Recommendations for mounting a scope on a AR15 flattop carbine with GI front sight?

[ether]

I'm looking for recommendations on mounting a scope on a Bushmaster 16" carbine with flattop. It has the standard GI front sight base, so I suppose I can expect to see some of the front sight in the sight picture.

So what have you all done? What scopes/mounts/rings have you used? And how much of the front sight obstructs the sight picture? Does anyone use a 4x32 Trijicon ACOG on their carbine, and if so, how much of the front sight is visible?

Thanks!

 

[natedog]

With around 4x and above, the focal point will be above and beyond the front sight, so you won't even see it...however, with a compact ACOG you will see some of the front sight.

 

[Bridger]

I have an ACOG on my 20" AR. I can see the front sight if I want to, and did when I first used it, but other than that it doesn't get in the way, it's a bit blurred, and is not distracting at all. I don't even recognize it anymore, I just don't think about it.

 

[wally]

I've often wondered why the front sight was on a flat top AR.

I refused to buy a flat top untill I found one without it (finally I did, from RRA).

--wally.

 

[Bullet]

I put a Leupold 3X9 with a Armalite mount. Can't see the front sight at all. It just disappeared.

Link to Armalite mount -

http://www.armalite.com/sales/catalog/components/mounts_rings.htm

LaRue makes a good scope mount too.


wally

The front sight is there encase your optic fails. You will also need a rear sight. Remember the M16 (AR15) was made for the military. If you don't plan on using iron sights at all then they really aren't needed.

 

[jem375]

wilson Combat makes a great one piece mount and rings....have one on my ar15 and it works great..........

 

[ether]

Thanks for the help. The Armalite mount might be just the thing if I don't go with an ACOG. How much room does the mount leave between the 3x9 scope and the rifle? Is it a stable mount (i.e. accurate)?

 

[Bullet]

ether

I have some flip up lens covers on my scope. There is 3/8 of an inch between the top of the upper receiver and the bottom of the flip up cover on the eye piece. The amount of room between the front lens and the forearm will vary depending on how big of a front lens you have. This mount is stable.

Why did you want to know how much room between the scope and rifle?

 

[Blackcloud6]

Aimpoint makes a good mount for their red dot scope. They make different sized extensions to lift it to hight that you need. Go to www.ar-15.com and you'll find more info on this than you probably need.

 

[ether]

Bullet - I was just wondering how high the Armalite mount would hold a 3x9 scope off the receiver. The Wilson mount looks like it might hold the scope a little higher.

But NOW I've found the Trijicon Reflex II NSN. I like that it was designed for flattop carbines (like the M4). I didn't have my heart set on magnification, and this might be just the ticket.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Bullet]

ether

All the Trijicon products are good. My scope is now on a 20'' varmint barreled RRA. On my Colt 16" flat top I have a EO Tech. No magnification, circle with dot. One of the differences between a Reflex and an EO Tech is the dot size. The dot on the Reflex is alot bigger than the dot on the EO Tech. If you want to do long range shooting then the smaller dot EO Tech is better (my opinon) and you still have the big circle for quick shooting. The EO Tech has batteries where the Reflex doesn't. The EO Tech will co-witness with the iron sights(not sure about Reflex). Either would be good. If you haven't looked at the EO Techs you might want to before you make your final decsion. Good luck and happy shooting.

 

[buttrap]

Well thats the entire idea of a low top upper..it holds the scope lower...you put a reflex or a no power scope on it you are wasting your time..you want a low power scope well thats why they make the old type uppers.

 

[trapshooter]

ether,

1. Your can raise the mount, as has been suggested.

2. You can get a different gas block without a front sight.

3. You can get a flip-up/down front sight on a new gas block. You can add a flip up/down rear sight to give you some BUIS (back up iron sights). (See #4 below)

4. Or, you can get a flip-up rear sight and co-witness the sights with the optics, but this really only works effectively with low or no power optics. Haven't used an ACOG, so I don't know if this would work.

Lots of options available in different price ranges, but replacing the gas block is tougher than it looks. Still, lots of guys have done it at home. Info available on http://www.ar-15.com/.