Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

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ranb
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Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by ranb »

My son in-law wants me to put together an ar-15 for him. I'm going to build it around this 18" flat-top SS 1-8 twist Armalite upper. [url=http://%20http://www.armalite.com/ItemForm.aspx?item=U15TB&Category=bce7fa68-373e-4afc-b00e-63fe2c75d131]Upper receiver[/url]

He wants a red dot and backup flip-up sights as well as other do-dads he will pick out in the future. I'm a carry handle / mil-dot scope kind of guy, so red dot scopes and flip up sights are alien territory for me. I do know that a cheap red dot is more like a red smear and I've heard that polymer flip-up sights on a hot gas block might mean trouble. I did look through some Troy flip up sights and liked them. The front sight will be on the gas block, not the hand guard. My main concern is that they fit snug and are capable of being zeroed properly as the red dot scope will be his main aiming device.

My son in-law is a US Army med tech, this rifle is for recreational use, so it doesn't need to be top dollar stuff. Any suggestions? Thanks

Randy
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themonk
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by themonk »

Top dollar option I would go with an Aimpoint T1 or H1 red dot and Troy flip up sights.

Low cost recreation option I would go with a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot or the Primary Arms Micro Dot MD-06 (great option as it fits on Aimpoint T1/H1 mounts) and I would just get MagPul MBUS Gen 2 Flip-Up Sights. Magpul polymer will be fine, I have never been able to melt them but you can catch them on cover and I have had one break that way.
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by jt526 »

I'm not sure how you are going to mount the BUIS on that gas block unless you replace it, the BUIS would mount to the handguard running above the gas tube assembly, unless they are coming with railed GB that isn't shown in the pic. Barring that, for a nice reddot look at the Aimpoint Pro or the Aimpoint H-1 on a Larue or mount of your choice. If the budget doesn't allow for $350+, then Primary Arms MicroDot on their mount. Magpul BUIS or the Pro BUIS for sights on rail, if a railed gas block is below the upper sightplane, then Midwest industries has some high height options for flip ups.
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ranb
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by ranb »

jt526 wrote:I'm not sure how you are going to mount the BUIS on that gas block unless you replace it, the BUIS would mount to the handguard running above the gas tube assembly, unless they are coming with railed GB that isn't shown in the pic.
Opps, I failed to notice that the gas block did not have a rail. I asked about it in an e-mail to Armalite, but haven't received a reply yet. I'll hae to keep looking. I've seen too many handguard that flex excessively to want to mount a sight on them, that is why i want to go on the gas block.

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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by dtom29 »

Any of the quality free float handguards will be just fine for BUIS. I would use Midwest Industries low profile BUIS, the Samson are also low when folded, and there is nothing wrong with the Troy. Aimpoint's are quality Reddots but I like the EoTech better. It's a more open sight and I like the dot in a donut reticle better. Battery life is sometimes mentioned as a downside of the EoTech, but really, are you in need of a sight that you leave on all the time? I have two EoTech's and have never found the battery life to be a problem.
ranb
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by ranb »

I went with a YHM upper with aluminum flip-up sights; the YHM7510-7.

Image

The middle of the rear peep is 1.4 inches above the rail, I'd like to get a red dot/rings that hold the middle of the glass at about the same height. I went to the Silverdale Sprtsman's Warehouse to check out some red dots, but the salesman at the gun counter claimed to not know what a red dot scope was and another brighter gal there said I couldn't mount one on my rifle (I brought it with) to test fit it.

My son in-law doesn't want to spring for the more expensive EOTech, so I need something less spendy and has the right height rings.

Ranb
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by doubloon »

ranb wrote:... so I need something less spendy and has the right height rings.

Ranb
Seems like you could get there with something like a TruGlo and a riser or a riser and a tall 30mm scope ring ...

You'd have to MacGyver something together to get the job done and all the parts together might be close to half the cost of an EOTech plus it might be butt ugly.
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continuity
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by continuity »

IMHO, acceptable Red Dot sights:
EoTech has suggested benifits from a dot set at 100yds, and the lower edge of the ring being good at 300yds. IME battery life sucks, and the visual tends to the grainy.
Leopolds red dot is awesome... and awesomely expensive. The controls are less than intuitive, especially under stress.

My patrol AR carbine is outfitted with an Aimpoint "Patrol" unit. Battery life is great. The rear BU iron sight is Troy Ind., the front is the std fixed gas block sight. I'm a fan of simplicity, especially when things go south in a stressful evolution. Prefer to only deal with a rear flip up iron sight.

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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by RJT »

I went with this on my last build. http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-riflescope-sfrd.html

DD upper, rifle length rail on a 16" carbine, with Magpul BUIS.

I'm really liking it, and as an owner of other Vortex products, I figured I couldn't go wrong. Plus, they have probably got the best warranty of any optics manufacturer.
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by L1A1Rocker »

RJT wrote:I went with this on my last build. http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-riflescope-sfrd.html

DD upper, rifle length rail on a 16" carbine, with Magpul BUIS.

I'm really liking it, and as an owner of other Vortex products, I figured I couldn't go wrong. Plus, they have probably got the best warranty of any optics manufacturer.
I sent my Strikefire back. It was just plain not bright enough in full sunlight. Maybe I just got a bad unit because I read lots of good things about them. I do have a SPARC that is really great and I highly recommend them.
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doubloon
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by doubloon »

RJT wrote:I went with this on my last build. http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-riflescope-sfrd.html
...
Ah ... so not quite exactly cheap either.

It doesn't have that tacticool look but I've been really happy with the Burris on my 10/22, very bright and holds a zero. Don't know how it would do on something with a little more oomph.
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by RJT »

doubloon wrote:
RJT wrote:I went with this on my last build. http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-riflescope-sfrd.html
...
Ah ... so not quite exactly cheap either.

It doesn't have that tacticool look but I've been really happy with the Burris on my 10/22, very bright and holds a zero. Don't know how it would do on something with a little more oomph.

Yeah, it's a little pricey for a red dot. I wanted an Eotech, but wanted another can even more, so this was a happy medium. I figured buy once, cry once.
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by hunter2 »

Just got a Bushnell TR 25 and the dot is more of a 2 tail ,. Have a Primary Arms with a low temp green laser that I love.
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Re: Need red dot and flip-up sight advice.

Post by Artful »

I like my Trijicon triangle aiming "dot"
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