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[SLR15]

It most times comes down to personal preference. On my personal SLR15 Grail and Commander Rifles, I use a fixed A2 front sight base and a fixed stand alone Larue BUIS rear sight with same plane aperture, then I mount an Aimpoint M3/ML3 on a Larue mount so the iron sights are in the bottom 1/3 of the field of view. The only time I run rifles with flip up front and rear sights are occasionally at my Law Enforcement job when I may be running a magnified optic or night vision where I want a cleaner field of view with no interference. Again it comes down to preference, and in my preference it is more based on the specific application as the mission often times will dictate the gear.

[rob_s]

I missed this the first time around.

I'm not entirely sure I understand the OP questions(s) as they sound like they might be based on some incorrect assumptions.

Dissipator-configured rifles and uppers were a product of an era when flattops and red dot sights weren't as common and people were largely using A2 uppers. The Dissipator was designed to get the longer, rifle-length, sight radius onto the 16" carbine barrels because some felt that the short sight radius of the carbine-length handguards made it more difficult to get accurate hits.

There is a bit of a movement to bring them back, and from some companies who are more highly regarded for putting out quality products (like BCM) vs. the companies that did it the first time (like Bushmaster and Olympic). I'm not sure they are as applicable today as they were then, with flattops so clearly outnumbering A2 uppers today, and optics so clearly outnumbering iron sights, thereby relegating iron sights to backup use only.

[DMR]

Rob_s,

I have one of Sully's rifles now with an DD Omaga Rail on it. The Dissy configuration in some respects is becoming a defactor standard in some circles these day, just the reason behind it and perception has changed. By that I mean the trend is going towards longer hand guards to assist in "running" the rifle. Longer handguards also allow you real estate for mounting your duty equipment with out having to resort to a VFG to hold on to your weapon.

When I was issued an M-4 I started using a VFG because after I put my PEG-2 and the OLD VLI(remember that thing?) there was no place left to grasp the forend of the carbine. For those that have a choice today longer hand guards are simply more efficent, not a must have, but I find my rifles with long hand guards more comfortable to shoot (in retirement) than my issue M-4 ever was. Even my 10" VIS carbine seems cramped when I compare it to the 12" Omega on the SLR Commander. Of course that's at least in part because the VIS Noveske has a flip up BIUS vs. the Commanders fixed front sight.

In short I agree with your origins, but perhaps it's time to redefine what a Dissipator is. The visual definition was the long hand guard with the fixed FSB. Functionaly we have a lot of variations on the concept now.

[rob_s]

I am inclined to agree re: the application, but I don't think we should be redefining terms. This is a topic for another time perhaps, but there seems to be an explosion of late of people having no sense of what has come before and both reinventing the wheel as well as mis-applying or even wholly co-opting terms they don't understand.

[JonnyVain]

I have a dissy upper from ADCO. The reason I did this is because I will probably never spend $500 on an optic. My home defense setup is a G19 and a handheld flashlight. I chose a dissy setup to get the maximum accuracy out of a minimum barrel length (without paperwork). To me, it's the perfect KISS rifle.

[lethal dose]

Vain, what rail is that?

[uwe1]

Can someone explain briefly why they called it "dissapator". I understand that it supposedly dissipates heat, but how does having the gas block under the handguards and a FSB further out help with that?

[rob_s]

I don't know the genesis of the name.

[Stickman]

there seems to be an explosion of late of people having no sense of what has come before and both reinventing the wheel as well as mis-applying or even wholly co-opting terms they don't understand.

I've been thinking the same thing for awhile. Then again Rob, we are from a Pre-COD culture. Before anyone asks, yes, I do think modern video games have influence in the minds of many.

This comment is not specific to the OP, just a general agreement with RobS on the above.