Can we talk about back up 'iron' (polymer) sights?

[Leshaire]

Im on the hunt for some back up sights, and as always, want the opinions of you all...

I need a set of flip down sights for my AR build. Given the red dot I have, they MUST be able to fold down... Which honeslty sucks because I really like the Daniel Defense fixed sights. Oh well.

-I'd rather not have polymer, but would if theyre good durable sights.
-I'd rather not have some ugly ass retarded looking sights because my rifle is gonna look good as shit.

Here are some seemingly popular sights and my opinions, but please let me know what you guys think. Actual experience is a plus..... Obviously.

Troy Folding Battlesight - Fugly.
Troy Micro Folding Battlesight - Fuglier.
Magpul MBUS - These are shitty sights for airsoft guns and or children's toys IMO.
Magpul MBUS PRO - I've never tried these, but they're not terrible looking though. They look conveniently small and light weight.
Ranier Arms BUIS - Not terrible looking, similar to Magpul PROs.
Diamondhead Polymer Sights - These look like Fido's ass.
Yankee Hill Machine QDS Flip Ups - These look retarded which is a turn off for me.
A.R.M.S 71L Series - I've never heard of these, but they look like wannabe Magpuls, which is never a good thing if you're imitating an imitator
GG&G A2 - Never heard of these either. They look like some old school military sights though.
Midwest Industries SPLP - MI typically blows IMO, but these sights don't look bad. Nice low profile when folded and not the fugliest things flipped up.

Side note: The optic on this rifle will be an MRO on a full co witness mount.

 

[dial1911]

1. Remove optic.
2. Install carry handle.
3. Operate.

 

[Leshaire]

1. Remove optic.
2. Install carry handle.
3. Operate.

Lol you silly old timers and your carry handles!

Jk I can appreciate them, but not on this build!

 

[AtlMedic]

I did a bunch of research on this too. The MBUS are inexpensive but they are backups and probably won't be used much if ever. They are plastic but they don't feel cheap to me.

I read several tests that showed they held up super well even when dropped directly onto them. The reason they did well was because they folded back down instead of breaking where some of the metal ones wouldn't fold back down and broke or bent instead.

That said, when funds allow down the road I'm going over to MBUS Pros because they are much lower profile, but cost more than twice as much. From everything I've read, if you have a quality optic then the chance of needing back up sights is very very low.

 

[dial1911]

Lol you silly old timers and your carry handles!

Jk I can appreciate them, but not on this build!

I gotcha- I couldn't resist.

I've done the Eo Tech/Aim Point route with irons before. I finally realized that I don't really need the red dot at sub 50 yards... and I didn't shoot good groups with them at 100 yards. So back to fixed irons for me. Now a 4x scope is a different story. I really like that Millet DMR scope.

My best advice is to get some sights with elevation adjustment at the rear sight. Yes, you can screw the front pin in/out for elevation adjustment, but that's a pain in the ass. You need the elevation adjustment to compensate for any changes between shooting suppressed/unsuppressed. My carbine with the SPECWAR hits about 6" low at 100 yards with the can attached.

 

[Leshaire]

I did a bunch of research on this too. The MBUS are inexpensive but they are backups and probably won't be used much if ever. They are plastic but they don't feel cheap to me.

I read several tests that showed they held up super well even when dropped directly onto them. The reason they did well was because they folded back down instead of breaking where some of the metal ones wouldn't fold back down and broke or bent instead.

That said, when funds allow down the road I'm going over to MBUS Pros because they are much lower profile, but cost more than twice as much. From everything I've read, if you have a quality optic then the chance of needing back up sights is very very low.

Yeah I would definitely consider the PROs but will never ever buy the regular Magpuls again. Tehy both so hard, and not in the good way. They dont seat all the way flat, they feel cheap, they look like crap, and the adjustments are all plastic which bugs the ever living piss out of me. When I try to adjust something, I feel like im going to break or strip something.

 

[Leshaire]

I gotcha- I couldn't resist.

I've done the Eo Tech/Aim Point route with irons before. I finally realized that I don't really need the red dot at sub 50 yards... and I didn't shoot good groups with them at 100 yards. So back to fixed irons for me. Now a 4x scope is a different story. I really like that Millet DMR scope.

My best advice is to get some sights with elevation adjustment at the rear sight. Yes, you can screw the front pin in/out for elevation adjustment, but that's a pain in the ass. You need the elevation adjustment to compensate for any changes between shooting suppressed/unsuppressed. My carbine with the SPECWAR hits about 6" low at 100 yards with the can attached.

Thanks for the heads up. Definitely something Ill consider. Im planning on leaving the can on this gun almost exclusively, but still good to know.

 

[AtlMedic]

Yeah I would definitely consider the PROs but will never ever buy the regular Magpuls again. Tehy both so hard, and not in the good way. They dont seat all the way flat, they feel cheap, they look like crap, and the adjustments are all plastic which bugs the ever living piss out of me. When I try to adjust something, I feel like im going to break or strip something.

I haven't got that impression with mine at all. Were you using the first gen ones or did you maybe get some knock offs? Mine sit flat against the rail and the adjustments seemed solid when I was getting them zeroed in.

Another thing about the mbus I kinda like is that they are spring loaded so if it ever came to needing them, they pop up super quick. I can get the front up barely having to change my grip on the foregrip and I can at least point shoot pretty well at close range.

 

[Leshaire]

I haven't got that impression with mine at all. Were you using the first gen ones or did you maybe get some knock offs? Mine sit flat against the rail and the adjustments seemed solid when I was getting them zeroed in.

Another thing about the mbus I kinda like is that they are spring loaded so if it ever came to needing them, they pop up super quick. I can get the front up barely having to change my grip on the foregrip and I can at least point shoot pretty well at close range.

Could be knock offs for all I know. I'll snap a pic later. They sit at this ultra annoying angle not flat on the rail. Bugs me so bad. They just feel cheap as crap in general too.

The spring action is nice for sure though


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[AtlMedic]

Could be knock offs for all I know. I'll snap a pic later. They sit at this ultra annoying angle not flat on the rail. Bugs me so bad. They just feel cheap as crap in general too.

The spring action is nice for sure though


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Whenever we can meet up you can see mine. I'll never say there arnt better options, but back up sights seem like something that a lot of money shouldn't be spent on with how little they will be used. If you have everything else then it's a different story, but when I bought mine the difference between them and the Pros bought me several other needs for my rifle.

 

[AtlMedic]

I don't have a picture that shows the front one, but you can see they sit perfectly flat for me.

 

[Righter13]

Check these out. Prolly not what you're looking for but would be awesome translation sights for a magnified optic rifle.

https://dsgarms.com/xsar-0007-1

 

[cbh13]

Could be knock offs for all I know. I'll snap a pic later. They sit at this ultra annoying angle not flat on the rail. Bugs me so bad. They just feel cheap as crap in general too.

The spring action is nice for sure though


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I agree that they sound like it could be knock offs or one of the PTS line (these are specifically made for airsoft) all of my real mbus feel extremely solid and very well built and sit completely flat when laid down. I would deff try to get ahold of some different ones and compare

 

[Leshaire]

I don't have a picture that shows the front one, but you can see they sit perfectly flat for me.

View attachment 19126

Oh yeah those sit noticeably different than mine.


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[Leshaire]

Check these out. Prolly not what you're looking for but would be awesome translation sights for a magnified optic rifle.

https://dsgarms.com/xsar-0007-1

That's kind of a cool idea. Pistol type sights on a rifle. Although I can't imagine you could hit shit with those past like 50 yards max. Especially at that 45 degree angle lol.


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[Leshaire]

I agree that they sound like it could be knock offs or one of the PTS line (these are specifically made for airsoft) all of my real mbus feel extremely solid and very well built and sit completely flat when laid down. I would deff try to get ahold of some different ones and compare

Well I wouldn't be surprised if someone gave me fucking air soft versions. Does magpul make those or does some Chinese brand rip them off? If magpul makes them they just dropped yet another notch in my book.


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[Righter13]

Well I wouldn't be surprised if someone gave me fucking air soft versions. Does magpul make those or does some Chinese brand rip them off? If magpul makes them they just dropped yet another notch in my book.


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I'm 90% sure the air soft versions are just Chinese copies.

 

[Laufen]

Fuck a BUIS. Just practice shooting through your optic with it turned off. This is part of the reason I switched from battery operated sights. I can't imagine a situation where my scope would fail, but if it does, I'm fucked pretty hard if I can't even get home to install a different one. In that case I'm point shooting the bastard, and I think I'll be ok.

Back up sights are about the biggest waste of money and real estate on a firearm imo.

*I'm sure I just lost all of my remaining mall ninja cred.

 

[dial1911]

Random picture.... note the fixed sights and millet dmr...

 

[Laufen]

Random picture.... now the fixed sights and millet dmr...

View attachment 19127

I'm waiting for @karlvv to comment on your scope's position.