Dumb AR front sight question??

[rundownfid]

I recently put together an AR kit. The front sight needs adjusting. I see that there is a little tool available, but not to me, that can do this. Is there some other, not so tool intensive, way to adjust the front sight up and down, once it is sighted in I doubt I'll touch it again for years.

 

[rundownfid]

I recently put together an AR kit. The front sight needs adjusting. I see that there is a little tool available, but not to me, that can do this. Is there some other, not so tool intensive, way to adjust the front sight up and down, once it is sighted in I doubt I'll touch it again for years.

 

[wsl1971]

You can use the tip of a 5.56 round to adjust the sight.
http://www.bushmaster.com/elec...-manual/opmanual.pdf
bill

 

[Careby]

Well theoretically you can do it with the point of a bullet. You just have to push the plunger down with something and then turn the sight whichever way it needs to go. Each time you press the plunger you can get a quarter turn before it pops back up. It's awkward, but the tool isn't perfect, either.

 

[Bob R]

You can take a .308 round and file it down so there is a small protusion on the open end. Use this to put over the sight, push on the little plunger and give the sight a twist. Some people get very ambitious and file it so there are either 4 or 5 nubs, depending on which front sight you have. I have found that just one nub is good enough.

bob

 

[m1gunner]

A small pin punch works. Using a bullet works fine as well. Once the stop pin is depressed, the sight turns easily.

 

[J. Galt]

A ballpoint pen works too!

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, in the Marine Corps, we used a nail. I still have the one I was issued in boot camp.

FYI, on a front sight with five notches (usually a round post), each notch is 1 minute of angle, basically 1 inch per hundred yards of range. That is, moving the post one notch should move the point of impact 1 inch at 100 yards, 2 inches at 200, etc. On a sight with only four notches (usually a square post), each notch is worth 1-1/4 MOA.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[2hawk]

Bullet tip is supposed to work, but can be a trial, especially if the post is dry. Make sure that you've got a drop of oil on it, and work the detent a little to make sure it's moving freely.
One of these might be handy in your parts kit:
http://www.combatoptical.com/c...STMENT-TOOL-128.html

 

[rundownfid]

Thanks to everyone, the front sight is soaking up the oil a pin punch is waiting for use and it is off to the bench to sight in. I knew you guys would have good answerers. It sounds funny that the corps issues nails to adjust sights, but I guess recruits have pretty much nothing but what they are issued.

 

[s&wchad]

"Improvise, adapt, overcome..."

Heartbreak Ridge

 

[sonny]

Originally posted by Ron H.:
Sir, in the Marine Corps, we used a nail. I still have the one I was issued in boot camp.

FYI, on a front sight with five notches (usually a round post), each notch is 1 minute of angle, basically 1 inch per hundred yards of range. That is, moving the post one notch should move the point of impact 1 inch at 100 yards, 2 inches at 200, etc. On a sight with only four notches (usually a square post), each notch is worth 1-1/4 MOA.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

Wow, what a good post! Thanks to a guy who's been there and knows EXACTLY what he's doing. I appreciate your service.
Sonny (older dogface)

 

[rundownfid]

Wow, not only did I get remarkably useful information on improvising with a nail or punch but how to make one. Most amazingly an E-mail from "Robby" offering to send me one form some he had made for his unit, thanks so much. I'll have to post a karma in Robby's honor.
Thanks
Steve

 

[11B Lifer]

Just a note: Sometimes when the barrel is screwed in tight to the receiver it will be at a slight cant (tilted). When you attempt to zero you keep cranking in windage-and it has little effect. DEPO level armorers use a laser system to ensure the front sight is properly aligned with the receiver/rear sight.