View Full Version : Back Up Iron Sight drop test
I don't know if this has been done before. The search button didn't yield any results so I thought I would share. Found this article on the milblog Kit-up. I thought it was interesting, and considering how much thought the guys here put into the rifles they build and which gear they choose to run on them. Magpul Fanboys should be pleased.
http://kitup.military.com/2012/07/back-up-iron-sight-drop-test.html
Hmm, that's surprising. I'll stick with my Troy though.
Interesting but definitely not definitive, at least to me. I've used Troys for 4-5 years and see no reason to change. Even if the results were different it's still a sample of one. I have played with Magpuls but the actual groups were always a bit larger for me. I don't know if it's the placebo effect or not but I like the solid lock up and adjustments of the Troys. It probably means nothing as I either have a T-1 or TR 24 as primary anyway.
sinlessorrow
07-06-12, 22:35
I have to admit this makes the Magpuls look like a very nice option, they certainly held up in this.
While I can agree that the Magpul sight is strong when dropped on concrete....you have to ask yourself, how OFTEN are you dropping it on CONCRETE.
Most of us use our rifles in places OTHER than an "urban" area, it can be dirt, grass, in the woods or desert etc.
Concrete is WAY less forgiving than other areas.
This is why I hate torture tests, it makes people believe that the product is bee all end all.
There is NOTHING wrong with Troy or DD etc.
Do the same test 10 times with 10 DIFFERENT sights and see how they differ in comparison.
Guns-up.50
07-06-12, 23:18
A direct hit does not surprise me that it still worked, I have dropped many of plastic things and they still worked. What about a blow from the front, I watched a guy kick the front of his troy to prove its durability, The sight stayed up and locked, after the hard blow the sight had minimal wobble and worked fine, how would the mbus do with that?
Exactly, another good point.
ANYTHING can break/fail at ANY time.
A drop on concrete shows exactly that....nothing more
Hmm, that's surprising. I'll stick with my Troy though.
Not too surprising unless you've never touched the MBUS. They don't lock into the up position like the Troy and Diamondhead sights.
When dropped they probably just popped closed.
I wish they included Matech sights in there.
All valid points. Isn't there a chance you could knock rifle off the tailgate of your truck, or it fall off the work bench? It's a one off thing, and as much work as the people on this forum put into their gear it seemed pertinent. Especially with as much vigor is put into the argument about which company makes the best rifles. There is even a chart to show which companies have a better quality product. If you're going to put so much time into which weapon you buy, why not the extras on it?
This isn't to say I now think that the magpul is obviously the go to BUIS for the coming zombie apocalypse. I just thought it was interesting to see this done, especially with the culture in this forum that these are weapons meant for potentially heavy us and we treat them like that.
sinlessorrow
07-07-12, 00:39
I wish they included Matech sights in there.
I was thinking the same thing.
Thanks for that eyeopening link, txn...
This depends on how you want to approach the issue of dropping it on concrete. I have an MBUS, but use the DD fixed rear on my carbine.
My impression is that the plastic MBUS has more give and resilience properties that make up for the lack of stiffness of an alloy sight. So you can either manage the bend, or be strong enough to prevent the bend. This "test" seems to shows that the MBUS has more resilience than the alloy competition has stiffness. However, you must consider how well this test applies to your application. I have the DD fixed. I like to see a similar test run on fixed rear sights.
vicious_cb
07-07-12, 16:09
This depends on how you want to approach the issue of dropping it on concrete. I have an MBUS, but use the DD fixed rear on my carbine.
My impression is that the plastic MBUS has more give and resilience properties that make up for the lack of stiffness of an alloy sight. So you can either manage the bend, or be strong enough to prevent the bend. This "test" seems to shows that the MBUS has more resilience than the alloy competition has stiffness. However, you must consider how well this test applies to your application. I have the DD fixed. I like to see a similar test run on fixed rear sights.
I think it has to do more with the fact that the MBUS was the only BUIS tested that doesnt lock in the up position rather than the merits of plastic vs aluminum.
That is an unknown. That not being mentioned in the piece leads me to assume that it was not experienced or at the least observed.
I could be wrong though.
I wish they included Matech sights in there.
Ask some of the Army/Airforce guys here how they held up. They performed the legit torture test aka combat deployment.
Ask some of the Army/Airforce guys here how they held up. They performed the legit torture test aka combat deployment.
Yeah I have friends who used them in trashcanistan and they held up, I'm sure the drop test would have been a success. Still would have been nice to see a side by side comparison tho.
While I do have a set of the Magpul's and they have worked well for what I have wanted them for, IE something to run under my ACOG in case it goes down, I don't know if you can honestly say it is better or more durable then the others, or even that the others aren't as durable. A drop test is a drop test, and while it can prove a point I think looking at impacts from other angles would really have been more realistic, from the side, while in the closed position, even strapping the rifle in a press with an anvil drop of varying weights I think would be a better test and grant more insight then a single drop for three different sights.
On a different note, is it just me or did the Diamond back and Troy sights apertures appear to project above the top of the protective ears of the sight more so then the Magpul's? Hence my thought of impacts from different angles then straight up and down.
RC51_Texas
07-07-12, 19:57
Not too surprising unless you've never touched the MBUS. They don't lock into the up position like the Troy and Diamondhead sights.
When dropped they probably just popped closed.
Ha! "That's a Feature, not a Defect"! Just kidding, but I've never cared for the MBUS Sights for that reason.
LtNovakUSA
07-07-12, 20:18
Just to share some experience with the Matech BUIS, I had one on my M4 when i was in Iraq and was not all too fond of it. It had a tendency to keep popping up after it had seen a little use. Eventually the post on it broke off after about 6 months and i just replaced it with a KAC one that i had sent from home. There was a collection of broken ones that grew as the deployment went on sitting in the arms room. Many soldiers in my platoon would take them off entirely.... not a big sample size but just my exp.
Just to share some experience with the Matech BUIS, I had one on my M4 when i was in Iraq and was not all too fond of it. It had a tendency to keep popping up after it had seen a little use. Eventually the post on it broke off after about 6 months and i just replaced it with a KAC one that i had sent from home. There was a collection of broken ones that grew as the deployment went on sitting in the arms room. Many soldiers in my platoon would take them off entirely.... not a big sample size but just my exp.
I had heard about the flipping up problem, and then I heard they released an updated version that remedied the problem. I have one on my Colt now and love it, mainly because of the unobtrusive size of the sight post itself. I have no idea what version I have LOL.....a gentleman hooked me up for $35. I looked into the KAC as it is a similar design, perhaps I'll pick one up eventually......and thanks for the insight :) good to hear reports from the field.
Ha! "That's a Feature, not a Defect"! Just kidding, but I've never cared for the MBUS Sights for that reason.
Yeah. They're good for the price but not the best overall option out there.
I still prefer fixed when it comes to irons but optics limit the use of them.
Find ManBearPig!
07-08-12, 03:14
Personally, I'd be interested to see how these sights held up to being knocked from the sides. I think the likely hood of your rifle falling 5 feet, flipping over, and landing squarely on the sights is far smaller then the sights taking a hit from the sides or front.
Still, interesting test. I was not expecting the Magpuls to hold up so well.
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