# AR-15 sight problem



## Lew_911 (Jun 22, 2010)

I bought an AR-15 off a GON'er a little over a month ago and took it to the range and it is shooting 16" high.  The front is the traditional A frame sight found on most AR's.  It is a flat top with a rear sight that folds down.  I believe the problem is the rear sight and I need to find a spacer to raise it up or just go with a carry handle.

I have looked up the carry handles and found many cheap, but have come across a few "milspec" ones that are much more expensive.  I am wanting to do this right, so the cost is not a huge factor.  My questions are:  What is the difference in the cheaper and the milspec ones?  What is a good brand to go with and where to find it?

Thanks for any help you guys can throw my way!!

As always, keep shootin!!!


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## georgiaboy (Jun 22, 2010)

Have you checked the front sight post (spring loaded with detent and adjustable)?  You can turn the sight post to raise it which will lower your point of impact.

I would try that first.


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## faawrenchbndr (Jun 22, 2010)

Lew'

Does the front sight base have a "F" stamped on the side?
What brand is the AR15?
What brand is the rear sight?


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## Lew_911 (Jun 22, 2010)

No "F" stamped on the side, it does however have a < B >1 stamped on it.  The AR is a build, Rock River Arms lower and Double Star upper.  The rear sight is a A.R.M.S. Low Profile #40.  

And yes Georgiaboy, I have the front sight adjusted as far as it will go to lower my grouping.  Any farther and the post will come out.


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## njanear (Jun 22, 2010)

Lew_911 said:


> I bought an AR-15 off a GON'er a little over a month ago and took it to the range and it is shooting 16" high.  The front is the traditional A frame sight found on most AR's.  It is a flat top with a rear sight that folds down.  I believe the problem is the rear sight and I need to find a spacer to raise it up or just go with a carry handle.



If you are shooting high, you need to LOWER your rear sight (not shim it higher).


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## Lew_911 (Jun 22, 2010)

That makes sense now that I think of it, but the only problem is there is no way to lower it.


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## chuckdog (Jun 23, 2010)

Good A.M. Lew, does the unit group well, and, what distance are you shooting? After reading the other post, you weren't raising any adjustment the rear sight may have were you? Is it a standard A3 upper, or does it have a built in riser? I know with frustration it's easy for me to sometimes get my head, well you know?  Also, have you tried more than one type ammo? Sixteen inches high, I hope it ain't doing that @ 50yds. I just remembered I have an A1 upper that someone sold me that I need to do something with. Good Luck, ChuckDog!


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## Jimmyp (Jun 23, 2010)

Lew_911 said:


> I bought an AR-15 off a GON'er a little over a month ago and took it to the range and it is shooting 16" high.  The front is the traditional A frame sight found on most AR's.  It is a flat top with a rear sight that folds down.  I believe the problem is the rear sight and I need to find a spacer to raise it up or just go with a carry handle.
> 
> I have looked up the carry handles and found many cheap, but have come across a few "milspec" ones that are much more expensive.  I am wanting to do this right, so the cost is not a huge factor.  My questions are:  What is the difference in the cheaper and the milspec ones?  What is a good brand to go with and where to find it?
> 
> ...



Dude if you have a traditional front sight and an aftermarket type rear sight, the combo is just wrong for some reason.  You need a new rear sight.  If you have a flat top upper go on line and look at some Back up Iron sights BUIS that look lower than the one you have.  If you raise the rear sight the front sight has to go higher to be centered, the front sight goes higher, the gun shoots higher. 

Your best solution is to buy a mount RRA $60.00 and put a scope on it.


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## germag (Jun 23, 2010)

You probably need to find a "F" front sight base. It is a taller sight base for flat-tops to match the height of the rear sight. 

You need to either LOWER the rear sight, or RAISE the front sight. Raising the rear sight will only make it shoot even higher.

BCM makes an "F" front base that sells for about $30.


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## DYI hunting (Jun 23, 2010)

Wrong front sight.  Sounds like someone built a parts gun or used a new barrel with a carry handle height front sight post on a flat top reciever. 

Also if you change out the front sight, sometimes the holes drilled in the barrel do not match up with the replacement sight.  A front sight with set screws would be the safe bet, but they are not as rock solid as a standard pinned sight.


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## georgiaboy (Jun 23, 2010)

Lew, Daniel Defense has (I guess they still make them) a FSB that uses screws like DYI mentioned.  I have one and it works well as far as being secure.


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## Lew_911 (Jun 23, 2010)

If the front sight is made for the carry handle, then I believe it would be an easier fix to just get a carry handle sight instead of attempting to knock out pins and replace the front sight.  Anyone else agree?


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## DYI hunting (Jun 23, 2010)

Lew_911 said:


> If the front sight is made for the carry handle, then I believe it would be an easier fix to just get a carry handle sight instead of attempting to knock out pins and replace the front sight.  Anyone else agree?



It doesn't work that way.  The removable carry handle for a flat top is the same height as a flip-up (BUIS) sight.  The only way to get the sight to work is replace your receiver with an A2 that has a built in carry handle.

If you decide to replace the sight, YHM makes a flip up for $75.


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## Lew_911 (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks DYI!!  Okay, so next is to find a local gunsmith and get the front sight swapped out with a flip up.  

I appreciate all you guys chiming in and giving me some great advice.  I will give this a go soon!!


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## DYI hunting (Jun 23, 2010)

The front sight is not that hard to change out.  Your front sight will either have taper pins or straight pins.  Remove the flash hider, lay the rifle so a block of wood supports the front sight and using a punch and hammer beat the pins out.  Make sure you go the right way, look at both sides and hit the smaller end.  I think all taper pins come out from left to right.  You also have a roll pin you have to take out of the gas tube.   The Yankee Hill Machine flip up sights are not the best looking but they work good.  

There are several dealers who carry sights, www.bravocompanyusa.com and Brightflashlights over in the Industry section of www.ar15.com are the two I use the most.


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## IMDB (Jun 23, 2010)

Which aperture were you using on the rear sight? The large aperture is used 0-300 and the small aperture is for longer range. This is a description from ARMS.

 The initial elevation zero utilizes the standard M16/M4 front sight bead. For longer ranges the leaf sight aperture is rotated to access the 500-600 capability with the built in horizon line feature that helps lead distant targets and lets the shooter square the rife to counter windage offsets, if the rifle is inadvertently tilted. Other type rear iron fold-down sights

If this isn't your problem I think you can order a taller front site from Brownells.


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## 99Tarbox (Jun 23, 2010)

Gaw!  You can change that front sight out yerself!


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## Lew_911 (Jun 24, 2010)

I am going to take the AR out one more time tomorrow and really make sure I am using the rear sight correctly.  I downloaded the manual and looked it over and realized I was using the small aperture as opposed to the large one.  This messed me up cause all we ever used in the military was the small, even under 100 meters.  So I am off tomorrow to run a few more rounds through it to see what happens!!

Oh yeah, and thanks for the vote of confidence DYI and 99tar, but I am bad about destroying something I begin to work at!!


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## 99Tarbox (Jun 24, 2010)

I have the tools.  If you are in Middle Georgia I'll help.  Not to take food outa the mouths of gunsmiths, but this is an easy do.


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## Truegiant (Jun 25, 2010)

Easy... It has almost taken me a hot minute to get those pins out. I usually dremel them flat. Then heat em up and pull out the BFH.


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## Lew_911 (Jun 29, 2010)

I shot a few rounds the other day, to hot to shoot too many.  I actually hit paper and the target.  Guess it is just a different style rear sight I will have to get used to.  On a day when it is cooler, will take it out and run a couple of mags through to get it really dialed in.


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