Are Carry Handles better than Magpul MBUS sights?

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The Exile

The Exile

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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?
 
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.
 
The Exile said:
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?
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I like an A2 carrying handle/sight and regular A2 front sight/gas block. I also prefer the plain old A2 butt stock over any other butt stock I have shot on an AR15 which includes an assortment of collapsible stocks and a Magpul PRS adjustable stock. if you go that route though, if you still want iron sights that is after you purchase your optic, you'll end up having to "buy twice" when you go to mount the optic because carrying handles and A2 front sight posts aren't really the best choice with optics although it's certainly doable.
 
redcon1 said:
I like an A2 carrying handle/sight and regular A2 front sight/gas block. I also prefer the plain old A2 butt stock over any other butt stock I have shot on an AR15 which includes an assortment of collapsible stocks and a Magpul PRS adjustable stock. if you go that route though, if you still want iron sights that is after you purchase your optic, you'll end up having to "buy twice" when you go to mount the optic because carrying handles and A2 front sight posts aren't really the best choice with optics although it's certainly doable.
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Yeah I was thinking the optics would eventually just replace the A2 stuff, maybe put them into storage in case of a future build, maybe for a 20" barrel build
 
I have both... a standard A1 (permanent carry handle,) and a lightweight carbine with what are supposed to be BU sights, but are actually the only thing I use. Although I like Magpul stuffs, I don't care for their plastic flip-up sights... with the understanding that they are not really intended as a primary sight system. My flip ups are steel Troy Battlesights... and while expensive, they are of very high quality. Which is better? Dunno... I think they both work about the same, but I like fixed sights. Not a big fan of the detachable carry handle... it is needlessly bulky with very little benefit; further, as the OP mentions, once he finally gets and optic, the carry handle goes away, but fold down BU sights can remain. Seems like money well spent, to me.

My Troys...

Rear... (not a very good photo...)

aqFjhQQm.jpg

...better...

i0SCSTNl.jpg

And the flipper front...

ywqMX6Fl.jpg
 
Expanding on the thought... one of my favorite fixed sights is the Daniel Defense A1.5 sight. Essentially, it works like an A1 sight... without the carry handle. It is a fantastic sight as well. Although it doesn't fold down, it would be easy enough to carry in your tool box or kit as a quickly mounted spare.

MFY3sNul.jpg
 
Charlie98 said:
Expanding on the thought... one of my favorite fixed sights is the Daniel Defense A1.5 sight. Essentially, it works like an A1 sight... without the carry handle. It is a fantastic sight as well. Although it doesn't fold down, it would be easy enough to carry in your tool box or kit as a quickly mounted spare.

View attachment 1054342
Click to expand...
I can live without the folding feature, just seems like it's that or nothing to 99% of people.
 
The Exile said:
I can live without the folding feature, just seems like it's that or nothing to 99% of people.
Click to expand...

Well... understand, most people are in for optics, now... dots, magnifiers, scopes and such... where folders make sense. I'm old school... I trained on irons, I like irons. Those Troys on my lightweight are just as burly as that DD1.5, except they fold... which I wanted to make it as compact as possible. All depends on what you want. :)
 
The Exile said:
Yeah I was thinking the optics would eventually just replace the A2 stuff, maybe put them into storage in case of a future build, maybe for a 20" barrel build
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back when I bought my Armalight AR10T, flip up sights weren't really a thing but I wanted iron sights (because, I told myself, you have to have iron sights) so I bought a removable carrying handle and front sight from Armalight. I also bought a Nikon monarch tactical (no longer in production) which I immediately mounted. The sights have never been used in 20 years. When I learned to shoot with an M16A2, I obviously learned the A2 sights and became quite proficient and familiar with them hence my residual fondness for them. In this day and age however, if I'm building a target rifle, iron sights need to be flip ups. They are an emergency back up redundant system and nothing more. They need to be light weight, unobtrusive and durable and they need to work and that's what I'd get if I were you, especially if I had a future build in mind.
 
I've never owned a rifle with a carry handle sight so I guess I cannot comment on them. I do have an AR with a cheap set of UTG flip up sights and I find them to be a perfectly serviceable set of sights for the money and if you decided to add a red dot later you can leave them on.
 
I've got a UTG fixed rear sight that I like, but there's no cost advantage to it over an MBUS.
 
I had an MBUS rear sight. It flexed and didn’t hold zero very well. It does well enough as a backup sight or a cheap place holder until you can afford optics, but is unreliable as a primary sight. I was constantly adjusting it.
 
And some of us old timers that used either the M16A1 or A2 in combat are used to and prefer to have iron sights whether they are the primary sights or backup sights.

@The Exile if you plan on using a red dot then non folding iron sights are fine. If you plan on mounting a scope in the future the go with folding sights (front and back)
 
Find an old GI carry handle and cut it like so. it will shed weight and expose the rail forward of the cut portion- when your $ is right, you can mount a RDS and co-witness using the cut carry handle. This is what we did in my unit before better BUIS options were available.
AR CH cut.jpg
 
FL-NC said:
Find an old GI carry handle and cut it like so. it will shed weight and expose the rail forward of the cut portion- when your $ is right, you can mount a RDS and co-witness using the cut carry handle. This is what we did in my unit before better BUIS options were available.
View attachment 1054494
Click to expand...

FL-NC

I really wish you would stop telling people to cut up perfectly good detachable carry handles.

I will reiterate what I said in the last thread:

If anyone is tempted to chop their carry handle sight as shown here, please contact me directly. I have a factory made detachable rear sight that is that same as what you would end up with by ruining a carry handle like this without the ugly cut marks, and I would be happy to trade straight across for an intact detachable carry handle and I will even pay for the shipping.
 
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.
 
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