AR 15 sights

[DaverZ]

Though I own a black rifle I'm a little fuzzy on sights.I won a rifle from Safeside Tactical,it's a flat top and because of the railed gas block he said I would need a two tiered front sight.Can anyone explain these to me,is it called an A2? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[PegLeg45]

I don't know if this is what you are talking about, but on my DPMS flat-top the gas block rail is slightly lower in height than the receiver rail. When I ordered a set of flip-up iron sights, I got a set that had a taller front than rear to compensate for the difference.

[alfsauve]

I thought, though frequently wrong, that an A2 had the high front sight that was part of the gas block.  Usually, but not always a carrying handle.  (An A1 being the same but was the original design without forward assist or deflector.)




An A4 has a flat top. See below.  Per Pegleg, yours isn't a single smooth rail, but has slightly two different heights.  The rail on the fore end, or maybe the gas block, being slightly different from the rail on the upper receiver.  This isn't unusal as the Ruger M77 bolt rifles have the same problem.  And it's a pain to get scope mounts for them to work exactly right.



My latest AR has a full length float tube.  The small gas block having no rail and fitting inside the float tube.  A single monorail runs the whole length of the receiver and fore end.   

So many configuration options in an AR, both a plus and a minus.

 

[DaverZ]

Did some looking around at different places and I'm beginning to get the idea.The sites I looked at were marked gas block front sights.It's definitely a learning curve for me because I was kinda late getting on to the AR 15 train.

[PegLeg45]

Did some looking around at different places and I'm beginning to get the idea.The sites I looked at were marked gas block front sights.It's definitely a learning curve for me because I was kinda late getting on to the AR 15 train.

Me to.

I've always wanted one, but for various reasons, never got around to buying one until a couple years ago.
Still playing catch-up on some things.

[Sponsor]

[les snyder]

clean off the dining room table, flip the rifle upside down so it sits flat on the upper rail... measure the distance from the table to the gas block ... this should get you in the ball park... if you decide to add an optic and still want to have fixed sights available just to use a back up, a set of roll over 45degree sights are available... and easy to add if you have a full float tube with rails... if you don't, a spacer the height of the measured difference can be added to the front gas block and then add the roll over...

if you want to shoot iron sights, an aftermarket carry handle with sights and matching front sight should be available through Brownells.... the AR really shines with an optic