AR-15 carry handle optics

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Slater

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I thought these had gone the way of the dodo, but evidently they're still being made (el cheapo Barska linked below). Brownell's has just come out with their version, which sold out pretty quickly. If I was to get one, it would probably be the Brownell's model.

Seeing as how these are mounted pretty high over the bore axis, is/was overall accuracy an issue?

https://www.barska.com/4x20mm-carry-...by-barska.html
 
Cheekweld is the issue.
My 1st AR was a Bushmaster XM177 style.
Decided to try it on chucks, so got a Weaver rail that clamped into carry handle and snap on cheekpiece (for the tele stock).
Trigger was stock, and sucked. Old 4X on top, I got an inch at 100 with it (shocked me as I didn't know what to expect).
 
That also was my first and last fixed handle AR.
All since have been flat tops.
Current one wears a DD rear sight. Liked the Rock River bolt on rear sight too.
Thought about putting my Freedom VX 3-9X EFR on it for yotes.

The cheekrisers and handle mounts can work.....but I think it best to avoid them.
But if wanting retro..............
 
Yep, the cheek weld is definitely the PITA. You can't achieve one. I remember this from before we had the M4, we used a 5.56 carbine called a MK 727, which had a A2 upper. We would mount our older aimpoints or the 4x BLITS scope on them with a ARMS carry handle mount, and you had to "turkey neck" to get a sight picture. There was some contraption around that was a stock riser some guys used, but I didn't think it worked very well. Believe it or not, I know a couple guys were using these in the not-so-distant past. They were in a unit that does a lot of shooting in protective masks, and they preferred the higher mount for this application. I used a different method in a mask that worked better for me with the flat top mounted optics- I would partially collapse the stock and tighten the sling to a "sweet spot", then I would extend the gun to take up the slack in the sling (butt off shoulder) and engage. This only works with red dots with no magnification.
 
The ergonomics of an optic mounted above the iron sights are problematic to say the least.

If I were going to try to shoehorn an optic onto an AR-15 with a fixed carry handle, I would use a cantilever mount and put a red dot out in front of the receiver in the same plane as the iron sights.

If I had a flat top AR15 and an attached 'carry handle' rear sight I would ditch the rear sight and put a proper optic on the receiver.
 
You get what you pay for in the world of optics.

There are diminishing returns, and a lot of $200 optics that work just fine. How many corners have been cut to sell an optic for $69? Too many for me to spend money on it.

The Brownells version may be better, depending on who made it and to what specifications.
 
The original Colt carry handle optic, which the Japanese are reintroducing (they were original manufacturer ! ) fits just enough lower that you can get a cheek weld . The goose necks put them higher up on the upper rail they have.
 
The COLT HBR and DELTA that had carrying handles came with a scope on a weaver rail that fit fit in the handle and the lose scope mounts attached to that. It included a cheek riser that clam shelled or slipped (depending on model) over the fixed A2 butt stock and was locked in place by the rear sling loop. There was a bit of over hand on the forward end of the cheek riser to allow the charging handle to come back far enough to work the action.

Gordon and I may but heads on this one as I found the Colt Scopes on the SP1 and M16A1 were high enough to be bother some and only allowed a "chin" weld or lower jaw weld. These scopes such as Brownells is now offering were issued at some mini sniper schools in VN that basically turned out what we today would call "Designated Marksmen". I have heard that many small unit commanders failed to see the value in the system and viewed the school as a way to send some deserving unpromotable to an in country weeklong R&R.

-kBob
 
I notice with my carry handle A1 knockoff rifle, I tend to raise the stock to where the top half of the buttplate is completely off my shoulder when I shoot it. Definitely not good technique, but that's just what feels natural when I'm trying to line up the iron sights. If I had to look through a scope on top of that handle, probably the only thing left on my shoulder would be the stock toe.
 
I've used a number of Colt knock offs and a real Hakko to get hits on steel at 400. It's not an ACOG but 4x is adequate. The Chinese stuff just doesn't last.
 
BTW the original scopes were 3x (Some folks said actually 2.75X) not 4x and they were also set in a mount that was specific to the AR-18/180.

I checked one of John Plaster's books hopping for more info but other than mentioning that some Division schools in VN issued them he had little to say in that book.

I caught flak from higher ups when I let some of my Artillery Survey ("Chain Gang") and Commo ("Wire Dogs") kids mount scopes on their M16A1s in the very early '80's. Naturally being in the Peace time Army the scopes had to be removed when the rifles were turned in. We did distant aiming point initial zeroing over sand bags and a couple of the nay sayers were shocked that with no other zeroing the kids knocked down 100 meter popups with certainty. Eventually they complained enough to the Division Artillery Commander that he told me to have them put away the scopes and leave them off the rifles. One MP officer on the staff was insenced that I was "letting those troops think they were snipers" Honestly I was thinking these guys worked in the FEBA in three man teams without support and if we were in a shoot'em up war likely to run into real infantry /scout enemy patrols and I wanted to increase their confidence and give them every edge.

I have mentioned that I bought a Chinese plastic friction adjustment "copy" of the Colt Scope and have religated it to an old Crossman AiR17 as it has a tunnel under it I use to replace my lost aperature rear. I did have a .45 Auto Rim case with the primer knocked out taped on for rear sight, but the Cheapy Chinee plastic "looks" more go fast, video game high, better, even if it doesn't work as a scope worth a hoot.

-kBob
 
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