Are Carry Handles better than Magpul MBUS sights?

[12Bravo20]

I have a Sig Romeo MSR but it is on my Kel-Tec CMR30. It works well and is on par with the Bushnell TRS25 and similar red dots from Primary Arms.

 

[JShirley]

I like carry handle sights just fine for irons. When I was active duty infantry, I have hit targets out to 600 m with irons. With an M4.

If I have a RDS, I prefer BUIS. I have lots of Romeo 5s, which are good. If you're not afraid of some weight, Romeo 7s use AAA batteries. Most recently, I've gotten Athlon TSR2s, which are the size of Romeo 5s, but use AAA batteries instead of CR2s.

John

 

[The Exile]

A significant portion of the answer here actually depends on whether you have a front sight or not.

Now, it's very likely you have a stock front sight tower on the gas block.

So, that means a couple things. We don't have to worry with distraction like offset iron sights. It also complicates OP's search as only the one rear sight is required.

For my 2¢ I've never found a detachable carry handle I liked, for any purpose at all--as sight or as a carry handle.

That SIG sight from PSA looks really nice. But, I don't have one for having enough Holosun 503 to meet my needs.

It's a Savage MSR, didn't come with anything on it front or rear

It'd be a shame if the carry handle didn't work as an actual carry handle, I was kind of excited at least at having the option to carry briefcase style. I have heard some people leave some middling reviews that some handles are too tight, and I've personally got some bigger sized hands

 

[Charlie98]

For the price of iron sights you can have a serviceable red dot.

For the price of a serviceable red dot, you can have irons. It just really depends on what you want, and what you like.

I actually have a TRS25... I actually had 2... my brother stole one for his AR... Anyway. They are great. I've had a Bushnell predecessor to the EOTech... again, they're great. I don't want one on my AR.

 

[edwardware]

All my ARs wear iron sights, because they're high and reliable. I wouldn't own plastic sights, because they're not tough enough.

A carry handle is an excellent rear sight, as is DDs and MidWest's rears.

 

[Varminterror]

It'd be a shame if the carry handle didn't work as an actual carry handle, I was kind of excited at least at having the option to carry briefcase style. I have heard some people leave some middling reviews that some handles are too tight, and I've personally got some bigger sized hands

I don’t find it comfortable to carry a detachable carry handle AR by the “carry handle.” My fingers aren’t particularly long, but palms are broad and thick - my wedding ring is a size 13, typically wear XL gloves.

 

[daniel craig]

Check your inbox mate.

 

[12Bravo20]

The removable carry handles aren't as tall as the built in carry handles on A1 and A2 rifles. Plus the rifles were never meant to be carried by the "carry handle". Most NCO's would chew on you if they caught you carrying your M16 by the carry handle.

 

[Show Me]

AR sights. So many to pick from there is one for everyone. I'm simple so if it has a hole to look through I'm good. 90% are better than buckhorns for my eyes.removable handle and Sig dot is easy to go from gun to gun

 

[MarshallDodge]

I bought a cheap $140 16x50 scope off amazon just to play around woth the BB gun in the basement and backyard when weather permits, and was actually suprised at the quality and acuracy of the cheap china things. Not that i would ever consider usding it for any sort of competetion or nothing, but al in all, I was impressed. ended up buying another one as well for the kids guns.

It costs about $125 to manufacture and import a scope from China. Doesn't matter whose name is on it

 

[Show Me]

The removable carry handles aren't as tall as the built in carry handles on A1 and A2 rifles. Plus the rifles were never meant to be carried by the "carry handle". Most NCO's would chew on you if they caught you carrying your M16 by the carry handle.

Not as tall or the rail takes up space? So the front sights are taller on fixed handle receivers guns? Always wanted a fixed to have more room for my fingers while I carried it wrong looking like a dork.

 

[12Bravo20]

Not as tall or the rail takes up space?

It is the rail that takes up space. And yes there is a slight difference in height between the F marked front sight used with flat top relievers versus the standard A2 front sight. The F marked is 0.040" taller to better match the removable carrier handle sight.

 

[Show Me]

It is the rail that takes up space. And yes there is a slight difference in height between the F marked front sight used with flat top relievers versus the standard A2 front sight. The F marked is 0.040" taller to better match the removable carrier handle sight.

Good info. So many combinations on AR's

 

[45CalPal]

It costs about $125 to manufacture and import a scope from China. Doesn't matter whose name is on it

Yeah it works great on the newer model Daisy BB pump rifles. Put it on the AR, re-adjusted it and was somewhat impressed with it. althoe I did not shoot anything past 30yrd's. It was a bored moment.

 

[Ted100]

Optics are out of my price range for now, so these would be my primary sights. I'm trying to figure out where the prices match out too because if it's too expensive might as well bite the bullet on MBUS and just keep them on as back up sights when I eventually do get an optic installed. I found a top four list that recommend one sight from GGD for $44 but I the next entry on the list from colt is 4 times that price, and another offering from Aero is $80 so I don't know where they're squaring the difference in those prices. I've never heard of GGD but I know Aero and Colt probably did their homework on what a good carry handle needs to be. Should I just go with MBUS or are there decent budget options for A2 sights?

Carry handle is the only way to go. Good enough for the Army, good enough for me.

 

[DMW1116]

I have a carry handle sight and like it a lot. However it is paired with a 20” barrel and F marked front sight on the gas block. I don’t think I’d like it if it were used with a sight mounted on a rail. It would be ok with a fixed front sight mounted on a gas block picatinny rail.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Only a couple flat tops on hand here. I'm a codger, but can still shoot irons pretty well, and a carry handle actually works as a carry handle, even if you hook your thumb thru it and wrap your fingers around the forend ring.
Another suggestion; fix up your rifle with a carry handle, learn to shoot it well. Someplace down the road, get a second upper, and build that to your taste.
Moon

 

[JDeere]

Nice scope for the money. They have affordable options and stand behind their products.

https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-1-4x24mm-illuminated-riflescope-pa14x

 

[AlexanderA]

The removable carry handles aren't as tall as the built in carry handles on A1 and A2 rifles.

Actually, the removable carry handles are taller than the built-in ones. That's why the front sight towers marked "F" are taller, to match.

Plus the rifles were never meant to be carried by the "carry handle". Most NCO's would chew on you if they caught you carrying your M16 by the carry handle.

Yes. "Carry handle" has always been a misnomer. In the very first AR design, the charging handle was a thing that looked like a trigger, that rode in a slot on top of the receiver. What we know of as a "carry handle" originated as a guard to protect that trigger-like charging handle. Then it just persisted as the design evolved.

 

[AlexanderA]

If you have a flat top receiver, a removable "carry handle" is a needless throwback. Make the most of your Picatinny rail by mounting an optic and/or a backup iron sight.

 

[jmorris]

I can shoot an AR with greater precision using Colt NM “carry handle” rear and KNS front sigh post, than I can a $25 red dot.

That said, the cheap red dots can hold up and work great for many tasks. This $20 BSA eats batteries like a fat kid eats candy but it has held up for more than a decade.



I have also used quite a few of the Tasco 3-9x scopes over the years. The QC was better on the old Japan vs the new China ones but I test anthem myself and return any that are questionable. Being available at any Walmart makes that pretty painless.

I have even used one on my 50 BMG when I turned a more expensive piece of glass into a kaleidoscope and didn’t want to end our day, and it held up just fine.

 

[lysanderxiii]

Are Carry Handles better than Magpul MBUS sights?

If you are going to carry it like a suitcase, yes.

 

[Elkins45]

I’m in the minority but I vastly prefer irons to a red dot. The carry handle sights work just fine for me.

 

[Riomouse911]

The plastic Magpul MBUS sights aren’t my favorites. We had them as stock equipment on the 65 new Colts we bought for work so I’ve seen a fair amount of them. We had 10-12 of them that were really, really tough to zero, the front sight post threads were not engaging the sight threads for some reason on some, with others the rears wouldn’t adjust easily.

My two red-dot equipped flattop AR’s use Troy battlesights for the rear sights. They just give me piece of mind if the dots croak.

Stay safe.

 

[Bcwitt]

I rather like the dedicated carry handle. Often overlooked is how snag free the A1/ A2 is. I would prefer fast & sure handling to precision any day. I often wonder why people put optics on ARs. accessories just adds more weight & places to tangle up. It's kinda hard to beat the way it was.