AR15 questions

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oldcars

New member
I am going to build an AR15. I already bought the stripped lower, and I have two questions before I order the kit:

#1. Should I pay the extra for a chome lined or Stainless barrel & why?

#2. If I build a flat top and mount a scope do I need a removable or flat front sight or will I not see it in the scope.

I plan on building a 20" gun with the flashhider and bayonet lug, and I have a Leupold 4x I plan to use on it.
 
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Rembrandt

New member
#2. If I build a flat top and mount a scope do I need a removable or flat front sight or will I not see it in the scope.
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I don't see the front sight through the scope with the fixed sight....but it's a 3-9X. Might be different if it's a dot type scope.
 
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armedtotheteeth

New member
The front sight will be a pain in the butt. I hacked mine off my Bushmaster, flush with the handguard. if it was me, it wound not worry about the rear sight and just get a scope as you have said. Iron sights do not do Ars justice as they are very accurate, often less than an inch groups. as far as the barrel lining. Some people say a un lined barrel is more accurate, but I havent seen this- I have not shot enough of the Non lined barrels to really see the differnece. My Bushmaster 20 inch H bar Xhrome lined Ar-15 will shoot about 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards, on a calm day. it is not a varminter or anything, just a plain jane Ar 15.
 
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m24shooter

New member
The FSB will not be a pain in the butt. With the 4x you mention you will have a slight ghost image that with some shooting you will get used to not even notice after a while. With a higher power optic it will be less noticeable.
As for chrome, it depends on how you intend to use it. If it is going to be a SHTF/HD weapon then chrome is good. If you intend on it getting some abuse or neglect between cleanings chrome is good. If you want to help extraction in less than ideal conditions a chrome chamber can help greatly.
Non-lined barrels *can* be more accurate due to slight variances that occur during chrome lining, but they are not inherently more accurate just because they are not lined.
 
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Jermtheory

New member
ive mounted a Simmons 3x9 on my AR just fooling arround and the front sight wasnt visible at all(even though it was in front of the scope),on any power.

...the fixed front sight is more durable.

chrome lining is good(longer lasting easier to clean).


if it was me, it wound not worry about the rear sight and just get a scope as you have said. Iron sights do not do Ars justice as they are very accurate, often less than an inch groups. as far as the barrel lining.
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BUIS are good if you're planning on having it at all for SD/HD/"SHTF"....preferably with a QD optic mount.
 
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HorseSoldier

New member
My issue M4 has a front sight and a 4x ACOG on it, and I don't notice it at all through the scope. With zero magnification sights like the EOTech you can see the front sight but I don't find that it gets in the way -- when you're shooting both eyes open you learn to just work the dot and the target and ignore the front sight assembly pretty quickly.
 
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W.E.G.

New member
Get the chrome-lined barrel.

Much easier maintenance, and if you are one of the lucky ones, it will tolerate Wolf ammo.

You will need a riser for most scopes.
This will elevate the optical center of your field of view over the front sight post, and any part of the front sight you can still see will be indistinguishable at any magnification over 4x.
 
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Jermtheory

New member
chrome lined has a longer life and easier to clean.

SS is said to be more accurate,but its doubtfull you'll see the difference from what i hear.
 
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armedtotheteeth

New member
The front sight base will be in the way of a 4 power scope, even with 1 1/2 inch tall rings. Yes, you can still see around the front sight base, but, there is a fuzzy front sight in view that is terrible in low light conditions, or when even if you aim even remotely towards the sun. I hacked mine off. Much happier with the scope now. yeah get a chrome lined barrel. Mine is usually clean in one patch even after several hundred rounds. the second patch is usually clean. Its amazing!!
 
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Jermtheory

New member
The front sight base will be in the way of a 4 power scope, even with 1 1/2 inch tall rings. Yes, you can still see around the front sight base, but, there is a fuzzy front sight in view that is terrible in low light conditions, or when even if you aim even remotely towards the sun.
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that hasnt been my(or many others apparently) experience.
 
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DonR101395

New member
that hasnt been my(or many others apparently) experience.
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Same here, I run an ACOG in a LaRue mount and a DMS-1 in a Larue SPR mount and don't have any interference issues on 4X. With the DMS-1 I have a ghost of the FSB on 2-3, but it's gone on 4.
 
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m24shooter

New member
Well, if the FSB IS a problem I guess Big Army better start recalling all of those DMRs. And the Marines better get those SAM-Rs back. There might be a run on hacksaw blades for all of the FSBs that are going to need cutting.
The FSB is NOT a problem. Again, there might be a slight ghost image, but it does not mess with your POA, it does NOT prevent target ID, it does NOT affect the shot. The shooter is able to see fine, and with a little experience the image will not even be noticeable unless the shooter wants to focus on it. Shoot with both eyes open (like should be done anyway) and it won't be a problem.
You don't need risers either to try to "clear" the FSB. If you do that you're going to be raising your height over bore to an insane level and your BZO is going to get crazy. Your cheek weld will also get funky, and you'll end up with your jaw on the stock rather than your cheek. Makes it a little harder to stay consistent. You want the optic as low to the bore as you can get. With a 4x Lupi, you probably don't have much if any of an objective or occular bell, so you can keep it low, where it should be.
M4s, M16A4s, DMRs, and SAM-Rs are being used every day with 4x issued optics without complication. There are also private purchase optics with other mag levels in use that again don't have any issues.
 
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MMcfpd

New member
Just now I pulled out a couple of scoped ARs for a look (because I don't remember the FSB being a problem). On a 3X there is a fuzzy grey picture of the FSB, but it's never interfered with sighting, and looking through a 4.5X I can't see the FSB at all.
 
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hpg

New member
You will get up to 20,000 rounds out of a chrome lined barrel (semi auto mode) and not half that much from a stainless barrel. Unlined chrome moly barrels are good for approx. 5000 to 6000 rounds... Go with the chrome lined barrel......hpg
 
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armedtotheteeth

New member
Well one morning while hunting, i had a critter come up just to the east of me. All I could see was this horrible white and yellow fuzzy thing that once I steped back from the scope and made a funny squinty face, turned out to be the Front site. That thing eats up alot of the availible light coming in to the scope. You may not notice it good light, but , try it during the good hunting hours, IE 30 minute before sunrise to about 1 hour after, and same for sunset.
 
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