I just built a nodak upper with a 20" FSB barrel. It is pretty sweet with Magpurr handguards, a light, and a sling. Super low weight for what it is, no frills, just irons, sling, light. I will post a pic when I get around to taking pictures.
Awesome can’t wait for pics
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Centurion HK diopters.
agreed.
I am contemplating going with a 14.7" or 16" midlength instead of my 20". I really like the increased sight radius even though I know 16" is probably more practical.
Agreed. I also really like LaRue’s rear sight, I’m sure they could make a tank of a front sight if they wanted.
Going against all grains, I use KAC 200-600 Standard flip up sights as my primary iron sights. The advantage is they flip down, lowering the profile, weight and go through brush much easier. The other big advantage is they are pedestal sights and so you retain more vision downfield than you do being behind boxy, bulky sights with knobs and dials. The KAC sights adjust quickly. The only disadvantage was I missed the ghost ring. So I made a ghost ring. KAC sells a fixed 300 yard sight but having zeroed mine for 200, I wanted to retain it and the fixed 300 was too tall. I could have bought another KAC 200-600 and drilled out the peep, but that is a $190.00 item and an expensive experiment. Instead, I ordered a KAC 200-600 Chinese clone for $27.00. It was the same dimensions and the same height. It did not need to adjust so I drilled it out using a .25 inch bit, then a pointed needle file and then a thin tube of 350 sandpaper. It was about .30 inch. I dipped it in Birchwood Casey Aluminium Black, mounted it ahead of my original KAC—and the sucker= works perfectly! Talk about quick acquisitions? This is an amazing Ghost and mounted further forward only seems to enhance its ability. Carry Handle=9 oz. Two KACs=4 oz. Couple this with a Meprolight tritium front sight and I may never get an electrified optic.
I just came across these today. For fixed iron they’d be on the short list for sure.
Uhh this thread is almost 3 years old BUT Scalarworks takes the crown on this one.
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If anyone is interested, Centurion Arms just re released their HK style C4 diopter sights. These things haven’t been out in a while from my understanding. I received an email saying they are a limited run.
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I ended up with DD due to price (it’s a fun gun) and I didn’t want to wait for the release, but the scalar works look top notch. I think they are the only, or at least one of the few 7000 series Al sights. If you want to run irons as a primary, I’d definitely try them out.
Scalarworks are available for full retail price at their website right now.
I got that email as well. I have neither the funds or the need right now, but I’m still tempted. HK sights were the shit 10 years ago and my inner younger self really wants them…
Yeah, I didn’t know HK sight on an AR was a thing outside of the HK platform rifles. IMO, a VERY strong solution for a HD type rifle running a white light only.
I’m really interested in the ScalarWorks BUIS myself. I’ve also seen what looks like some pre-production Geissele BUIS that have been sent out for testing that might be worth looking into in the hopefully near future.
I assume the OP has moved and did not want a FSB.
Having assembled a few dedicated iron sight uppers over the years, below are my thoughts/what I have learned.
When using primarily irons, my preference has been a standard barrel mounted FSB.
Ideally, the FSB is as close to the muzzle as possible. Not always easy to do with off the shelf parts/barrels. Not sure if Noveske still makes their 18" Irons barrel but that was probably the best solution (assuming you wanted an 18” barrel and intermediate gas). Other options are to have a .625 FSB opened up to match the barrel diameter behind the muzzle or have a custom contour barrel made with a .750 or .625 seat behind the muzzle.
Plenty of set screw/windage adjustable FSB options out there. Some require flats milled on the barrel, some don’t. Not a fan of either style. JP makes a clamp on FSB that is also an adjustable GB but they are not cheap and I am not a fan of that type of adjustable gas block. I do like the clamp style over the set screw and it is what I would use for a FSB behind the muzzle, in conjunction with a separate gas block.
The challenge with standard FSB is to have the installed correctly. I like to have them pinned but also like to have the windage zero end up close to the mechanical center of the rear sight. Aligning the FSB with the index pin on the barrel extension is not always the best solution. I know, sometimes you can get lucky and it ends up close, but sometimes it doesn’t. You don’t know until the upper is built then fixing it may not be practical or elegant.
I send my uppers to Ken Breda for pinning. He centers the rear sight then uses an optical collimator to align the front and rear sights with the bore prior to pinning (only ½ diameter of pin cut into barrel). He can also finish threading the front sight post hole then add a set screw from the bottom to take out the wiggle. The front sight elevation detents are still there and can be used if you back out/remove the set screw first.
With shipping, its not cheap but if you plan to use iron sights only, the front sight is important.
If you think you want to use BRT ports, I would modify the FSB before having it pinned. Not sure if Ken provides that service, but I would guess that he has the ability.
For rear sights, assuming you want an adjustable version, I think LMT A2 style are good if you don’t want a full carry handle. I like the carry handle and use WOA standard and pinned versions with USGI apertures. The way WOA pins, you loose the ability to switch between the apertures. It’s a small sacrifice on a rifle but for this reason, on a carbine, I would skip the pinning. No sure if WOA still offers ½ moa rears but I prefer ½ moa clicks to the standard ¼ moa. ¼ moa is not bad with a shorter sight radius but seems too fine for a practical/field use rifle. I know some others offer pinned rear sights but have no experience with them.