Help me put a red dot or scope on my AR...

[SilentStalker]

Ok, guys/gals I am looking to put a scope or a good red dot sight on my AR or both. I came across this rifle at a good deal. However, I must note that it does have a fixed carry handle on top and I do not really want to change uppers since i will be building another AR soon. I can say I am a little confused as to how I am going to mount anything on the handle. I do not want to break the bank but I do not want anything cheaply made either. Can anyone help me out?

 

[kcshooter]

You can put a quadrail on it and mount a red dot (or a LER scope) up front. A DD drop-in quad-rail handguard with a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot has served me well on a carry handle upper and runs about $250 for the setup.

Mounting anything on the carry handle has drawbacks both from stability and mount height issues.

 

[TonyAngel]

[URL="http://www.midwayusa.com/product/118105/c-more-scout-reflex-sight-8-moa-red-dot-with-ar-15-carry-handle-mount-polymer-matte?cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Optics+-+Red+Dot+%26+Holographic+Sights-_-PriceCompListing-_-118105"]http://www.midwayusa.com/product/118105/c-more-scout-reflex-sight-8-moa-red-dot-with-ar-15-carry-handle-mount-polymer-matte?cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Optics+-+Red+Dot+%26+Holographic+Sights-_-PriceCompListing-_-118105[/URL]

If you want a smaller dot, you'll have to order a different module.

 

[BADUNAME37]

My AR also has the integrated carry handle.
I purchased a Leupold base that fits tightly in the top U-shape of the handle with a single bolt down through that hole in the middle of the handle. There is a hole so you can still use the open iron sights if needed.

I purchased Quick-Release Leupold Rings and mounted a Leupold Vari-X-I to the rifle in 3-9 power. Offhand, at 200 yards, my friend and I were hitting a basketball size rock with nearly every shot several weeks ago. He tried it without the scope and told me he had a hard time seeing the sights and the rock, so the scope went back on. It literally comes off and goes on in thirty seconds and tightens down to exact same zero every time!

I liked this particular setup as all the components were at the gun shop when I bought the gun and they are all black with matte finish (matching the rifle more closely than blued, shiny).

 

[SilentStalker]

^^^Do you have a link to show the base you are using? I think for this rifle since it is a 20" barrel would be more feasible with a scope mounted on top rather than a red dot although both would be nice. Too bad there isn't a way that I know of to offset mount a red dot with the scope on a carry handle rifle.

 

[snakeman]

It really depends on what you want to do with the rifle. As a HD setup, a dot cowitnessed with the sights is probably good. For target work, put a scope on it and sight the irons at 50-100 yards and the scope at 200 yards. The height of the scope in relation to the bore will allow for a flatter long range trajectory but a poor close range trajectory (which is where the irons come into play). Also, take a look at primaryarms.com they have some things there that might help you figure it out. And you may want to consider a stock with an adjustable cheek rest so you can keep a proper cheek weld. I believe there is a cheekrest that clamps onto an a2 stock for fairly cheap if you look around, also ati makes one that's not extremely costly.

 

[briansmithwins]

The problem with using the carry handle as a base for optics is that it moves the already high height over bore of the AR even higher.

I'd use a gooseneck mount, probably from ARMS. It will not be cheap but it also isn't going to move around on you like the $20 airsoft goose necks will.

As far as sights go, the Aimpoint PRO is very hard to beat at $400 for a very tough optic with a battery that lasts years.

BSW