I am posting this brief review/comparison of the main 2 offset folding BUIS options on the market right now. I know some people scoff at folding offsets, using the logic that if they need backup sights, they need them NOW, but you can simply raise the sight when the rifle is in use, and fold them down so it can fit more easily into your safe/pack/case.
I haven’t seen any comparisons of the 2, and feel that this might be useful for those considering an offset BUIS for their AR or other rifle.
I initially bought 1 of each, just to see which one I liked better, as it is hard to tell just from pictures, press releases, etc.
Front sight profile, from the front
As you can see, the Troy is hella bulky compared to the Magpul sights. This, in my view, is the biggest downfall of the Troy sights, and the biggest advantage of the Magpuls MBUS Pros.
Rear sight top view, showing ambi charging handle clearance.
Side view, rear sight, showing ambi charging handle clearance.
View from other side, rear sight, showing sight profiles. NOTE CHARGING HANDLE IS RETRACTED ON THE RIFLE WITH THE TROY SIGHT
As you can see, the way the Troy sits in the picatinny slots (the above is the furthest forward position possible that the case deflector allows), it basically has ZERO clearance for the right side latch of the charging handle. In fact, not only is there zero clearance, but here is a tiny bit of interference. The charging handle cannot go all the way forward with the Troy offset sight installed. I do not know if this is enough to move the bolt out of battery or not, but either way, this was a deal-breaker for me. Now, it is possible that there would be sufficient clearance for a non-ambi/traditional left-side latch charging handle, but I use ambi handles, so no-go.
With the rear Magpul MBUS Pro Offset sight, there is plenty of clearance, as the rear sight is shorter in length when folded AND it sits as far forward as possible. Magpul clearly did their homework when it came to this.
The Magpul MBUS Pro Offset sight are much more easily installed and removed than the Troys. The Magpuls come apart and are screwed back together over the picatinny slot. The Troy is one piece, and needs to slide on and off the rail. If your rail is a tiny bit wider than the sight, this makes it a bit of a chore, and if you have other accessories in the way, you will have to move them. Not a big deal, but something to keep in mind.
The Troys can be mounted in either the left or right configuration. This is done by reversing the sight as it sits on the offset arm, and screwing it down into place.
One potential argument in favor of the Troys is that they lock in the up position. However, this really is not a big advantage, as the Magpuls have a fairly positive detent in the up and down positions. They are not going to fold up or down accidentally or under recoil. You really have to deliberately fold them up or down.
If anything, the non-locking mechanism on the Magpuls can be seen as an advantage, as the sights will fold out of the way, in the event of dropping the rifle onto the sight or smashing into something with the sights.
In summary:
Magpul:
- Slim
- Ambi charging handle friendly
- Easier to install/remove
- Only right hand configuration
Troy:
- Can be mounted ether in right or left configuration
- Bulky
- Not ambi charging handle friendly at all
- May be a bit more cumbersome to install/remove
For reference, here are some more pics of measurements of the sights’ dimensions:
Rear sight length folded, Magpul MBUS Pro Offset
Rear sight height folded, Magpul MBUS Pro Offset
Front sight length folded, Magpul MBUS Pro Offset
Front sight height folded, Magpul MBUS Pro Offset
Rear sight length folded, Troy BattleSight Offset
Rear sight height folded, Troy BattleSight Offset
Front sight length folded, Troy BattleSight Offset
Front sight height folded, Troy BattleSight Offset
