What is your favorite BUIS, and why?

[Tim the student]

I plan on getting a set for an upcoming AR build (or building a lower and pinning an upper to it rather).

I'm familiar with the Matech from my time in the Army, and they worked ok, but I was almost always was actually using optics with the BUIS down.

I think I would prefer flip ups, but I'm not dead set on that. Later, I plan on adding optics to it.

Thoughts?

 

[downingducksdowneast]

Troy industry sights are my favorite, but I have both matech and magpul BUIS in service. Like you said, they are backups so other than some use here and there to verify zero and keeping me from getting rusty they don't get used.

 

[Onmilo]

Daniel Defense A1 non folding and the Matech BUIS for folding because that is what I have on most of my rifles.

 

[StrutStopper]

Troys are nice but I have a Magpul gen 2 on my AR. Rear only, I've got a fixed FSB.

 

[rbernie]

I run the Mangonel rear sights on more ARs than any other BUIS - I prefer their simple design and large rear aperture.

 

[chad1043]

I also have the Magpul Gen 2. It was the only BUIS that fits under my scope.

 

[HKGuns]

YHM because they lock up and lock down and have a large and small aperture.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Matech (usgi) has a low profile and well fit most scoped guns. Troy makes a nice set. If I buy any more I want to try the LMT A2 set.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I prefer Magpul due to their low weight and ease of use. Yeah, I know the weight is negligible, but I put together a super light weight carbine and I think every saved oz. can make a difference.

 

[Tirod]

Carry handle A4 cut down. One bolt clamp on, milspec, co witness, no fumbling to get them up or down. Most optics mount forward anyway.

You can pickup one used under $40.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I'm quite happy with the MBUS. The Troy is a little nicer but not 2x nicer, and I prefer the spring loaded feature of the MBUS. I've also been happy with the Samson and MI for flips.

For fixed rear I prefer the LMT. After that the DD and Troy fixed are both just fine, but the LMT gives you the elevation drum from an A2.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

If you're going to put a scope or red dot sight on the rifle, then I'd look at Dueck Defense Rapid Transition Sights.

No worries about being in the way of optical sights, no need to flip up and down to use. I have them on my AR 15 - they work just fine.

 

[Z-Michigan]

They look like great sights, but $238 is a lot to spend on BUIS.

 

[henschman]

For a flip-up rear sight, I like the KAC 2-600m model. It does everything the carry handle sight does, but in a much smaller and fold-able package. It is one of the only flip-ups that is adjustable for elevation at the rear sight. The Matech does this too, but it doesn't have consistently-incremented clicks like the KAC does, and I've heard some negative things about the durability of the Matech. The KAC looks pretty hard to break. We'll see... I loaned mine to my friend who is in Afghanistan and has been seeing plenty of combat, so I imagine it will be pretty well "torture tested" when it gets back. He likes it a lot better than the issued Matech.

 

[sgtstryker]

I'm using theMagpul Gen 2 also, on two flattops. They work well, are durable enough for long range time. Won't break the bank, either..It's a personal choice.

 

[kfgk14]

Assuming emphasis on the BU in BUIS, Magpul MBUS's. I trust the optics I run implicitly, I don't worry about them at all. If iron's are all I get, I want the DD A1.5 rear sight and an F-marked front sight post.

 

[jmorris]

The quick answer is "ones I don't have to use". A 1:00 version if I plan on going from optic to iron. The YHM's ar pretty solid, like others they don't always clear the optic but that depends on what you have for a primary.

 

[malakili]

Here's another vote for Magpul MBUS (rear sight). Sturdy, light, and gets the job done. I actually use one as the primary sight on my new AR build. They're sure accurate enough and hold zero well. Even though I don't have any optics, the super-low-profile folding function of the sight is handy for when I'm transporting or storing the rifle. If they're folded and out of the way it's less likely something will bump or snag on them.

 

[taliv]

i stopped using BUIS.

none of the backups have the capability i need for longer range
i can point well enough at extreme short range, and wouldn't have time to deploy them anyway

so what's the point? just more weight afaik

 

[Tirod]

And, for the typical prices some charge for BUIS, you can buy a cheap red dot for backup.

$238 is exactly why I bought a carry handle sight for $32 and cut it down. It's equally accurate and more durable. $200 more won't do anything better for BUIS, but will buy another red dot.

If the front sight is mounted on the forearm rail its no longer a free float - the sights will move around with it from hand or sling pressure, instead of staying with the barrel and it's point of aim. There's no guarantee a float is perfectly rigid - if it was, we'd have them attached at both ends and fix the floppy barrel.

 

[Z-Michigan]

And, for the typical prices some charge for BUIS, you can buy a cheap red dot for backup.

$238 is exactly why I bought a carry handle sight for $32 and cut it down. It's equally accurate and more durable. $200 more won't do anything better for BUIS, but will buy another red dot.

Ah, but a cheap red dot is precisely the kind of aiming device that you really need a backup for.

Frankly many people don't need BUIS period, because an optic failure means only going home from the range or hunting field to fix the optic. No big deal. BUIS is really for people who are going to be in a bad situation, or at least very unhappy, if the optic fails. Like soldiers, or someone who hiked for two days to their hunting location.

If the front sight is mounted on the forearm rail its no longer a free float - the sights will move around with it from hand or sling pressure, instead of staying with the barrel and it's point of aim. There's no guarantee a float is perfectly rigid - if it was, we'd have them attached at both ends and fix the floppy barrel.

I don't think this is right. While it's true that a FF forearm is not completely rigid and can move independently of the barrel, there really isn't a problem because the forearm still tends to be extremely rigid, and as long as there's no pressure on the barrel the relative movement between the two parts is usually tiny, not important for most non-precision purposes. Secondly, while I understand what you're saying about the possibility of relative movement, the forearm remains a free-floating forearm unless you do something to attach it to the barrel forward of the barrel nut. Mounting the sight on the forearm instead of the barrel does not change whether the barrel is free floating.

 

[Tim the student]

Thanks for all the responses gents. Good stuff to think about in here.

 

[StrutStopper]

And, for the typical prices some charge for BUIS, you can buy a cheap red dot for backup.

$238 is exactly why I bought a carry handle sight for $32 and cut it down. It's equally accurate and more durable. $200 more won't do anything better for BUIS, but will buy another red dot.

If the front sight is mounted on the forearm rail its no longer a free float - the sights will move around with it from hand or sling pressure, instead of staying with the barrel and it's point of aim. There's no guarantee a float is perfectly rigid - if it was, we'd have them attached at both ends and fix the floppy barrel.

How do you use a cheap red dot for backup? If your primary scope or red dot fails you ask the BGs to wait until you put on your cheap back-up and sight it in?

 

[Onmilo]

StrutStopper
I made this picture up to illustrate there are a number of ways to mount sights and optics to an AR/M16 type rifle.
Offset mounts made available after I did this picture make adding a small red dot optic easy.


Here is another manner that was all the rage, I tried it and did not care for the too heads up manner of sighting.

that's a Trijicon RMR mini dot on a TA01NSN ACOG.