Scope mount on carry handle AR15?

[mgmorden]

Just looking for some advice here guys.

A while back I put together my first AR15. Given that a new president had recently taken office, and with the fear of a new AWB possibly being enacted, I decided to get all the "naughty" features I figured might not be available in the future. Carry-handle, bayonet lug, etc.

I figured I'd just use it with iron sights. Turns out I just don't like shooting that way - I'm a scope person . Now I know the flat-top is a better route to choose for scope mounting on an AR15, but I was looking for opinions on anyone who had mounted a scope to the carry handle. Is it stable? Does it sit too high?

I figured just to keep it low I'd definitely get the lowest rings I could, but the height has me a little worried. I had debated selling the carry handle upper and buying a flat-top, but I'd rather not go through the hassle if it's not needed.

Thanks for any advice/opinions.

 

[ugaarguy]

Unless you get an extended height cheek pad for the butt stock, yes, a scope is going to sit rather high when mounted on an AR-15 carry handle. Alternately, you could always go with a Z-rail type mount; and use a scout scope, or no magnification, unlimited eye relief, red dot, mounted forward of the carry handle.

Your best bet, if you're willing to do it, is a flat top upper though.

 

[Sky]

Vortex Strikefire 3 moa is mounted on my carry handle and co-witnesses really well with the mount it came with. Use it with both eyes open....... That is an option.

Scope on top of carry handle works but I doubt if you will ever be pleased. Personally speaking the scope should be mounted as close to the barrel as possible; less problems with the angle of dangle and different POA/POI. Carry handle mounted scopes for me do not allow a proper cheek weld and firing position. Just my experience.

 

[kwelz]

You can get a flattop upper for about $100.00. I suggest getting one and switching out your barrel etc.

 

[mgmorden]

You can get a flattop upper for about $100.00. I suggest getting one and switching out your barrel etc.

I hadn't really considered just switching out the receiver. I assembled the lower from a parts kit and just added an assembled upper for this gun. I'm mostly familiar with bolt actions where swapping a barrel between receivers is a pretty involved affair that involves a lot of special (and expensive) tools. Is it fairly straightforward to disassemble and reassemble the upper?

 

[TonyAngel]

Considering what it's going to cost to make your A2 accommodate a scope, you could just swap the upper as Azizza suggested. Heck, I think Spikes's has blem uppers for $60. All you need is a stripped upper. You can pull the dust cover and forward assist off of your present upper. If you're upper is a just a plain Jane upper with standard handguards and delta ring, it's literally a 15 minute job, assuming that is isn't necessary to lap the upper or anything like that to get the barrel nut to the proper torque.

If you happen to be near New Orleans, I could help you out with that. For that matter, I probably have an upper sitting in my parts box.

 

[TonyAngel]

Man, you must have been posting while I was typing. If you can do a barrel swap on a bolt gun, doing an AR is EASY. Just get a good armorer's wrench. I use a Guntech and it's worked well enough. The only other thing you'll need that you probably don't already have is a fixture to hold the upper in a vice. Tool and fixture will run you under $100 and you'll have them for other projects too.