DUMB QUESTION--Which BUIS does the Army use?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Guys,

Does the Army have a standard rear BUIS they use on the M4? If I were, say, joining the Army and wanted to set up a civvy legal clone what rear sight should I get?

Flame suit on.:D

[M4Guru]

KAC 300M or the Matech with BDC. Both are current issue, but the Matech is more prevalent these days because it's a lot cheaper.

[kcmo83]

There are also certain units being issued the A.R.M.S. #40 rear BUIS, via NWSC Crane contract. BUT, as the previous poster mentioned, your typical 11B has the aforementioned BUIS.

[hellbound]

my friend just got back from iraq. he is a first lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne Division (ranger, airborne, air assault). none of their M4s had BUIS. he was issued a TA11F once he got there on a regular M4 with the old CAR style stock.

in ranger school he trained on the same setup only with a CCO instead of the ACOG, but no BUIS.

when i asked him if he used the matech or the KAC he looked at me like this :confused:

as much as we fuss about BUIS on the internet, it seems that a lot of units aren't using them.

[M4Guru]

For the record, I have never seen a unit, no matter if they were SF or The 73rd National Guard Shower and Laundry Company, that didn't get issued back up iron sights. While I am sure someone has been without, that would far and away be the exception, not the rule.

You can be damned sure that every infantryman in the 82nd Airborne was issued a BUIS on his M4. We had them when I was there 7 years ago.

Also, you don't get any weapons training in Ranger School anymore (since the early 90's), nor do they use any sort of optics. It's all blanks on busted up M4s.

[Spurholder]

For the record, I have never seen a unit, no matter if they were SF or The 73rd National Guard Shower and Laundry Company, that didn't get issued back up iron sights.

Unfortunately I have. My unit RIP'd with a RSTA BN from the 101st. Wasn't everyone, but there weren't enough to go around. I gave one of their NCO's the KAC BUIS from my M4, along with my CQB Solutions 3-point sling, the day that I left Iraq.

This was late 2005, though. I'm sure that things are different now.

[M4Guru]

One thing is for certain:

Every M4 in the Army got RFI's a Matech BUIS...CF, SOF, NG. What the unit did with them is anyones guess.

I wonder if there was a poor handover of equipment when they realigned the divisions into Units Of Action?

[NoBody]

When I was in the 75th RR I had KAC 300M and in the 82nd Abn I have Matech. I have seen both rangers and troopers w/o BUIS, but they can fall off or get stolen (while in the arms room).

[Erick Gelhaus]

... and some break when being installed or during use. But as both M4G and NoBody said, the BUIS were issued.

[Iraqgunz]

While I agree with your statement I did see some situations on my first contract in Iraq where units did not have pre-embarkation inspections done properly on their weapons prior to deployment and in those cases it is possible that the sights were missing. I have also seen problems with the overall maintenance and inspections here in Iraq as well. It seemed as if many of the support units' 45B were not that sharp.

Also I know of at least one National Guard unit that left all of their parts back home because someone in the chain of command did not want all the parts being used up in Iraq and then they would go home empty handed. Nevermind that fact that all that was reimbursable and separate funding.


One thing is for certain:

Every M4 in the Army got RFI's a Matech BUIS...CF, SOF, NG. What the unit did with them is anyones guess.

I wonder if there was a poor handover of equipment when they realigned the divisions into Units Of Action?

[Spurholder]

Also I know of at least one National Guard unit that left all of their parts back home because someone in the chain of command did not want all the parts being used up in Iraq and then they would go home empty handed. Nevermind that fact that all that was reimbursable and separate funding.

Figures. The Guard has come a long way in the past few years, but one "aw, shit" negates 10 "attaboys."

My apologies to M4Guru - the unit DID receive RFI (just like everyone else did), but the NCO in question told me that there were plenty of shortfalls. I know RFI went through a lot of pains in getting needed items during 2004-2006, and the Lord only knows how they were able to pull it all together. My hat's off to them.

[Iraqgunz]

Are you "the" Erick Gelhaus whos articles I have seen in some of the gun rags? If so, kudos to you for your service in Iraq.


... and some break when being installed or during use. But as both M4G and NoBody said, the BUIS were issued.

[Shihan]

my friend just got back from iraq. he is a first lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne Division (ranger, airborne, air assault). none of their M4s had BUIS. he was issued a TA11F once he got there on a regular M4 with the old CAR style stock.

in ranger school he trained on the same setup only with a CCO instead of the ACOG, but no BUIS.

when i asked him if he used the matech or the KAC he looked at me like this :confused:

as much as we fuss about BUIS on the internet, it seems that a lot of units aren't using them.

Its not that they dont want them.