AR15 A2 Rear Sight Assembly Question???

[cslinger]

Ok, I have traditionally not really cared for AR-15s not so much because of past reliability issues but more so because of that SPROINGGGGG and the fact that traditionally I have prefered more robust/heavier firearms.

Fastforward to Sheslinger getting her AR-15 and me sort of seeing the light. Anyway I have really grown to like the AR platform for many reasons, one of which being the comparitive light weight. It also has and I have always know this, fantastic iron sights which I prefer to optics.

Anyhoo, why is the rear sight assemply set up in such a way that it seems to be completely seperate from the carry handle and it has a sort of springy left right lateral movement. Some I have seen are almost perfectly alighned with the carry handle and some are not. All seem to shoot well enough.

So educate me on the iron sights if you will. If I am not being clear just let me know and I will post a picture of clarify what I am talking about.

Anyway I am talking about the A2 sights and specifically the housing that the dual apeture peep sight is held in.

Thanks
Chris

Ohh yeah, I sitll like AKs //snicker//

 

[Steve Smith]

The sight should have a spring that rotates the sight clockwise (when viewed from above) so that the left ear rides against the carry handle. This is the way the unit is designed. If the sight doesn't reset back to that position after being moved, the spring may be missing or the internals could be very dirty. The amount of aperture movement is very small since the aperture is almost directly above the pivot point. The movement should not affect the casual shooter at all. for the competitive shooter (specifically Highpower) the movement could theoretically move the point of impact if it were not consistent (if the sight rode in a straight line thoughout its travel AND did so the same way every time). A .007" misalignment of the rear sight calculates to a 1 MOA change in impact at 600 yards. Therefore, there have been a few alterations to the sight to eliminate the movement. One way is to weld a tiny bump on the left side of the front of the sight base, and then file it down until it straightens the sight perfectly. Another way is to install two vertical pins, one in front and one to the rear of the aperture. This is the way both of my comp guns are set up. The sight base rides on the two pins and does not move.

You should not have to worry about this in a non-comp rifle. Do be sure that the sight returns to the clockwise position automatically.

 

[BigG]

The older sight (pre-A2)was set up for windage only, and the front sight was used to regulate elevation of the bullet strike. The A2 rear sight does both windage and elevation.

 

[cslinger]

Ok, Steve bear with me.

When we are viewing the sight enclosure mechanism from above are you looking at it assuming the barrel of the gun is pointing at your feet or the is it pointing in the air.

on both examples that I will post below, they are doing the exact opposite of what you say they should but otherwise appear to be working just fine.

Assuming that I am holding the firearm barrel pointed up towards the ceiling and I am looking down at the sight this is what I see.

I see that both sights have a small chrome spring loaded ball bearing type thing on the left side of the ear. This causes the right ear, which has no ball bearing to rest against the right side of the carry handle. This is assuming I am viewing the whole thing as stated above. Both naturally spring back to that position.

Here are the pictures. Both were taken assuming the barrel is pointed up from the bottom of the picture. One is a shorty and one is a full size if it matters.

Thanks
Chris

 

[cslinger]

The guns seem to be as on target as the moron behind the gun can make them at 50 and 100 yards. I mean I can generally put them into 4 or 5 inch small round shoot and see target. They ain't pretty in there but I am not exactly a helluva shot either.


Why are the sights set up this way?

Chris

 

[Steve Smith]

ok, well that is installed "backwards" from what I'm used to seeing, but should be fine. Reverse my comments.

 

[cslinger]

Both are bone stock NIB A2s from the factory so I would assume they are assembled as they should be.

I agree that either side shouldn't matter as the apeture shouldn't move very much and to be honest at 600 yards I'd be lucky to hit the oft mentioned barn.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Steve Smith]

side doesn't matter...normally they go clockwise, but it doesn't matter. My comments are still the same.

 

[BigG]

Normally they are cocked over to the left side with muzzle up.

 

[cslinger]

Thanks so much for the observations.

Now, it's off to kill that barn. Lousy barns dodging my bullets.

 

[Steve Smith]

Try it from the inside of the barn.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Steve beat me to it.

Sam