Diopter sight on an AR15 ?

Diopter sight on an AR15 ?

  • Yes - they are heavenly!

    Votes: 15 55.6%

  • No - just keep the damn stock irons and be done with it

    Votes: 11 40.7%

  • Hmmz - that is an interesting idea but these other sights (specify) work better

    Votes: 1 3.7%
  • Total voters
    27
redivivus

redivivus

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Having used the diopter sight on my Swiss Arms extensively, I'm starting to notice I shoot better with a ring-in ring alignment than the standard AR-15 iron sight. Plus having night sights makes it an all weather paper terror - although I have yet to meet a target that was suitably impressed by my choice of sights! Or maybe I just *want* a different set of irons and have convinced myself that I do indeed shoot better :p

Either way, trolling the intertubes led me to a few models currently manufactured that fit the standard picatinny rail: Centurion Arms, HKParts among other knock offs.

Keeping cost and availability aside, I am looking for real world experiences shooting a 14.5" AR-15 with a diopter sight. Specifically, looking for,

1. Are these "calibrated" for the 5.56mm bullet drop out of a 14.5" barrel ? How well does the calibration work ?
2. Is POA = POI (a la PE90) ?
3. Reliability - are they rugged enough to withstand recoil and the usual knocks and safe kisses ? I'm not going to battle with them, but don't want them to be butterflies either.
4. Do they hold zero well once adjusted ?
5. Are the sights easy to adjust with a firm yet progressive "feel" ? I notice that the HK sights will require a special tool to adjust them.
6. Is it possible to get a good cheek weld with the standard collapsible stock ?
7. Any feedback on using them at night ?
8. Any other considerations that I may have missed ?
9. Pictures with your setups would be mint!

Note that I currently do not use the rifle with a scope and hence co-witnessing is not a consideration in the future either. Thx!
 
Unless you are going with a high end match type sight set, diopters don't offer anything over a decent set of post and aperture sights. Troy offers up decent back-up sight sets, as do a number of others.
 
Can't see that either of the sights in your links offers any advantage over the standard A2 rear sight. There are too many variables for fixed elevations built into a sight to be anything more than close approximations, once ranges get on the long side.
 
Diopter sights are no different than any other AR iron sight. The ring inside ring setup is available with a Troy HK style front sight. I'm with tiriaq, without the proper numbers or availability of adjustment, a pre set diopter sight will only be close at any setting. The bigger question is what you intend to use them for. If you're into long range open sight shooting a 14.5" barreled AR is the wrong tool. If you're just looking for decent servicable irons/backup sights then anything will work just fine. The requirement for folding sights may preclude you from some of the diopter style sights available.

TDC
 
By ring in ring alignment I take it you are trying to line up your rear sight aperture with the front sight?
There is no need to do that, your eye will center it regardless. Look through the rear sight, forget about it (let it blur out) and focus only on the front sight post.
I shoot exactly the same with AR sights and Garands as I do with the diopters on my Swiss Arms or any other accurate rifle.
 
J996 said:
By ring in ring alignment I take it you are trying to line up your rear sight aperture with the front sight?
There is no need to do that, your eye will center it regardless. Look through the rear sight, forget about it (let it blur out) and focus only on the front sight post.
I shoot exactly the same with AR sights and Garands as I do with the diopters on my Swiss Arms or any other accurate rifle.
Click to expand...

You are correct, however having a round rear aperture and a round front hood really aids the eye in centering the front post.

TDC
 
TDC said:
You are correct, however having a round rear aperture and a round front hood really aids the eye in centering the front post.

TDC
Click to expand...

To some it may have that effect (everyone is different). To me it makes no difference if there's a ring or ears, all I look at is the very top of my front sight post.
 
My .02 cents

Obviously this works for me, but may not work for you or anyone else, so take this however you want.

I use the Precision Reflex Inc. folding front sight on all my ARs, and if you couple this with a Knight's 200-600 Micro Rear sight and a XS Sight Systems 24/7 front sight insert, it will give you a fully adjustable, folding, ring within a ring sight picture with a very visible day/night (bad weather/low light) sight picture.

I prefer this to the traditional AR system because I used similar systems in the .mil a couple of decades ago, and old habits die hard.

Regards.

Mark
 
TDC said:
You are correct, however having a round rear aperture and a round front hood really aids the eye in centering the front post.

TDC
Click to expand...

STDC hit the nail on this one, it not only a superior target iron sight but as well a naturally occuring front & rear alignment, the Germans/Swiss definitely had their crap together thus making this sight better then all the rest for natural eye acquiring on a target.

As well on my Swiss, I enjoy both CQB & target applications with these, 5 out of 5 and am thinking of swaping my Magpul BUIS's with a similar system for my AR.
 
Interesting insight chaps! Thx!

I do agree, a 14.5" AR15 is the wrong tool for distance shooting, but I tend to use it for upto 300m at the very most. Any further and it's only to take pot shots if I'm feeling particularly lucky :p

Interesting comment Re: Troy HK style front sight. Will give than a closer look.

Any other suggestions ? Pictures of your diopter AR setups ?
 
redivivus said:
Interesting insight chaps! Thx!

I do agree, a 14.5" AR15 is the wrong tool for distance shooting, but I tend to use it for upto 300m at the very most. Any further and it's only to take pot shots if I'm feeling particularly lucky :p

Interesting comment Re: Troy HK style front sight. Will give than a closer look.

Any other suggestions ? Pictures of your diopter AR setups ?
Click to expand...


The National Match front should help you at 300 and turn the pot shots into hits on a 11/59, will it not? With the standard front sight and a 14.5 inch barrel, the 12/59 (half target)can be hit solidly at 200 from prone or a rest. I'm looking at a 12/59 I fired 10 rounds at from 200yds. I brought it home to show my son who is Infantry and well versed in the C-7. The group was fired with AE bulk 55s in black box.I have a 7 shot group through the nose' helmet area measuring 3"X5". the other three fell(1) high in hemet ,(2)right shoulder inside scoring ring and (3)left cheek well inside scoring ring.All possible fatal to occupant . My eyes are 50 years old with no glasses and I havent shot competively for nearly 25 years. Considering my front post was nearly 1.5 times the target at 200yds, Is this good for the 14.5 inch M-4? Will I be able to score on the 11/59 full size target at 300yds, or just pot shots as some say? I havent firedthis rifle at that range yet?
Some say the 14.5AR drops off terribly at 300yds compared to 200. I believe Hungry stated this way back in a post. Is this is what I'm going to experience? Any shooters running Service rifle out to 500 on a 14.5 inch carbine here??:canadaFlag:
 
Centurion Arms makes drum sights for the AR15.

ar15_irons_build_finished.jpg
 
The AR belongs to someone in WA who works in a gun shop/indoor range.

Lower
LMT 2-Stage Complete Lower
Magpul ACS Stock
Magpul MIAD Grip
Magpul BAD Lever
BAD A.S.S Safety Lever (Normal left, Hybrid right)

Upper
CMT Upper
LMT F/A BCG (Standard)
BCM Gunfighter Mod4 Charging Handle
Centurion Arms 16" Midlength barrel
Surefire MB556AR Brake
Centurion Arms 12" Rail
Centurion Arms HK Diopter Sights
KAC Handstop
Streamlight TLR-1 w/tapeswitch
Magpul XTM and Ladder rail covers

The SureFire brake seems really effective. Here it is on a Bushmaster full auto lower (first video is the owner):

[youtube]-yF8z9Rtdy8[/youtube]

[youtube]cha5gkOs_Bk[/youtube]
 
The "drum" type sights are patterned after the H&K sight. Simple and sturdy.
Is there any provision for actually zeroing the sight at the selected range setting?
If not, will this be a problem? If the elevation setting built into the sight is no exact, will aiming off be a problem?
How are windage adjustments made? Are they set it and leave it and hold off, or can you actually adjust for wind?
What are you actually going to use the iron sights for? Or use the rifle for?
A hooded front sight does work well with a rear aperture sight, from the standpoint of concentric circles. But it a hooding front sight that much better than a guarded blade?

A 14.5" barrelled iron sighted rifle shooting 55gr ball can certainly be used for Service Rifle competition back to 500m. But it might not be an optimum choice.
 
Ive set up my Centurion sights (HK style diopter) on my 16 midlength / full rail (picture to follow)... the additional sight radius is good on a standard rifle and they co-witness with a standard Eotech / Aimpoint. I mounted the same BUIS on a shorter AR15 and they were of no great advantage on a 11.5" bbl.

Diopters have their advantages and as posted before the Swiss and Germans definately know their sh*t!.
 
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