hey all, I am new to the forum, but have used the M16/AR-15 platform for 9+ years in the Army. for the Majority of that time, I used nothing but iron sights. I have tried optics, but always end up going back to what is comfortable to me. I consistantly scored expert on my weapons Qual, so I feel proficient with the irons. It just seems that every rifle I have seen a pic of on the forums has some sort of optic on it as the main sights. Am I the only one who is still using my Irons?
BTW, I purchased my first ar-15, a bushmaster, before reading these forums, but have since staked the castle nut, and replaced the BCG with a colt. seems to be running fine, but I only have around 350 rounds through it. thanks for any feedback!
I still have irons but that’s mainly because I didn’t have the funds for any type of optic when I had mine built. I’m very comfortable with the irons out to 100yds and I figure that’s good enough, not too shabby out to 200.
If I need further distance, I have something that’ll handle it.
Now…if an optic falls outta the sky into my lap I’ll give it a go but for now the irons will accomplish the purpose for my AR.
I’m purposely keeping one A1 carbine optics-free, but my aging eyes really do prefer optics.
This describes one of my rifles.
Im in an IRONS only phase right now. I have aimpoint, ACOG, Eotech in the safe but right now im shooting carry handle irons. Im doing it as a kind of get back to the basics.
Overseas its ACOG or bust!
Ditto, 22 years Reserves, and always with iron sights. I have used a scope on my bolt rifle, and a 1Gen Aimpoint on an HK. I prefer the red dot IF it would have a better battery life. New ones do, but they sure aren’t cheap.
Lots of pic’s on forums are not working rifles, let’s be honest about it. They are the proud expression of owners who kit them out and like to show them off a little. Of course I enjoyed that in the day - hunting with an HK91 in the '70’s - '80’s was not a Fudd way to do it, neither was using any red dot. Totally out of the box.
These days I use a Win 94 until the 6.8 gets finished. Iron sights work, but the red dot does a better job with really fast acquistion. At whatever cheek weld, dot on target = trigger pull. Until then, iron sights will do.
What most don’t consider is the day to day field experience many older servicemen have with irons - which can take a lot of abuse and still work. Any kind of obscurant on just one lens of an optic puts it out of use and iron sights are immediately needed. It’s the nature of the beast.
It’s why I will build with a fixed front sight and make the red dot work with it, not the other way around. Unlike the scoped bolt gun, I’m choosing function over fashion with the AR.
when i bought my first ar i had to go buy an eotech since that’s what all the cool kids on arfcom had. i ran it for 100 rounds and traded it off for ammo and mags.
when i bought my second ar i rushed out and bought an aimpoint because that’s what all the other cool kids on arfcom had. it lasted 250 rounds before i traded it off for more ammo and a light mount.
when i traded both those ar’s in on 1 top of the line grand hoohah ar i almost ran out and bought an acog. luckily i came to before i made it to the store and slapped some sense into myself.
for up close shots out to 25 yards i figured out a way to use just the front sight alone to aquire and hit com pretty fast and accurately. for anything from 25-150 yards i use the aperture. for anything out past 150 yards i use my feet to head the opposite direction. 
Both my AR’s are carry handle A2 sights and I love them as-is. I’m working on a third gun and will have a carry handle on it for awhile til I can afford an Aimpoint T1.
I love iron sights and prefer them but do know that for certain applications it’s hard to beat optics. Generally most of my rifles are iron sighted except for my 30-06. I live in a rural area and carry my rifle in the truck alot, keeping an eye out for predators and pests when I’m out and about.
I’m currently running irons, only. However, I am also shopping around for a decent optic for 3-Gun.
I am only running irons, but I simply cannot decide which optic to go with between a micro and an XPS.
I have a new appreciation of iron sights since I came accross this thread on TOS:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=328143
Hoping to get out to the range soon and try it.
I say if that’s what you like to shoot with, then use irons! No need to get approval from others. That being said, all combat MOS’s carry weapons with optics now, for very good reasons. The .mil has done a lot of study on this, and the results say that optics improve target acquisition and effective engagement across the board.
I am running irons only, but I’m only doing this because I am focused on buying back up rifles, pistols, mags and ammo first.
My rifles will always have irons, but in my opinion I believe a carbine should have some sort of Red Dot Sight.
Irons are hard to see in low light/no light. I have lost them trying to pick up targets when shooting from a dark area to a light area where the target is silhouetted.
I also believe a good RDS is faster to acquire a targets and is easier for non-shooters to use with little training (my wife).
This is only my opinion…
No, because sometimes it’s dark outside, and sometimes it’s dark in buildings.
I have one iron-sighted rifle that fills a very narrow niche.
For me a quality red dot is a required piece of equipment on a fighting gun, unless it will be used in an SPR role then a quality 1-4 variable scope. I understand that batteries fail etc… but i don’t see a need to purposely put myself at a disadvantage by intentionally not running an RDS.
One advantage I found in having a magnified optic while I was over-seas was that I could scan with my optic. I could scan areas off to the flanks and the rear and I could start scanning areas ahead for suspicious activity and IED indicators about 100yds before I got to it. They are also good for searching people from a distance if there is a suicide bomber threat in the area.
not really, no. I used to shoot NRA highpower but don’t anymore as my aging eye sight is not up to the task. I do keep fixed sights behind my Aimpoint on my go-to rifles, however.
should the Aimpoint go down, fuzzy irons will be better than nothing at all…
all you lucky guys, when my unit went over to Iraq in 04-05, we never got any cool sights. BOO!! I see how they could have been AWESOME in use. thanks for the feedback.
I only own 1 AR (Colt 6920), and all I have are irons on it. I would like to have a red-dot or ACOG in the future, we’ll see. The investment in the rifle and ammo set me back for a while.
While we are on the topic, if I were to mount an EOTECH or Aimpoint on it, would the front site post interfere with it? I’m leaning towards these because the ACOGs are so darn expensive and most of my shooting is 200 yards or less.
I come from a NRA smallbore background, and even when scopes are allowed I run irons. My personal opinion is that you can be just as fast and accurate, it just takes more practice.