Need some ideas for a front sight

[KMM696]

I've got an old 22LR AR upper that I put together back when Spikes was making them. Ran great for years, until some dumbass () screwed up the chamber dryfiring it. Several unsuccessful adventures in 22LR chamber repair later, I finally gave up on it and bought another 22LR barrel. Which shoots and runs great - no complaints on that front.

My issue: the original upper was an M4 profile barrel, rifle length tube handguard. I pinned an FSB to the front of the barrel, just forward the tube for a front sight, and put a detachable A2 rear on the receiver rail in back. Looked a bit like a dissipator upper, really. The new barrel is not an M4 profile, closer to pencil. I usually shoot a red dot on this, but every once in a while I like to shoot it with irons. Like every time I forget to turn the dot off on the previous range trip, and aren't carrying a spare battery.

So, I'm looking for ways to add a front sight. I could probably come up with some way to WECSOG an FSB onto the front of this barrel, but it's a large stepdown in diameter between the barrel and the muzzle device shoulder. I could add something to the front of the float tube as well - no qualms about drilling into that. Don't really care if it's AR specific, either. I'm hoping someone has a super-genius idea for a front sight before I resort to shimming the old FSB on the barrel more or less square and fill the gap with epoxy.

Thanks!

 

[jayhitek]

I'm having trouble picturing your upper with it's handguard.. Can you post a pic?

 

[KMM696]

 

[Golddiggie]

So the dot isn't one with the 'shake awake' feature? If you're forgetting to turn it off at the end of the range day, and it sits on long enough to drain the battery, get one with shake awake. OR put a big note on the thing to turn the f'king dot off when done shootin.

As for BUIS. since you're not showing a rear sight, get a handguard with a rail on the top (m-lock everywhere else) and then just mount whatever you want for a sight pair. I'd get something that folds down so it's out of the way when not needed.

IMO, short of welding something onto the barrel, you're never going to be happy with what you Mickey Mouse onto it. Never mind how the chances of something moving, on the barrel, while you're either welding it on, or JBWeld cures, is high. Making it far less useful. Also, drilling into the current handguard would really only work if you can clamp it down while installed. Otherwise, chance of any real accuracy (minute of barn at 10', so ak level ) is a pipe dream. Unless you use up ALL your luck for the next 10+ years.

 

[KMM696]

So the dot isn't one with the 'shake awake' feature? If you're forgetting to turn it off at the end of the range day, and it sits on long enough to drain the battery, get one with shake awake. OR put a big note on the thing to turn the f'king dot off when done shootin.

As for BUIS. since you're not showing a rear sight, get a handguard with a rail on the top (m-lock everywhere else) and then just mount whatever you want for a sight pair. I'd get something that folds down so it's out of the way when not needed.

IMO, short of welding something onto the barrel, you're never going to be happy with what you Mickey Mouse onto it. Never mind how the chances of something moving, on the barrel, while you're either welding it on, or JBWeld cures, is high. Making it far less useful. Also, drilling into the current handguard would really only work if you can clamp it down while installed. Otherwise, chance of any real accuracy (minute of barn at 10', so ak level ) is a pipe dream. Unless you use up ALL your luck for the next 10+ years.

The dot is an old Bushnell TRS 25 that just refuses to die - unless I kill the battery. I thought about a new handguard, but I'd miss that old tube. It does just screw off the barrel nut with a decent strap wrench, so I can remove it to work on it. Let's call new handguard plan C. I could, I suppose, mount a chunk of picatinny on the front of the tube, and add one of the standard front sights.

 

[Golddiggie]

There are plenty of handguards out there that are slim (probably no thicker than that tube) with a top rail and then m-lok slots all over them. MidWest Industries comes to mind right off the bat, since I have several of theirs.

I ditched quad rails years ago. Over the past several years, MWI handguards have been installed on either my new builds, or most of my existing uppers. Only my AR10 uppers don't have them, yet. Mostly because I bought one as a complete upper and it has a top rail (so not a quad), and I'm still working on another upper.

 

[KMM696]

I've got a couple MWIs which have been solid - also had good results with AT-3 handguards, especially when combined with their upper. I can't stand quads either, much better options today.

This, I have to admit, is not a serious rifle. Hell, it sat on a polymer 80% receiver for about 10 years, until it broke exactly the way everyone expects them too. Having a rifle fall apart while you're shooting it because the receiver extension threading broke off is a ridiculous but entertaining experience.

 

[Bullet Bill]

I have always wanted to try this out.
For me I feel like it would be a quicker sight than a red dot at close quarters.
I really like the A2 carry handle for that.

 

[KMM696]

View attachment 929126

I have always wanted to try this out.
For me I feel like it would be a quicker sight than a red dot at close quarters.
I really like the A2 carry handle for that.

That's an interesting concept, there. I don't think it would be faster than a red dot for me, anyway - but if you do get one (or two-that pic of both sights installed on an AR just looked weird to me.) I'd be interested to hear what you think of it. The single focus distance of a dot works much better for me than trying to juggle focus between two points on the rifle.

Maybe a good sight for shotgunners to put on a rifle if they don't want to put in more time learning a rifle dot? I've been shooting M16/M4/AR15 since the early 90s, so those habits that let me get on the ARs dot fast are really well established. (Not so much with dots on pistols, but that's my own fault).

 

[jayhitek]

I think I have a simpler solution for you.
I have a similar-ish set up as you. I see you have holes on top of your hand guard.. You could get a small pic rail and attach it to the top front and then add a Magpul flip up sight like what i have on mine.

 

[KMM696]

I think I have a simpler solution for you.
I have a similar-ish set up as you. I see you have holes on top of your hand guard.. You could get a small pic rail and attach it to the top front and then add a Magpul flip up sight like what i have on mine.
View attachment 929233
View attachment 929234
View attachment 929235

That's about where I ended up in my thinking, too. Minor differences, like a fixed front sight instead of those (personal preference, nothing wrong with Magpul sights), M-Lok slot instead of drill & tap. But I think attaching a piece of picatinny is the key. Going to lose a couple inches of sight radius from the original, but oh, well.

 

[KMM696]

I found a piece of mlok picatinny rail that wasn't busy, cut an mlok slot in the handguard and found a cheapish front sight. I suspect I'm going to have to take a little off the bottom of the mlok/ picatinny piece to get the right height, but that's going to have to wait until I actually get to sight it in. Bore sighting it, the front sight post bottomed out is still too high.