Have any of you used the Troy folding battle sights with XS CSAT rear and tritium stripe front on an AR and if so, what is your opinion of them. I have a Leupold 4x on mine right now and I'm not really happy with it and I'm pretty sure I'm about to install a set of iron sights as my primary sight option and put the scope on something else. I could buy the Troy/XS folding set (front/rear) with the CSAT aperature on the rear and tritium stripe front for $280. Or, I could buy the front only and use it with my removable carry handle that Hargove sent me a while back. Or, I could buy the front and a CSAT aperature for the carry handle. Or, I could use the carry handle as is and buy a plain fixed (non folding) front sight and install a tritium striped or tritium dot XS front post to it. I really don't know that I need the CSAT rear, it's just kinda cool...big aperature for speed, and a little aperature for longer range with a square notch sight on top for very close like 7 yards. I would welcome any input. My rifle is a flattop carbine with a front rail on the gas block. I really don't need folding sights at all but whatever I get, I want tritium on the front and I want them rugged. Thanks,

rob

on stuff that goes along with the flat-tops is second best in that regard even if they aren't likely to break. Get a sight that you can see that works for you in the environment in which you expect to use the rifle. Don't worry about the cachet attached to certain sights, optical or not, worry about whether or not they work for you.

I'm not a fan of tritium sights. I find that when I can see the sights in the dark I often can't see the target. You've got to see both for the sights to work. Lacking a mortar to fire illumination rounds, a starlight scope would be a good bet. That comes from actually trying to hit things in the dark.

I personally would steer away from plastics. I have folding sights on my flat-top because even though it has a scope sight, I'm realistic enough to realize that Mister Murphy rides in my back pocket. Not that anything is likely to break, but if it is always better to have it and not need it.

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Sincerely,

Hobie

that will be the right height for mounting on the gas block and I want an XS post with tritium. I really don't care if its the stripe or standard dot. Getting the XS post is easy. Getting a good sight base that mounts to a gas block to put the XS post on is my number one goal. Most of the ones I find are plastic (not good for a gas block), hand guard height (not right for a gas block) or expensive folding sights like Troy or Daniel Defense. I really don't mind spending the money, I just don't really need the added expense of a folding sight but that seems to be all I can find.

If I buy a plain quality front the good ones seem to run about $50. By the time I add a $60 XS tritium front (the non negotiable part of this) I have $110 invested and I have to worry about whether the front base and the XS post have matching threads. I'm gonna see if I can find someone who has one in stock and try it with my carry handle rear sight. I can always buy the matching rear later if I want.

It seems the Troy sights are for gas blocks the same height as the receiver and the rail on my gas block is lower. I need a front sight for a low profile gas block. Maybe I should just buy a standard gas block with integral sight and be done with it.

configuration.

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Sincerely,

Hobie

for gas blocks lower than receiver height. I wonder if the XS post will fit it? I've heard of some front sights with oddball thread sizes. The MI sight looks like a good quality sight and is about $80-90. With the XS post it will cost the same as the Troy but at least it should be the right height.

but I have pretty well banned folding sights from Dept. approved, officer-owned carbines.

I did this because our qualification standard requires 4/5 headshots standing unsupported at 50 yards and 8/10 in an 8" bull at 100 yards from sitting, prone or an improvised rest; all with irons. Now I know that sounds ridiculously easy to old riflemen, but these kids were bolting BUIS and all kinds of other acronym shit all over their guns and failing to qualify.

So I took a couple of their rifles out and shot them myself at 100 & 200 yards. I discovered, much to my amazement, that the cheaper flip up BUIS has as much as 5" or windage error because of wobble in the rear sight. I could simply push the sight to the left, before each shot, and 100 yard groups would close by 3-4 inches.

The good news is that since they are using an A2 or equivalent rear sight, the long line scores have improved dramatically. The very best news is that I finally convinced the city to buy Sig 556's for each black & white ;)

I am with Hobie on his recommendation. Find whatever works for you and use it. I'll only suggest that you don't let the 'go fast' BS rob you of fine accuracy.

I don't listen to any of the high speed low drag silliness. I originally wanted a flattop because I figured I'd scope it and be done with it. Now I've come full circle and just want a set of quality iron sights. I have pretty much settled on using the A2 handle but I need a good front sight and it doesn't need to fold either. It looks like Armalite has a clamp on (with bolts) front sight gas block and its forged steel. This might be a good option but my leaning is toward what will give me the strongest front sight with the least amount of work. I don't need to complicate things or the rifle will sit in the safe or ill go trade it for another 629 or SBH, click the sight till they are on and call it done:)

I use to be a huge fan of light-up iron sights....mostly due to playing with pistols with "night sights" and drawing a bead on the door knob or something in the house with the lights down low.....

My turn around came during a shooting school that started about a hour before dusk and ran to midnight....on purpose a low light shooting class....

To my amazement...the fancy Trijicon sights on my P35 were only "useful" for about 15 minutes right at dusk when the sun was down but still light enough to see the targets...prior to this sweet spot the black sights were fine...after it got just a bit darker the sights showed up but you could not see the target...no bueno...

When it starts getting dark the ONLY solution is a bright weapon light....or real night vision...

That said all my "practical" pistols have night sights...chicks dig them...none on the rifles....

By back door rifle is a Armalite carbine fitted with a Bushness Elite 1.5x5 illuminated reticle...no back up sights needed for shooting around the farm....

For a more broad spectrum choice of rifles it is probably a good idea to have both an optic and iron sights of some kind....

I agree with Sarge that many folding sights wiggle and are no good...however the Magpul plastic sights seem to work just fine...

In my opinion the best "compromise" is to have fixed A1 front and rear sights and a solid rail system that can mount a red dot with a 1/3 co-witness....

If you want to keep you telescope then a folding rear is of course in order...I prefer the Matech as used by the USMC...zero at 100 and you are good for 600 with a load that follows M855 specs....

If I could only have one it would be the second from the top...A1 sights, Aimpoint and 800 lume spotlight...

Another thing to consider is that the night sight is readily visible to others at a considerable distance...play gun games at night and much becomes "clear"....

Byron

I am a fan of simple, rugged, and proven. I would recommend a standard A2 rear and just know the aimpoint for 7 yds. I would strongly recommend a non-folding front sight post. Actually I would replace the gas block with a fixed front sight gas block but that's me. The tritium front is wise, the stripe has a square post and I believe their dot has a round post top. The round post is not as good for longer range in my experience but your mileage may vary. Temper this all with the fact I run an old M16 round rubber buttpad fixed stock on my AR, simple, rugged, and proven.

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Colonel, USAF (Ret)
NRA Life Member

+1

The man speaks the truth!

Byron

Lots of good advice. Thanks Byron. Your top rifle, the Armalite looks exactly like my rifle. Mine is an Eagle Arms that says Division Of Armalite right on the receiver. Doesn't have a chrome lined barrel but I'm not much into seeing how hot I can get my barrel so it'll do for now. When prices and availability come back down to earth I'm gonna add another with a 20" barrel.

And I'm quite the fan of the old standard fixed butt stock as well.

Amen Sarge. I too prefer rugged and reliable, which is why I keep an FAL around for serious social issues.
My one bit of advice for the AR platform is this: if your accesorized M4 clone is as heavy as a .50 Sharps, you're doing it wrong. At a certain point you might as well be packing something .30 cal, or something belt-fed.
Mark

I don't even have a flashlight on mine. Not because there isn't merit but I just can't stand much of anything hanging on my guns. I sleep with a surefire beside my Glock 21...that's about as tactical as I get.

a carbine. Gotta be able to see the target to engage it, and it helps if the target is too blind to return fire effectively. A small Surefire is adequate; if you really want to light stuff up Surefire even offers a huge light made for mounting on a Ma Deuce.
I like good optics these days (I really like the ACOG, FWIW); with the FAL the issue sights are nicely down out of the way when using whatever optic, without any need for folding stuff. A forward pistol grip, I think, is mainly useful for better control of weapons that have that third position for the selector lever. Most of the other crap people hang on M4 copies isn't needed, or just gets in the way.

I would LOVE an ACOG but right now it's not in my price range. Some day in the future that is exactly what I want. One problem with the dot sights is my stigmatism. I see two dots and it grieves me to think about wearing my glasses to shoot a rifle. I'm fine with scope sights or iron sights as long as I'm not in low light or shade with the latter but with a fiber optic or red dot I'm hopelessly dependent on corrective lenses if I only want to see one dot. I miss my youth!

with the light barrel, aluminum telescoping stock and integral sights. Never needed the forward assist.

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Sincerely,

Hobie