aiming surface

you really don't see the front sight base

 

[Onslaught]

I believe Natedog's pic is either a Tasco or BSA red-dot, mounted directly to an AR15 flat-top. If I'm correct, then the optic IS TOO LOW. I've done it myself more than once, and that's what mine looked like too. It needs at least another 1/2" riser, and preferrably a 3/4" riser like the ARMS #5 or equivalent.

Engineer's pic is MY PERSONAL ideal for "co-witness".

And since I'm not in the military or LEO, and don't have $400 to spend on an Aimpoint, here's my personal choice of optic, which BTW is a perfect co-witness without any additional mounts or risers...

Hakko BED24

Only $155 right now at Island Security

They also have the more popular Hakko BED35, but IMHO it's too low for an AR flat-top.

 

[444]

The people who posted that you can't really tell if it is the right height are correct. Without a rear sight you have no way of knowing if the optic is at the correct height or not. If you are looking at the dot from above the normal sighting plane the dot would appear to be way low. Or, maybe the dot sight isn't zeroed.

"... but what happens when you lose the use of an eye?"
Doesn't matter. You can close one eye and you still won't see the front sight tower. You will just be losing half your periferal vision.

 

[shoobe01]

I want to throw in my .02 for the consensus opinion:

• The dot should appear just on top of the front sight post.
• The dot (or post) and target are all you really see when shooting. The gas block just sorta disappears.

The sight should work fine with both eyes open, or one closed. Both closed, not so much. With both open, you get the maximum target picture. This also minimizes the visibility of the gas block.

I prefer the non-folding sights. You are always sure to be parallax-free, by looking thru the ghost ring, you train with irons essentially all the time so aren't suprised as much when the dot is off or broken, and you can transition from dot to irons when something does happen at brain speed; no flipping, pulling converting attaching or anything. Decide to shoot irons and press the trigger.

Also, I encourage everyone with an electronic sight to, if they shoulder the gun to shoot and find the dot is off, FIRE ANYWAY. If you fuss with the dot every single time you are training yourself to take your eyes off the target and fuss with the dot. Shoot the first guy, move to cover (or, on a benched range, think "move to cover" and then fix the sights if time allows).

 

[Onslaught]

Without a rear sight you have no way of knowing if the optic is at the correct height or not.

I'm actually not basing my final opinion on the optic, the red dot, or the front sight.

I'm looking at the mount. It's integral to the optic, and mounted directly onto the flattop. I've got el-cheapo red-dots like this one with integral mounts, and they are all too low on an AR15, but perfect for the Beretta storm.

In natedog's original picture, the optic is too low.

 

[hube1236]

I dremmeled my front post off- screw it, I was never going to use it anyway.

Talk about unobstructed view. WEE HOO!