Kel-tec SU16FA back

Good stuff. There's lots I would like to see changed about the SU16, but the truth is KelTec designed them to meet a demand in a certain portion of the US market, and they do that exceedingly well. I do love mine though. There's nothing on the market that even remotely compares to it in terms of weight and function.

I thought the factory iron sights were surprisingly good - You're right, they're not easy to adjust, so clearly not made for dialing wind/elevation. But the basic model has a nice long sight plane. Before I mounted an optic I was consistently getting 3-1/2" to 4" three shot groups at 100yds with surplus Chinese ammo with the irons, from a casual rest. I think the best I ever got that ammo to work back in the AR days was 3-1/2", so I'll consider my SU16 to be pretty darn good with that ammo. I'm working up handloads just to see what it is capable of - There are some reports of shockingly good accuracy out there.
 
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Lol, the accuracy I was getting with the combination of my eyesight, shooting position and available target had me more than satisfied as well. But...holy crap, I wanted the irons adjusted before I put on an optic. On a "real" rifle :) that normally takes 5, 10, maybe 15 rounds depending upon the sights. On this thing I was probably up around 75 or 80 shots before I could call myself satisfied with POI versus POA. I was using that silly little screwdriver provided by KelTec to adjust a Phillips-head railroad spike that held the plastic clamp against the plastic sight body, trying to grip the plastic rail top of the plastic receiver.

I kept looking around for the little plastic plug where you fill it with water...:)
 
Interesting, I guess mine must have been pretty close to zeroed from the factory then (for my ammunition). I had to take the rear sight off to get my optic where I wanted it, so I hope it never has to go back on there...

The rifle does feel extremely light, and I understand why that's a turn off for some people. But for me, for this rifle, light is right (as long as it also balances well for me, which it does).
 
My rear sight was so far to the right that the left clamp was barely in contact; I somehow doubt that a gun in this price range is sighted at the factory, except entirely by accident, and sure enough the initial groups were about a foot too far to the right. Elevation not as bad but far from good. It took a lot of trial and error, especially at the rear, to get things right.

I like to know that the irons on any gun are sighted and ready to go if needed. I won't be touching these again...EVER!...and will figure out some combo of optic and mount that allows me to leave them in place. Ideal would be a mount with a see-through capability giving me instant access to the irons.

Yikes! See-through rings? That's something I wouldn't even consider on a "real" rifle. :)
 
I wanted my optic as low as possible, so the rear sight had to go, unfortunately.

You might be able to find a red dot mount that has a skeleton profile, with clearance for the iron sights. Maybe. Or maybe your only option will be the old-school see-through rings as you say. Either way, your optic is going to be pretty high up there. But hey, it's your rifle!
 
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