[El Chorizo]

I must admit, I'm having a bit of a "wild hair" all of a sudden with my AR -15 since I got the flash hider put on. You've seen the photos in this post: http://www.700rifle.com/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=300#p300

I'm looking now to mount some kind of scope on that carry handle. Maybe an Acog "look a-like" or something. Believe it or not, I had a Leupold VX-III on it at one time, but that's just too big and I don't want to go that route again.

Does anybody have any recommendations for tactical optics for an AR - 15?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Trigger_Puller]

Your configuration of the M16A2/3 (AR-15) was designed primarily for use with iron sights. The only two optics considered as accessories for it are the AN/PAS-13 thermal weapons sight and the AN/PVS-4 night vision sight.

The additional height of mounting a day optics scope onto the carry handle creates a problem in obtaining a proper cheek weld without having to add some kind of stationary or adjustable cheek pad on the stock.

That's why the military adopted the removable carry handle version, M16A4, and more recently the M4 for their versatility.

I’m not sure which version of the Leupold VX-III you have but I can probably guess it’s about 12 inches long. Even if you went with the Leupold Mark 4 2.5-8x36mm MR/T M2 w/ Illum. Reticle (very tacticool), which is about 11 inches long or one of the old 4X AR scopes, you would still have to add some sort of temporary cheek pad.

Red dots and ACOGS are alright for close quarter work, but you still can not obtain optimum sight picture without adding a cheek pad.

Hell, the cheek pad doesn’t have to expensive or pretty. We used to use foam rubber and duct tape.

I would pass on adding any sort of optics and use the rifle the way it is to develop and improve your shooting skills.

You may also want to consider handloading your own match grade ammo for it.

 

[El Chorizo]

That's one thing I noticed when I had that scope on there was that the sit picture wasn't very good. My cheek was pretty much off the stock. SC had a good review of a cheek piece that looks promising: http://www.snipercentral.com/karsten.htm

I will probably add that to the standard stock, with maybe a lead weight in the butt, or go to a collapsible style stock with adjustable cheek rest.

I just did a google search, and there is a lot of stuff out there for the AR-15 as you know, so I'll just have to start narrowing it down. The problem is, that I'm afraid the collapsible stock won't look very good sitting behind an upper with a 20" barrel! When I think collapsible stock I think of a "shorty" M4.

Thanks for that link, I've already book marked it!

 

[Trigger_Puller]

Mr. Karsten makes a great product and well worth the price.

Personally, I would not alter the rifle stock though. An inexpensive fix would be to pick up a product called the Comb Raising Kit made by Beartooth Products. MSRP is like $24.00.

That way when you want to remove the scope, you just slide off the kit and your back to the stock AR-15. Plus the kit is universal so you can also use it on other rifles as well!

 

[BK]

I would go a different direction...

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/co...8/C_More_Systems__quot_Colt_Scout_Sight_quot_

I use my AR for fun shooting, and hand-to-hand combat with coyotes (the canine, not the the people smugglers), and I have scoped bolt rifles it I want to whack 'em out there a ways.

 

[El Chorizo]

I've been trying out a carry handle mounted NcSTAR AR-15 scope. I thought this would be a reasonable alternative, but as you can see from the photo below, it's turns out it won't even mount correctly on the handle.

I think it's a design flaw considering it only tightens down against the handle on one side, which is pulling it over as you can see in the photo. I've contacted NcSTAR about and they are sending me out a new one that is a "weaver" mount style.

I'm not sure I will keep this one either for long; once I get my new upper for my AR, I will be putting a Bushnelll Elite 4200 on it!