M&P AR 15 Sport front sight replacement

[mosseater]

Keeping mods to this rifle small, but have bought a Sight Mark red dot sight and the A2 front sight obviously needs changed to a flip up so it doesn't interfere with the picture through the red dot sight.

Recommendations that won't break the bank for a Picatinny gas block and flip up front sight? Planning on keeping the rear Mbus for now. Thanks!

[bluetrane2028]

Keeping mods to this rifle small, but have bought a Sight Mark red dot sight and the A2 front sight obviously needs changed to a flip up so it doesn't interfere with the picture through the red dot sight.

Recommendations that won't break the bank for a Picatinny gas block and flip up front sight? Planning on keeping the rear Mbus for now. Thanks!

Railed gas blocks get super hot, and will melt the plastic Magpul sights. You have to go with a metal front sight, which will then in turn get super hot, so if you have to transition to backup irons due to an optic failure, you're going to have to either wear gloves or get burned flipping that sight back up.... or get used to the sight being up all the time anyways.

My first AR was a non-Sport M&P with a railed gas block. I had a Troy backup sight set on it (which was about $300, yeah I probably overpaid), and I had to have the front sight up all the time anyways. To "clean up" my sight picture, I ended up going with a free float hand guard, which then got my backup sights off the gas block and made the rifle much more user friendly.

So, in review, my suggestion is to either simply add the red dot and fold down the rear sight (the best option IMO, you will get used to the front post being there, it's really not a big deal), or to purchase a free float hand guard and a low profile gas block (or cut down the fixed front post for clearance).

In the interest of saving money, don't alter your basic rifle. BUILD another one that suits you better. Then, you'll have two rifles.

[mosseater]

Thanks for the reply. Im new to the AR platform. I had read about the heat issue, which I wondered about before that. Was thinking of a spring loaded version, and given the fact that they are back ups to the red dot, wasnt too worried about heat if all I had to do was push a release. I'm wondering about the stability of a rail compared to the solid interface of a pinned on gas block. The rails I've see have some play. Building another rifle is not in the budget.

[bluetrane2028]

Thanks for the reply. Im new to the AR platform. I had read about the heat issue, which I wondered about before that. Was thinking of a spring loaded version, and given the fact that they are back ups to the red dot, wasnt too worried about heat if all I had to do was push a release. I'm wondering about the stability of a rail compared to the solid interface of a pinned on gas block. The rails I've see have some play. Building another rifle is not in the budget.

A good free float rail will be pretty darn solid. That said, the barrel can and will flex inside the rail, but that's generally considered to be a good thing.

If you're looking at saving money being the priority, leave the rifle stock, save the money you would be blowing for a future build (assuming it's still legal to do so...)

[DukeConnor]

When i first mounted my red dot the front sight post bothered me. now i don't even notice it.

[JDA58]

Yeah.. not sure why you NEED to remove the front sight.... the dot on mine is in line with the front sight post

[JDA58]

20161106_170110.jpg

bad picture but if set up right you should be ok

[mosseater]

I gave it a quick look after I bought the sight, and thought, "awe, hell no! That FS gotta go!" Guess Ill give it a try for a while and see if it bugs me. Thanks peeps.

[JDA58]

you can remove them if you don't like that "LOOK" but you don't need to remove them just because you add a red dot..

[mosseater]

I initially wanted the red dot because the front post at 100 was so huge it covered the whole target, AND if I have time to squint a bit and get alignment on the opens I can shoot decent groups with it. Just thought a 3moa dot would be a good compromise for rapid, accurate target acquisition over the Mbus. Having the front sight out of the picture would be desirable, but maybe not necessary.