Iron Front Sight or Fold Down? [Archive]

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Citpitch02

12-30-06, 23:03

paulosantos

12-31-06, 00:02

What's the best option when using a 1-4x24 such as the NightForce or Horus; the standard iron front sight or a flip down.

How would the new H&K set-up work?

I like the idea of a permanant front site; something that's there when I need it and don't have to mess with, but I don't know if I'll have problems with it messing up my sight picture.

Thanks guys!

It really depends on what you are using it for, but I much prefer the Folding BUIS for either a variable scope and for Red Dot Sights.

If you are kicking in doors, I'd prefer to have the BUIS in the up position, just in case the Red Dot goes out.

Just remember, with a Folding BUIS, you can have it in the up or down position, but with a Fixed BUIS, you don't really have a choice.

Citpitch02

01-01-07, 20:34

Original Post by paulosantos
Just remember, with a Folding BUIS, you can have it in the up or down position, but with a Fixed BUIS, you don't really have a choice

Great point! Guess that's the advantage of the flip up: FLEXIBILITY

rob_s

01-02-07, 05:04

I have rifles set up both ways. The only real reason I have a flipup on the rifle that has one is because I wanted a 9.0 rail on a standard carbine barrel and that meant I had to get some kind of replacement front sight.

The gun that the flipup front sight lives on also wears a 1.5x Compact ACOG. Even at that small magnification I can't get a true, accurate sight picture through the tube of the scope, so it seems silly to me to have a fixed front sight. If I ever needed the BUIS, I'd have to completely remove the optic anyway, and it's not really much slower to pop up the two BUIS as opposed to one.

With that said, my Aimpoin-equipped carbines all wear fixed sights front and rear. Since I am physically able to see the sights and optain a good, accurate sight picture through the optic I want to have the rifle set up to do so.

In the case of your variable power scope, I would have to figure out if I can get a good, accurate sight picture at the lowest setting or not, and that would determine my BUIS.

KevinB

01-02-07, 08:45

With a low power variable unless it has some extremely long eye relief you need a rear flip down -- it will not work with a fixed rear sight.

Additional advantages to the Fixed front is that the sight tower provided added protection for 12' mounted devices (PEQ-2, PAC-4, D-BAL etc.)

A flip front is most advantageous with using an inline NV system like the PVS-22

VA_Dinger

01-02-07, 10:04

On variable magnification optics like my S&B short dot I prefer a flip-up front. I cannot stand having the front sight in my FOV. That being said, I’ve shot with two extremely good shooters recently who ran their Nightforce 1-4x’s with fixed front sights, so it might just be a familiarization & training issue that I have.

IMO- since using irons requires that the scope be removed it probably does not make much difference. Your all ready screwed (Badly damaged optic) so taking an extra second to flip-up the front really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. It’s a small price to pay for an optic this versatile.

You don't have a choice with the rear, your forced to use a flip-up.

My opinion is completely different when it comes to 1x (Aimpoint & Eotech) optics. I then prefer fixed sights both front & rear.

rob_s

01-02-07, 10:58

IMO- since using irons requires that the scope be removed it probably does not make much difference. Your all ready screwed (Badly damaged optic) so taking an extra second to flip-up the front really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. It’s a small price to pay for an optic this versatile.

My opinion is completely different when it comes to 1x (Aimpoint & Eotech) optics. I then prefer fixed sights both front & rear.
I knew we'd agree on something sooner or later!:D