HiCapMag Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 I had the opportunity to handle a few AR's recently with the slim front sights and they were much more better. What size do you folks favor, and where the heck can I find one? I guess size does matter, and in this case smaller is better (I bet Gordo likes the sound of that) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 I like the Accuracy Speaks one at .035 diameter. Make sure you get a clamp on, or slip on front sight cover to protect it, that sucker will bend on ya with a heavy breeze ;~) JP Enterprises also makes skinny front posts. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradC Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 HiCapMag, Its Brad C. here, had a BLAST shooting with you guys at Texas State 3gun! Boom-Boom and I got our .040 front sights from K2 Sports in Richardson Texas: http://www.k2-sports.com Give them a call, I'm sure they can get them sent down your way! See you guys at Area4! BradC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 For the cheapskate, I turned down a few on my drill press .030 It wasn't that hard to do, and the wind doesn't bend it (not enough surface area) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledgee Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Another cheapskate option, which keeps it square (optically way mo'betta): I filed mine down. It takes constant checking with a caliper and a good eye to keep it centered, sides parallel, and square, and you need to be a fair hand with a file. (I also hand-checker.) You can check it for trueness by spinning it in a drill by the threaded shank. I was aiming for .050", but ended up all square and true at .049". Bushmaster has 'em, too, I think. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 and the wind doesn't bend it (not enough surface area) LMAO But seriously, I cannot stress how fragile the "skinny" front posts really are. I had mine snag on the foam inside a soft rifle case and bend. I noticed it while dry-firing right before my offhand sighters at a local High Power match. It took me both sighters, and my first shot for record (it was a 8 @ 9 oclock) to get back into the center of the black with a pair of needle nose pliers, sheeeshh! I was lucky it was a sideways bend, if it had bent straight forward or back, I would've impacted high, I just wouldn't have known it until a good bit later in the string, after the damage was done. I wonder what the guy pulling for me was thinking after seeing a 5 @ 3 oclock, then an 8, then an 8 out the other side (first shot for record), followed by 8 straight 10's. I finished the string with a 188, and a sigh of relief (threw a few more 8's, and a coupla 9's of my own anyway). I went to Sinclair International on the web as soon as I got home, and now my A2 wears black plastic clamp-on front, and rear sight covers whenever it isn't on the line. 20 bucks, and worth every penny compared to having that happen again. Long story short = use skinny front post, protect it! Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim3gun Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 you can also get thin AR front sights from www.blackmoonent.com we have them now but our business and site is new. they go for $25 and are .040 wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 So what's the thinnest one could go with a front sight, but not have to worry about damaging it from normal use? Stock A2 width? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Had an .060 previously, it was pretty robust, but still too wide for me for real precise distance shooting. The .035 is perfect for me for High Power, but it really is paper clip thin, and bends just like a paper clip too. I am extrapolating that .050, or wider is needed before it will take any sorta whackin', or torquin' whatsoever. I always had good results with the .060 in IPSC shooting with my Colt HBAR before I dedicated it to High Power service rifle use. I'm not absolutely certain of this, but I believe the standard A2 width is .075, or .080, and I am guessing that there are a quite a number of good reasons for the choice of fat front post for a rattle battle rifle, not the least of them being the mechanical strength issue. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 For those with lathe access: Chuck a sight in the lathe, turn the old post off. Center drill, then drill for a new post, and silver solder drill rod in place. It won't bent as easily as the original. If you're really hard on sights, mill a sight for a blade, silver solder it in place, then file to zero. I had to do the drill rod method for a rifle where I couldn't get the sight high enough. It would be almost unscrewed when zeroed. I made the sight a lot taller, and skinny as well, Nice shooter, I'm sorry I sold it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom-Boom Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 HiCap, Brad's been thinking too hard again. Our guns that you handled at the TX State 3gun had .050" front posts and .040" aperture hooded rear peeps. If you're gonna get a skinny front post, you need a tiny rear aperture too. The non hooded aperture was also .040", but I drilled it out to .32" for the close in stuff. This has been covered on this forum before, but make sure the rear's you pick out have a single sight plane between the close range and long range peeps. I like the .050" because I can pick it up pretty fast on the close in hoser stages, but are accurate enough at 200 yrds and further. On close in stuff I used the .32" aperture I drilled out and then flip it to the small hooded aperture for the long range targets. Some people like the aperture inserts like Bennie Cooley has, but some inserts keep you from flipping back and forth from a small to large peep. K2 is a DPMS stocking dealer so our guns are mostly DPMS, but w/ JP competition parts thrown in. The sights are all DPMS. I also noticed that JP is now selling the DPMS rear detachable sight instead of the expensive, modified lyman adjustable peep sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiCapMag Posted April 30, 2003 Author Share Posted April 30, 2003 Thanks for all the responses folks.......excuse me while I whip this out (my credit card).... I'm going shopping. Brad, Boom-Boom -- you evil ones got me started wanting to modify my (almost) trusty Bushy. Appreciate the opportunity to fondle your firearm - had great fun in Texas. Don't think I'll make Area 4, but we will send "The Large Hairy One". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddS Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 Be careful wit dem itty bitty front posts. They seem like all that when you're in the shop or under the vendors tent, but when you get to match time they're hard to pick up fast and most people have a tendency to try and be too precise with their shots. I've been down that road, tried 'em all the way down to .33, ended back at the .50 During moderate range stages, it's still big enough to pick up fast, but small enough to get really precise out to 500 yards. Spend your money on a good barrel and trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradC Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 Doh! Boom-Boom steps in with the good info as usual! The only difference between my sight system and Boom-Boom's is I only drilled out my standard rear sight to .25 for starters and will likely widen it out to .32 as Boom-Boom has. We do, in fact, have .050 front's. I don't type numbers well =) BradC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyn Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 I've relied on .040 and .050 diameters. I prefer the .040. I'm going to try a .035 but I have not used it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now