I think back-up sights are a good idea until they don't make sense. That is, if you're moving your optic or putting lights/lasers/magnifiers in sub optimal positions to deal with irons, I think that's probably a bad order order of priority. I like the KAC sights because they're a small footprint and don't get in the way of QD levers. My preferred red dot is the EOtech, and I don't keep those on all the time to save on batteries, so on those guns I like iron sights up so I could take an aimed shot right away if for some reason I forget to turn the sight on.
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I’m not worried about my red dot failing per se, but there've been several times here in the hot Texas humidity where I’ve deployed my rifle from my nice a/c cooled Tahoe only to find my optic is completely fogged up and unusable. At the point pulling it off and switching to irons is the only way to go. Aside from that I can’t thing of too many other reasons.
Where are you guys keeping your guns in your popo sleds?
I keep mine in a rifle bag. I suppose that’s why I haven’t had the fog issue.
I mean used to just having an optic meant you were big money. I went for years with just an iron sight gun.
Still, I like these discussions. It’s thought provoking. I mean, again, I keep a couple of dedicated irons only guns as my last ditch. And I do use an EOtech but have been looking at prismatics. Aimpoints give me vertigo and I don’t know why (my eyes aren’t perfect).
I've had actually have TWO Aimpoint Comp Ms fail on me at the range (bad switches) and an Eotech reticle go out (had to send them all in for repair). Had to finish the sessions with irons.
So, I still have BUIS on most of my red dot uppers. I know, they were older Aimpoints, but hey, new stuff gets old eventually.
I don't have BUIS on my LPVO-equipped or scoped rifles.
But, I do agree that BUIS choice, can sometimes be a fashion statement.
I personally desperately wish iron sights were options on absolutely all rifles be they bolt, lever, pump semi-auto or even single shot. If I could I wouldn't own a rifle without a set of iron sights on them. Been on seven out west hunts that my friends and I took anywhere from 3-12 years to get drawn for. On two of those hunts one of my friends damaged their scope and it was no longer usable. Both times were absolute freak accidents that really weren't either's fault. Neither rifle had iron sights.
Thankfully I ALWAYS pack along a back up rifle if at all possible and they both simply used it to successfully I might add (thanks to one of us not being a cheapa$$ $OB and spend some serious coin on a good second rifle and scope) finish their hunt. Now two of the seven trips were solid 100% hard core backpack trips (one in AK and one in UT) were weight restrictions made bringing a back up riffle impossible. Again I was the ONLY one willing to invest in high quality quick change scope rings and a backup scope.
In my experience I have had conventional scopes fail as well as red dots and reflex sights fail. Never ever had a set of irons fail.
I absolutely wouldn't even think of owning a WTSHTF my life and my families lives might depend on rifles that didn't have a high quality set of MBUS. I have owned and shot scoped rifles for over 35 years and have seen enough conventional and red dot/reflex optics fail to know the worth of a set of near indestructible iron sights.
ALL of my AR's and shotguns which are my dedicated SHTF firearms have both irons and at least good quality red dot sights. Myself and my sons shoot using iron, scope, and red dots when ever we go to the range.
Just my opinion and experiences and doesn't make me wright or you wrong, just my beliefs.
Offset BUIS for me makes a lot of sense. The fogging of the optic when from going from cold-and-dry to hot-and-humid is my primary concern, and having a secondary sighting system on a defensive rifle IMO is good insurance.
I've been on-and-off about the need for BUIS for a while, but have settled on a set of MI offset sights (single mid-size aperture) and plan on keeping them. I always take some shots with them during my lead hurling sessions because as an old High Power guy, I enjoy shooting with irons. Other than a WML, I don't have any other "stuff" I need to make room for either.
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My Aimpoint did the same. It craped out! This isn't a knock on Aimpoint, it's just that electronics fail at random times. BTW, taking one off in the middle of a firefight is as simple as pulling a lever
This doesn't have anything to do with ARs but I wish bolt actions came with iron sights. Some do but that's rare. For casual fun shooting I enjoy military bolt actions and large caliber rifles.
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Last edited by Arik; 09-17-20 at 18:31.
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